Desperately Need Help - Spasms after robotic surgery

Hello All!
I'm normally a lurker, because most of my questions have been answered. My dad just had robotic prostate surgery and is still in the hospital. He's been suffering from these horrible spasms and the drugs they're giving him aren't doing anything.

Has anyone else been through this? I've been looking through the old threads and it seems people have had this AFTER the catheter is out, but not right after the surgery.

Thank you all for any help. This is the absolute best resource ever!!!
Tori

Thanks!
Yes, and they come at least 16/17 seconds every minute and last for about 30 seconds, sometimes longer. They did an x-ray, but they haven't found out yet. I want my mom (who's at the hospital with him) to be ready to ask all questions.
Thank you!

The weird thing is that it's been almost 3 days. His surgery was on Monday and he's still in there with spasms. All his tests came back fine, everything's working the way it's supposed to. They're going to get physical therapists in and get him to do more walking and anti-spasm medication. Although, I don't know why they didn't give him that before. This whole ride is crazy. Thank you all for being here and being supportive. :) It's nice to have a place to come and freak out and you all understand.

My husband was given medication for the kind of spasms you are describing. It's pretty common after surgery, though maybe not as severe as your dad's.

I would ask for medication asap. My husband was prescribed: Oxybutynin 5mg (Ditropan)

Yes, same med I just mentioned.

Daddy's

One reason doctors can be stingy with Ditropan, if you use it long term, it can make your bladder "lazy", which is the last thing one would want when the catheter is removed and you are trying to regain continence. It relaxes the bladder walls, making them less inclined to spasm. 3-10 days is what I have been told by several doctors.

In my case, I was on my original catheter for 63 days. Then I had endless stricture problems, which kept me on 21 different catheters for a total of 1 1/2 years. It was a horrible time.

Finally, I had to have my bladder by-passed with an Urostomy surgery, and even though my bladder doesn't work and isn't even connected for 3 years now, I still have bladder spasms daily. I probably average 2-4 dozen per days, most last just a few seconds, but sometimes I have had them last 2 minutes or more. No med works for me anymore, as the meds are designed to work with a working bladder, not a disconnected bladder. Have tried every med known to man, and none work.

My oncologist finally told me, that I basically would have to continue to live with them, as there is no solution outside of a major, high risk surgery to remove a very radiation damaged bladder.

I have estimated that I have had over 10,000 of them since 2008. And that is a very conservative number.

David

It should be pointed out here that David is the poster child for as-bad-as-they-come bladder problems and you can expect your dad to do much better. His doctors will get him sorted out. Hang in there.

Glad your dad is getting better. I had spasms also a couple of days after surgery but they didn't last as long as your father. They are uncomfortable so I can understand your concern.

Bill from Florida

Glad he is better! yes, I am in sunny AZ.

Yeah, it's scared my mom too. Wow. Thank you, I've just let my mom know as it seems the ditropan isn't working that great for him now. Everyone's reaction to the surgery is so different! I mean, we thought he'd be fine, and he's in a lot of pain, like the rest of you were. But, I guess the thing to focus on is that the cancer will be gone and he'll get better.
Thank you ALL!!!