Ready, get set, go?

[Dogface]

Hi everybody. I’ve been lurking around Frank Talk for several years now. Believe I’m ready to pull trigger and join brotherhood. Radical Prostatectomy (2011) has left me with a limp penis and severe atrophy. Called Dr. Kramer’s office the other day and received information regarding necessary pretest procedures required prior to appointment (blood test, EKG, etc). I’m 65 years old, have Medicare A & B, cancer survivor, good health otherwise, totally impotent (tried injections, pills, etc.) I have a few questions which I would appreciate some insight.

1. I live 6.5 hours from Baltimore. Will have to drive to and from. Is this possible after implantation?
2. How many days should I plan on staying in Baltimore?
3. Which hotel is recommended with decent parking?
4. Do you need a backup doctor after returning home?

Dr. Kramer’s nurse indicated 3-4 weeks healing time before resuming daily activities. I teach exercise classes part-time.

[Dave52]

Dog
I just last Friday had surgery in New York Dr. Eid. I can’t tell you much about the Baltimore area although I will say you’re six in 1/2 hour ride is an hour and a half longer than mine was Monday morning which was three days after the surgery. Sitting in the car for five hours when my wife drove out of New York City through Connecticut and traffic was no pleasure but tolerable. Make sure that you bring yourself two towels you can roll up and put in a V-shaped on your seat so that the towels go into your legs to the back of your butt this for relieve the pressure of your scrotum sitting on the seat. I looked into Dr. Kramer also but the fact that he was further away and I just seem to like Dr Eid better when I interviewed both thats why I choose him. I will say there are only two doctors on the East Coast of the United States that I would consider for the surgery and you picked one of them.
Currently I’m 6 full days post opp. I’ve been cycling for three days now. Most of the pain I have now is right after I cycle and the stubble growing back I very irritating.
Couple of weeks before I went for my surgery I had an appointment with my local urologist . I asked if he would be so kind as to remove the stitches two weeks after the surgery. He was very gracious and said he could, he would do anything he could to help so I made an appointment for November 9 to have them remove the stitches. Dr Eid office gave me an envelope with a letter to the doctor explaining what type of stiches he used in the letter is a disposable scalpel steri strips and surgical adhesive.
All the best
Dave

[Larry10625]

Dog
I just last Friday had surgery in New York Dr. Eid. I can’t tell you much about the Baltimore area although I will say you’re six in 1/2 hour ride is an hour and a half longer than mine was Monday morning which was three days after the surgery. Sitting in the car for five hours when my wife drove out of New York City through Connecticut and traffic was no pleasure but tolerable. Make sure that you bring yourself two towels you can roll up and put in a V-shaped on your seat so that the towels go into your legs to the back of your butt this for relieve the pressure of your scrotum sitting on the seat. I looked into Dr. Kramer also but the fact that he was further away and I just seem to like Dr Eid better when I interviewed both thats why I choose him. I will say there are only two doctors on the East Coast of the United States that I would consider for the surgery and you picked one of them.
Currently I’m 6 full days post opp. I’ve been cycling for three days now. Most of the pain I have now is right after I cycle and the stubble growing back I very irritating.
Couple of weeks before I went for my surgery I had an appointment with my local urologist . I asked if he would be so kind as to remove the stitches two weeks after the surgery. He was very gracious and said he could, he would do anything he could to help so I made an appointment for November 9 to have them remove the stitches. Dr Eid office gave me an envelope with a letter to the doctor explaining what type of stiches he used in the letter is a disposable scalpel steri strips and surgical adhesive.
All the best
Dave

For a car ride that long you should...
1. Fill the prescription pain meds before going too far and have a bottle of water to take them.
2. Go to a pharmacy that sells cold packs that you squeeze to mix the chemicals and purchase a few of them.
3. When you finally get home plan on laying in bed... you don't have to sleep, just lay there.
4. DON'T FREAKIN TOUCH IT IN AN EFFORT TO RUSH THINGS.
5. Get a local urologist to do your post op care, you don't need to drive hours for a doctor to say "yup, looks good"
6. If you have questions after the surgery, your FT brothers are way more qualified to answer them than Dr. Krammer, Dr. Eid, Dr. Seuss.. any doctor that doesn't have an implant themselves.

Larry

[Dave52]

Larry wrote
6.If you have questions after the surgery, your FT brothers are way more qualified to answer them than Dr. Krammer, Dr. Eid, Dr. Seuss.. any doctor that doesn't have an implant themselves.


Seriously Larry how can you make such an absolutely unfounded statement like you just did. Are you trying to give the impression that’s the likes of Dr. Kramer and Dr. Eid are just a couple of total bumpkins with no qualifications and the members of this forum know more that the these surgeon’s that have between them more than 50 years of installing implants.
I think that childish statements made to information hungry people that come to this form looking for honest sensible information are not helpful.
I should think that you need to re think that statement and try a more mature response.

[Larry10625]

Larry wrote
6.If you have questions after the surgery, your FT brothers are way more qualified to answer them than Dr. Krammer, Dr. Eid, Dr. Seuss.. any doctor that doesn't have an implant themselves.


Seriously Larry how can you make such an absolutely unfounded statement like you just did. Are you trying to give the impression that’s the likes of Dr. Kramer and Dr. Eid are just a couple of total bumpkins with no qualifications and the members of this forum know more that the these surgeon’s that have between them more than 50 years of installing implants.
I think that childish statements made to information hungry people that come to this form looking for honest sensible information are not helpful.
I should think that you need to re think that statement and try a more mature response.

No, I mean what I say. Dr. Kramer, Eid and many others are the absolute authority on implanting BUT, they do not have one so how can they possibly know how painful it is or what it feel like when the cylinders are stretching the tissue? etc. How can you possibly argue that ANYONE who does not have an implant knows more than those of us who do?

Larry

[Floppy]

Larry your trying to wiggle out of your ridiculous statement there was no mention of pain or stretching or tissue you just can’t own up to your misstatements. What kind of statement is Dr. Suess? Nobody was asking for your humor they were asking questions really questions not fairy tale silliness , GROW UP act like a moderator not a clown.

[Dave52]

I totally disagree with what Larry has said. If you listen to him the guys here especially
Larry have all the answers I don’t think for a minute if I had questions like the following I would rely on the FT brotherhood

1. I have blood coming out of my stitches and it won’t stop
2. I can’t feel my penis anymore it’s changed color
3, I’ve run out of pain meds should I suck it up
4. Ihave a green discharge coming from the incision site
5. The pain has been increasing daily now for the last week
6. Will I do damage to my implant If i use a vibrator on it,when is to soon.
7. Is a VED ok to use on an implant according to Larry it is because his Dr. thinks is ok.not every doctor will agree in fact most won’t But if Larry likes it it’s the gospel
I could go on for a week but Larry has all the answers
The duty of a Moderator on a public forum is not to create problems but to try to alleviate them .

[Bigred]

Dog,

Dr. Kramer did mine. I stayed at the Holiday Inn which is a few blocks away. I stayed one day before and one after. A free shuttle to and from the hospital is available. I didn’t drive but could have without much discomfort. Don’t worry about prescriptions. Krammer will wheel you to the pharmacy before you leave. Krammer will likely come to your hotel room and check on you and answer any questions. I wouldn’t worry about a local uro. Dr Kramer can handle most questions by phone. You will have his direct line. Mine went very smooth and no problems. Follow HIS post-op instructions. Hope yours goes well also.

[purcelldds]

I am a doctor in a certain health care field that is oft maligned for causing people to have pain post operatively. While I haven't personally experienced most of the things I do to my patients, I can say that after 25 years of practice that I consider myself an expert in both the procedure and the post operative course. If a doctor has done thousands of procedures, he/she knows the best post operative course because we have years of experience in seeing the outcomes of all of our patients, not just your one case. We have a vested interest in the best outcome for our patients because at a minimum our livelihood and reputation depend on it. And most doctors genuinely care about their patients. Every doctor is different, every patient is different. One cannot therefore take the anecdotal experience of one person or a few who are all different and have had different doctors and methods and then apply that to everyone as medical advice.
One can argue the relative competence of one doctor or another but to suggest that clearly recognized experts in the field are somehow not adequate as a source for post operative care and advice is not sound logic and is bad advice. Of course we can use brothers for support and advice but they are not experts in a general sense even though they may have become an "expert" with their own situation. Unfortunately, I am seeing a trend on this site where unwarranted advice and techniques are given that seem to go against medical advice. Look, we are all human, including your doctor. The absolute best doctor has bad days. We are dealing with a difficult and emotional condition and many men, including myself come to this site looking for advice. It should be taken seriously and not turned into a forum for cliques with dueling opinions and biases. Doctors are the experts but they aren't perfect and the truly outstanding experts should be respected. The key is who you choose to do your procedure. This site at its best can be an outstanding source to help guys pick competent expert doctors. Once you choose a doctor however, you should stick to their protocol pre and post-operatively because that is what has worked for them. Getting random advice from someone on the internet after the fact is not a good idea if it opposes what your doctor recommends.
Just my two cents...

[Larry10625]

Larry your trying to wiggle out of your ridiculous statement there was no mention of pain or stretching or tissue you just can’t own up to your misstatements. What kind of statement is Dr. Suess? Nobody was asking for your humor they were asking questions really questions not fairy tale silliness , GROW UP act like a moderator not a clown.

The fact that you take exception to my post is not surprising, every time I post you take exception. You WILL NOT call anyone of the members on here names, including me. Consider yourself officially warned. If you expect to be chewed out privately, offer that same consideration to the ones you are ranting at.

Larry