Week 7

Merry Christmas everyone!

Its the start of week 7, 3 weeks since my catheter came out. The pain at the bottom of my testicles and on my perinium where the scar is still causes some pain. I still find it incredibly uncomfortable to sit on hard surfaces. The tightness in my erections is getting better and ejaculation no longer causes pain. I think I am also getting my length back when errect as I was worried that I had lost around an inch when errect.

Flow is still great. Sometimes it can be slower or sprays but it seems to eventually return to a good healthy and powerful steam. I think it depends on if I’ve been sitting for long periods or how much I’ve been drinking. From speaking to my brother this seems normal and consistent with someone who has never experienced any urological issues.

Heres to 2017 and a healthy urethra!

Week 6

My testicle pain is not getting any better. I cannot sleep on my front at all due to the pain from my testicles and a slight ache at the base of my penis. I am wearing briefs all the time to support them. It doesn’t seem to be helping. I will give it another week before I question this with either my GP or surgeon as it is now becoming rather irritating. I will update this blog as the week progresses.

My consultant got back to me on my questioning of the reduction in flow as discussed at week 5. Pleased to find that this is absolutely normal post op following removal of a catheter. I have watched a couple of YouTube videos of people peeing into a toilet just to compare and I must say mine are similar, if not better!

 

Day 35

I ended up making an out of hours appointment with 111 at the hospital to see a GP. Bladder pain/back pain was becoming uncomfortable and my flow was spraying. Turns out there was some traces of blood and protein in my urine. Although she didn’t say I definately had a UTI, because I had a catheter for 3 weeks it would be sensible to give me a short 5 day course of antibiotics. Since taking the first 3 tablets I already feel much better and my flow has returned back to normal – it’s powerful and just bliss to go to the toilet now! I do still have some post-void leaking in my pants like I did before surgery but it is not as bad. Erections are becoming less painful and I think my length is starting to return (see week 4 about loss of erection size). Ejaculation is better than it ever was.

Day 33 -anxiety

Pain really is minimal now. Testicles have gone back to normal size and there is no sagging, however they are still quite painful to the touch. Numbness in the perinium has gone. Erections are definately a different shape and size to pre op but ejaculation is very much improved.

Anxiety levels are through the roof with every little change in strength of flow or the occasional bladder pain/ache. I’m really finding this very difficult and want reassurance from my consultant. I have contacted her. I may have to see my GP if this continues as I am worried my panic attacks will return. There really is little to information about what to expect with your flow once the catheter is removed. Plus having suffered with a weak stream for many years, I don’t actually know what ‘normal’ is.

The first 4 days were out of control. Like a fire hose, spraying very very powerful. Urimating every 1-2 hours.

After the first week this had settled down to still a very powerful flow that started immediately but you could direct into the toilet. Urinating every 2-4 hours.

Towards the end of the second week i had definately lost some power but it is still a very impressive flow and I empty my bladder in around 10 seconds. It is easy to direct into the toilet and I am going the whole night without needing to get up. When I do wake up in the morning I am not desperate to go. Average around 3-4 hours between urination depending on how much i drink.

 

Week 5

Things are healing up really well. I can now sit normally again without too much pain. Upright chairs are always a challenge especially if they are not cushioned. I can drive short distances.

The pain during erections has almost gone. I am very sexually frustrated as I feel ready but am nervous and hesitant to try it out. This is the most difficult part of recovery now I am over the initial discomfort of everything. I feel like I need to release a lot of sexual tension. My partner is being very patient with me.

Testicle pain is no better. I still have a stretched out bit of skin at the bottom of my scrotem which causes pain when walking and sleeping on my side. Y fronts help keep it all supported.

And finally the most important thing… my flow is still great one week after catheter removal. Still ultra paranoid about it all. Your flow will settle over time as it readjusts to normal calibre. The catheter does inflame things. I have occasional spraying. Trips last about 10 seconds now and I feel like I have fully emptied my bladder. Sometimes I can go 4 hours between toilet trips. Other times it’s 1-2 hours and occasionally I do get a dull ache in my bladder after peeing. I am still getting up once or twice during the night. I must remember it’s only been a week since catheter removal! If it continues I will take a sample to my GP just to rule out infection.

 

Day 25/26

Bladder pain at the end of peeing has almost gone since removal of the catheter. Stream and flow is excellent. The spraying has settled. Think things were a little bit inflamed after the catheter was removed and my urethra had adjusted the the calibre of the catheter. I empty my bladder in around 10 seconds. Things seem normal and I hope it stays like this. I do expect some reduction when the urethra calibre settles down.

Erections are not as painful anymore but still doesn’t feel right.  i am finding it very hard to steer clear of sexual stimulation. It really is a mental battle. I have quite a high sex drive and 3 and half weeks without it seems a lifetime. If I feel ok I will try at the 4 week mark

Day 24

It has taken about 36 hours but the frequent urination and blood at the end has passed. My flow is brilliant and powerful! I have had some split stream and spraying and occasional bladder pain through the day but I’m sure this will get better. Miss Biers is very good at replying to my queries. Here is what she said.

‘Regarding going to the toilet frequently – I would expect this to settle. Having had a catheter for 3 weeks on free drainage into a bag is likely to contribute to this, and it should settle. If it does not, then
taking a fresh urine sample to GP would be a good idea, to make sure
that Mr Blythe does not have a UTI that needs more antibiotics. Avoid tea, coffee and bladder irritants at the moment.’

I have achieved a full erection during the night. It was very painful inside towards the repaired area. Sad to say that I have definitely lost some length. I am currently about an inch shorter when erect. I am hoping this will get better over time. I will be waiting a couple more weeks until I give it a ‘test run’! My penis has returned to normal size when flaccid. I did mention at Day 22/23 that my penis seemed smaller and stuck straight out. I believe this was a side effect of having the catheter.

Walking and sitting on hard materials cause me the most pain. My partner looked at my perineum today and said I’ve got a nice scar. This rubs when I walk and I can just about manage the mile dog walk twice a day slowly.

Day 23 – good points/bad points!

The bleeding after urination hasn’t quite passed. It is still painful towards the end of urination like my bladder is still trying to push urine out although there is nothing left but instead of urine I have a very small amount of blood mixed with urine. I have been peeing at least every two hours and sometimes getting the urge every hour. I am trying to hold it and re-train my bladder as it has been on rest for 3 weeks. I have spoken to my consultant about my worries and she said this is quite normal but if it does not get any better in a few days, to take a fresh urine sample to my GP as I may have a UTI. I seem to remember the same feeling (without the blood though) when I had my catheter out from the last urethrotomy. I did settle after a few days. Hope its just my bladder trying to return to normal functionality.

It does feel great to pee with such force and ease. No standing over the toilet for ages while it trickles out. I do hope this maintains. I have experienced some spraying. My consultant did warn of spraying/spiralling of my urine due to the way the urethra was reattached together. It feels good to be able to sleep on my side and move about more freely. I have noticed my incision sitehurts substantially more than it ever has today. I have walked the dog twice today, tried driving and spent a good two hours in town doing some Christmas shopping. I think its the movement between my legs when walking that has caused the pain.

My penis is still quite rigid and firm. It kind of just sticks straight out instead of hanging flacid in my boxers. I was never blessed with a sizeable penis. However, erections have occurred which is good but they really do hurt. It feels tight and like its under pressure. It is no way near to its original size before surgery. Again, I will give it a few months due the trauma that area has experienced. I would however take a smaller penis and erections over a recurrence of the stricture.

Day 22 – catheter removal

Catheter removal is never a pleasant experience, I won’t lie. It doesn’t hurt, it’s just a very strange feeling for about 5-8 seconds. I had some dribbling of urine after this for about 10 minutes but it soon settled.

It took around 1hr 15 mins before I really needed to go to the toilet. I tried to hold it an extra 5 minutes when I needed to go just to re-train my bladder as it’s been on rest for 3 weeks.

Urination is quite painful. It stung and there are a few drops of blood at the end. I was told this is totally normal after catheter removal. I just need to flush it through so I will continue trying to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. Stream was excellent, powerful and took around 10 seconds to empty my bladder. Had to take a step back from the toilet!

Upon looking at my penis it does seem shorter after catheter removal. I’m hoping this is just a temporary issue after the trauma it went through today. There is a dull ache in my perinium, most probably at the surgical site and this is the most it has hurt through my recovery period.

Peeing got easier as I went through the evening however there is a lot of pain from the bladder area towards the end of urination and there are drops of blood and small blog clots once I have finished urination. The key is to try to relax you bum cheeks! Naturally we clench when we experience pain with urination (well I know I do!). I found relaxing and riding out the few seconds of pain at the end makes things a whole lot easier. Be sure to grab you penis and really aim it into the bowl! Before surgery I was used to just letting it trickle into the toilet as I wouldn’t even need to hold it due to the weak stream but now it needs careful aim due to the ‘firehose effect’.

Day 21

Today I managed a long car journey, around 2 hours 15 minutes. Sitting was fine, the catheter was slightly uncomfortable at times. I will be so glad to get it out tomorrow. I’ll be able to sleep on my front/side, walk the dog, pick things up etc etc…