YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

BRONZE

Jim Kotrla and Donna live in Texas, USA. He was 62 when he was diagnosed on November 7, 2007. His initial PSA was 4.5 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 6 and although he does not know his staging it seems likely that he would have been staged T1c. His choice of treatment was Da Vinci surgery. Here is his story.

My experience is not as rosy as all the ones I have been reading. I was diagnosed in November of 07. I elected to have the Da Vinci procedure because everything I read was very positive.

I had surgery end of Jan 08. Woke up in terrific pain-nothing was done to control the pain. Sent to room in pain, nothing was done for 6 hours. Finally offered some Vicodin -help but masked the pain. Discharged - in pain. Saw Dr. in 14 days still in a lot of pain. Dr. blew it off as a muscle spasm. Got home still in pain, developed a bacterial infection and a yeast infection. Pain got worse. Could not sit or stand for more that 30 minutes with out having to lay down - lasted for 2 months. Dr. had no explanation. Realized my Dr. either did not care or screwed up and didn't want to admit it.

At month three I tried to play in a golf tournament and had to withdraw due to unbearable pain. Had to stay in bed for 10 days before I could stand up for more that 30 minutes. Decided I had to take charge of my recovery. So soaked in hot tub and ran a strong jet directly on the pelvic floor. Got relief with in a week. Finally got back to normal. Started using a TENS/MS (Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation/ Multiple Sclerosis) unit at 4 ½ months for the incontinence. Will let you know how that goes.

 

UPDATED

September 2009

 

 

At my last post I reported that the pain had ended at about month 4, it didn't it continued for another 6 months. Finally my Internal Med. Doc. gave me a drug called Lyrica, a drug used in diabetics for nerve pain and got complete relief in 48 hours and have been pain free since Oct. 2008.

Had to have an artificial sphincter implanted in December. Finally have some control over the incontinence, and that has helped, still go through 3 or 4 pads a day.

Dr. Fagan, my Austin urologist that did my procedure, obviously did a number on the nerves with his Da Vinci machine.

So I am pain free, thank God, a bit drier, no woodie at all, just playing the ball as it lies.

 

UPDATED

February 2011

 

 

I am now four years post prostatectomy and am cancer free. Of course that was the goal and at least that has been reached.

In 2009 I had a artificial sphincter implanted and it has reduced my incontinence by 80% which is a real blessing. I still go through about three to four heavy pads a day.

In 2010 I had a penile implant and it works fairly well, but because of the continual leakage, it is not very romantic and that is a buzz kill.

I have moved to the Sun City in Georgetown, Texas and have run into another fellow that had the same doctor and had the same problem of having a stitch impale a nerve, which caused us both a lot of pain until it dissolves. In my case it took ten months and his took a year.

Sometimes I wish I had the radiation treatment - I had four friends that went that route and had only one problem, but it was resolved and they are doing fine in all areas of life. I had three that did the Da Vinci and only one is fairly normal. So based on that limited poll, the radiation seems to be the way to go.

Jim's e-mail address is: jkotrla@gmail.com