Installed, signed sealed & delivered

[merrix]

Thanks for sharing your experience and congrats to what seems to be a good result!
Did it hurt to remove the catheter? And did the pain ehen urinating go away after it was removed?
I am on for dec 15 with Eid and hope I'll follow in your footsteps.

[RelievedofED1]

Random observations following my implant surgery three days ago (11/24).

1) Bladder spasms and burning on urination have been my most unpleasant occurrence. I've had these before for other surgery but if you're going in you might ask how they will help with this pain if you have it. They come on fast with the sensation of having to go immediately. And when you do go, it burns like hell. Been having these for three days now. Went to the local pharmacy and picked up an over the counter pill to ward them off but hard to really tell if it has helped. It's from the cath they used during surgery.

2) Pain is almost a non event except for the bladder spasms. Best way I can describe it is this: If you were going to do two sets of 20 situps and 20 pushups today.....then repeated those exercises tomorrow, you'd have some sore muscles in doing this. That's the pain I've encountered. Not bad, just not comfortable and those sore muscles only hurt when you move.

3) If you look at the head of your penis following surgery, you'll probably see two red (blood) pin holes. And that's exactly what they are from implanting, then pulling the string through to draw the cylinders up into place. You can observe this on you tube if you really want. I think it looks lots worse than it is. Anyway, that's the third area of discomfort. They sting for a day and a half.

4) Lastly, I think my abdominal pain (cramps) might be from pumping gas into my abdomen to better see what they're doing in there. There are some docs on here that can comment on this. I had some mild discomfort from that which I suspect was from inflating my abdomen for the reservoir placement. LIke having hernia surgery.....when you cough, you're sore enough to notice.

My surgery was done at Mayo Clinic - Rochester as an outpatient procedure. If any other questions, just ask.

Good to hear you are healing. Sorry about the bladder spasms and abdominal pain. I would speak to your urologist about this if not better today. Bladder spasms should resolve quickly after catheter removal. Urgency and abdominal pain could suggest a urinary tract infection that you dont want to cover up with over the counter uristat/pyridium etc. Usually the reservoir is place through blunt dissection pushing the reservoir into a space created by the surgeons fingers so gas is not used as there is not entry into the abdominal cavity like you do with gall bladder or other intrabdominal surgery where air is used to inflate the abdominal cavity to visualize organs better. Lots of reasons for discomfort like blunt dissection, constipation, but I would at least call your doc if the symptoms dont inprove soon and immediately if any fever over 100. My two cents. PM me if question but if catheter is out and still having urinary symptoms that are significant and frequent please call on call doc today. Good to hear you are still up and on the mend.

[Epsilon]

Answering questions:
1) The doc at Mayo does not use a cath after the surgery, says no need. But they do use a cath during the surgery (so you won't inadvertently piss on them while you're in dreamland)

Friday evening about 6pm the surgeon called me at home still at his post but checking on me. (I was impressed) He said the spasms were from the cath they used while I was on the table. I can't remember why he feels the cath after surgery is not necessary but I'm sure happy he dispensed with it.

One other notable Mayo technique -- they inject you with a THREE DAY dose of a couple drugs like novocaine and something else. I was concerned about our drive home immediately following surgery - (4.5 Hours) in the car. The doc explained I would not be feeling any pain for almost three days. Hard to believe at the time but he was right....no pain......just the previously described abdominal cramps. So I'm liking the Mayo Game Plan -- No cath and no pain, no overnight.

2) Bladder Spasms -- they went away after 2 1/2 days. They were challenging but are mostly gone at this moment. During their siege I was needing to void every five or ten minutes, each time with that burning feeling. So they so far have been the most difficult factor in the journey. When they presented, I had no more than five or six seconds to find my portable bottle. After that I was in full stream where I stood. No ability to shut things down.

3) Scrotal swelling has started disapating this morning (Saturday) end of the 4th day and is down to about half where it was yesterday.

[RelievedofED1]

Good news sounds like you are on the mend!