Penile incision and grafting surgery - My experience

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crookedjohn

Monday 11/06/2017 :

Went to surgery at 3:45 p.m. woke up in recovery around 6:30 I had a catheter and my penis was wrapped in gauze from the scrotum to the head. I had an ice pack on it. I was taken to a room around 7:30 for overnight observation.  I was not in a great deal of pain but I was quite uncomfortable. Pressure from the catheter had me feeling like I needed to pee and have a bowel movement. I soon discovered that the less I moved the better I felt. So I sat still as much as possible.  I ate a sandwich and drank soda and a milk shake.  There was a lot of seepage blood and clear fluids soaked the pad that was under me. An attendant changed out the sheets and the pad. For the next few hours every hour on the hour the nurse took my vitals and checked the color of my penis to make sure there was proper blood flow. This sometimes required pulling on the catheter and touching the head. Now that hurt!!!  I slept as much as possible which was approximately 45 minutes out of every hour.  I was given percocet 2 or 3 times during the night.

Tuesday 11/07/17

About 5 a.m. the nurse removed the catheter. Hurray! Around 6:30 a.m.  I was wakened by the surgeon,  L. Dean Knoll. He told me that the surgery went well and that everything looked good this morning and that as soon as I ate and urinated I could go home. I urinated in the container that was provided. The first time it was mixed with blood and for most of the day when I peed I  sprinkled uncontrollably in all directions.  Dr. Knoll told me ahead of time that I would have this problem.  By the next day I was peeing normal. Until then I wet my clothes,  my shoes, the floor, my hands, and the bandage. Per Dr Knoll's instructions on Tuesday I removed the bandages and keeping the stitches dry I took a shower.  I  used a zip lock bag over my penis to keep it dry. For the record when you take off the bandages you won't recognize your Willie. Mine was twisted due to the stitches and the grafts and looked like it had been in a knife fight and lost. I spent most of the day in my recliner or in bed. There was a  fair amount of fluid leakage both clear and bloody.  I wrapped gauze loosely around it and followed that with a paper towel to keep my pajamas dry. I am shaved and bruised from the tip down to my balls and my scrotum.

Wednesday 11/08/17

Everything is status quo.  I showered, worked from home, took naps. There's much less drainage this morning.  Still black and blue. Less twisted the head looks like it has a blister under some of the stitches. Kinda deformed and mis-shaped. For the most part by end of day the bloody drainage and oozing has stopped.

Thursday 11/09/17

I am alarmed by the swelling that seems to have happened quickly and out of nowhere.  My dick is 3 times the size it was out of surgery. I try to be brave and say to myself this is probably normal. By mid afternoon I decide to call my doctor. The nurse called me back to inform me that indeed this is normal and to put ice on it. I put it on ice.

Friday 11/10/17

No change.  I am still swollen and frankly a little scared.  I rest as much as possible and use ice off and on. I muster up the fortitude to meet a friend for dinner. I eat, visit and return home. I'm as swollen as ever and still concerned.

Saturday 11/11/17
Hu
I went to bed at 11:00 p.m. and get up @ 9:45 a.m. Low and behold this morning there's finally some improvement.  The swelling is not completely disappeared but it is at least half the size it was on Thursday. I'm relieved.  Today I am relaxing in the recliner, doing laundry that's about it.

Sunday 11/12/17

I slept off and on from 8 :00 p.m. until  11:00 a..m. My penis is pretty much the same as yesterday.  I gave it a sponge bath before taking my shower. There's not much more to report except I am feeling the effects of taking keflex antibiotics 3 times a day.

Monday 11/13/17

I am still feeling the antibiotics. Not exactly diarrhea but I don't want to be too far away from the toilet.  My penis is unchanged.  BTW one of the doctors instructions is to always make sure it is pointing towards the floor.  I had a 90 degree dorsal curve. It's important to wear it down so the grafts don't heal in the wrong way and the dorsal curve reforms. I make a concerted effort to  be aware of the direction it is pointing.  I have an appointment for an annual visit with my primary care doctor this morning.  I guess I will fill him on on my surgery. I don't feel great obligation.  He was of zero value in my care and treatment thus far. I can say the same about the first 2 urologists that I saw.

Tuesday 11/14/17

It's been a  week and a day.  I  continue to  heal. Since the surgery I have had a  place near the stitches that is swollen. It almost looks like a fluid collection.  It makes my head look misshapen so I strongly hope it goes away with the passing of time. If not I will need some cosmetic surgery.  I mention it today because it has become tender. It might be because I have been dressed in jeans all day. Jeans are tight compared to the pajamas I have been wearing so the rubbing might have irritated it.  If it doesn't improve soon I will be walking funny.  The rest of my penis is looking better. Very little bruising and the swelling has diminished. A few more days it should be gone.

Wednesday  11/15/17

Not much to report. The swelling at the incision site remains unchanged. It is tender enough to be aggravating, slightly debilitating,  and worrisome   I am trying to  protect it from more irritation by covering the sore place with a large band aid. Other than this problem I continue to heal.

Thursday  11/16/17

The large band aid does the trick.  I'm still tender but the tender area is covered. There's almost no irritation from fricton now. There's no visible bruising or discoloration. I'm not tender anywhere else.  I believe I can feel grafts where there once was plaque.  I cannot feel any plaque. Other than the tender area from the circumcision it appears to be  healing well. Thank you God and thank you Dr. Knoll.

Friday  11/17/17

Everything is status quo. I finished the antibiotics a couple of days ago. I gave my penis a sponge bath with soap and warm washrag today. My first soap on it since my surgery.  I stayed away from the stitches and the tender spot. The tender place is still puffy. I  guess you might say its swollen. I think about whether or not I will still be able to get an erection when I am healed.  It is too early to tell.

Saturday  11/18/17

Nothing special to report. No discernable changes. I play the waiting game and hope for the best. Some days I am fine and some days I'm scared that the nightmare isn't over. One big difference is my bank account.  I paid the doctor  $2000 up front  the week before my surgery and the hospital  $4000 up front the day I checked  in.  I have a 80/20  insurance plan so this is the portion not covered. The health care industry has changed.  Once upon a time they billed you after they collected from your insurance.  My doctor's office had to have the $2000 on Thursday prior to surgery or else they had to cancel.  The hospital gave me a 20 percent discount for paying up front.  

Sunday  11/19/17

I am about the same today as yesterday.  Nothing extraordinary to report. Patience is mandatory.

Monday 11/20/17

Same today as yesterday. Not much to report physically.  If anyone reading this can tell me when the extra sensitive tissue near the circumcision will begin to look and feel normal  please let me hear from you. I got the EOB from BCBS today. The total for the hospital is $40,000. The total for the doctor is $4000. The negotiated rates greatly reduced the cost. The hospital was actually paid $8000. If I had no insurance what would I have to pay $40k or $8k? Your guess is as good as mine.

Tuesday 11/21/17

I'm healing and counting days. Just biding time. Nothing new.

Wednesday 11/22/17

I seem to be getting slightly better near the circumcision. I did without the band aid today.  It is not as tender but it still looks swollen and disproportionate to the other side. It actually still looks somewhat deformed.  If the puffiness ever goes away it might not be noticeable.  Time will tell.  

Thursday 11/23/17

It's Thanksgiving.  I'm thankful that everything is going well.  

Friday  11/24/17

I'm hanging in there.  The stiches are starting to dissolve. Nothing else going on.  

Saturday 11/25/17

I continue to be plagued by the swollen sore place along the circumcision. Other than that I am doing well.

Sunday and Monday 11/26/17 & 11/27/17

Today, marks the start of the 3rd week since my surgery. The stitches continue to dissolve.  It's a slow process.  They may be 2/5 ths of the way gone. The stitches remain for the most part in the area that is puffy and sore. I wish I could see some improvement. Maybe I should ask Dr. Knoll when this will get better.  Maintaining patience is not easy.  

Tuesday 11/28/17

I messaged Dr Knoll via the clinic's web site.  He explained that it is edema tenderness due to the disruption of the lymphatics. He says this will resolve and that sometimes it takes several weeks.  He advised me to sit in a tub of water twice a day for 15 minutes. After I read the email I went straight to the tub for 15 minutes. I am going again shortly. I want this nuisance in the past. That's my news for the day.

Wednesday  11/29/17

Soaking and praying.  Nothing new to report.  

Thursday  11/30/17

The edema is holding it's ground in spite of my twice daily attempts to drown it.

Friday  12/1/17

Only soaked the edema once today.  I am not sure but there may be a tiny smidgen of improvement.  

Saturday 12/2/17

Today is a repeat of yesterday.  No change.

Sunday 12/3/17

No significant changes.  The edema may be very slightly improved.  I don't think there will be much progress until the stitches dissolve.

Monday 12/4/17

There continues to be a slight improvement in the edema. Progress is being made but it feels really
slow. The stitches are present but they are slowly going away too. I continue to recover and I am beginning to wonder if it's going to work when I am well.

Tuesday  12/5/17

Today is a repeat of yesterday.  Nothing new. Just slow progress.

Wednesday 12/6/17

It has been a month, 30 days. I'm sitting in the tub drowning my edema which appears to be going away in miniscule increments. The stitches are also very slow to dissolve, especially near the edema.   I go for my first post-op appointment with Dr Knoll on Monday.  

Thursday 12/7/17

Very little to report. Today' is about the same as yesterday.  I'm soaking the edema and biding time.

Friday 12/8/17

I used tweezers to remove as many of the ever lingering stitches that I could.  They came out easily. Other than this there's little change.

Saturday 12/9/17

There's nothing new to report. Just waiting for the healing process to complete.  I am taking it one day at a time and ocassionally one hour at a time.  

Sunday  12/10/17

The edema persists. There's hard  little swellings of tissue between each stitch that reflect a fair amount of deformity because  the stitches lingered for so long. This is only present where there's edema. The best news is the  morning wood  that presented today. The 90 degree curve is gone. I'm reasonably  straight. I don't think it is perfectly straight but I also think it is too early to predict the final results. I could see the grafts too. I suspect that this will clear up over the next few weeks or months. Thank you Dr. Knoll. It still works,  with no help,  and it should be 100 percent usable.  Come on healing. I'm waiting on you. There's a little progress every day.

Monday 12/11/17

I had my follow up appointment with Dr. Knoll today, I am prescribed Viagra and a vacuum pump to be used for the first 2 or 3 months. He says my swelling will resolve and that I should be perfectly straight or very close to straight. He also says he doesn't need to see me again unless I need him.

Tuesday and Wednesday 12/12/17 12/13/17

I am soaking 15 minutes or more twice daily. Sometimes I am not able to in the evening but I always do the morning soak. The swelling is slowly diminishing. Golly it is taking forever. I will be glad when it looks normal.  I will also be glad when I can go back to using it.  I received the Post T Vac in the mail today.  I'm to start using it daily for 2 to 3 months beginning January 1.  That's all the news.

Thursday 12/14/17

I  haven't anything newsworthy.  I am on the second soak of the day and I continue to heal. I'm pretty sure that when the week 8 rolls around I will be ready, willing, and able.  

Friday and Saturday 12/15/17 & 12/16/17

The last 2 days are more of the same. I was so happy to have an erection that I failed to notice how much length I have lost.  Before Peyronies I was about 6 1/2 inches.  I'm slightly over 4 inches now.  I believe this is why I was prescribed the Pos-T-vac. With more healing, the use of the PTV,  and firmer erections I expect to recover some length. The grafts are discernable  when I am erect.  There is a lot of them, they lack elasticity, and they are probably responsible for the lack of length. As  tissues form around the graft there will be more elasticity and length. I don't think that I will stay at 4 inches. If I do I prefer 4 straight usable inches over 6 1/2 unusable inches. You can't  stick a 90 degree curve into anything.  

P.S. If anyone that has been through this has had a similar experience with losing and regaining length after the surgery I would like to hear from you.

Monday  12/18/17

I am looking forward to Jan. 1, 2018. That's the end of the 8 week waiting period.  I still have a lot of healing to do but I think it will be ready to try out by then. The erections are frequent and getting stronger. The viagra is on the shelf and I have been instructed to use it. I plan on it. This damn edema perpetuates I think it is getting better but it is damn slow. I am soaking twice a day and I have added a 15 minute ice pack routine once a day to try and make it vanish.  

Tuesday 12/19/17

Basically the same today as yesterday and as the day before that. I'm just biding time soaking, icing, and wishing I had all of this behind me.

Wednesday 12/ 20/17

It's just another routine day. The battle to heal wages on. Nothing new to report.

Thursday 12/21/17

Today is just more of the same. I read tonight that the edema can take up to 3 months to heal and this complication is not uncommon.  I'm focused on doing all I can to make it better.

Friday 12/22/17

I am not making any more remarks about edema.  When it no longer plagues me I will say so.  Going forward I will focus on the other stuff. The erections are getting stronger and I am doing okay.  

Saturday 12/23/17

Nothing new to report. I watched the instruction video that comes with the Pos-T-Vac. Like it's really necessary.  I'd  try it out but it is not time yet. I'm to start after January 1.  

Sunday 12/24/17

I think that with passage of time, additional healing, and stronger erections I am gaining length.  I will try to get a measurement for confirmation but this morning I was firmer and longer. I was also slightly less straight but it's nothing to get alarmed about.  It is plenty straight enough to use and maybe 5 inches long.  The grafts are slightly visible. I can definitely feel them and the stitches that are holding them in place.

Monday  12/25/17

I don't have much news. Everything is status quo. Dealing with the disease,  the surgery, and the lengthy healing process has affected my temperament.  My fuse is short and I sometimes find myself on the edge of tears. My ability to cope is maxed out and additional stress isn't easy to handle. If you are reading this you know how I feel.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Tuesday 12/26/17

It's just another day. I'm focused on healing and hauling off the used Christmas paper. Ho, ho, ho.

Wednesday 12/27/17

I am on PTO this week so I am able to rest and relax. I'm doing okay and looking forward to doing better.

Thursday 12/28/17

It's just another day in paradise.  Nothing outstanding to report. This is taking forever.  

Friday 12/29/17

Steadily and slowly healing. I can't tell much difference between today and a week ago but surely there's progress.

Saturday 12/30/17

As I previously stated my penis is somewhat shorter and I have some slight deformity around the grafts. I believe the deformity is temporary. As the tissue forms around the grafts the appearance will improve. It doesn't look like it used to but it is straight when erect. The 90 degree curve is gone.  It's a long journey but I am getting there.

Sunday 12/31/17

It's the last day of a very challenging and difficult year. The challenges have been medical, psychological, financial,  professional,  and life changing.  

Monday 1/1/18

Per doctor's orders sex wasn't allowed until the 8th week. Today was 8 weeks so it was try it out day. It works but it was not the best sex of my life. Both of us were nervous about re-injury and there was consequently not enough foreplay. Additionally I didn't take but two 20 mg sildenafil tablets. Next time I will take at least 3, probably 4. The combination left me less than adequately firm so the pauve ti bete would not stay in her vagina. I was straight, I wasn't impotent, and I climaxed but it didn't feel the same and it wasn't very satisfying. Sex with my wife has always been my greatest pleasure. Hopefully the next round will be better. I have to believe it will.

Tuesday 1/2/18

I have nothing new to report.  I'm focusing on getting well and biding time.

Wednesday 1/3/18

As directed by Dr Knoll since January 1 my daily routine includes 5 minutes in the PosTVac. This is necessary to stretch the grafting material. All grafts have a tendency to shrink. If not stretched the grafts will permanently shrink. Daily stretching will prevent penile shortening.

Thursday 1/4/18

Nothing new to report.  I am just following the daily protocol and trying to get better.

Friday 1/5/18

I am the same today as yesterday. No better,  no worse, or so it seems. Healing from this surgery is taking  forever.


Saturday  1/6/18

Over the last year my spouse has started working extra long hours and finding ways to be too busy to even go to dinner with me. On the day I came home from the hospital she went Christmas shopping in Gatlingburg with her daughter and daughter in law for the next 4 days. I think it is safe to assume she is avoiding me. That's one way to deal with this disease.

Sunday 1/7/18

Another day has passed so I am one day closer to being well. I am doing okay but I am not able to detect much progress.

Monday 1/8/18

Some days the stress of everyday life combined with the stress of Peyronie's disease is almost too much to bear. Today is one of them but all you can do is take it a day at a time and when that's too much an hour at a time.

Tuesday 1/9/18

I am practicing the daily routine and continuing to heal. There's nothing special to report.

Wednesday 1/10/18

Today is just more of the same but another day has passed so I am a day closer to recovery.

Thursday 1/11/18

I am getting a little better every day.  The healing continues.

Friday 1/12/18

The edema is beginning to show signs of improvement.

Saturday 1/13/18

Sticking to the routine.  

Sunday 1/14/18

A family crisis wasted a dose of viagra. I had to abandon plans to have sex and rush to the hospital.  I am confident that with the additional healing that has taken place and the kick from viagra sex would have been better the second time. I didn't measure but I think with viagra and the daily stretching  routine some of my length is returning.  My penis is not perfectly straight but I believe it is perfectly servicable. I also expect improvement in time. I still have a great deal of healing to do.

Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday  1/15/18 thru 1/17/18

I have been away on business so I am catching up with a  single post.  I'm thankful that everything seems to be mending but I still have a lot of healing to do. My erections are weak, I have a slight bend to the left and some hour glassing that was not present before surgery.  I can still feel the plaque and because of the type of surgery I am sure it will always be there. I can also feel a tied off stitch. That might go away in a few months.

Thursday and Friday 1/18/18 and 1/19/18

Everything is status quo.  I'm still slowly getting better.  

Saturday 1/20/18

My wife continues to avoid me. We pass each other in every part of the house but the bedroom. Conversation is practically non-existent.  She works from 7:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. at night plus several hours over the weekend. If she's not working there's something else to do besides spending time with me. This disease has lots of side effects.

Sunday,  Monday,  Tuesday  1/21/18 thru 1/23/18

There's not a lot to comment about.  I am using the PosTvac daily.  My length in this device appears to be normal.  I'm not sure this has any bearing on my length with a natural erection.

Wednesday and Thursday 1/24/18 & 1/25/18

Progress is slow.  I can't tell much difference between the past 2 days and the past month. I'm 63 years old so I don't get well as fast as I once did or it might be that I am never going to heal. Only time will tell.

Friday and Saturday 1/26/18 & 1/27/18

Two more days of healing. I can't discern any changes. I continue my daily routine and the cycle of avoiding me perpetuates.  

Sunday, Monday,  Tuesday 1/28/18 thru 1/30/18

I wish I had exciting news but I don't.  It's just more of the same. I think I am improving but I'm pretty much single so I don't know .

Wednesday,  Thursday,  Friday  01/31/18 thru 02/02/18

It's improvement day by day. I continue the daily PosTvac routine.  It's almost 3 months and I am not by any means rid of the edema. I believe this is the result of taking tissue for grafts but I do see some improvement.  I also see shrinkage of some of the humps created by the stitches and the swelling. Dr Knoll said the edema and the deformity would heal and look like the other side which has healed nicely.  I have confidence in his assessment.  This isn't his first rodeo. I am worried that my erections aren't as firm. My wife continues to find ways to be unavailable. I wonder if I went through all of this for nothing.

Saturday,  Sunday,  Monday,  Tuesday  02/03/18 thru 02/06/18

I am traveling for work this week.  Everything is status quo. Sticking to the daily ritual and hoping that it all works out.

Wednesday,  Thursday  02/07/18 thru 02/08/18

Still doing all I can to get over this. It's the longest I've ever waited to heal. I'm not there by any means.  I can't believe how long it is taking for the damaged lymphatic tissue to get well.

Friday 02/09/18

My apologies to a couple of people who sent me messages.  I didn't get emails so I missed your questions. I saw them tonight and replied. I will check my spam filter. I suspect they were redirected. I will also pay more attention to the section after my posts.

I sometimes struggle for worthwhile news and I wonder if my posts are too personal.  My goal is to provide as much information as I can to anyone facing this. I hope this helps you with your choice and that you can glean something helpful from it. I'm looking forward to the day when I stop posting because I am back to where I was before April 2nd, 2017. That's the day my injury occurred.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday 02/10/18 through 02/13/18

I'm on the road again this week.  I have noticed spontaneous erections so the blood flow is improving.  I  also see a change in the edema.  It's not completely gone but it's significantly better.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday  2/14/18 thru 2/16/18

The edema comes and goes the same as if it was a hand or a foot.  Otherwise everything is about the same.

Saturday,  Sunday,  Monday Tuesday  02/17/18 thru 02/20/18

Mostly the same as a week ago. I'm healing but it's a long dgrawn out ordeal. I believe that a fair amount of length has returned.  I'm also developing a slight dorsal curve when erect. It's not bad enough to cause problems at this point.  I hope the PosTvac will alleviate this problem.  

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Saturday, Sunday & Monday 02/21/18 thru 02/26/18

I can't say that I am ever going to be able to have satisfactory sex. My penis is not as wide midway and it bends easily.  I fear that it will not be rigid enough in that one spot and I won't be able to move in and out without slipping out completely.  This damn thing might well be useless. I hope not.


Tuesday,  Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 02/27/18 thru 03/02/18

Nothing new going on. I continue the daily routine and pray for improvement.  


Saturday and Sunday  03/03/18 and 03/04/18

Everything is pretty much the same.  No improvement in any aspect of my healing process but it's not any worse either.

Monday, Tuesday 03/05/18 and 03/06/18

The edema persists as well as the hinge affect. Today marks 4 months.  I'm losing hope that I will ever be the same. It may be time to seek a second opinion or it may be a lost cause.

Wednesday 03/07/18 thru  Thursday 03/15/18

I am still on the daily PosTVac routine.  There's no noticeable improvement. I took 100 MG of viagra last weekend. It does what it is supposed to do. I experienced light sensivity and blue halo effect.  It is a little scary but it goes away as the effects wears off. I haven't lost hope but sex isn't what it used to be.

Friday 03/16/18 thru Tuesday 03/28/18

The routine continues with no significant improvements.

Saturday 03/29/18 thru Wednesday 04/04/18

I am doing about the same. There may be a smidgen of improvement with the edema issue. I'm not sure about anything else. The PosTvac produces a somewhat straight erection. A lot more straight  than the 90 degree curve that existed before the surgery but  I am not sure that I can get rigid enough for sexual intercourse.  

Thursday 04/05/18 thru Monday 04/09/18

The 5 month anniversary of my incision and grafting surgery was on April 6th. I am not 100 percent the way I was before the peyronies took it's toll and I am doubtful that I will ever be fully recovered.  I am still impacted by the edema and I don't know that I am capable of intercourse. I'm able to get erect and orgasm but I have difficulty with a mid length hinge effect.

Friday 04/10/18 thru Thursday 04/18/18

I can't discern any improvement in my condition. It is surprising to me how little information is available on the Internet.  I've been searching for info about recovery time for both the surgery and the edema. There's nothing to be found. If I do finally get well maybe this diary will give others insight and encouragement. If I am still healing I have never experienced any recovery that took this long. I do hope that I will continue to improve. I suppose if I don't I am better today than I was when I had a 90 degree curve. At this point I am feeling that life will never be the same. Life is like that. It's  peaks and valleys, joy and sadness. One thing is certain. Every source pleasure as well as every source of pain is only temporary.

Friday 04/19/18 thru Saturday 04/28/18

As the 6 month anniversary closes in I  am able to see some improvement in the edema. My flaccid penis almost looks familiar.  At this rate in 6 more months it might look normal again.  I need to clarify that statement.  I mean normal when not erect. Right now when I am erect my penis is not perfectly straight but it does no longer have a 90 degree curve. There's a good amount of deformity though. There is enough to make a guy uncomfortably self conscious but it beats what it was. I'm also not confident that I can get it in and keep it in. There's not much action around my house these days,  I may never know.  

Sunday 04/29/18 thru 05/07/18

Attempted intercourse on Sunday.  I managed to orgasm but I needed assistance.  My wife held it with her hand to keep it in place. I had not taken Viagra which impacted my  rigidity.

05/8/18 thru 05/19/18

Not much to report. Starting to feel things are not going to get better. The edema persists, the erectile dysfunction persists. It has been nearly 7 months.

05/20/18 through 05/29/18

I emailed Doctor Knoll on Friday before the Memorial Day weekend.  I got a reply on Tuesday.  He says that based on experience the edema can take a year to heal. I'm a believer.

05/30/18 through 06/17/18

Miniscule improvement but I believe there is some.  My dick is looking a little more like it did before the surgery.  The edema is not as severe but it lingers. My erection still has an hour glass appearance.  I'm going to guess its grafts that make the ends appear larger than the mid shaft area but it might be excised tissue from the mid section. It might be a little of both. I'm still not satisfied that I can have normal intercourse but I can orgasm.

06/18/18 through 07/05/18

It has been 8 months. The edema continues to improve.  It is not 100 percent but it is probably at least 75 percent better than where it started.  I am not sure if there's any improvement in the erectile dysfunction.

07/06/18 through 07/23/18

There's a tad bit of improvement in the appearance. I think the swelling has been replaced by loose skin.

07/24/18 through  07/30/18

More improvement.  Today it looks 85 percent normal.  The sensation has improved. I think I have regained most or all of my lost length. I have trouble maintaining erections and I still don't know if I can have intercourse but recently was rigid enough for a hand job without a dose of Viagra. I am not sure how much more healing to expect. I  am approaching the 9 month anniversary  of my surgery.

07/31/ 18 through 08/06/18

9 month anniversary.  No discernable changes since my last report.

08/07/2018 through 09/04/18

1 day shy of 10 months. I see slight improvement in appearance.  The swelling is less pronounced but a slight amount of edema is still visible.  I believe that my erections are improving.  Hard to say for sure.

09/05/18 through 10/06/18

The 11 month anniversary. The edema continues to improve. Another month or 2 and my dick might look normal again. I am not sure if it is fully functional. For whatever reasons my wife has become little more than someone I pass in the hall.

10/06/18 through 11/09/18

Silently celebrated the one year anniversary while traveling for work. I am still healing. Eeach month has been an improvement. I can still discern a slight deformity in the swollen foreskin. Give it another month or 2. I think that is going to eventually completely resolve. I am able to acheive erections but I cannot say for certain if they are strong enough for intercourse. The biggest issue I face is confidence in my erection. The next biggest is a willing partner.

11/10/18 through  12/10/18

It's been 13 months. My erections are straight. My penis is a tad shorter but it's functional. I think my biggest issue is confidence in my erections. I have a fear of going soft which can result in actually going soft. I'm not sure if I will ever have the confidence I had before all of this. Only time will tell. As for the damaged lymphatic tissue. I am still slightly swollen. To this day my foreskin on the left side looks like a fat lip. It's not as bad as the day after surgery but it's there.

12/11/2018 through 01/08/2019

14 months have passed. There's no noticeable change in appearance. I believe there may be some improvement in the quality of my erections. During my annual visit to Dr Knoll (prostate exam) he checked my penis. He seemed a little taken aback by the edema but he again assured me that it will eventually heal. I should note the tissue underneath the swelling is tender and there is a noticeable  loss of sensation. I recently had a conversation with a general practitioner. I asked his opinion. He stated that lymphatic tissue and nerve tissue heal very slowly.  I can tell that even though a great deal of time has passed I still have a long road ahead.

01/09/19 through 02/06/19

Another month has passed. There's  modest improvement in the edema, the erections seem stronger. At this rate by the time I pass the second anniversary I will be all healed. Perhaps the hardest thing to recover is the loss of confidence. Since the surgery I have not had sex without performance anxiety. Counseling should be readily available, perhaps mandatory, for anyone that's had to deal with Peyronies.

02/07/19 through 03/06/19

I have had intercourse a few times but I always experience erection anxiety which means I'm never as rigid as I could be even with a max dose of Viagra. I can't discern any improvement in the foreskin. It looks like a fat lip on the left side and there's a slight tenderness beneath the swollen area. I made an appointment with another surgeon. I think Knoll is shooting straight but a second opinion is worth it for peace of mind. At this point I don't expect much change but it's all uncharted territory I might continue to improve. That's about it for this month.

03/07/19 through 04/16/19

I'm past due for an update. I can report slight improvements so I guess I continue to heal. That seems odd as it has been 17 months since my surgery. My desire is up a little and so is my confidence. There is a very slight improvement in the foreskin, erection quality, and appearance. Maybe one of these days it will be completely healed.  If you are dealing with these same things I have over the past year and a half keep your chin up. It's a long journey. I will keep everyone posted.


04/17/19 through 05/13/19

On May 10th I saw Dr Kaufmann. She is in the same Vanderbilt office as Dr. Milam and also does penile implants. Kaufmann is a very caring and knowledgeable M.D. She explained that the edema is the result of damaged lymph tissue and the improvements were the result of surrounding tissue adapting to the loss. She also said it's doubtful that my edema will completely heal. In retrospect I'm very fortunate to have come out as well as I did. The asymmetry is only slightly noticeable so I'm going to mark it up to the cost of what I've been through and move on. In light of the situation I will bring the saga to an end. If anything important materializes I will post it here.

Age 64, Incision and grafting surgery 11/6/2017 for rapid onset 90 degree dorsal curve as a result of injury during sexual intercourse.

JohnWright


csm101

Hey John, for me it took about 4 weeks for the stitch line cut the fully heal. When I saw my uro again at 6 weeks I got the thumbs up to use it or lose it. My Uro also said that I can use a Vit. E oil (Bio-oil) I think is one brand name. I just used a clear Vit E oil once a day after my shower for 4 weeks. I feel that helped with the scar fading from a angry red to more natural. I'm at the 5 month mark now and I can barley see the incision scar. Keep on healing brother, it weekly improvements at this point...

ljm

Hi John. I had my plication surgery nearly 6 weeks ago, and am having the same persistent edema you've been describing. Doctor can't seem to give any clear timeline for healing (or even an approximation). Seems to get better and worse day by day. Pretty much a standstill right now. Quick upsetting honestly. Also having significant hematoma within the shaft. Not sure how long you experienced that symptom, but would like to hear. Best of luck on your healing.

TonySa

Hi John, it sounds like this recovery has been quite the ordeal.  What type of surgery was it? Excision and grafting without plication?  Have you regained any length?  Loss of 2 1/2 inches seems quite severe.  Any chance your wife would consider couples counseling with you, it seems like you'd both benefit from opening communication around the issues this disease brings for both partners.  Hang in there guy and keep us posted.
PxD 2 yrs 9/16.  Failed all treatment. 9/11/18: excision, grafting & implant Dr Karpman MtnView Ca, AMS CX 18cm + 3-1cm RTEs.
Pump failed.  2/11/20 Dr Karpman installed Titan 22cm +1cm RTE.

JohnWright

Counseling is one approach. My suspicion is that since you are male and your dick is the subject a) you are obsessing about it, and b) you won't stop talking about it day and night, therefore your wife is giving you some space.

Your diary screams obsession.

It isn't a critique, just an observation.

I went through a very similar obsession right before surgery and for the first 90 days after. It is perfectly understandable. Somewhere in there I realized the effect I was causing on my marriage, and then I got a grip on life -- again.

Today--all better! My dick and my relationship with my wife.