perenium pain following RARP

I'm at 13 months since NS RARP when I was 70 YO. It took me most of the year for the perineum pain to go away. It was a slow process for me. The only time it was intense was when I'd sit down on the small triangular seat on the seated bench press machine. At first it really hurt and I avoided that machine for another month or two after the initial 6 week period of no lifting. When I did start back on the seated bench press it'd still hurt if I didn't lower myself down very gently. Occasionally I'd have some pain in my right testicle as well, but that seemed to have a different trigger (sexual stimulation). Both of these pains did vary some from day to day, but nothing as intense as yours. Sounds like you should ask your doctor about it. Mine never was intense enough that I bothered to ask about it, but if it'd been more intense I would have asked. I was surprised how long it took for both of them to go away. I was doing Kegals that whole time, but I didn't notice any relationship between the Kegals and those pains for me. Even now I sometimes still feel something, but at this point its too light to be called pain. Of course, I'm not a medical professional but I'm just sharing my experience. Best wishes.

Edin - did you ever have ultrasound done , or similar ? It could be a small inguinal hernia. Hernia sometimes is not seen as a bulge. Insist that doctors do some imaging. With your level of activity soon after the surgery it is a possibility : (. A small hernia can effect incontinence also. Please rest more and ask doctors to investigate .

retired guy and surf to health
thank you both so much

Retired guy: you and I share a few things ( I am 71 we both had RARP and incontinence and perineum pain ) I hate incontinence it is slowly ( very slowly) getting better. as soon as I think I am at a better place and start to lift things or move around too fast I am reminded quickly that I am likely half way there (hopefully) (talk about knowing one's limitations..)

It is ironic that you mentioned hernia and doctors that might not be too tuned into this whole mess

I thought I had a hernia about 3-4 months ago, went to urgent care the person there said she felt it; I should go to my primary care , primary care felt it, said I should get ultrasound and see a surgeon got ultrasound they could not find it so I put it off.

Then about month ago it was bothering me again and I felt a bulge, went to primary care , got imaging that confirmed it and then went to a surgeon. Surgeon said it is likely abdominal pain so I made another appointment with primary care for today and just got back right now. My primary care said I do have a hernia and I need to see another surgeon ( a more experienced one) which I will do

This really is kind of frustrating. I am in no hurry for more surgery but do not want to have to go to the ER one night in pain or worse with a blocked bowel. (I also need to have my gall bladder removed)
Anyway, ( I am venting some)
I wonder if (a) because I am in my 70s , some of the doctors shy away from surgery: tell old people to rest, take painkillers and see if gets better and/or (b) some general surgeons do not want to go in after RARP due to the many holes and scar tissue. My primary care did not come out and say it, but it sure seemed like she did not agree with the surgeon I just saw who said rest and watch things

I wonder since they removed my prostrate which was also enlarged, that some of my guts are still settling into new spaces or that my abdominal wall is thinner in a few places due to the surgery.

On a practical level, I will continue to do daily kegels but not core exercises like I was doing and will limit lifting heavy objects for a while

I really wish there were some urologists out there that spent careful time and attention to the year or so following RARP , that some would develop some expertise in incontinence, hernias following RARP and other minor and not so minor complications

I have to agree with your primary care physician , you need to have consultations with an excellent surgeon who specializes in hernia repair. You really should take more care and not "limit lifting heavy stuff for now" but stop lifting anything heavy for very loooooong time. No lifting until your hernia is fixed and than after that surgery you should be extra careful. You had an abdominal wall poked by 5 or 6 probes and those holes need time to heal.
After any laparoscopic surgery there is a risk of hernia formation. Please take a better care of yourself : (((, and rest ! Do not dig, carry or pick-up anything until you heal completely and than some ...
Wishing you fast resolution of that pesky pain and a great success in finding great surgeon very soon ! 🙂

I am 50 years old and 2 months out from surgery and I often have perenium pain when I sit on the floor or on chairs. Also, it hurts in my lower abdomen to sneeze, cough, laugh or pass gas. Hoping things get better for you and myself 🙂

thank you both very much/ I really appreciate it and this list. This list really has helped me out. Asking fellow patients on this list has been -many times- much more informative than anything else.

I will try to remember to post what the next surgeon tells me.

thanks
Ed