50 year old gay doctor in Kent - Surgery (prostatectomy / RP)

Thanks Chris, Jay, KRO and everyone for sharing.
My named nurse thought my hypothesis about the reduced flow and urethral goings on was sound, and advised continuing regular ibuprofen for now. This has returned the flow-rate to what it has been since the op.
Chris - thanks for the tips. Such a good idea to do your shower thing: that is what is known as 'flooding therapy'! I am doggedly ignoring the leaks, if that is not a contradiction in terms, and I have started to avoid going to the loo 'just in case' and letting the bladder really fill.
KRO - a physio! Well done for stopping alcohol. I really enjoy wine, and have decided not to go without it, but I am having less.

The incontinence is improving and I am using Boots 'shields' which are for quite light leakage. I might have to go back to something more substantial, particularly if the amount that comes out if I walk with any purpose doesn't improve. In a 40 minute walk to the post box and back my pelvic floor seems to tire after half an hour or so. I am doing my pelvic exercises, of course. I have also started some sit-ups and squats each day. (I am used to running and going to the gym quite regularly, usually.) I have also started the vacuum pump in the bath.

I shall re-follow this conversation as I don't seem to have been getting notifications for posts. Apologies for the slow response from me!

Great to hear things  are moving along for you Henry.

Interesting findings re; the venous filling induced by the vacuum devices. I will be popping down to my GP this week to see about obtaining one. 

I had the appointment with the CNS who specialises in penile rehab today.
It was more of a general introduction to the issues than cracking on with action. I guess she deals with all sorts, and hadn't read my mind before our meeting, so the pace seemed slowish to me!
She began by being fairly pessimistic about how things might go for someone who had nerve-sparing on one side (my lump of 4+3 was near the edge of my prostate on the right).
She is more positive about pumps than I was in my post earlier in this conversation. She says getting expansion with pumps and keeping it there for a while is good for avoiding loss of size. She had a somaerect that she showed me. I have to be booked into a 'well man clinic' to be shown how to use it and to find out what the right size is for me. Charming! No room for false modesty in this process, is there?
Then I get my GP to prescribe it.
The band that goes on the base of the penis looked like it will feel really tight when on!
Next appointment at said well man clinic is 28th June. I'm going to have to slow down to their pace. I shall use the Bathmate till then.

She hadn't heard much about Viberect, but I fancy using that too.
It is going to need some planning to religiously set aside time for this, which I can do happily. I worry I might lose interest in it all, though. I know one has to persevere, often for months, and that there is no guarantee. I imagine interest, and devotion to practise/training might flag n the absence of results. And that's without hormone therapy or radiotherapy (which I hope - let us pray - not to need...) causing me side effects.

For alprostadil her preference is to get to injections, basically. She sees the gel/cream (Vitaros) as too small a dose for ED so soon after prostatectomy, and similarly she finds the intraurethral application (MUSE) doesn't work for a lot of people. So they like to get onto injecting if the patient is up for it. (Other treatments might work later, if there is a degree of recovery of funtion). I am paraphrasing her - she was very balanced and gave me choices +++.
This is entirely in keeping with my position at the moment: I am keen to get erections in whatever way necessary, both for penile rehab and for sex. I don't feel spooked by the idea of injecting, so I can try it and see if it suits me (i.e. is effective and doesn't have intolerable side effects for me). I have an appointment in three weeks, when she will show me how to do it and she will inject the lowest does (2.5 mg?) into me. After that I can inject myself at home, titrating the dose up as necessary.

My own lovely CNS was at the unit today. There is still no result for my pathology! Also the consultant isn't there at the clinic I am due to be seen in tomorrow. I shall still go to that appointment, then judge whether I want to ask for an appt with Mr D himself, particularly once the pathology result is in. My CNS is going to tell me about the pathology when it comes out, in any case.

The incontinence continues to improve. I went to this appointment and left some cardboard at the household recycling centre (dump) and there was next to no leakage.

Henry

The waiting is awful but you'll get your results soon. Just phone them whenever you need to, they'll understand because they know waiting is worrying.

When is your next appointment?

Jim

Update after first injection of caverject.

Reader, I got a response on 2.5 mg!
The excellent ED nurse in the urology service took me through it and watched me inject. Putting the needle in was fine. I found I needed a good grip on the syringe to apply the pressure required to get the medicine in. I could feel the pressure of this going in - not a pain, as such. She then left me to roll my penis between my hands, like I was making a sausage out of plasticine. I thought I was being hopeful at first but, sure enough, in a couple of minutes he was definitely growing, and he continued to do so, and that feeling I haven't had for six weeks of having an erection was there.
The nurse knocked to come back in, and said it was the first time she'd seen me grin 'like that'. Well it was a pleasing result! (In fact she had been present with the first consultant I saw to be given my diagnosis, so she has seen me in crumbling tears too.)

Because it was perhaps 80% of full, she said I could try just slightly more - say 3 or 4 ml (equal to 0.3 or 0.4 mg) - next time.
Off I went on my way. To the dump, in fact. I emptied the gubbins with the trouser contents of an peripubescent boy, feeling slightly guilt, but very proud. By the time I got home about an hour after the jab it was just coming off the peak swelling.
OH was out, so couldn't resist a quick unmentionable, just out of curiosity.
So I shall get a prescription from the GP. This is good for the penile rehab as well as for my sex life and my psychological wellbeing and for our relationship.

The incontinence improves apace: one Boots shield per day, and nothing at night. Increasing the exercise gently, currently using rower and cross-trainer and upping time on treadmill by a minute each time. Running remains quite a challenge for the old pelvic floor. Bit of weights and abs. One thing I can't manage is to change in the gym. I will push myself soon and get through my concern about what anyone might think if they see the pad. If they are interested they can ask ... What is the worst that can happen? I have incontinence following treatment for cancer: "get over it", as they say. In any case the not showering and changing after exercise is also embarrassing!

Time has helped our sex life. We have each overcome fears to return to intimacy. One begins to see why some say their ED inspired improvements in ways to experience the connection that sex is for. Having accepted that a bit we found a way to a very intense orgasm for the OH ...

Onwards and upwards!

Hnery

Brilliant, delighted for you, we are a long way from this stage. It's a delight to read your posts, congratulations. Sexual activity is important to us as a couple, I have read your posts with interest. Onward and upward . I hope we get there one day, we have talked about it in depth and hope we can resume our physical relationship one day.
Delighted for anyone who can. My oh is away having treatment so another glass of red wine, and I anticipate his home coming on Friday.
Leila

Your post do make me smile. I appreciate your honesty, it is so refreshing thank you.
Leila