Urine Stopped Post RP, Post Cath Removal; Recathed Day 10

Friends, Wanted to bring you up to speed on some developments since my last post here:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=2926861

Everything was going great. No lingering pain from the surgery, energy level quite good, no sign of post prostate removal depression, etc. My urinary control was near the 99% mark with only a few dribbles after relieving myself. The only issues I was experiencing was urethral burning upon urination and reduced urine flow rate.

Burning: I have searched and read threads on this site where folks had slight burning during urination to 3 to 4 weeks following catheter removal. As I had no fever, cloudy urine, etc, etc, I decided to just continue to give it time to heal and talk to surgeon about it at first 5-week postop followup.

Reduced flow: First day with cath out I was at about 20% my normal pre-op flow rate. I was worried and posted my situation to the board (link above). My flow continued to improve a little each day and by yesterday (10 days post cath removal), I had reached what I estimate to be about 50 to 60% my normal pre-op flow rate.

Well, yesterday evening, after dinner, the nightmare happened. I went in to use the bathroom and nothing came out. Thought to myself that I must not be quite ready yet, so I decided to wait. Kind of knew in the back of my mind that something was wrong. I waited about 10 min and tried again…no luck. Went out to my wife and told her to prepare for an ER visit. I wasn’t hurting at this point, I just knew that I had to go but couldn’t. I tried to go a couple more times before I made the final decision to hit the ER for a new catheter.

The catheter burned like hell going in. Excruciatingly painful for me but no real resistance according to the nurse. However, the bladder relief once inserted was worth every penny of insertion pain paid.

Now I am just worried that I have a stricture or scar tissue buildup that will require some other procedure to rectify. I have read some other posts where folks were even catheterized up to 4 times during ER visits to relieve the bladder, and eventually were ok without dilation or stricture cutting…guess the culprit was simply a bladder spasm, spontaneous sphincter lockup, or simple swelling controlled with Ibuprofen.

Now, what I am about to tell you will certainly earn me some criticism, and the tendency will be to blame the whole issue on this, however, for the sake of sharing and helping others make better decisions, I submit the following: Yesterday afternoon, a few hours before the urinary stoppage problem, I decided to take my daughters bowling. Yes, bowling. I am not a regular bowler by any means, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I was feeling great and it never even entered my mind that I shouldn’t engage in tossing a 16 pound ball down a lane, 20 times a game for two games, and so I began to play. It struck me about half way through, that perhaps this is an example of the exercise, or lifting over 5 pounds, that I am not supposed to do for 5 or 6 weeks…and I thought I was getting away with it.

Advice – lay low for the 5 or 6 weeks despite how good you feel. Get your walks in, but don’t go bowling.

I had my cath in for five weeks due to it leaking internally. URO had me do a "cystogram" each of the weeks leading up to the cath removal.

Odds are your URO will do the same.

Thanks for the post to help others from both Brewer and Bob.

There is a reason they tell us to take it easy the first 6 weeks after surgery. You had MAJOR SURGERY. Your "Plumbing" has been reworked, resewing and patched up. It takes time for everything to heal.

Be a patient patient!

Bill from Florida

Thanks for the replies. Still no contact from the Dr...but he usually makes his phone calls later in the evening. I am hoping he has experience with this and believes it was simply aggravated swelling at the surgical site.... I failed to mention in the previous post that since the cath came out, I had been taking Advil (NSAID) based on a two pronged approach to minimize any aches down in the prostate region and keep any inflammation down. The surgeon didn't prescribe the Advil but posts here, seconded by my wife, a nurse, caused me to be proactive. Anyway, a couple of days ago, I stopped taking the advil....might be that, coupled with the bowling, brought on the urinary retention issue.

Here's to hoping I get the cath out soon and am back to 60% and progressing toward 100....

Well, doctor just called....wants to leave the cath in until Friday (5 days total); bummer. Makes sense though, at the very least the trauma caused by reinsertion of the catheter may have caused its own swelling that needs to subside prior to removal of the cath.

Asked him if Bowling was the culprit; he refused to blame it on that. Instead, seemed to indicate you never can tell. Doesn't seem to think its stricture or other blockage. I think it may be too much of a coincidence that the problems began after a day of over exertion just 20 days out from surgery and 10 days out from first cath removal.

My orders are to remove the cath myself on Friday morning and see him Friday afternoon. Hope I can make it to Friday afternoon voiding on my own - else I will have to visit the ER first for another cath, then see the doc.

Brewer,

Following my episode of no urine flow and reinsertion of the catheter, I was also told to remove the cath on my own one week later. The procedure is a non-event. It took about a minute or less in the shower with no pain. Gravity does most of the work; a gentle pull did the rest. A trip to the doc's office later that day confirmed everything was functioning properly.

Bob

I fail to understand why I see so many guys having cath removed so soon after surgery. It takes time for the reconnection of urethra to bladder to mend! My cath did not bother me for the 13 days it was in; I just stayed indoors and used the treadmill. Why do so many rush this part of the recovery? It's not like you will live with the cath for the rest of your life! Just say to yourself "this too will pass"! Setting a record for "time to cath removal" makes no sense!!
Bob