Post Surgery Depression

You're obviously a church going man, and this liturgical week offers a lot of insight into pain, suffering, depression, loss, and victory over it all. Plus, spring is starting to happen here in the northern hemisphere. Good things, better things, are just around the corner. Just try to be patient and let them happen.

I'm 16 days since catheter removal. My stamina seems fine and I'm walking about 5-7 miles per day. I continue to have leakage with a continuing slow drip for hours sometimes. Then I will not leak for hours. I Get depressed when I read the post of men who are almost dry immediately. I'm glad for them and keep tellling myself it will get better. I understand your depression and wish you luck as I'm sure you will continue improvement.

Seems to me that all of us in our mid sixties don't recover from much of anything very quickly. Being a farmer I'm always straining this or that or getting hit by something. Hell, you stub your freakin' toe and it hurts for 2 days. Didn't used to do that. Like the other guys said I guess we just need to give stuff more time...which we are running out of!!! :)

I'm in my middle 60's and nothing works like it did 40+ years ago, especially after prostate surgery. It does get a little discouraging at times but I look at it this way. A good looking woman is always worth a second or third or, well, you know. When a guy stops looking, he is really in trouble.

HalberT, I've mentioned before, I experienced some depression after surgery, even 2 months after. I don't think it so much had to do with not being able to do as much, more about facing my own mortality, as I had never been sick before.

I'm 64, and 6 weeks ahead of you. I feel like the depression has more or less lifted, I'm only left with some anxiety, related to upcoming PSA tests, which is very different than depression. And the good news, is my stamina is the same. So is my strength, I lifted a 5 gallon bottle of water from the floor onto my Water Cooler yesterday with no problem.

Give it more time, your stamina will improve. I think your state of mind will as well. And I don't blame you for trying to avoid the anti depressants, I did as well, just didn't feel right.

I had my surgery in Dec in my 50th year. The first couple of months I was mainly focused on the recovery from the surgery. By 4 months I was feeling great, my psa was undetectable and I had more energy than I'd had in a very long time and spring had come. (I attribute my pre surgery tiredness to the cancer)

By about the sixth month I had slid into a depression. Maybe not a serious one and it was gradual so I didn't really see it sneak up on my, but I was in a funk for much of the summer. It improved by the end of the year but came and went after that and I'd say it was more than 2 years before I was back to my old self.

I just suddenly felt a lot older and I was mourning what I'd lost. I've always been young for my age and the sudden hit of cancer the year I turned 50, along with the diapers and the ED left me feeling a lot older. Even now at 54 I have a full head of hair with a bit of gray in the beard and people usually think I'm in my mid 40's.

Since the surgery my hips had gotten progressively worse. It was more of a frustration and didn't depress me like the cancer had even though it's another reminder that I'm aging. But I had surgery in January and I'm now the proud owner of a pair of metal hip joints. Spring is (almost) here and I'm feeling good.

Island, just to let you know, even since our last phone conversation, I've improved a lot. I REALLY feel good. FWIW. Surgery (with the right surgeon) has, I believe, come a long way, and I think outcomes are much better, for SEs. So hang in there man.

Halbert,

I retired in June, had my surgery in August, then my dad and his wife passed away in a tragic house fire in February, so the depression is real. I am getting use to retirement and enjoying it, but there are days that depression does set in. I went from being an elementary principal where I made 100 decisions a day, to now deciding what I want to eat, do, clean or whatever. My wife is still working. The best advice I can give is just to keep going. I have found much comfort in member of my Sunday School class and with friends who are still principals. I have been catching up with teachers who retired in the past and I simply lost contact with them.

I have spoken to my doctor but at this time I am not taking any anti-depression drugs, but am taking some over the counter drugs to get me to sleep. I've never been a huge sleep - 4 to 5 hours, but when it got down to just a couple I needed to do something. I feel better when I exercise as I am currently training for a half marathon in April - I was a runner before the surgery.

So I have decided to take a day at a time. I am writing a book about my parents and grandparents and them growing up in the mountains of East Tennessee. That is helping with memories that come often. Keep it up, the depression does seem to get better.