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Author Topic:  Playing steel after laser prostate surgery
Howard Steinberg


From:
St. Petersburg, Florida , USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2017 4:04 am    
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I'm scheduled to have this procedure in a couple of months. I'm trying to get a sense as to how long I should take before resuming gigs that require me to sit on a pac seat for 1 hour plus. While I'm not the kind of guy who broadcasts my health issues on public forums, I think this is the best place for me to get this information. Feel free to email or pm, if you don't want to post publicly on this topic. I an extremely appreciative of any insight you can provide.
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Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2017 4:14 am    
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I think the idea of laser surgery is that it avoids the collateral damage of the knife-and-fork kind, and just tackles the affected area. (Recovery from a conventional operation is largely about the bruising and shock.) You should be sitting still in no time. Best wishes.
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Floyd Lowery

 

From:
Deland, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2017 4:52 am    
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I forget the tech. term, but I had mine frozen. I played the next week end. Your surgeon should be able to tell you. Ask him how long before you can sit for an hour. Carrying the equipment may be more of a problem than sitting.
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Jim Palenscar

 

From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2017 6:00 am    
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I can understand the knife comment Ian- but fork too? Oy!
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Storm Rosson

 

From:
Silver City, NM. USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2017 6:46 am    
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A buddy of mine here in Silver City had a laser job on his prostate, I believe it is called a "uro lift" procedure. Anyway he was back up and working after a week of just resting....Stormy.
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Bobby D. Jones

 

From:
West Virginia, USA
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2017 8:20 pm     Playing steel after Prostrate laser surgery.
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I had The electric carving tool surgery on my prostate 3 years ago. We had a Salmon fishing trip scheduled 8 days later. Rode about 700 miles up and back and fought 3 salmon, one went 24lb. on boat about 7 hours. I suggest get a roady to help with equipment from home to gig and back. Good Luck and Happy Steelin.
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David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 27 Jun 2017 10:02 pm    
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I had my prostate removed (prostatectomy) almost 3 years ago by robotics. Days 2 and 3 were a torture session to get in and out of bed. Narcotics helped a little. Had to wear a catheter for a week which was inconvenient. I don't like to talk about my health or sex life either but it ended my sex life. For me that might be a good thing. Hasn't affected my steel guitar playing that I can tell.
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Floyd Lowery

 

From:
Deland, Florida, USA
Post  Posted 28 Jun 2017 6:08 am    
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I forgot about that catheter part. It may have been two weeks before I got back to playing. Mine was 13 years ago. Whoa!
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Jerry Erickson

 

From:
Atlanta,IL 61723
Post  Posted 1 Jul 2017 4:25 pm    
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If you're having the green light laser procedure, you could be playing in a couple of days, just not lifting things for a couple of weeks, or so. I guess it all depends on how your body reacts to it.
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Barry Blackwood


Post  Posted 1 Jul 2017 5:43 pm    
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Time for the donut?

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Charlie McDonald


From:
out of the blue
Post  Posted 2 Jul 2017 4:09 am    
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The things they don't tell you beforehand.... If they did, we wouldn't have these procedures done.
Waiting for a biopsy, I could hear guys in the hall (as they're leaving), "Six weeks?!"
No telling if it's about work, golf, or sex.

Good luck, Howard.
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Sandy Inglis


From:
Christchurch New Zealand
Post  Posted 2 Jul 2017 10:22 pm    
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I had a Prostatectomy 6 months ago and did a short gig (Guitar & vocals) 2 days after getting the catheter out.
I was not allowed to carry anything and sat on a stool for most of it.
After a few weeks I did some gigs and practice sessions but I made the mistake of shifting/carrying equipment (amps/PA PSG etc.) and my wound continually broke down. I ended up on antibiotics to get rid of an infection.
It has since settled down but my advice is: give it plenty of time.
It is not the sitting but the scrunching of the abdominal muscles (don't wear a belt) and the heavy lifting that does the damage. I don't play PSG all the time so I can vary my position (mostly vocals/guitar).
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Jim Reynolds


From:
Franklin, Pa 16323
Post  Posted 3 Jul 2017 9:49 pm    
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This was very informative. It is in the future for me. At present I wear a female pad, but the doctor says I'm on the edge of needing surgery. This needs to be talked about. They say if a man lives long enough, he will have prostate trouble, but a woman, if she takes 500mg of vitamin C everyday, she will never have a bad prostate. I never could understand that. Let's see what I get on this. haha
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Howard Steinberg


From:
St. Petersburg, Florida , USA
Post  Posted 28 Aug 2017 3:55 am    
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I wanted to follow up on my original post. I had the surgery on August 18. Played a 4 hour, 3 set gig, on steel, the following friday night (1 week later) and a short gig, on guitar, 2 days later. Mostly just really tired at the end of each gig. Guys that I played with were helpful with carrying heavier stuff and setting up the steel. In all, I came through it ok, but probably should have given it another week. The only regret that I have is not getting the surgery sooner.

Thanks again to those who responded to the original post.
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Jim Reynolds


From:
Franklin, Pa 16323
Post  Posted 28 Aug 2017 4:28 am    
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Howard, your info is very helpful. I hope mine will be the same. I had back surgery done Sep 2016, hoping that I could get rid of my back pain. They removed a bone from my right hip to use in the surgery. The pain I had before, was in my back, left hip, and down the left leg. Now I have just as bad of pain in my right hip, if not worse, then I had before. I have tried everything there is to help, but nothing seems to help. I have lived now for over 15 years, 24/7 in pain, have spent over $5,000, in the past 8 mo's, to find a mattress I can sleep on, and still only get between 3-4 hours sleep a night. I know my prostrate will be the next to come. I really appreciate this information, and only hope it turns out as good for me. Thank you.
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Jim Bob Sedgwick

 

From:
Clinton, Missouri USA
Post  Posted 28 Aug 2017 3:45 pm    
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Jim Reynolds wrote:
This was very informative. It is in the future for me. At present I wear a female pad, but the doctor says I'm on the edge of needing surgery. This needs to be talked about. They say if a man lives long enough, he will have prostate trouble, but a woman, if she takes 500mg of vitamin C everyday, she will never have a bad prostate. I never could understand that. Let's see what I get on this. haha
.

Women don"t have a prostate, Just like you don't have a uterus. Vitamin C has nothing to do with it. FYI
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Jim Reynolds


From:
Franklin, Pa 16323
Post  Posted 28 Aug 2017 7:14 pm    
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Tes, I know Joe, it was a joke.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 29 Aug 2017 12:06 pm    
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Excellent thread, waiting on a biopsy here. Should I require the surgery I will take a month off from Steel gigs , for two reasons, 1) I want a break and 2) I want a break ! I've gone non stop with one gig for just under 3 years, twice a month. I'll obviously use the surgery, if I need it, as the excuse.

Glad to hear those who have had it are doing well. Thats the best news for certain.
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Bill Terry


From:
Bastrop, TX
Post  Posted 29 Aug 2017 12:55 pm    
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I had PC surgery in 2007, I found this website pretty useful at that time, looks like it's still going strong.

http://www.yananow.org/
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Jim Reynolds


From:
Franklin, Pa 16323
Post  Posted 29 Aug 2017 12:58 pm    
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Prayers are with you Tony. I use to live in Charlotte. I moved there in 93, found a steel player there, went to his house one evening and listened to him. I was so ashamed of mine I never went back. What a mistake. I had only been at it about 5 years then. I sure wished I could remember who he was, and would have asked him to give me lessons. May have been you Tony. He put song Ray Price tracks in and then just blew me away. He was great. If it was you, you left me speechless, and thanks for the memories. One other I want to hear play, and he's close to me here in PA, is Greg Cutshaw, and someday I will. I would also like to meet Bill Sutton from down in your area.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 30 Aug 2017 1:11 am    
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Thx Jim ! And no, it wasn't me, maybe Joe Smith ? Joe has been one of the premier players in the area for a long while but now age has brought him to retirement. Come on back to Charlotte for a visit, door is always open !

t
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CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 1 Dec 2017 3:36 am    
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Had Prostate RALP surgery Nov 21, today is 10 days post. I feel great, no pains no meds, but I do have to be careful with physicals and lifting. It is said that it is a 6 week process to full physical recovery. I am taking off until the end of Dec , no need to rush. Post Op Labs were all negative so it's just a slow process to getting back to regular duty . The 1st gig back at the end of Dec will be on guitar only, I'm giving myself the full term before the I pick up the D10 . I've been on this bi-monthly gig just shy of 3 years now so a break is in order anyway .

I will say this, with today's modern medicine and procedures,as we get older, approaching late 50's going into our early 60's or so, get tested regularly by a urologist. PSA tests do not reveal cancer, they are just a red flag to have a biopsy. Please don't take this stuff for granted. I personally had no signs of anything wrong other than PSA rising over an 18 month period. My biopsy revealed two hot spots which needed to be addressed. The process from the last testing, the discovery, to the surgery, is about 8 to 10 weeks. Then 6 weeks following to full physical status.

If anyone has questions please feel free to PM me, I will share.
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CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
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Ed Javner

 

From:
Mt. View Arkansas, USA
Post  Posted 1 Dec 2017 8:26 pm    
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Had mine done for "free" at the VA in Little Rock but I'll be paying for the damage the rest of my life.
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mtulbert


From:
Plano, Texas 75023
Post  Posted 2 Dec 2017 3:26 am    
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Howard,

Here is my story. Diagnosed 10 years ago and elected to have the Robotic surgery. You are on a catheter for a couple of weeks normally after the surgery. First couple of days after surgery not pleasant, just sore. By the end of the week I was on the treadmill and actually playing some steel at home. Full recovery was 2 months for me. The doctor was very adamant about not lifting anything heavy.

Sexual function and total continence vary from person to person.

I just had my 10 year and last visit to the urologist who declared me totally cured. All my PSA's have been undetectable since the surgery.

As others have mentioned there are alternatives to surgery that you may want to explore.

Good luck
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Howard Steinberg


From:
St. Petersburg, Florida , USA
Post  Posted 2 Dec 2017 5:27 am    
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Thank you to everyone who has been in touch or responded to my original post. I had the greenlight laser procedure on Friday, August 18. I had to get subs for 3 gigs that I had over that weekend. They sent me home with a catheter that was taken out on the following Monday. Not a painful experience but uncomfortable for a short while.

I had 2 gigs the following weekend. One was a 3 1/2 hour gig on steel the other was a ! Hour gig on guitar. The gig on steel was fine. The gig on guitar was exhausting, probably because I stood.

The way that I handled it was to put my guitar, seat and amp in my car the day before the surgery. The people that I work with were gracious in that they carried my stuff from car to stage and put the steel and amp in place. This happened for 4 weeks.

I hope that anyone who has these issues has as good a result and as easy a recovery as I had. Interestingly, I didn’t know that I had any sort of problem until I was hit head on by an impaired driver, ironically on the way to a physical. They did a ct scan because of a suspected broken rib. They discovered issues with bladder, prostate and that I was on the verge of kidney damage. Kinda makes be believe, maybe for the first time, that a higher power has got my back.
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