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damage after prostatetectomy

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Posted 2/6/2014 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
I had.a.prostatetectomy 5 weeks ago as of Mon Feb 10, does anyone have any solid info on what could be damaged if I accidentally picked up something to heavy, surgeons discharge papers say nothing over 10lbs for 4 weeks and then I can work towards presurgical activity. I went to work today and I'm feeling pretty tired and I'm feeling some very mild discomfort in my abdominal area could be gas.
Posted 2/6/2014 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
You can overdo it quite easily, and you'll need to think about returning to pre-surgery levels slowly over time. My surgeon said to expect it to be a three month process. Dropping the 10 pound rule at 4 weeks doesn't mean those internal sutures have healed. Mine was 5 for a couple of months, then 10 for another, and then release to begin to pick up other activity. They wouldn't let me drive for the first 4 weeks. Two reasons, first that I had an open Rx for some stuff that qualified you as DUI, second that emergency maneuvers behind the wheel could pull out internal stitches.

But, you need to use your own judgement. If you did something that you felt going badly at the moment, I'd be checking with the doc. There are going to be aches and pains for months, but it is always better to ask the doc too many questions than not enough.
Posted 2/6/2014 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
I would like to know the answer to this also. My surgical team told me I suffered hematomas from getting up improperly 4 days after surgery, and then another about two weeks after surgery. Big black bruises and some pretty good swelling also. Both went away in a few days.

I've wondered what type of real damage I may have done. I picked up my daughter on the end of my 6 week restrictions and had blood in my urine the next day that was a one time only thing. I learned that these guidelines are quite aggressive, at least in my particular case and had to dial it down which was very hard for me.

It seems like I'm fine now but I still wonder if everything is okay in there.
Posted 2/7/2014 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
The internal stitches need to heal. Until they are completely sealed, you could rip them open.

It sounds like that's exactly what you did. Probably (just guessing - not a doc) it was not a big rip, just enough to cause a little bleeding, and then the rip sealed itself up again.

A bad rip would be bad bad bad. They'd have to open you up again and you go right back to Go.
Posted 2/7/2014 2:02 AM (GMT 0)
Common sense!
Posted 2/7/2014 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
How does one "accidentally" pick up something heavy? Follow your doctor's advice!
Bob
Posted 2/7/2014 4:58 AM (GMT 0)
thats funny break man.
Posted 2/7/2014 9:26 AM (GMT 0)
Bob, I guess my concern about accidentally picking something heavy would be along the lines of what feels like a light bag of groceries but it actually weighs over 10ld or yesterday I carried a circular saw at work. When I got home I. Weighed the saw and it weighed 9.2pd felt light to me
Posted 2/7/2014 12:58 PM (GMT 0)
John
Didn't mean to be flip. I guess what I would do is test the weight and if it strains my abdomen to lift it I would let someone else do it until my stitches had healed and it's not just the stitches at the incision site. There are many sutures inside your pelvic area where the prostate, seminal vesicles and lymph nodes were removed. This is very serious surgery and your body needs time to get back to normal. Notwithstanding this, I was able to play golf again three weeks after open RP with no problem. But that's not the same as heavy lifting.
Good luck!
Bob
Posted 2/7/2014 1:18 PM (GMT 0)
Not a problem Bob, thanks for the advice.
Posted 2/7/2014 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
I know what accidentally means... I tried picking up my 2 suitcases 3 weeks after surgery...OUCH. Got to the airport and they weighed nearly 40lbs, combined. No wonder I hurt myself. Thought I was ready. Nope.

Really be mindful of everything you're doing. Mind is willing but flesh is weak.
Posted 2/7/2014 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
I wasn't allowed to drive for 30 days. Had 5 lb limit for 2 months, then 10 lb limit for the 3rd month.

David
Posted 2/7/2014 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't mean to re enforce break60" flipness " with my "funny" comment. I had limits from doc,s, but used common sense and "surgeons feel " of my own body to expand or delimit the limits. As to my first sentence here…… Having 3 sons close in age, at the supper table, every now in then, one would say something "off the wall" but seriously and the other 2 would chime in with laughs, ridicules and guffaws, forcing their interpretation{spin} on the table. They got as we say in hawaii," good scoldens" Didn't mean to spin Breaks, commentary more wobbly than it was. John's explanation was a good one. Not all lifting is in a gym.
Posted 2/7/2014 4:28 PM (GMT 0)
I was told what my limits would be before surgery, so spent some time prepping the apt as best I could (I live alone).

One thing I did was use a hand scale to weigh some things I normally buy in large containers (water, juices, olive oil, laundry soap, and the like). Amazing how many things were at or over 5 pounds (my first limit). So I bought some smaller containers (gripes me terribly to pay more that way), and made sure everything was in manageable sizes.

I had to rearrange all the files I use while preparing some of the manuscripts I write - I realized I would not be able to pick up the file boxes, so wound up with them all on one level all around the living room. That was a mess.

Lots of things involve weight or strain that you don't think of.
Posted 2/8/2014 5:20 AM (GMT 0)
I am ten weeks post op and still experience occasional lower abdominal pain for very brief periods of time. Although I am back to work, I also experience fatigue. My Uro advised me to expect all of this. I wouldn't worry too much but I would also be careful and fools the rules! No heavy lifting, literally and figuratively!

Good luck, Scooter
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