Surgery Scheduled for Oct 28 2014

Recovery items:
lots of rest
walk as you're able (even just laps around the living room to start).
Set up a nice recliner with a good view of the TV.
Replace the batteries in your remotes
Get a supply of DVDs, netflix account, sports channel on your cable and/or other entertainment sources.
Complain a lot about the catheter - it will be annoying. Complaining helps.
Do any needed heavy lifting now - you won't be doing that for awhile after.

Some guys find sleeping in a recliner for a few days after surgery to be more comfortable than being in bed. Your mileage may vary.

Andrew

The tip of your penis (urethra) will get crusty from the catheter and requires cleaning, and some antibiotic ointment to put on the end of your penis at the catheter to keep it lubricated.

The very last thing you want is constipation, so from day one start taking Ducolax stool softeners and Miralax laxative mixed in a glass of water. Miralax if very gentle on your system.

Try to minimize opiates, they are notorious in causing constipation. I only used hydrocodone the first two evening home, not due to surgery pain but because of severe shoulder pain and to help me sleep. The pain was from the carbon monoxide gas migrating they use to inflate your belly for surgery and sometimes migrated to ones shoulder.

A bucket at the side of your bed to put your catheter's night bag into.

I used a cane to help me get up and down out of a chair for the first two days home.

Walk, Walk and more walking will speed recovery and help to regain continence.

Good luck Wade! I re-posted a great thread today called "Really useful tips" for you to read. It helped me greatly just before my surgery.

Bill from Florida

You have gotten a lot of good advice here. Under no circumstances let anyting tap or tug on the catheter, you will only let that happen once. Stay positive and know that once the first week is over it will all start getting better. Many guys are worried about getting the catheter pulled out, it does not hurt. Relax and let it happen. Between now and the surgery day get all the sex you can, have fun and prepare mind and body for surgery.

After surgery, walk, water and rest. Start kegals after your catheter is removed and start them now to help regain continence faster. Make sure you have some depends at home to wear for after the cath removal.

I also found that wearing baggy shorts was the most comfy when I had the cath and taping the hose to my leg helped secure it better.

Good luck!

Pat

Wade,

You said you would be posting your experience. about a year ago we had a guy posting on HW from the recovery room after his surgery.
Any plans on doing something like that? If so, be sure you have your IPad tucked under you when you go into surgery.

Myself, I don't even remember recovery. The last thing I remember was being rolled into surgery and then being rolled into my room. Months later I asked for and received my Operative Report which tells you step by step what they did when you were "out". I was kind of surprised to read they placed me on a memory foam mattress on top of a bean bag.

Bill from Florida

Hi Wade, I will add to all the great advice that has already been posted to take a hospital gown or two with you when you leave.  It is much easier to be in while the catheter is on.  Another suggestion, don't be afraid to learn how to use the smaller leg bag so that you can change to it after a few days.  They will teach you in the hospital how to do this.  Best of luck and keep us posted.   

Relax as much as possible. Don't over think setbacks during your recovery, I drove my Wife nuts, and started activity, too much activity, like shoveling upstate NY snow WAYYYYYYYYYY too soon post op, about 2 weeks post catheter. It's taken almost 10 months for me to gain continence, this was most difficult for me. My 9 month PSA was undetectable, 0.00! You will be in great company here, great advice, and great support, it got me through. Good luck and Prayers.

Bob

Great advice from everyone, you're on a good track and we'll all help.

I completed DaVinci (RALP) on Sept 8th .. I'm about 6 weeks post surgery now. My recovery is continuing to go well so far. My scars are pretty impressive .. I'm thinking this is a good Halloween gig, even though its just wife and me looking.

I am about 98% dry after catheter removal, one of the highly fortunate ones. Erectile function is about 30% .. but I'm only 6 weeks out and it all takes time. I'm optimistic, and I attribute all of this to picking a great surgeon.

My best advice, if you can, is to be sure and have someone with you at the hospital the whole time. I was in-patient for 24 hrs, and my wife stayed. I honestly thought that I was comprehending and understanding Dr and nurse info .. but, between post anesthesia and pain meds, I was just not keeping up. It was good for my wife to also hear catheter instructions for example .. she clarified lots of things after we got home.

Make sure you know how to get ahold of someone at your urologist office, how they want you to do that .. you'll have questions along the way, and sometimes things are scary, and you need to know the right way to get ahold of support when you need it. I talked to a nurse at my doc's office multiple times in first two weeks -- they were great.

Like others say, drink lots of water, and walk.. walk .. walk. Catheter is a figurative and literal pain for two weeks. They'll show you in the hospital how to use the STATLOCK which sticks to your leg to control the catheter tubes. Take home both the large bag (overnight) and the smaller leg bag for getting around during the day. They are easy to swap, just be VERY careful about hygiene (wash hands, alcohol, betadine as directed by hospital) to prevent bladder infections which would really suck....

Bowel function is a challenge. Anesthesia and narcotics contribute to constipation .. Dulculux from the beginning for two weeks is very beneficial, my urologist prescribed it. I think colon is also impacted since prostate used to be in the same area and is now gone .. more space, remaining organs need to re-orient themselves to operate well. 6 weeks later, and I am still getting there....

Things that surprised me:
- I had blood show up around the catheter number of times, particularly after bowel movements. Surprised me, but uro said this happens and not to worry.
- I had blood show in urine (in the bag) several times while catheter was in, and also once after catheter was removed. Again, surprised me, but uro said no issue unless it continues. Drink lots of fluids and it clears up.
- You will pass blood clots in urine for a long time. I had one yesterday, and I'm 6 weeks out. Uro office says this could continue for 2 months...
- lots of us talk about using neosporin ointment or similar around catheter coming out of penis. This works sortof .. but I found neosporin (specifically) actually dries out over time and makes the catheter surface rough, and this is much worse. Rough spots came off with alcohol pad, but that REALLY stings .. I eventually stopped with lube on catheter and just kept it clean.

As a recent surgery patient, I'll keep up with replies to this thread and am happy to comment further on any questions over next two months from my experience. Good luck, and keep us posted !!

Wade,

My surgery was first thing in the morning, by that night I was walking laps around the hospital floor.  I was told this would help with gas and bowel movements.  It did..

In the hospital your urine will have blood in it, it's normal.

Cath is a huge nuisance, but it's only in for a week.  I used the big bag and carried it around in a bucket when I got home.  Less times to empty it.  Just wore Pjs with slot for hose.  I sat in a recliner in the man cave watching tv. 

I didn't lift anything over 10 lbs for 5 weeks as required by my doctor.

Bring Depends (guards) pads to cath removal appt.  Go to the Depends website, they will send free samples of each of their products.

Best of luck with all this, hopefully this will kick PCa's ass and you can just move on..

 

Wade1963 just curious if your signature doesn't tell your whole story? Did you look at other options besides surgery? I'm a newbie and have no wish to change your mind at this late juncture but your stats look like you have time to make lots of informed decisions.

I felt the same way Wade1963, 47 at DX, 48 and 2 days on surgery day. I had Gleason 6 T2, my surgery was on Oct 8th with both nerves were spared. I have a dribble here and there, mostly when when I let my guard down. I could easily get by with one light pad per day, but have been changing it in the evenings to keep things as clean as possible. Do your kagels, I started a couple months before surgery! Lots of good advice here, and I will echo the having sex recommendation pre-op, as well as stool softeners post-op, you'll be glad you did!

Also, baggy boxer shorts worked really well for me, and a good recliner. Rocking will get the gas out of your system, as will walking about the hospital and house. My urologist wants me on a high protein diet to aid in healing, so safe bet yours may too, so you might want to plan ahead for that.

So far I feel I'm doing very well, and the biggest surprise to date has been the cost of Cialis!

Best of luck to you!

Hi all, new to the board.

I went through the robotic prostatectomy on Oct 26 at Northwestern Memorial hospital in Chicago. My attending physician at the DaVinci controls was Dr Kent Perry.

I am somewhere in-between some of the other patients in this thread but can share my progress so far. For now I'll skip on some of my PC details only because I don't have the papers with me. I am 45 and had PSA scores averaging 4, T1C, Gleason 6 with 3 biopsy cores positive.

Surgery went well with no complications. They were able to do the full nerve sparing technique. PC was contained to the organ with no sign of spread in lymph nodes, nerves, or nearby tissue. Pathology confirmed this that it was contained within the walls. My surgery started later in the day (about 3pm) so when I finally awoke from the gas it was pretty late in the evening. I won't tell you that everything felt great but really the worst part I thought was the gas used to inflate the cavity. It remains in the body afterward and when you stand, it rises and creates a weird side effect that is a sharp pain in your shoulder blades. So when I began walking, I couldn't wait to lay back down not because of abdominal pain but of this gas pain. They would like you to pass gas the next day but I did not. I felt it in there but it just wouldn't go. When it finally came out, it was quite a breeze, and it felt good.

I had no issues with the catheter. They gave me a tube of Bacitracin that I applied every 4 hours or when needed. I didn't really used the leg strap version since I stayed home all week. I drank water consistently and mixed in prune juice for constipation. I also had other juices and even through in some Red Bull but stayed away from sodas, coffee and citrus juices. I honestly couldn't have cares less if it stayed in longer.

I slept at night in a semi upright position in bed with 4 pillows arranged to support me. During the day I usually laid on the recliner or slept on a soft couch. I never laid flat or with my legs and catheter higher than my waist. Maybe this is why I had no bladder spasms. Every couple hours i got up and did laps from my kitchen to living room and back. Stairs were OK but I just was very cautious going one step at a time.

For food I mixed in broth soups, with high protein foods. I even had a few Powerbars and other workout snacks that are high in protein and vitamins. I nibble on different kinds of nuts and chocolate raisins. One day I ate a relatively large dinner and had gas problems all night. So keep meals light and pop gas pills often. I tried charcoal pills too and the next day my should pain went away (maybe a coincidence...). But gas and constipation are two things you need to fight. I also took a daily otc pill for constipation and had no issues.

Last Friday I had the catheter removed. I can tell you now that there is nothing you can do but bear with it for a few minutes. You breathe in and when you breathe out they pull the balloon. It was like a mini male version of giving birth. lol

Now I'm on the diapers trying to control the urine. It's only been 2 days so I'm not worried but every time I stand up, it starts to run out. So far no luck stopping that. I started post-op Kegels and exercises so I will get myself back into shape soon. Before surgery I was doing Kegels for a month and I tell you what, it works! More men should do these because it really increases the strength in bed. I was also doing light lower body and leg exercises leading up to surgery. I think my last workout was the day before. I wouldn't start any new exercise programs but if you do regularly exercise then I would push activity right up to the surgery day. I am in no hurry so i have been taking it easy and letting the body recover as fast as possible