Joe B wrote:

Joe, "discomfort and or pain" kinda contradicts "It went well."
If you can't engage in your usual past activities, than everything didn't go
well.

Have you chatted with your doctor about the problem?

pulabl <cast719@YAHOO.COM> wrote in news:1189355393.035244.30220
@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com:

Joe:

Most bicycle shops have or can order you an open,split seat, that allows
freedom from peritoneal pressure and swivels independantly for each leg.
Cost should be between $35-35 US.  

I personally still had some problems and bought a recumbent bike and am
very happy with it. There is a learning curve to riding one for most
people and if you choose a 'bent', ride several and do a lot of research
before buying. Good luck,and happy riding!
Paul

What kind of surgery did you have?  There is no special reason you
should have pain after a conventional retropubic radical prostatectomy
(RRP), the most common operations for prostate cancer.  If you do,
consult your surgeon about it.

I had an RRP in 2000, and I've been riding since about 3 months after
the surgery without problems.  But the type of seat and how it is
adjusted can make a big difference.

I don't have any discomfort, but I am specially concerned about the
"numb penis" syndrome, which can develop after a long time spent on the
seat.   My erections are already somewhat iffy because of the surgery,
and I don't want to add any additional damage to the nerves in that area.

The seat should support you on your pelvic bones with little or no
pressure on the soft tissue.   There are seats specially designed to
avoid such pressure, which you can find at any bicycle shop, but I
haven't found one necessary.   In addition, I've found that it best if
the seat slopes slightly downward,  which is contrary to the usual
advice.  The forward/back position of the seat should be adjusted so
your knees are positioned properly with respect to the pedals.
Finally, a loose seat can lead to discomfort or a numb penis.  Check
regularly to see that the seat has not come loose and that its position
 hasn't shifted.

When riding, it helps if you get up off the seat briefly every few
minutes, and after a half hour or so riding, you should stop and rest
for a minute or two.

I'm not sure if this is applies, but I had considerable discomfort in
what I found out to be my pudendal nerve, after prostate surgery.  It
is essentially an inflammation of a nerve that is between your
testicles and anus, where you sit on a bicycle, and is often a problem
for serious bikers.  In my case, erections (not that I had many after
surgery) also caused it to be in pain and really put a damper on my
efforts to regain any erectile function.  I finally found that doing
sit ups every day, stretched and exercised this nerve and relieved the
problem.  Bending at the waist, as in toe touches, also helped, but
not as much for me.  Wikepedia has a section on the pudendal nerve and
suggest exercises such as toe touches.  Why prostate surgery caused
this problem, I don't know, although this nerve is close to the
prostate.  My surgeon wasn't much help on this issue either.  pcep