Surgery on Friday July 29th.

Hi,

I'm 54 years old and will have my prostate removed on Friday :-(

I'm worried about pain as I don't do well with it!

However, I'm so happy to have found this forum with all the incredible men and information you have provided!

Thanks for encouragement!

Welcome to the forum. I found the information here to be so helpful before, during and after my diagnosis and treatment.

Had mine removed at age 54 too. You will do great. The pain pills work, so don't be afraid to take them if you truly need to. I had the pain meds the one day in the hospital and one day at home. Then it's really more just discomfort, like a dull ache. That too didn't last very long.

Contrary to what I thought at the time getting up and moving really helps. Don't over do it though. I'm a runner and at first I could only walk slowly for 15 minutes, with some assistance, and it would wipe me out the rest of the day. Listen to your body, it will let you know what to do and not to do.

Best of luck, you will do great - Jon

Hi Sean. "Back on HT" means someone is saying they are on Hormone Treatment again. :( Not a great way to spend ones time really.

Welcome to the forums and sorry you had to look us up. I'm happy you have selected your treatment of choice. Really, that is that hardest part of the journey. Now, eveything is about how you manage your treatments. Although I haven't personally opted for RP, I have read several histories in here and I am sure you can handle it.

Good luck on the 29th!!! We'll be rooting for you!

Sean,
Just like you and Grey, I was 54 when I had RP (2.5 yrs ago).
His advice was great...listen to your body, get moving as soon as possible but don't push it.
My pain was not significant at all, as I remember, I took pain pills a day or so.
Let your body heal and pace yourself.

You'll be through surgery and up and going before you know it!
Mike

Hello Sean and welcome to HW. Good luck on your upcoming treatment.

It seems you have made up your mind so perhaps my questions are too late but....I assume you considered all treatment options, consulted experts in those fields and that your surgeon is highly experienced, i.e. over 500 procedures? I assume you got a second opinion on your biopsy slides from Epstein or Bostwick Labs? I assume you have a COMPLETE understanding of the potential side effects of your treatment? I assume you read the sticky thread at the top of our forum that is designed for newly diagnosed patients?

If not on any of these, please feel free to ask questions BEFORE Friday. And, feel free to tell us a little more about your case, e.g. PSA, biopsy results, etc.

Jim

Welcome to HW.

The surgery is manageable. I get the fear of pain. Make sure your surgeon and medical team know your concerns. The pain meds helps as does getting up and moving as you can after surgery. Don't over do, but a few laps around the house can do wonders.

Andrew

I know we all have very different experiences, but wanted to share mine hoping it may ease your mind. RALP on 3/21/16 and home the next evening with catheter. My only pain was when I tried to lay down in bed and was due to soreness only. I only tried that once. You will be sitting in chair/recliner for a week or two. I had script for pain meds, but none needed, not even over the counter. Catheter was painless, just a nuisance. I had some scrotal swelling, but again painless. Catheter removal was painless, and that is when the healing really begins. You need to walk, walk and walk more. You will have constipation, so eat smart and take stool softener. Laxative if needed. Now 4 months out from surgery, I am mostly dry with only a little drip sometimes. Romantic life is not as once it once was, but getting better and fun. Good luck, you will be okay.
God is great!

It is scary when you have to have surgery. Please know that a lot of men have gone through it and are doing fine. Here is my experience. I was 58 when I had Da Vinci surgery this last April. Pain was not that bad and I used over the counter pain pills. Was home the next day. The other big topics are leakage and performance. Most men recover both. Some faster (weeks) some longer. Note, while I had a catheter I found that wearing "backpacker's" pants, the type that have zippers on the leg, allowed me to go out in public without anyone knowing I had a catheter. Also note, take it easy the first six weeks. You may feel better just a week but I have met men that did to much to soon and ended up back in the hospital. Others used sweat pants. It took me about three months after the catheter was removed to stop leaking. It does help to do pelvic floor exercises. Even when I was wearing pads I still went on with my life. Two months out I was Riding 10 then 30 miles on a bike, for example. Performance was not an issue thanks to modern medicine - that was until I had to start hormonal therapy. Then everything down there stopped.

I almost forgot to list the most important side effect that treating your cancer gives you, time. Time to be with the ones you love, time to do the things you love, time to enjoy life.

Finally, you have a lot of people pulling for you.

Welcome Sean. Honestly, I think the anxiety was worse than the procedure in my case, and I had 'open' surgery. I'd recommend a recliner for sleeping while the catheter is in, and maybe a basket with holes to carry the bag around in and for the shower. Super baggy pants help for walks, as you can drop the cath stuff inside the pants legs.

Best of luck.

MD

sean, after surgery, you will get a copy of a pathology report after they examine the whole gland. They will assign an average gleason score to the pathology...and it may be an upgrade from what they found on biopsy (or even a downgrade-biopsy isn't a perfect system). It will also tell you if you have seminal vesicle involvement (SVI) and Extracapsular extension (EPE)---the cancer has moved outside the capsule of the gland. There may also be lymph nodes examined, and that will be there as well.

The key, to getting through the surgical recovery, is to get on your feet a soon as you can, and do it often. At least every hour or two get out of the recliner and walk to the kitchen and back. As soon as you loose the catheter, start walking more. Heck, I got on the treadmill for 10-15 minutes within 3-4 days of coming home.

Keep us posted.....

Halbert already covered it, but that's an advantage with surgery (and there are negatives, too, of course)--the whole gland is examined rather than just a few random samples. I was a 3+3=6 prior to surgery, and a 3+4=7 after. Biopsies just aren't great medicine, but it's what we have now to make the diagnoses. And my biopsy was reviewed/confirmed by Epstein at Hopkins, so it just goes to show we really don't know what we have until it's out.

MD

Thank you Sir...I'm having robotic as well.