RP Exactly One Week From Today - Any Last Minute Advice?

MY RP is scheduled for next Wednesday morning and I'm wondering for those of you who've gone through it, is there any last minute advice? I should be sent home Thursday morning and I'll have my wife with me from Wed-Sunday. She will return back to work on Monday. I should be ok to be alone by Monday right? Also, how much walking should I do immediately after coming home. Any special supplies i'll need? I've read many threads on this topic, but just wanted to see if anyone else has anything to add.

Thank you tall of you who have been helping me since I got here back in May/June. I would not have been able to navigate these muddy waters without all of your help, suggestions and advice! Looking forward to the other side!

Bring loose fitting shorts to the hospital - large basketball shorts will do - need for the cath-

Don't forget to bring a pad with you when you have the cath removed.

Bobby Mac

Don't forget to hit the sperm bank to make a deposit if any plans on having children in the future.

Slept through the whole surgery so easy on us . Harder for our loves ones in the waiting room.
As they say, " see you on the other side"
Cmetalman

Make sure you can see the TV f rom your chair and that the remotes have fresh batteries.

You'll do just fine.

Andrew

You will do fine and a chair in front of the TV is best. However, for the next 7 days, have lots and lots of sex. It will never be the same.

My wife and I walked miles with me using the leg bag. Not a problem. No way would I have tried to move about with the large bag. Under loose fitting slacks, the leg bag was great, or even under knee length shorts, no one notices.

The two threads at the very top of the listings are "sticky threads" that contain a wealth of info and advice. You should read through those. I think you'll find a lot of good advice there.

I've re-read the journal I kept back in 2010, and I'm again reassured that the pain was really surprisingly minimal. You might consider keeping a journal yourself. You'll be surprised how much you forget in the coming years.

Good luck. Stay positive. Keep in touch.

Mrbaseball220 said...
Thank you for all of the helpful responses. As i've posted here and a few other places, one thing that keeps coming up is while out walking with the catheter in, putting the big bag in a bag that you carry while you walk. I am wondering how effective the leg bag is? My son is a soccer player and has games coming up right after surgery and I really want to be able to go. Will the leg bag be large enough (and not cause me issues) to go out and watch a 2-3 hour soccer game?

The leg bag is a godsend. I messed up and missed reading care for the cath and ended up dealing with more pain than was needed.

My paperwork suggested using Hydrocortisone cream as a lubricant where the tube enters your body. Using it made a big difference.

I went for a long run the day before surgery. Had surgery on a Monday and was released the next day.

The leg bag should be fine for 2-3 hours.

Good luck - you will recover rapidly.

The leg bag will work just fine for your kids sporting event n I would definitely recommend it for walking , walked up to 2 miles with it in besides it makes you feel human again. I bought some nicer sweat pants to wear couldn't even tell I had a bag on. I would switch to the leg bag just for something to do and Then clean the main bag was kinda anal about cleaning everything didn't want to get an infection. And yes make sure you get the ointment and use it lots. You get pretty raw on about the 5th day when the urine leaks by the tube a little you want to scream n use lots of stool softener. And try to refrain from kissing the nurse when she pulls out the cath you might get slapped! An orgasm is nice but getting rid of the cath ranks right up there!!!! LOL Good Luck you will do fine!

Larry

Mrbaseball220,

You got the Mr Baseball award and u were only hitting .220?? (just kidding...)

Well here's a tip for the time you will be hanging out in the house, catheter "engaged", and maybe just wearing underwear or shorts. If you are careless, or maybe just drowsy from meds, etc., be forewarned that the excess catheter tubing that hangs out to the open, i.e., not covered, can accidentally get hung on a bathroom drawer knob or anything else it has a mind to.

YOU DO NOT WANT TO PULL THE CATHETER OUT BY MISTAKE.

That can be really serious. We're talking possible damage from torn urethra, infection, etc.

Much easier to just avoid. Take time now to identify all possible "hangup" situations in the home rooms where you will be spending most time. You could, for example, put masking tape over any of those round bathroom drawer knobs that sit near catheter height. It's just for a week or so. Better safe than sorry.

Best luck,

Robert

I am 75 and did notes a lot of questions covered on this site. Had RP at City of hope LA. I was not ready to have all my nerves removed but the doc said the cancer had grown outside. Be ready for that news. They sent me home with lots of pain meds and liquid lidocaine for the urethra site. There is a bag that has a turn valve at bottom. PIA.. Later got a bag with a flip valve on the bottom. Much better. I had huge testical swelling that scared the hell out of me. My biggest pain was from the gas they put into you during the RP. Also that gas blew out a internal hemorrhoid that never gave me problems before. That hemorrhoid is most of my pain now. The incontinence is a MESS. Totally no control. I guess I am a neat freak. Been 5 weeks now and am getting some control. Going to physical therapy for incontinence. The PT wished that they would send patients to Kagel PT prior to the operation. There is a clamp that helps with incontinence called mr dribblestop. Look into it. My PT also has me using a tens unit with a rectal insertion device that strengthens your Kagel muscles. Look into keeping blood flow to your penis during recovery. My surgeon did not think that was very important. What I have since read, I think it is important. I am still sexually active and will start penile injections in 2 weeks. That is all I have for now. Yes get all the sex you can this week. it will never be the same.

Lots of talk about the leg bag. The leg bag does have a dump valve on the bottom. Even at a soccer game they provide chem toilets. Put your foot up on the seat. Direct the valve to the tank and open the valve. I would even do it on someones lawn. Dogwalkers do it. It is only urine.

I had my RARP Sept 15 2016 at Mayo in Rochester MN. They have surgical patients attend a hour and half class dealing with pre, during, and post operative events. We practiced wearing leg bag and switching to overnight bag. Had 5 people plus spouse or caregiver in class given by urology RN. We were able to ask all kinds of questions about what to wear, going out in public, where to put bag when showering or sleeping. It was much easier to pay attention and understand than trying to remember on dismissal day. I was prescribed 20 mg Revatio for 90 days to increase blood flow and promote faster healing also got coupon to Good RX which got cost to 85 cents per pill. My only unexpected problem was the surgical drain incision leaked for ten days, you can get large bed pads to put over bed sheet. Penis and scrotum swelled about day 7 not painful but looked weird, catheter removed day 12 wasn't causing any problems but do use ointment (bacitracin). Incontinence was minor for me. Best wishes to you for your surgery.