Upcoming surgery December 26th...

[Dave48003]

I can relate to your jitters! My big concern was if something were to go wrong, going back isn't an option. So, I decided to stay with my urologist who does several of these a year, but doesn't specialize in implants. I had a good comfort level with him and he has a reputation for being an excellent surgeon. I had a minor infection at the incision that showed up about 3 weeks post surgery. I also had an abnormal amount of swelling and inflammation. Look up "LGX log" and you can read about my whole journey.

Let me cut to the chase. It was all worth it. The uncertainty was unfounded. I am extremely happy with it, as is my wife of almost 40 years. Her only regret: I should have done it sooner! There are some differences in sensation, but man, what a boner!!!! My only complaint, which I think is more prevalent with the Titan (I have an LGX) is the flaccid penis can still be difficult to "park" on occasion. But, I can go hands free at the urinal without peeing my pants!

Feel free to read my journey and ask any questions, I'm more than happy to "hold your hand" figuratively through the nervous days approaching surgery.

[Dave92014]

Thanks Dave. You definitely have the clarity that I won't have until after the procedure. I am going to leave it to the surgeon as well. He says he can do either implant and stocks them both.

I am first on the table so I have to be there at 6 AM. I hope I don't have to wait long. Did you leave the same day or spend a night in the hospital?

Can I ask where and when you had the procedure?

I had the surgery Oct. 31, 2012 at Encinitas, Ca. ( as suburb on the north side of San Diego).

I was in the hospital for "23 hours" and left about 9:30AM the morning following the surgery. I have mixed ideas about whether it is best to stay overnight or not. My doc did not give me the choice and I did not ask him if there was a possibility I could leave the same day. On the side of staying overnight:
1. I had a catheter which the doc removed just before I left the hospital. They are a nuisance to travel with so being in the hospital makes that easier. I had a partial prostectomy for BPH 9 years ago and had to have a catheter for 10 days after that. It did not fit my bladder well so leaked a little urine every once in awhile, especially when I stood up, which burned in my uretheria for about 45 seconds. I did not have this problem after the implant surgery though as the catheter seemed to fit right this time.
2. Having professional nurses to look after me was an advantage. They did not actually have to do much except give me my medications and food on the right schedule, but knowing I had pros was good. How much this means depends on what home care you would have. If you live by yourself, this would bias towards the overnight stay.

On the other side of the coin:
1. The major concern with this surgery, or any stay in the hospital, is the chance of picking up an infection in the hospital. A nurse friend of mine who has worked temp in many local hospitals says that even the best have problems with MRSA infections. When I had my prostectomy surgery they put me in a double room and the guy in the other bed had been there two weeks with an infection they could not cure. So I spent 3 days separated from him only by a curtain and a few feet of air. Plus my room mate kept rolling over every 20 minutes and cutting off his IV, which caused it to sound an alarm. This was a nuisance in the day time and disturbed my sleep in the night. I finally got him to have the nurse show him how to stop the alarm, so when he did it I would yell at him and he would wake up and shut it off. Before that the alarm sounded until a nurse got around to showing up which they did not do very fast as they knew he had just done it for the 1000th time. For my implant surgery I requested a private room which would have cost me an extra $250 to preclude being with anyone with an infection. But when they wheeled me to my room I saw it was a double and protested. But they said they did not have any private rooms available. Fortunately my room mate this time did not have an infection and was very quiet.
2. I didn't sleep very much the night after my implant surgery. The doc had prescribed an Ambian for me but I did not take it as those can mess up your brain. Maybe I would have slept better at home. Or maybe not.
3. If you are paying for the hospital stay yourself, the extra cost of the room could be an issue to consider.

[radiodec]

I, too, am just recovering from implant surgery (11/7/2012 in Hendersonville Med. Center, TN - near Nashville). I staayed overnight but left before it became an "inpatient" stay. I would have been discharged same day except for anti-biotic issues. I am allergic to penicillin and alternate antibiotic required IV infusion. Surgery time will definitely depend upon anything else that has transpired in that portion your anatomy.

If all goes well things will be short and swet, otherwise superior results may take longer. My surgery went an hour longer than planned but the results were outstanding. This was the second attempt, scar tissue left from a radical prostatectomy got in the way on the first attempt and required removal. Surgeon didn't want to do implant after amount of work done as it would increase chances of infection.

Good luck and I hope you have speedy and superior results.

Radiodec

[phxbob44]

Pretty rare for most urologists to not to keep you overnight with a catheter..... they need to make sure their are no complications and you can urinate.

[knotreel]

About your choice of Coloplast titan vs AMS 700LGX, it seems that everybody is pretty much satisfied with their implants, that is to say titan owners and AMS owners both seem to like what they have, I like my AMS700LGX but I don't think that you'll have any regrets which ever way you choose. That said, there are some differences. I you are 7"+ in length it seems more of the "larger" guys choose the Coloplast Titan, so as you get past 7 or perhaps 8" might still could get an AMS that would fit length wise but girth is another matter. While the AMS could perhaps reach the longer lengths, the girth will not increase proportionately as the AMS is limited to I think 18mm diameter of each shaft and the Titan can go to larger diameter cylinder sizes. If you need a really big implant length and/or girth wise, then Titan would be a good choice, Otherwise AMS would be good too. One thing I like about my AMS is that it feels very natural when flaccid or un-inflated where as the Titan is reported to be about the same length flaccid as inflated length and somewhat stiffer when flaccid. I didn't think I wanted a semi-erect penis 24/7 but that was before I got mine and went through the stretching process which took about 6 months post implant to have an effect. What I ended up with was a larger flaccid penis and it never goes turtle like it used to like when swimming. So what ever you get you will probably end up with some storage issues, but maybe just a little more with the Titan.
While he offered you a choice, it may be wise to go with what he is most familiar or comfortable with operation wise.

[rlm1818]

Pretty rare for most urologists to not to keep you overnight with a catheter..... they need to make sure their are no complications and you can urinate.

Actually, day surgery is pretty common. Maybe not as common as an overnight stay, but far from "pretty rare". There are lots of reports in this forum of guys who had day surgery. It is however, somewhat uncommon to not have a catheter overnight, though there are some who didn't. Many day surgery patients return to the doc the next day for catheter removal, and some, like me, are instructed on self removal.

[Grandesa]

Pretty rare for most urologists to not to keep you overnight with a catheter..... they need to make sure their are no complications and you can urinate.

Actually, day surgery is pretty common. Maybe not as common as an overnight stay, but far from "pretty rare". There are lots of reports in this forum of guys who had day surgery. It is however, somewhat uncommon to not have a catheter overnight, though there are some who didn't. Many day surgery patients return to the doc the next day for catheter removal, and some, like me, are instructed on self removal.

My prostrate removal was a tough operation but the fact that I had to remove my own catheter was completely unnerving to me. If the doctor can remove the catheter before I wake up I would do it and leave that day. If they need to leave it in and i would need to remove it... i would stay the night and the doc can do it for me.

[Dave92014]

I have had catheters installed twice after surgery. Removing them was done by my urologist but both times it was simple and painless.

The first time was 9 years ago when I had a partial prostectomy for BPH. I had the cather for 10 days post surgery. It had caused me problems because every once in awhile it would leak some urine beside the tube in the urethria causing my severe pain for about 45 seconds. Probably my urethria was sensitive because of the prostate surgery. I was very apprehensive about what it would feel like when the catheter was removed. When the day came my doc had me stand stradling a bucket. He cut the tube that keeps the catheter inflated inside the bladder and the whole contraption fell into the bucket within seconds. There was no pain at all and I was very relieved.

The second time was my implant surgery. The morning after my surgery my doc came to my hospital room. With me lying flat on my back, he cut the tube that kept the catheter inflated and pulled it out. I felt no pain.

I don't know what it would be like to do it myself but based on these two cases I suspect it would be easy. Nurses are very familiar with this as catheters are often used in emergency rooms and removed by nurses. One option would be to have a visiting nurse come to your home and remove it for you.

[radiodec]

Three catheters that I remember for me. First, after a radical prostatectomy was removed by urologist after a bunch of bladder checks. He used a syringe to deflate balloon at end of catheter then removed. No pain, just a strange "tickle". Second and third removed by nurse. Deflate with syringe and then gently pull out, no pain, same strange tickle.

Could have done it myself but didn't need to.

If catheter removal is your only problem and worry, you have it made. I hope the catheter is your only worry.

Good luck and hard times ahead,

Radiodec