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Posted 3/18/2013 11:21 AM (GMT 0)
It's real early for me - surgery day (in 6 hours).... However, I'm feeling like crap right now.  I am having a fairly good reaction to the pre-op antibiotics (erythromicin).  My stomach is burning along with pain.  I've been sitting next to the toilet bowl waiting for the dry heaves to start. My mouth is pumping out saliva so fast it is almost like having a drink of water. I have had very limited sleep. I don't think I can hang on for 6 more hours without doing something.

I've talked to the resident on call who was of of no help.  I've talked to a pharmacist - of more help but I'm limited to what I can do because I am not supposed to have any liquids.  I am wondering if under these circumstances  if they will go ahead with the surgery.  I am almost willing to reschedule I am feeling so bad. I want a drink of milk or something so bad I can hardly stand it.

Has anybody (who is awake right now) experienced this or have any thoughts.  I'm grasping at straws right now.

Posted 3/18/2013 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't experienced it, but once you talk to the anesthesiologist and the surgeon, I'm thinking they may want to postpone the surgery.  Some of what you're describing may be attributed to nervousness, but the dry heaves are what would concern me.  Let us know what happens.  I wish you well, whatever the decision turns out to be.
Posted 3/18/2013 12:41 PM (GMT 0)
Going under the knife iss scary. It will be okay man. It may not be fun but it has to be done. Hang in there. Best part of surgery, ......waking up on a cloud
Posted 3/18/2013 1:40 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like a bad case of the nerves, very common and expected prior to a major surgery. You need to focus on the good it will do for you. Once you are put under, you won't have a care or worry in the world.

Good luck, and we will see you on the other side.

david
Posted 3/18/2013 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hang in there buddy. It will be over before you know it. You won't remember a thing. Versed takes care of that.

Good luck and best for a full cure with no side effects.
Posted 3/18/2013 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
MrAnxious,

You'll do fine. Once you get checked in they can make you calm and comfortable. Later today you'll be needing a new user name. You can be thinking about that now. "MrCalmerNowButKindaCrankyaboutThisCatheter" would work but it might be too long.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
Posted 3/18/2013 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Is this a nerves issue or do you think it's something else?
Posted 3/18/2013 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
Could be a reaction to the antibiotic?
Posted 3/18/2013 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
Mr. Anxious,

Hang in there - you'll do great (or more likely given the timing of this post, you are doing great).

This whole process can be/is a wild ride.  Remember, we are all here for you.

Pat

 

Posted 3/18/2013 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
MrAnxious,
I think your name says it all!
By now, I hope everything went well and you went ahead with your surgery today.
I hate to see you have to through this again.

See you on the other side.

Bill
Posted 3/18/2013 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
Think it was a case of the nerves. Hope all went well!
Posted 3/19/2013 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
Hang in there! We've all been through something similar. I'm diabetic, know I didn't have anything to eat/drink for almost 14 hours before surgery. I'm a BIG guy and love to eat, about drove me nuts!!! Please, please, please let us know how things are now! Art
Posted 3/19/2013 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
MrAnx - we're out here waiting to hear how you're doing, let us know. Thoughts are with you.
Posted 3/19/2013 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
MrAnxious how are you doing???

Hope all is well and you're recovering CANCER-FREE!!
Posted 3/20/2013 4:47 AM (GMT 0)
Just got back from hospital and surgery. It was reaction to antibiotics -large doseages of erythromicin and neomicin. Doctor said come in for IV and other meds to see if they could find something to help and not affect surgery. Before the docs could figure something out, the nurse and phlebotomist young lady solved the problem. They gave me oxygen and tucked small alcohol wipes close to my nose,  It somehow interrupts receptors or something that relieves the nausea - they learned that trick in maternity ward.

I'm still kind of out of it now - as I don't deal well with the pain meds apparently. I'll relate my lessons learned and how easy it is to have weird things happen to you -when I can think,

Does anyone know if/how you are strapped to the table during daVinci. My shoulder hurts worse by far than anything associated with the actual surgery.  I thought I just slept funny so didn't say anything, but now the muscle/tendon pain is quite intense (8-9 out of 10).

Glad I'm on to recovery mode now,

Thanks for all the kind thoughts.

Posted 3/20/2013 4:53 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the other side, MrAnxious,

Glad to see you!

For me, it was my legs that seemed sore after my DaVinci. I later learned that that flat table you lay on is moved at angles that would make a pretzel jealous.

I'm sure they have given you something for the shoulder pain by now & hopefully you are sleeping peacefully.

Tomorrow, when you wake up, you'll be starting the first day of your recovery & will soon return to normal functioning.

You might want to sleep in a nice reclining chair for the first few nights at home. You'll find this VERY comfortable!

Hang in there, the worst is now over.

Chuck

Resident of Highland, Indiana just outside of Chicago, IL.
July 2011 local PSA lab reading 6.41 (from 4.1 in 2009). Mayo Clinic PSA Sept. 2011 was 5.7.
Local urologist DRE revealed significant BPH, but no lumps.
PCa Dx Aug. 2011 at age of 61.
Biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma in 3 of 20 cores (one 5%, two 20%). T2C.
Gleason score 3+3=6.
CT of abdomen, bone scan both negative.
DaVinci prostatectomy 11/1/11 at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), nerve sparing, age 62.
My surgeon was Dr. Matthew Tollefson, who I highly recommend.
Final pathology shows tumor confined to prostate.
5 lymph nodes, seminal vesicles, extraprostatic soft tissue all negative.
1.0 x 0.6 x 0.6 cm mass involving right posterior inferior,
right posterior apex & left mid posterior prostate.
Right posterior apex margin involved by tumor over a 0.2 cm length, doctor says this is insignificant.
Prostate 98.3 grams, tumor 2 grams. Prostate size 5.0 x 4.7 x 4.5 cm.
Catheter out in 7 days. No incontinence, occasional minor dripping.
Post-op exams 2/13/12, 9/10/12, PSA <0.1.
Semi-firm erections now happening 14 months post-op & slowly getting a bit stronger.
Posted 3/20/2013 11:31 AM (GMT 0)
Glad your back home MrAnxious!
I'm having the same surgery Friday, we can compare notes...lol

During my pre-op, the doc said I may have some shoulder pain afterwords, it would most likely be from the gas they use to inflate the abdomen, he said it sometimes travels up to the shoulders and should only last a day or two. Could be what you have going on.
Posted 3/20/2013 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
There are lots of nerves in the area of your diaphragm that make you feel pain in your neck or shoulder when they are irritated. I didn't notice this with my DaVinci prostatectomy but some years back I had a laporoscopic hiatal hernia repair (to fix a gap in my diaphram) and I had killer neck and shoulder pains. The reason the gas might make your shoulder hurt is that it presses against your diaphram, not because it leaks all the way up to your shoulder.

On the other hand, the DaVinci table is tilted up so you are almost standing on your head during the operation. That way gravity pulls you internal organs out of the way while they work. That could also be a bit hard on the old shoulder.
Posted 3/20/2013 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Glad you made it through okay MrAnxious - speedy recovery!
Posted 3/20/2013 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the other side MrAnxious!
I didn't have any problems with my shoulders so I can't relate.
Each day will be better than the last.
Good luck with your path report.
Bill
Posted 3/20/2013 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
Mr. Anxioius,

Welcome back.  Glad the surgery went well.  As for the shoulder pain, same here.  I woke up and said what happened?  Did you drop me? 

I was out before I arrived in the opperating room.  The table, they tell me, is cold and sticky, so they can tilt you way over and get to all the good parts without you falling off.  My doctor said the positioning on the table and the air they pumped me full of combine to give some of us shoulder pain. 

Mine lasted about 2 weeks.  I was on pain meds in the hospital for 4 days, then took oral pain meds for about 4 more days at home before switching to tylenol. 

Like the others have said, every day you will feel better.  I'm 8 weeks post surgery tomorrow and havent had any pain of any kind for at least a couple of weeks.

Pat

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