HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Post Robotic Prostectomy Experiences and Advice

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/12/2016 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
I am going to have surgery 10/17/2016. Dx Gleason 3+3 and 3+4 at age 74 in 4/2016. I am looking for advice on Post surgery care as well as experiences. Jim
Posted 10/12/2016 12:54 AM (GMT 0)
Good luck on your impending surgery. Try and get as much walking in before and after your date with the prostate bandit. I found it to be a huge help in making incontinence a short term problem. Listen to your body--it will let you know if you'really over doing it. You'll be amazed how quickly you recover once the catheter is removed. Take care and let us know when you're on the other side.

Tom
Posted 10/12/2016 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
Wish you the best outcome. For me the surgery and recovery were not that bad.

The pain was minimal after the operation. Did not use any of the pain pills they gave me when I was released. Spend most of the first couple of days in bed or in a lazyboy chair, but I did try to walk a bit every day. It is important to walk, just follow the surgeon's recommendation. I would recommend stool softeners for the first couple of weeks. For the first month or so I sat down it felt like I was sitting on a baseball, but over time that went away. I had the "catheter" that went though my "stomach" directly into the bladder instead of the more traditional through the penis. They were able to remove it in about a week vs two weeks for the traditional version. Make sure you follow the cleaning instructions for the catheter bags.

When I went out in public I wore backpackers pants - the kind with the zipper on the side. In this way I was able to go out wearing my day bag with no one knowing. Try to keep your wounds clean and dry. One of mine became infected and I had to take antibiotics. Please remember that it is major surgery. Take it easy and do not lift anthing heavy or exercise until you are cleared. You may feel fine but if you overdo it you may end back in the hospital. For me taking it easy was the hardest thing to do.

It was once the catheter was removed is when life got interesting. I leaked about 700 grams and went through 3 to 4 pads a day. Once you are cleared please do pelvic floor exercises. In fact, it is good to start them before the operation. I was leaking bad until I started to ride a bike about six weeks after the operation. (Iwas still leaking bad and rode while wearing pads.) In a matter of weeks I stopped leaking. I think the combination of the bike seat resting on the pad strengthened my floor muscles.

Trimix helped with Mr. Happy, that is until I started hormonal therapy, then Mr. Happy turned into Mr. Sleepy.

I hope that others can give you additional information. Good luck and please let us know how you are doing.
Posted 10/12/2016 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Are you having open or robotic surgery?

There have been several excellent previous post on post surgery advice.

I had robot surgery, I won't say it was a walk in the park, but recovery was fairly quick. Surgery started around 2:30 pm, took a couple of hours and back in my room by 5:00 pm. I spent the night and was released the next morning around 9:30 am after eating a large breakfast. Pain wasn't much of a problem except getting up and down out of a chair or bed. Abdomen felt like I was punched a couple time in the belly, it was sore, but really not paiful. For the first two days home I only took Aleve for pain. The first two night at home I took a hydrocodone and an Ambien to help me sleep, due to really bad should pain from the carbon dioxide gas used to inflate your abdomen migrated up into the shoulder area. After those two days I didn't need any pain meds. From the time I got home I would pace the halls every hour or so to speed recovery. I did find a cane was helping in getting up or down into a chair for the first couple days.

I had the catheter for 10 days, and upon its removal I found out that I was dry. The six puncture holes in my abdomen were closed by superglue took several weeks to heal. The catheter was a pain, but it also was a blessing since you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to pee. If the catheter is irritating the end of the penis you can KY jelly or Neosporin on it.

I could have gone back to work after the 10 days, but I had considerable amount of sick time so I stayed out for 3 weeks.

Bottom line, have a comfortable reclining chair, drink plenty of water, try to limit opiates (causing constipation which you don't need right now), take Miralax daily. From the time you get home try to walk frequently. Let you body dictate to you its requirements.
Posted 10/12/2016 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW, sorry you need to be here.

My best advice for post surgery is have a good reclining chair to sit in, have your cable TV paid up or get a large supply of DVDs to watch. Walk as you can - even just laps around the living room help. Don't over do and listen to your body. Get plenty of rest and complain to your doctor about everything. There's a lot of stuff they can help with if they know.

Likely you'll be just fine. It's scary for sure, but you can make it.

Andrew
Posted 10/12/2016 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
I would stay out of the recliner as much as you can..I would walk as much as your surgeon will permit..My surgeon told me to walk as much as I wanted to..Your body will tell you...about a week after the operation, I developed an internal hospital acquired staph infection. A high fever and felt terrible..Back into the hospital for a week, then self-administered IV antibiotics for a month..No fun at all. But recovery was smooth sailing after that...When you leave the hospital, get all the catheter supplies out of them that you can..bags, straps, tubes, the whole kit..Especially the stuff for the day-bag that you will strap to your leg...Flyless athletic pants with an elastic waistband work good.....
Posted 10/12/2016 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
I had my RLP on 9/26/16 and would agree with everyone, although serious, a great surgeon with the DaVinci will have you coming out of anesthesia with little pain. I was walking, although attended with BP monitor, very cautiously the evening of the procedure. Very little appetite that day, and very light eating the next. With my wife's help, I did shower the next day, and forced myself to extend my walking 2-3 reps that day. Intravenous fluids and tylenol for pain management, which still was mild other than gas building up.

Biggest initial problem was intestinal pain from constipation and shoulder pain from CO2, that was more intense for me. I refused opioids due to complicating the bowels "waking up". I checked out that Wed with cather and still no gas relief, however with stool softener and a couple of suppositories, I experienced the wonderful passing of gas psychological milestone, followed by equally appreciated BMs. As the body allowed, I walked as much as possible, day and night.

As most know, the catheter is the next challenge. I showered every day and adhered to keeping the bags and catheter very clean, via soap and alcohol wipes. Great feeling to get that sucker out a week after surgery. My surgeon was adamant on no lifting > 15 lbs for 30 days, but did allow to me get back on elipitical cardio machine (carefully...listen to your body). This is progressing very well and getting me out of the house.

I am fortunate, that I home office, which is great for the incontinence recovery. I did kegels 3 weeks before surgery and re-started after getting the catheter out. The first couple of days were tough, getting use to "wide open plumbing, however, I am adjusting okay, sleeping good overall and go through one pad a day..not too bad. No issues at all with surgical wounds fortunately.

As for ED, Doc has me on daily Cialis to get blood flow through the penis for 30 days. At this time, I've had a few mild night erections only. He was able to do nerve sparing and confident in my achieving the "trifecta", no cancer, incontinence or ED. It's just time and discipline adapting to the "new normal".

I could have pushed this surgery out, but overall, this was the right decision (post biopsy was negative, outside of the prostate). Good Luck and let time fly through recovery!

Age 63,
biopsy 8/22/16, PSA 6.4 (jumped 2 points from previous year), 12 cores of which 4 were positive
left laterial base 10% G6(3+3)
left mid 9% G7(3+4)
right base 39% G7(3+4)
right laterial mid 42% G7(3+4)
pathology T1c
daVinci Si 9/26/16
Post-surgical PSA test scheduled for 11/7/16
Posted 10/12/2016 7:08 PM (GMT 0)
Blue,
First I want to wish the very best in your upcoming surgery. I had RALP on 3/21/16 and it went quite well. No pain, only some soreness. Walk as stated, without overdoing. Catheter for me was more of a nuisance than problem, but you will be happy to tell it goodbye. Drink plenty of water, follow instructions for taking lax and stool softener, to prevent constipation. Begin kegels again after catheter is out. I found my Physical Therapist to be a great help with regaining urinary control, as she helped to make sure the exercises were done correctly. Praying for your quick, full recovery.
Mack
Posted 10/22/2016 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your advice. It is now Friday after surgery on Monday, 10/17/2016. I am still constipated even though I have taken colace stool softener since Tuesday. My doctor's assistant today recommended Milk of Magnesia which I have taken but no results yet. The pain was much more than I expected. However, I took my last pain pill on Wednesday. Dealing with the catheter has been a small pain but I have been able to take care of it myself. My wife has been a great help but I worried that she would have to help me with the catheter which turned out not to be true so far. I will report back in after Tuesday when my catheter is removed and my Pathology Report and Surgery Report is available to me.
Posted 10/22/2016 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Blue, cath and suture (I had staples) removal day is truly a red-letter day. The bowel function will return soon. Make sure you stay hydrated, it will help things along in your gut as well. Get up and move around as much as you can. You're gaining on it!
Posted 10/22/2016 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
My dad also aged 74, had RP 6 May 2016 and recovered well in days with good appetite. No leakage at all now. Work hard for the Kegal exercise

All the best
Posted 10/22/2016 11:42 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, do the Keegles and don't stop.

I ran 50 miles a week for many years before surgery. After surgery the cath was in for 2 weeks. First week was in hospital, second at home. Nurse Sandy (my Labrador Retriever) checked on me frequently. Captain Morgan and my Pax vaporizer kept me company while I hung out on the couch and watched tv off and on.

The day the cath was out I walked 6 miles. My son held the lead for my pup. A week later pup and I were back to running, but only 6 miles a day for the next year. After that I notched it back up until we were back to our daily 7 miles. Still doing that, heading out in a few minutes here.

My advise, then, is to get and stay very active. It helps very much in many ways.
Posted 10/22/2016 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
WALK WALK WALK. I agree with trailguy. I am 7 weeks post Robotic and I have been walking everyday since my cath was out. Helps the mind and tightens the muscles. Got to stay moving. Now riding a bike is another story.

Good luck.
Posted 10/22/2016 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
Glad your surgery is over. I haven't been on much so didn't see your posting until today. I had my surgery a little over two years ago. Listen to your body, do as much as you feel like. I have been one of the fortunate one and do not have any adverse concerns. I started walking as soon as the catheter came out and was able to begin jogging at a slow pace (13 minutes for a mile) about 3 weeks after. Ran a 5 mile race on Thanksgiving day. Of course I was a runner before the surgery, so just get back to what you were doing. Drinking lots of water helped. I had times of mild depression and did exactly what my body could take. I did take lots of naps.

Best of luck as you continue the journey to improve a day at a time.
Posted 10/26/2016 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
My catheter came out today. I had only one mishap with the catheter. My wife and I went to a neghborhood gathering last Saturday. I had the leg cathetrer tied too far down my leg so that sometime during the gathering the catheter became loose from the bag. My pants were urined soaked.
I restarted my kegel exercises today but I have a long way to go before ridding myself of incontinence. My Pathology was Gleason 3+3 and the surgeon believes that the cancer was contained in the Prostate. I have now requested a Prolaris DNA test. I understand that normally this is done as a test to decide on treatment. For myself I am prepared to find out that perhaps I did not need the surgery. However, the DNA information should be helpful to my two sons and my grandson.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply