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to JeffMarc:
What I quietly, subtly noticed is that in my post-op reality, my un-erect penis is in fact, slightly shorter than before...the "internal" part of my penis, but...the outside...the skin of my penis, remains as it was. Thus, I have a few more "folds" of skin on the underside, which is where even just "drops" of urine can settle in the crevices of the extra folds of skin, and quickly set up a rash and infection. This potential is made worse by me wearing tight-fitting jockey style underwear to keep my "Shields" product in place for incontinence. I tried affixing a Shield to my boxers but it doesn't work because boxers do not have a bottom "panel" of fabric like jockey style do. My Shield would move around and feel uncomfortable, AND...not do its job. It only took 2-3 attempts before I caved in and started wearing jockey style underwear. That cost me close to $200 in new underwear. Ugh.
Because removal of the prostate includes removal of the portion of urethra that ran through it (~ 3/4"-1"), when the urologist rejoins the remaining penile urethra to the bladder (anastomosis procedure), there is a stretching of the urethra to allow that to happen, with sutures holding it all together until it heals. So...the shorter, rejoined urethra draws-up the penis as a result. And of course, within that small length of urethra that runs through the prostate, is the most important of the two "sphincters" that we have to control urine flow...thus post-op incontinence, until our brain and Kegel's can retrain the one remaining weaker sphincter to control and hold our urinary continence.
Replies to "to JeffMarc: What I quietly, subtly noticed is that in my post-op reality, my un-erect penis..."
@rlpostrp yes. It is called turtle penis.
@rlpostrp I sympathize with your post. My prostatectomy left me ultimately with a rectourethral fistula and total incontinence. I was a lifetime boxer wearer but had to start wearing Depends-type underwear (CVS) and 6 or 7 pads a day. My groin is constantly moist but despite my doctors telling me to use zinc oxide to protect the skin, I don’t but have no major diaper rash problems. My penis like yours is shorter by at least an inch and although circumcised my remaining foreskin slips over my glans so that i look uncircumcised and my glans is constantly moist. I did not previously pursue penile rehab but have an appointment with a urologist to discuss what can be done about the penile shortening.
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@rlpostrp
It sounds like you’re getting to the fact that you have not been circumcised and that is part of the problem. I have been so it does make a difference. Other people have reported what you’ve been having problems with, but not mentioned the circumcision issue.
I know that using Desitin can prevent that kind of issue from happening, but it doesn’t always work for people with prostate cancer.
The cutting of the urethra and sewing it back together without the prostate is an issue that’s discussed a lot. Definitely affects the length of the penis. I don’t think you ever get that length back, but they claim it’s not more than about a half inch. Results would vary I suspect. Maybe if you had a huge prostate, it would cut the length even more.