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Posted 9/16/2011 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
I am new here, found you all shortly before my robotic surgery on 8/23. I live in Athens, GA.....no support groups here. I have debated posting this, but I need to share my experience. My surgery was supposed to be three hours, it went to six hours....eight and a half hours under anesthesia. I was told I would be out of hospital the next day. I was finally released on 8/30. It was a true horror, paralyzed bowel syndrome, etc, etc. I am 65, PSA was 4.2. I was on a mission to find out why my energy was gone and discovered my Test level like 220. Wound up at a Uro who said ok, but we have do a PSA.

Thanks,
Rick
Posted 9/17/2011 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Rick, and welcome to HW, glad you found us.

I don't live far from you, about 10 west of Greenville, SC. Got friends down in Athens. Wow, you will have to tell us more how you ended up 7 days in the hospital from a robotic surgery. Sounds tough. I spent 4 1/2 days from open Surgery. Hope you are ok now, or at least doing better.

Please keep us well posted of your journey.

David in SC
Posted 9/17/2011 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW Rick. Sorry your surgey went so badly and I can relate to some of that, although my surgery was in Atlanta. Did they give you a reason for the long surgery, and how are you feeling now? Have you gotten a copy of your pathology report? If not I would suggest getting a copy. But keep us posted and glad you decided to post your story.

Michael

Posted 9/17/2011 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
I went through the paralyzed bowel problem after robotic surgery (they called it "ileus"), although it was 1 week after I left the hospital. Things got a lot better when I got completely off the pain medication. Low T was what brought me to the doc initially, when they found elevated PSA. Sounds like we have some experiences in common. I hope your troubles are behind you, and you see improvement each day from here on out.
Regards, Jeff
Posted 9/17/2011 12:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Rick,

I live in Cumming and have wonderful friends in Athens that we visit at least monthly. So sad about the start to the Dawgs' season.

I didn't have surgery. I am on Androgen deprivation therapy and have no Testosterone. Be careful how you approach testosterone at this point as it feeds the cancer. Generally, you have to wait a while to assess the success of the surgery before you consider doing anything to boost the T levels.

In the meantime look to other things that can improve energy like diet, exercise, vitamins, sleep patterns, etc. How is your blood work? Often it will reveal issues that affect energy levels.

Welcome andd best wishes,

Jack
Posted 9/17/2011 12:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Rick

Welcome to our fraternity that no man rushes to join.

I live in Alabama and also found this forum after my surgery. My surgery lasted over 5 hours (6+ under anesthesia) because of complications from scar tissue from my appendectomy when I was 8. It took my surgeon 2 hours to get through the scaring. I was able to still leave the hospital the next day and 3 months later I feel better than I have in many years. Please stay in touch with us and you will find us to all be a great bunch guys and even a few gals all waiting to help you with good advice and opinions all based on our personal journeys with PC.

Terry The Water Guy

Posted 9/18/2011 6:41 AM (GMT 0)
G'day Rick

Welcome to HW. Sorry to hear about your experience in hospital. Good luck with your future treatment and keep us all posted.
Posted 9/18/2011 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
Rick,

I hope the early replies have encouraged you to realize that you are not alone in your journey.

Welcome to HW, and come here often. I hope you will find that even tho you had a tough surgery experience, you will find men here who have had it worse than you. It will take some time, both mentally and physically to get through this experience, but you will make it.

Just keep your eye on the objective. BEAT PC !
Posted 9/18/2011 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear about your ordeal, but I hope you're feeling a whole lot better now.

I guess we never know for sure what the surgeon is going to encounter once he gets going, and that's why I favor a guy who doesn't have 3 more patients lined up for that day, and who doesn't feel he has to beat the clock or set world records for quickness.  My surgery was a bit more than 4 hours because he found and removed some bowel adhesions caused by an infection when I was in the seventh grade.  I spent 3 days in the hospital and was fortunate to get out then.

I think we'd all be interested to hear more about your experience.  Welcome to the forum.  I hope you find it as encouraging here as I have.

Posted 12/5/2011 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hello again. I am not sure about this posting format, if this post will show his current. I am a very slow two finger typist and him trying voice recognition software so I can become more active pushed poster. Thanks for the warm welcome and encouragement. My recovery has been slow with lots of brain fog and fatigue. The surgery was so long because he said he had to go way down deep and dig it out.
I am 65, been divorced for two years and find these situations to be very difficult as a single.
Went to see my family Dr. to reconnect and catch him up. We did another PSA and it was also .1. It turns out both got the same lab. The next one will be in about two more months. I feel that .1 is in no man's land.
It seems like the after radiation guys are happy with a .1 PSA for me it seems like it's not so great.
Thanks again
Rick
Posted 12/5/2011 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
Rick,

I had the same issue with "brain fog" after 5 1/2 hrs of surgery, it's a side effect of the anesthesia. The doctor said that it would take 5 or 6 months to fully recover from that, and I'd say that was about right. He suggested just reading and doing crossword puzzles to help in the recovery.

With the PSA as I understand it, the test has a tolerance of 0.1 so any report of 0.1 or less is considered zero.

 

Posted 12/5/2011 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
I am glad you have written to us again - so sorry to hear you are still having problems in your recovery - hopefully your PSA will stay level or decrease ( it is a confusing roller coaster ride)
-have you had your other vitals checked out in your bloodwork that could help explain the fatigue and such.
Please keep us updated in your progress -
hugs,
Bronson
Posted 12/5/2011 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Rick

Welcome to our family. I have never had surgery, hence I can't help with that.

This is a great place, a wonderful community of brothers and sisters. I'm always amazed by the breath and depth of knowledge.

Hugs!

Bud
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