Hip Replacement After RP

Prior to my PC diagnosis and subsequent RP on June 28, 2013, I had been scheduled for hip replacement surgery. It was cancelled in order to address my prostate issues. I am now 9 weeks post RP (DaVinci) and have been released by my urologist to have my hip replacement. I am still having incontinence issues including heavy dribbles on some days. I have been out of full adult pads for only 10 days.

Does anyone have experience in piling on another surgery so soon after the RP? I have a surgeon ready to perform the hip operation and he feels that it will be just fine and that the RP will have no effect on his success or my recovery. I just keep wondering if this is insanity on my part to try to knock this out now. I have just begun a few weeks ago in dealing with my ED issues and fear that my rehabilitation of the hip could be harmful to my ED recovery plans. I am using a VED and taking PDE-5 meds daily, but have not had an erection since my RP. I was just about to inquire with my urologist about beginning Trimix or other injection therapy.

Any comments or suggestions about my situation are greatly appreciated.

I've not had hip replacement, but I do know that they will have you out in rehab (on your feet) as soon as possible. In days past they kept patients in the hospital, but being laid up caused yet more problems.

Maybe better to get the big stuff out of the way now.

I did it the other way around, first hip, then prostate surgery two years later. Hip pain is no fun, but hip surgery is elective, and if you can get around with the help of a cane, you can always wait. Best wishes!

Newspaper Lover
Age 69
11/09 DaVinci surgery upstate NY; nerve bundle taken; clean margins, clean seminal vessels, no incontinence, no erections.
06/11 PSA re-emerged.
Gleason 8
Time to recurrence 18 months
Three month doubling time (summer 2011).
PSA rose from .07 on 06/11 to .17 on 11/11.
09/11 hernia surgery to repair hernia resulting from the DaVinci.
10/11 Moved management of my case to Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City.
12/11 Started hormones (Lupron/Casodex).
02/12 Began radiation (SRT), including pelvic lymph. 40 sessions.
04/12 Finished SRT.
03/12 Last Lupron shot.
07/12 PSA and testosterone "undetectable."
01/13 PSA “undetectable”; testosterone (T) level at 452 ng/dl.
07/13 PSA “undetectable”; testosterone (T) level at 444 ng/dl.
Currently receiving no treatment.

Thanks to all for your comments. The hip pain is not unbearable but has been very painful and a nuisance for nearly three years. I am like you Mr. Moderator...maybe I need to get the big stuff out of the way this year. Besides, all insurance deductibles and co-pays are out of the way so I will not have a cent of my own money in it. Probably a pretty crappy reason but I can't help but consider it. It is one more general anesthesia that comes with all the risks we are so familiar with.

Mike

Mikey,

I would probably echo David's thoughts and suggest waiting a few more months to get some of your immediate issues with incontinence and ED addressed. Time will be somewhat of an ally for yo on both of those as you regain strength and evaluate current treatment post-surgery. Going into another round of surgery will likely mean stopping your meds for a bit and you'll also have the typical surgery trauma all over again.

I can relate to wanting to get other medical expenses out of the way in the same year when you hit your insurance cap. Perhaps holding off until late November or early December would allow you to do that while providing a few extra months to deal with the immediate issues your are dealing with post-RP.

BTW, I have lumbar degeneration and either sciatica or stenosis so I know the hip pain is no picnic. I'll likely be addressing that this year, too.

..

Once again, thanks to all who weighed in on my hip replacement situation. After carefully considering all the comments on this forum, discussions with my family, and exercising my own common sense, I have decided to delay my hip surgery for the foreseeable future. I feel this is the right decision and one that should never be driven by economics. Perhaps a December surgery is in order. Oh wait! I will be eligible for Medicare next July. Great fallback position.

Mike