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Small Blood Clots 6 weeks Post-RALP?

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Posted 7/4/2022 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all. My recovery from RALP has so far been going very well -- it's been about 6 weeks post-op. Today I passed two very small bright red blood clots (well, they were small stringy-looking things, I suppose that's what they were). This was followed by urine that was very lightly blood tinged. Is it normal this far out from surgery to have minor bleeding in the urine?
Posted 7/4/2022 1:41 AM (GMT 0)
Not the best thing to happen on a holiday weekend but that is how it always works out, one of Murphy’s laws.

6 weeks seems to be on the long side for random clots or red tinged urine after surgery but almost everything has happened to someone when it comes to surgery. I don’t doubt much I hear anymore.

As long as the blood clots are limited in nature and not causing any urinary difficulties, you can give your doctor a call when the time seems appropriate. Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids to keep the bladder flushed out and your hydration up. Sometimes excessive activity weeks after surgery can cause things like this to happen and they resolve quickly.

Obviously, it you have problems passing urine then a visit to the ER may be in order to clear a blockage but that does not sound like where you are at now. Just drinking and peeing should be focus now.
Posted 7/4/2022 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
Mumbo -- thanks very much for the reply. The issue seems to have abated -- whatever needed to be flushed out is gone. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing it was some bits of suture. This reminds me of something my surgeon (who is awesome) told my wife and I in a meeting before surgery -- "most men are wimps". The sight of blood in my pee, no matter how small, is a cause for an immediate freak-out.
Posted 7/4/2022 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
"most men are wimps" Lol. Until it happens to the doctor.

I worked for an MD/researcher. She used to say that if she tells a patient it won't hurt, then it shouldn't hurt.
Posted 7/4/2022 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
Had a little bit more very light bleeding overnight. Just light pink-ish. Sent a note to my doctor through the portal to at least let him know and get some feedback. It's a little alarming, but I'm guessing it's not a huge deal.
Posted 7/4/2022 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
I had the same issue up to 3 months after RALP but only when I tried to return to running. I called the on-call uro the first time it happened, about 6-weeks post, and was told that it is likely the new connection between the urethra and the bladder not fully healed and tossing a clot. I was advised to take 10 days off before running again and in the meantime to drink plenty of water to keep things flushed out. I took that advice and still had the problem but after a few more weeks it went away and I’ve been fine ever since. I remember that I’d signed up to run the half-marathon in Deadwood with my wife and that was 3-months post and I ended up not running it. It was the first time I was a DNR (Did Not Race for you non-runners.)
Posted 7/4/2022 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
Two thoughts:

During the first three of weeks after my RP surgery I was getting brown flecks of blood in my urine. My surgeon said this was “scab material” from the incision/suture site where the urethra is healing. Probably not your current situation.

A couple years later my BIL was 6 weeks into his recovery from RP surgery. I get a panic call from him, he’d just done some “light yard work” for the first time since his surgery. After his yard work he was passing some red blood and what he described as pieces of plastic material. It was also July 4th weekend so he was very concerned. I gave the similar advice as Mumbo gave you, “ As long as the blood clots are limited in nature and not causing any urinary difficulties….keep flushed out…”. The BIL only had some light red urine afterwords. There was already a scheduled appointment with his surgeon the day following the holiday where it was confirmed the plastic material was partially dissolved suture material, end of story.

Sounds very similar to what you’re experiencing now. Follow Mumbo advice “ Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids to keep the bladder flushed out ….” and you should be fine. But do confirm with your doctor when you get the opportunity.

FG
Posted 7/4/2022 3:17 PM (GMT 0)

VinceInMT said...
I had the same issue up to 3 months after RALP but only when I tried to return to running. I called the on-call uro the first time it happened, about 6-weeks post, and was told that it is likely the new connection between the urethra and the bladder not fully healed and tossing a clot. I was advised to take 10 days off before running again and in the meantime to drink plenty of water to keep things flushed out. I took that advice and still had the problem but after a few more weeks it went away and I’ve been fine ever since. I remember that I’d signed up to run the half-marathon in Deadwood with my wife and that was 3-months post and I ended up not running it. It was the first time I was a DNR (Did Not Race for you non-runners.)

Thanks for the reply, and the info. I walk about 3 miles a day -- nothing strenuous, though. I have been increasing my activity since the 4-week mark, though -- will watch any heavy lifting for now.
Posted 7/4/2022 3:21 PM (GMT 0)

Fuelguy51 said...
Two thoughts:

During the first three of weeks after my RP surgery I was getting brown flecks of blood in my urine. My surgeon said this was “scab material” from the incision/suture site where the urethra is healing. Probably not your current situation.

A couple years later my BIL was 6 weeks into his recovery from RP surgery. I get a panic call from him, he’d just done some “light yard work” for the first time since his surgery. After his yard work he was passing some red blood and what he described as pieces of plastic material. It was also July 4th weekend so he was very concerned. I gave the similar advice as Mumbo gave you, “ As long as the blood clots are limited in nature and not causing any urinary difficulties….keep flushed out…”. The BIL only had some light red urine afterwords. There was already a scheduled appointment with his surgeon the day following the holiday where it was confirmed the plastic material was partially dissolved suture material, end of story.

Sounds very similar to what you’re experiencing now. Follow Mumbo advice “ Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids to keep the bladder flushed out ….” and you should be fine. But do confirm with your doctor when you get the opportunity.

FG

The "clots" I passed (about 3 of them, not all at once) did kind of look like suture. Very thin and thread-like, and only about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long at the most.
Posted 7/4/2022 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
Same here at three months as it hadn't happened since I saw similar in the catheter bag back on 1st week. Just healing process. At least it didn't hurt like a kidney stone!
Posted 7/8/2022 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
I had my final SBRT session November 30th of 2021 and had late onset symptoms of blood in urine, mild pain "down there" and urinary irritation.

The mild pain is less and the hematuria comes and goes but it happens LUTS they call it. I see the oncologist next month and will review it-Good news is the PSA is still dropping.

Glen
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