Can someone help me about life after AUS 800 implant?
This is my first question/post so please excuse me as I a new at this. I am 58 and have had an RP in October of 2023. My prostate was 155 grams and since the procedure I have been left essentially incontinent using 7-9 large pads a day. Although this has been difficult, I feel fortunate my psa has fallen to .008, a number my doctor tells me is considered undetected.
I have tried PT with very little results, my surgeon recommended an AUS, so this coming Monday I will have surgery to have this installed. I have read many of the posts within the prostate cancer section, but I am still curious about discomfort after the 5-6 week healing process and "regular activity like swimming, golf, and more strenuous activities like mowing and lifting firewood. I am of course second guessing my decision but would be appreciative of any feedback any of you have.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide so much valuable information. I feel much better after hearing all of the positive feedback all have had. The detail of your experience has been very settling for me.
Take care
Thank you for responding so quickly. Up to this point I have had no one to communicate with concerning my experiences. I've looked a lot on the web and found very little. All of this has been very settling for me.
Thank you so much
It was kinda scary with my first one. 2nd one works great. You will enjoy the freedom you will have. Please do nothing for 2 weeks. There is a lot to heal. Good luck. Where are you having aus done? Close to home? I had a comfy cushion for the car ride.
I live in Maine, so having the procedure done in the southern part of the state about 2 hours away from home. I’m hoping the recovery is better than the RP.
So far, so good after Monday's surgery. Minor discomfort and lots of swelling.
A quick follow up question, Will the activation pump settle in after a period of time and generally stay in place after a period of time or will it be necessary to "search" for it each time.
I see why the activation is delayed, with the swellling and tubes/pump.
Thank you
Sounds like you're on a great track!!! So glad it went well.
Mine is no problem to find each and every time. I don't know if it's attached or not - I suspect not since sometimes it can be like squeezing a greasy bean and squirt away from the pressure of my fingers. NBD, just needs a careful approach.
Be patient and hope for the very best.
Hope the blessings keep coming for you.
Good morning. It took my body about 1 month before everything settled into its new home. My first AUS , the surgeon did not leave a lot of extra tubing. I had to pull and search for it. It did fail and had to be removed. I found a different surgeon who specializes in radiation caused problems. He left a lot of tubing on my second AUS. It is easy to grab. You will get better at one handed squeezing. Mine doesn't take much to get it flowing and very seldom do I need to do another squeeze. Everything will move around as you move around but will settle in and you will hardly notice it. Yay for a great surgery. Be careful lifting and sitting on hard surfaces. I tore my incision twice but did not take long to heal up. I can feel my cuff between my legs. Take it slow for a while. Good luck.
I’m curious if there are any issues with this procedure after two rounds of radiation… rad onc says it is not a good idea because of tissue damage…any thoughts?
FWIW I didn't have any radiation, just RALP. I tried to get continent for almost 1.5-years with very little to no luck. So I had way plenty of time to heal from the RALP. Also, I waited 3 of the 4-weeks the doc specified before install plus 2-weeks of vacation I had booked before activation. So total of 5 (long) weeks to let the AUS heal in place.
But everything went so well and it only took a few tries to get a good, basic routine to 'pee like a man' (mostly) and eventually out of caution only use a thin pad just in case.
Besides a good surgeon, patience is your best medical friend.
Sounds like you're doing quite well. Just relax, heal, chill and let us know how it goes from here on.
Praying for your greater enjoyment of a relatively normal life.
I am now 3 weeks out of surgery. Pain is mostly gone but I can definitely feel a dull tension where the device is implanted. Does the tenderness subside after a period of time?