i am now 5 weeks post da vinci surgery

i am still experiencing lots of bladder pain and also on urination..this was really bad whilst the catheter was in place, excruciating during a bowel movement, and the catheter tube really irritating the tip of the penis (doctor says this is referred pain)

every few days, particualrly after moderate exertion i have flu -like sypmtons, body lethargic and achey, the consutlant urologist dismissed all this and just said 'go for it' meaning exercise and do sport as much as i like, yet, i STILL feel pain from the incisions, and am worried at the slow rate of apparent healing; they also tell me i dont have a urinary infection

all the pre-op talk was of quick recovery, but i still feel only 50 % 

i would be grateful to hear other's experience, as i constantly read how so many people experience just about no post op problems or pain (except IC and ED)

                                                               Hi ~ Ben Berry and Loved Ones,   W elcome     to   ~ HealingWell ~   and   A    Special Warm Welcome   to   You !   Knowledge gives us POWER.   POWER takes away the fear.   ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~      ~     Click   on   link   below for important information that will help you ~ help us!!                                                                    >>   Welcome New Members ~ to HealingWell   The information (link) listed above is to help you get around the forum!     This is a journey best traveled with friends.     Welcome ~ New Friend from all the members here... on HealingWell.com     Forum Moderators v       IdahoSurvivor ~   Moderator for Prostate Cancer Forum http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/1313099593_9f819e3ff8.jpg   v       Doting Daughter  ~   Moderator for Prostate Cancer Forum   v       James C  ~   Moderator for Prostate Cancer Forum

BB,
I too have been out of surgery 12 weeks today. I had some dull pains in the groin area initially, but they soon subsided. I have had no pain of any sort for weeks. I would encourage you that the remaining pains should soon disappear. I am still experiencing some IC, and I am dead in ED. But, all that being said I am still hopeful for a complete recovery moving forward. I am grateful to have the treatments done and behind me, but take nothing for granted moving forward, but am happy to be where I am for the moment. From everything I have learned from others, these kinds of things are not unusual. I have two separate friends who both had radical surgery years ago and they are doing fine. They recount the same kinds of things we are going through now, but they are in their past history. I hope some day that is true with all of us. Blessings. RB
Age 61
Original data - pre-operation
PSA: 5.1
T1C clinical diagnosis, Needle biopsy - 10 cores, Gleason 7 = 3+4 in 1 core (40%), 7 cores Gleason 6 = 3+3 ranging from 5% to 12%
All scans negative
Lupron administered 4/9/2008 for 4 months (with idea I would undergo external beam radiation followed by seed implants - then I changed my mind).
Robotic DiVinci surgery - Dr. Fagin (Austin) May 19th
Post operative - pathology
pT2c NX MX
Gleason 3+4
Margins - negative
Extraprostatic extension - negative
seminal vesicle invasion - uninvolved
1st Post PSA .04

Hi all

many thanks for your comments; although the fact that so far that no one seems to have experienced the same slow recovery rate worries me further; i am young and fit, so was not expecting this.

i agree all the aches and lethargy must be caused by having a temperature, but i seem to be trapped in a cycle of feeling slightly better for about 4 days, upping the physical activity (and we're only talking about an hour's walk here) then suddenly feeling weak, followed by renewed blood/debris loss, followed by an upturn again...for the last 3 days i have been virtually laid flat, and today have had very obvious blood and debris loss on each trip to the wc.. so think the whole thing is bladder related ... has no one else experienced this ?

it also concerns me that i can still feel some pulling and discomfort from the incision sites..again enough to tell me not to try to be too active, despite what the surgeon may say

BB54, it's time to go back to the doc, either your Urologist or the Surgeon.  There seems likely to be something wrong somewhere, from the debris, blood and illness so long after your treatment.  It may well be one of the 'itis'is'- in the bladder, urinary tract, or abdomen.  In any case, it's time to see the doc, and to be more insistant that they take you and your complaints more seriously. A couple cheap bacteria cultures might show the cause.  Let us know the outcome, ok?

I started walking 4 miles a day once the catheter was out. I really think this helped my healing and incontinence issues. Something about that walking motion.

in way of an update on my original question, it turned out i DID have an infection..pseudomonas bacterium picked up at the hospital ! poss at time of catheter insertion...i feel therefore it was this that has slowed the healing process; unfortunately despite lots of antibiotics it is still there, being notoriously difficult to shift...i am also (6 weeks after surgery) getting erratic bleeding on intiial urination, which may or may not be the infection...if not, then there has been some vague talk about some further lightweight surgery...i could well do without that thanks !