Can this be right?

The final frontier. Deciding when, if and how.
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gregorbehr
Posts: 148
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 5:39 am
Location: San Francisco, CA

Can this be right?

Postby gregorbehr » Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:51 pm

***UPDATE***
Got an emergency appt with my doc this morning. After a gentle as he could be (or I would have punched him) exam, he was very certain that there was no infection, the cylinders had not popped out place, none of the tubing feels twisted up, and the pump is where it should be.
So in the bell curve of recovery scale, I just seem to be on the bottom end. He phrased it as kindly as he could to not bruise my ego, but the pump isn't small and my scrotum is... so there is a lot of stuff jammed up in there and it is just going to hurt like crazy until my body gets used to it all.
He was surprised I'm still bleeding a week after surgery, but since my nut sack is still swollen and I'm on blood thinners, I'm not that shocked by it.
He was even more surprised by the ugly scab on the tip of my penis from the catheter tube. Since that happens after days of a cath tube, not hours.
So for the moment he's given me Celebrex to help with the swelling, 2mg Hydromorphone pills for the pain and if that fails, three 50mcg Fentanyl patches to really kick down the pain. And I go back to see him on the 9th for my normally scheduled follow up appointment. Until then, bed rest, drugs and no playing with it... to which I can assure you, is the last thing on my mind at the moment!!!
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ok. this one goes out to the guys who've already been implanted...

Just how bad was the pain in your scrotum within that first week?
Now I've had lots of surgeries the past few years, so I know the pain of incisions and this is completely different.
EVERY time i stand up for more than 60-90 seconds, the pain in my scrotum becomes so unbearable I either double up or find the nearest thing to lay down on. Yes, I've laid down on the kitchen floor while trying to make coffee because I couldn't keep standing to make it to the sofa!
I can feel the pump in my scrotum and it feels like its laying flat on the bottom of my sack towards the right side, instead of vertical as I would have imagined... I'm starting to wonder if it's either smashing my right nut, so I get the nonstop feeling of being punched in the nuts, or if the tubing is wrapped up around a testicle.

So to anyone out there... did you have this kind of pain post-op?
I've iced and drugged over and over and it's not helping. Even overdosed a bit and threw up in bed!
Going to try calling doc on the 2nd, because my follow up isn't until the 9th and there is no way I can make it that long. But I have this faint, post surgery memory of him saying he was taking this week off work. So may not have anyone to see me.

Thoughts?
THANKS!
Greg
Last edited by gregorbehr on Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
51, San Francisco
Diabetic: used pills & injections.
2 TURP surgeries caused Peyronie's. 1st implant lost to infection, 2nd one is about 5 years old. But "floppy head" due to all the scar tissue, couldn't get tips all the way up.

Dave92014
Posts: 265
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 4:25 pm
Location: San Diego, Ca.

Re: Can this be right?

Postby Dave92014 » Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:14 pm

You are having much more pain than I did post-surgery. My pain was a nuisance but nothing like yours. I participated in a rehearsal of the chorus I sing with 3 days after surgery and did okay with that sitting on a foam rubber doughnut cushion. And I drove myself 20 minutes down the freeway to the rehearsal.

The largest concern is that you might have an infection which does happen in about 0.5% of the surgeries, so that is one person in 200. I suggest you make every effort to see your doc or his substitute ASAP. In my surgery there were two Urologists participating, my main doc and another who acted as the assistant surgeon. I was not aware of the second urologist until I saw the Medicare billing and asked my doc who the other MD was. So if your main doc is away on vacation, he probably has another urologist on call who can check you out.

In reading posts here I have seen that the amount of pain post-surgery varies a lot. For sure you are on the worst end of the variance. Best wishes that you only have a bad temporary problem and not the infection issue.
Implant surgery by Dr. John Greisman 10/31/2012 - Installed AMS CX700

knotreel
Posts: 263
Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 8:59 am

Re: Can this be right?

Postby knotreel » Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:23 pm

Try some supportive type under ware, like pouch briefs,athletic supporter or compression under ware. I did a lot of sitting and reclining my first week. the Standing pain didn't begin to stop until the swelling went down.
age 74 married, Robotic RP Dec.2009. Implanted Jan 2011 with AMS 700LGX and AMS 800 AUS. (AMS 1500). IPP failed March 2018 , leak. Planning an AUS revision (total replacement) in 2018, now I need the IPP too.

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gregorbehr
Posts: 148
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 5:39 am
Location: San Francisco, CA

Re: Can this be right?

Postby gregorbehr » Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:31 pm

knotreel wrote:Try some supportive type under ware, like pouch briefs,athletic supporter or compression under ware. I did a lot of sitting and reclining my first week. the Standing pain didn't begin to stop until the swelling went down.



Tried them all. Even tried walking around holding my balls. Didn't help.
51, San Francisco
Diabetic: used pills & injections.
2 TURP surgeries caused Peyronie's. 1st implant lost to infection, 2nd one is about 5 years old. But "floppy head" due to all the scar tissue, couldn't get tips all the way up.

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gregorbehr
Posts: 148
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 5:39 am
Location: San Francisco, CA

Re: Can this be right?

Postby gregorbehr » Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:34 pm

Dave92014 wrote:...and not the infection issue.


I'd be floored if it was an infection. I've stayed on my insulin, was overnight in hospital with IV antibiotics (4 bags worth) and taking antibiotics meds 4 times a day. But hey, why not... I mean just as likely as anything else.

He does have an officemate, but the guy is a royal SOB, who I dislike with a passion. But I guess if worse comes to worse, not much more I can do other than see him or go to the ER and hope they can be of some help, which I doubt an ER is ready for this situation.
51, San Francisco
Diabetic: used pills & injections.
2 TURP surgeries caused Peyronie's. 1st implant lost to infection, 2nd one is about 5 years old. But "floppy head" due to all the scar tissue, couldn't get tips all the way up.

Dave92014
Posts: 265
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 4:25 pm
Location: San Diego, Ca.

Re: Can this be right?

Postby Dave92014 » Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:49 pm

gregorbehr wrote:
Dave92014 wrote:...and not the infection issue.


I'd be floored if it was an infection.

He does have an officemate, but the guy is a royal SOB, who I dislike with a passion.

There are antibiotic-resistant bugs around so even with the best preventatives you could end up with an infection. Hopefully not, but I bring it up as an infection is a serious problem that needs medical attention.

Regarding the "royal SOB", my wife had some surgery done and at the first meeting with the surgeon I thought he was also a "royal SOB". But my wife used him for the surgery because he was reputed to be the best in the business for that surgery. She mentioned it to our family doc and he said that some of the surgeons become good at the surgery but very bad at the human aspects. If I were in your position I would go with the "royal SOB" to get the best knowledge on the problem. The ER docs have to handle a wide variety of problems so they may not be experts on post-implant problems. If I had significant pain I would want the doc with the most knowledge even if he was also a pain in the ass.
Implant surgery by Dr. John Greisman 10/31/2012 - Installed AMS CX700

rlm1818
Posts: 377
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 10:33 pm
Location: Midwest USA

Re: Can this be right?

Postby rlm1818 » Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:12 am

Hopefully by the time you read this you are already on your way to see your doctor. I strongly second the suggestion you talk to, and see, your doctor, or his associate ASAP.

It is true that the path of recovery varies a lot, and also true that there are some who have very rough recoveries and everything is fine. But the kind of pain you are experiencing at one week post op is something that should be looked into. My post-op instructions were pretty clear about when to call the doc, and if I were experiencing what you are, he would have expected me to call him. I even had his private cell phone number for non-office hours, and he promised to either pick up, or return call within 30 minutes. I also know of several cases where, if there was any doubt in either his mind, or the patient's mind, he would see them right away. Normally everything is all fine. But if its not, and if, for example its an infection, its imperative that it be treated aggressively right away. I know of two cases where an infection of the implant components was not treated right away, and the results were pretty bad (not cases where my doc was the implant surgeon). Do not assume that infection can't occur with the amount of anti-biotics you've had. Aggressive anti-biotic therapy is SOP for all implant docs. Improvements in that area have greatly lowered the rate of infection, but they haven't eliminated it, and pretty much everyone who gets an infection was treated aggressively with anti-biotics just as you have been.

I also think the ER is not the best choice, though if you need pain relief, then maybe temporarily ok. But, I doubt anyone in the ER is equipped to do much more than treat your pain, and would refer to a urologist for anything more. You definitely want a urologist experienced with implants checking you out, and the best source for that is your doc or his associate.
22cm Coloplast Titan OTR implanted Feb 2012 by Dr Francois Eid in NYC.
Initial implant experience here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1308

Minnesota
Posts: 201
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:32 pm

Re: Can this be right?

Postby Minnesota » Wed Jan 02, 2013 3:51 pm

I had the same pain. I could not sit in a chair for more than 5-10 minutes the first 5 weeks of recovery. I have no idea why but the pain was so un-bearable that I laid down for everything...even to eat. Showering during the first 3ish weeks was also a struggle due to gravity and lack of support. Every recovery is different. Some men that post on here are attempting sex after only a few weeks, and I couldnt sit up. Very shocking the difference that everyone has.
Diagnosed with ED at age of 19, Implanted with Coloplast Titan at age 20. Now 34 (2023)
Titan failed 09/2020, replaced on 10/2/2020 by Kolher @ Mayo Clinic in Minnesota

radiodec
Posts: 523
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2012 2:52 pm
Location: Portland, TN

Re: Can this be right?

Postby radiodec » Wed Jan 02, 2013 7:08 pm

We seem to have all extremes of healing rperesented in this group! That is good all that ar preparing for an implant should know the range of outcomes. Luckily the outcome here turned out tobe just about the polar opposite. No significant pain, swelling or bleeding.

Hope things soon settle down for you. Good healing.

David
70 - married 47 years: RP - 2000, injections till 2012, AMS700LGX with 21cm tubes 2cm extenders 11/7/2012, failed 6/5/2017 --- Re-implanted 8/18/2017 with AMS 700CX -- Implants by Dr. David Morris, Hendersonville,TN

Dave92014
Posts: 265
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 4:25 pm
Location: San Diego, Ca.

Re: Can this be right?

Postby Dave92014 » Wed Jan 02, 2013 7:21 pm

Greg,
I am glad to hear that you don't have an infection. As you said, you seem to be on the bad end of the bell curve for pain but time will take care of that since you don't have infection. Better days will be coming soon for you.

I seem to be about in the middle of the bell curve for recovery time. So I am envious of those who had fast recoveries but when I hear of what the bad end of the bell curve is like I am thankful for where I am at.

One thing that surprised me in your post was that you said you are on blood thinners. My doc had instructions of "no anti-coagulants" for 14 days pre-surgery and ten days post-surgery. If your doc has okayed using blood thinners, maybe that is okay in your particular case but given your bleeding situation, I am just passing on the general rules another doc uses.
Implant surgery by Dr. John Greisman 10/31/2012 - Installed AMS CX700


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