Topic
My surgery experience
MY SURGERY EXPERIENCE
I decided to start a new thread for my own revascularization surgery experience. All the other candid stories inspired me to be more detailed in my own story. This is a work in progress, and I will post as much as I can throughout the recovery period. I’m ESPECIALLY interested in posting and sharing my results with you LONG-TERM, so subscribe to the thread and get updates in the future. If anyone would like to email me privately, please use my address uwsaptsublet AT aol DOT com (replace AT with @ and DOT with .)
BACKGROUND
T MINUS FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING…
I’m a 34 year old gay male professional. I was diagnosed with ED in 2005 when I was still in my 20’s. I don’t know exactly how the ED happened, but it happened. I began researching doctors across the USA after a bilateral pudendal arteriogram done by another doctor showed significant blockage/damage to my left penile artery. It was great to know that 1) my ED wasn’t just “in my head”, and 2) that there was a doctor, or two, or several out there who could do something about it. Dr. Goldstein was still in Boston at Boston University at the time of my diagnosis. I was living in New York City, where I still live. I sent Dr. G. my films, and he let me know that he was soon to be leaving BU for greener pastures. I was very disappointed…I knew that I wanted him, and only him, to do the surgery. Being a researcher and doctoral student, I tend to obsessively research and seek educative information on subjects of interest to me. It was clear through the peer-reviewed articles, discussions with former patients, and review of his background and credentials, that Dr. Goldstein was “the one” to do this surgery. I decided to wait until he relocated and take Viagra/Cialis and hope for the bet. His relocation wound up taking a very long time. I was afraid that he had retired. My financial situation began to go down hill, as my family’s business died along with my father in 2008. I hit rock bottom financially and had to file bankruptcy. The FIRST item I began saving for post-bankruptcy was the revascularization surgery.
T MINUS TWO YEARS…
I finally got to a place financially where I could even dream of affording this surgery. Even though I have excellent health insurance, Dr. Goldstein is a doctor who does not accept any health insurance. You have to be able to pay “up front” and then hope for the best with reimbursement from your insurance company. I saved up the roughly $16,000 that I would need ($11,600 for surgery, $4,400 for other expenses to travel/lodge/pay for DICC testing with Dr. G., etc.) over a period of a couple of years. To me, it was a financial risk worth taking, because my ED was at this point (two years ago) becoming much worse. I was no longer able to have sex standing up (one of my favorite positions…sigh), and the Cialis wasn’t working as well. I felt like I was letting down my partner. I felt like I was approaching the window of time where the surgery wouldn’t be as effective as I aged. Something had to be done. I finally met Dr. Goldstein at his San Diego clinic on April 24, 2011. The DICC test confirmed that there was a very significantly lowered blood pressure in my penis, and the vibration/heat stimuli showed that I had some mild nerve damage also. Not good…but again, it’s more confirmation that the problem needed to be treated. I scheduled revascularization surgery for August 1st with Dr. G., but a protracted and difficult recovery from sleep apnea surgery (completely unrelated) led me to cancel the surgery and reschedule for December. Fast forward to December, 2011… A few days prior to my surgery date, I decided to also have a corrective Z-plasty done to correct a mild peno-scrotal webbing issue (Where the scrotum attaches to the underside of the penis a bit too far upward…also known as a “turkey neck” deformity). Dr. G. agreed that it would be a good idea, and very easy to add to the surgery.
DAY OF SURGERY: 12/13/2011
I arrived at Alvarado Hospital at 5 AM, very nervous and at the maximum possible level of anxiety. My best friend from NYC came with me. My partner/better half can’t be here until Friday, 12/16 because of work/school commitments that couldn’t be altered. I checked in and met Diane (“Lady Di” as Dr. Goldstein calls her), the head nurse in the recovery room. A previous nurse in the first room (pre-op) shaved a good chunk of hair off my left arm (needlessly) and screwed up the IV. By the time the IV was finally in my arm, I was even more nervous and had to pee multiple times. I met Dr. Wu, the anesthesiologist. I went over all my previous anesthesia issues with him and made sure that he was going to give me lots of anti-nausea meds during the surgery. I also asked him to put petroleum jelly on my lips during the surgery. Five hours is a VERY long time to have dry lips. That’s a tip that everyone should use! I met Dr. Dicks and Dr. Goldstein just before surgery time, and they covered everything that was going to be done. I tried to get myself mentally prepared, but you’re never mentally prepared for the feeling you have when you wake up at the conclusion of surgery.
POST SURGERY: 12 PM, 12/13/2011: WAKE-UP, ARM PAIN, FEVER, ETC.
I woke up a good five to six hours post surgery with the most excruciating pain in my ARMS. I wondered if someone had accidentally dropped a television or apparatus on both my arms! The best guess that anyone had is that the anesthesiologist used too small of blood pressure cuffs for my arms, and that the constant constriction caused the muscle damage. It felt like I had worked out with 200 lb. dumbbells and done a ridiculous amount of bicep curls. The pain was an 8 out of 10. Ironically, the arm pain was so severe that I didn’t notice the stomach/scrotal pain that would soon emerge as the arms got more under control. I felt (and still feel today, Wednesday, 12/14 as I write this) that someone was incredibly stupid in the anesthesiology department. They’re supposed to make your situation easier, not worse. Now I’m recovering unable to use my right arm to pick myself up. Ugh…. Let’s hope that the arm pain gets better FAST. Right now, the right arm is still severely swollen, and I can’t even stretch it out fully. I can’t lift anything or use it for anything besides typing. I also have numbness and prickly sensations in my right thumb and fingers. This is not good for someone who makes his living as a professional musician. Again, this needs to get better FAST. I will update everyone about this unfortunate misstep as it hopefully rapidly heals.
FEVER, COUGH, ETC… SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING THEME AMONG PATIENTS HERE
I’ve noticed from many patients’ stories that the number of people who experience a high fever post-surgery seems to be much higher at Alvarado Hospital. I’m wondering if this could be because of the long surgery time (5+ hours) or potentially because of some anesthesia protocol that the anesthesiologists use. I’ve had multiple surgeries in the past, and I can assure everyone that I’ve never experienced a high fever post surgery until now. My fever went up to 102, I was sweating profusely, and I was generally miserable the first 24 hours post surgery. I am interested in hearing other peoples’ stories about this. Something must be slightly awry if so many patients come down with high fevers post surgery. It was tolerable, nonetheless, and my fever has broken by today as I write this (Wednesday, 12/14).
With all my “Dissing” of the anesthesiology department at Alvarado, I must say some very positive things about the nursing staff. They were all amazing, kind, and so helpful. I literally couldn’t move myself in the bed. These sweet ladies picked me up and rotated me around into better positions so that my back wouldn’t get too sore from lying in one position. That’s professional. They’re fantastic.
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DAY #3, 12/16: BOWEL MOVEMENT, FIRST SOLID FOOD, LIFE IS GOOD! 
4:00 AM, DEAD OF NIGHT: I’m awakened by a sharp, piercing pain on the underside of my penis. It was an erection that you could hang a winter coat (or two, or three) on. I went back to sleep and was awakened 3 or 4 more times by various very hard erections, even with the pain and swelling. I’m absolutely ecstatic and fortunate that I am getting erections so soon post surgery. All my “junk” is still very swollen and looks pretty rough, but it’s obviously working in the early mornings and when I am sleeping! I can most certainly deal with the feeling that my penis is caught in a zipper or some other horrible device if it means progress on the ED front.
3:30 PM, OFFICE VISIT WITH DR. G: Pain pump comes out! After taking out my Q-Pump (Thank you for the 3 days of pain meds!), Dr. Goldstein showed me a VIDEO he made of the connection of my artery as he was performing the surgery. In the video, he and Dr. Dicks (a/k/a Thor) explain the anatomy/arteries, and he pans around to Dr. Batsuba (who I’ve never met, but apparently assisted in the surgery), and the anesthesiologist (yes, the one who put the wrong cuffs on me and gave me a sore arm, haha), and the nurses. This is definitely something that is VERY COOL to me. I’m not squeamish, and it’s fascinating to see how he did this!!! What kind of surgeon makes an iPhone video to show you as he’s doing your surgery? So amazing! Dr. G. also performed another ultrasound, and my artery was pulsing rapidly and significantly. He made me a pic of it, similar to when you get a pic of a baby on the way in a fetal ultrasound! I can show that one to grandkids someday…LOL.
5:00 PM, SOLID FOOD: I feel like an elderly “Early Bird Special” person. My best friend, who’s in town taking care of me until my better half arrives tomorrow to take over walking/feeding/recovery duties, took me to MiMi’s Diner to try solid food for the first time. I had turkey with gravy and dressing and corn chowder. It was amazing, but I was only able to eat about 3/4 of it. Pretty good, considering that 48 hours before I couldn’t even sit up.
6:15 PM: I’m back at the house we rented, and I’m feeling really good as I write this. I have to say, I really like the way Dr. G. did the incision on my abdomen. I was prepared for the incision to be a little higher, but I guess my anatomy allowed him to do it in the “crease” where my stomach muscles meet my waist (pubic area). The scar will be nearly imperceptible when it heals! It’s only about 2 1/2 inches worth of incision. My scrotal incision is about the same size, and it’s healing a bit slower. It still looks pretty gruesome, but it’s rapidly improving.
Pain level: Much more tolerable; I haven’t taken Percocet since 11 AM this morning. My goal is to make it through the night with 1 or less Percocets so I can bomb myself with 2 of them just before I head to the airport on Tuesday. The Ambien hasn’t really helped me…I wake up almost like clockwork 4 hours after taking it, so I’m not planning on taking it anymore.
Observations to this point: Dr. Goldstein gave me a big hug today as I left his office, and he asked again about my sore arm. I truly believe, from witnessing it firsthand and from discussing it with upwards of TWENTY of his former and current patients, that Dr. G. absolutely 110% cares about every single patient’s well-being on a personal and professional level. By the way…fortunately, the horrible arm pain and neuropathy has IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY (Yeah!!) so I’m not as angry about that as I was 24 hours post-op. Dr. G has called me at least 2 times a day every day since the surgery, and his amazing office staff (Priscilla and Shaleen) have made my recovery so much easier than it would be at an impersonal, typical medical office. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but Dr. Hartzell (the psychologist on staff) is also excellent. I think it’s a great idea that Dr. Goldstein makes sure all patients see her before surgery to rule out any psychogenic issues. So far so good, and we continue the fight and march forward! I will post again in the next few days as any interesting things happen. Once I get past the next couple of days, I’ll do a weekly post. I think this is a good thing for anyone who is very reticent (as I was) to go under the knife for this type of elective, but so helpful if successful, surgery. I hope that my detailed accounts will help anyone going through that mental anguish and decision-making period! Cheers!
DAY 10, 12/22/2011: GOING HOME, FLIGHT TIPS, ETC.
Before leaving San Diego, I had one more appointment with Dr. Dicks. (Dr. G. was out of town since the holidays are upon us). He did another ultrasound, and he gave me a copy of the pic. It seems similar to the joy that you see when there’s a baby on a fetal ultrasound. ha ha. Dr. Dicks is a great guy. Like Dr. G., he shows a genuine interest in all aspects of a patient’s well-being. This is refreshing, and so very much appreciated. Priscilla and Shalaine said bye and gave me big kisses/hugs as I left the office. It’s cliche, but you really start to feel like the office staff and medical staff are your family away from home.
12/20/2011 – FLIGHT HOME: If you have frequent flier miles, use them to get a first class ticket!
My flight back home was really good, in spite of having to connect from a tiny plane in San Diego to a larger plane in Los Angeles (along with all the walking to/from terminals). My better half took my bags for me, and I made it through both airports, including JFK (which is a LONNNNNG walk) with no serious trouble. I am a frequent traveler on American Air, so I booked a first class seat on their LAX-JFK trans-con flight. This is a huge luxury, and if you have the miles, I strongly recommend it. I was able to recline my seat back almost into a lie-flat bed. By the time I got to JFK, I was only a little sore. Be careful in airports. It seems as though there are people at every turn who will bang into you, cut in front of you, or cause you to lose your balance.
12/21- 12/22/2011 – SLEEPING MARATHON: Maybe it was just being back in my own bed, or being back home in NYC, or finally being relieved that the pain is subsiding, but I slept most of the day on 12/21 and today, 12/22. I’ve found myself awakened by very, very strong erections on multiple occasions, and I’m getting them randomly during the day, even with the still present pain.
SWELLING, HEALING, BRUISING, ETC: There is progress on this front, although my penis is still waaay smaller than normal, both in the erect and flaccid states. This is a marked improvement from being waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay smaller the first day after surgery, ha ha. I know that this will return to normal, so I’m not sweating it. But you better believe I’m keeping a close eye on it. What guy wouldn’t? The trauma from the inverting of the penis causes it to not want to move very much. Before, I could pull the penis really far down/out when soft. Right now, it’s very tight and won’t move very much. That tissue constriction/hardness from healing and swelling, I believe, is why we have all experienced the dreaded temporary smaller penis syndrome. I am hopeful that it will continue to go back to it’s very nice pre-op size. Hope and Change!
STOMACH NUMBNESS: This is a really weird feeling. My entire left side from the lower abdomen to just above my penis is almost completely numb. It goes from being numb to itchy. (The itching may be from all the hair regrowing…I’m a hairy dude, and it’s the first time in many years I’ve been shaved on the stomach or pubic area).
ARM UPDATE: My right arm is STILL not able to be fully extended without pain, but the pain is much improved. Once I’m at the 6 week point I’ll definitely need to do some pull-ups or some sort of stretching/pulling exercise to get that tightness under control.
COLD TRYING TO COME ON: I developed a bit of a sore throat on the flight home. It’s now accompanied by some congestion, mucus, etc. I haven’t had a cold in nearly TWO YEARS (yes, my immune system rocks), but I think I am on the verge of getting one now. I’m taking Vitamin C, Zinc, and tons of liquids to try to ward it off. No more fevers, which is a great thing!
THE 800 LB GORILLA IN THE ROOM: My sex drive has always been very high. Even with the pain, swelling, stomach/groin numbness, and smaller-than-normal penis, it’s gone right back to being high. I have no earthly idea how I will be able to make it 6 weeks with no form of sex, including masturbation. If anyone out there who’s been through this surgery has any advice to keep it under control, besides taking cold showers and imagining my grandparents having sex, please let me know…LOL. I am more concerned with keeping the artery working and making the surgery a success, so I’m going to remind myself of this every time I can. Right now, I still have too much discomfort to really want to “do” anything, thank goodness. I am following all the post-op guidelines religiously.
I will post again as more developments happen! Cheers, and happy holidays guys!
Hi everyone. The magic week 6 is here. I had my 6 week followup with Dr. G. today (01/23/2012). Artery is working nicely, and my pain is much less. I’m excited to be able to work out and have sex again. I’ll post updates as I “try it out” for the first times.
Hey everyone. Wow, it’s been a long time. Here is an update for me from my 2011 surgery.
Erection quality: Remains much improved. It’s not like it was when I was 16 years old, but I don’t think anyone approaching age 40 would reasonably expect 16-yr old quality erections. I have stopped taking Cialis/Viagra, as I don’t need it anymore. However, I do recreationally take it to have “super sex” sometimes.
Sex life: Much better. Got dumped by the partner in 2011, and I have a partner now who is very supportive.
Performance Anxiety: Only occasionally happens. Generally psychosomatic in nature, as I have so many engrained “bad memories” about not being able to perform sexually.
Penis length: Almost 1 cm shorter when erect than it was when I started. Some of this could be from weight fluctuations or natural changes over time, I suppose. I had a NOTICEABLE shortening of the penis (both erect and flaccid) after the surgery, but I would say it’s nearly back to normal now. The weird bend to the left I had with erections post-surgery is nearly back to normal. My penis still “pulls” a bit to the left when erect, but not as much as it did right after surgery.
Overall thoughts: I would ABSOLUTELY do it again. My sex life was entirely dependent on viagra/cialis, and even then I had trouble in my preferred sexual role. I wish I had been able to see Dr. Goldstein earlier on, but I had the misfortune of having this problem as he was transitioning from Boston to San Diego. But I’ve made up for lost time with lots of fun since then. Please feel free to message me with any questions.