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Challenges after surgery?

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Posted 4/13/2019 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
After surgery is it realistic to climb stairs? ( bedroom is one flight up)

What else does one need prepare for?
Posted 4/13/2019 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
Yes. I recovered on a boat. Lots of steps. but the railing was tested for it's strength. And sometimes each step has both feet on it at the same time. A lot of this was due to the catheter. It doesn't hurt, but that doesn't mean that next step won't. It never really got comfortable.

The standard response for this from me is....."The most important thing you can have is help".

I've yet to hear of anyone swinging by the grocery store on the way home from the hospital. And cooking themselves a big dinner before hittin' the hay by themselves.

You do hear people say "You can do it by yourself" ...but I've never heard anyone say, "I did it completely alone with no other person around". Being completely alone is not where you wanna be with this.

Everything else is becomes self-explanatory.. lol

Post Edited (island time) : 4/12/2019 10:12:40 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/13/2019 4:19 AM (GMT 0)
You'll want a bucket to put your cath bag in beside your bed at night. Don't ask me how I learned that. (Or I should say, "Don't ask my brother". He's the one that had to clean it up when the plug came loose.
Posted 4/13/2019 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
Even when lounging, I kept my bag in my little red bucket.
Posted 4/13/2019 8:14 AM (GMT 0)
Do not lift heavy things for a couple of months, even if you believe you can. Hernias are frequent after prostatectomy.
Besides the bucket, I bought disposible bags to attach to the cath and I used a elastic band to wrap it to my leg so that I could take short walk outside. (I had the cath fot 2 weeks).
Posted 4/13/2019 9:14 AM (GMT 0)
I slept on the ground floor when I had the catheter in. I didn't want to risk the stairs and getting tangled up: Tripping over the catheter can cause it to pull out (Imagine something the size of a lima bean pulling through your penis!)

I was more comfortable sleeping in the recliner anyway.

Don't lift anything over 15 pounds for at least 6 weeks. Drink lots of water (that liter size mug you get at the hospital? Use it.) Eat light meals with lots of fiber until your gut starts working. Walk as much as you can. Take naps when needed. It's major surgery, it will take a while to recover.
Posted 4/13/2019 11:25 AM (GMT 0)
You can climb stairs. You won't need pads until the catheter comes out. Find a couple of books you'd like to read, or some tv shows to binge-watch.
Posted 4/13/2019 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all. How long will I need someone in the home with me? A week, a couple weeks???

How about the shower? How does that work?
Posted 4/13/2019 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Mentor, the first two nights, I slept in the recliner, whivj I rented (consider that if you don’t have one). After that I had no issues walking up my full flight of stairs to my bedroom. But getting in and out of bed wasn’t easy the first 4 or 5 days.
IIRC, my wife was helping a lot the first week, after that I got more independent.
Posted 4/13/2019 2:05 PM (GMT 0)
My mom came to town to help me for a few days, but is not able to do such tasks as helping me with stairs. I live in an upstairs apartment, so that was an immediate concern. The doc over the weekend after I had a Thursday surgery kept me in the hospital until Monday morning, concerned that I could not manage alone.

After she went home I did make a point to get a couple of friends to agree to be "on call", and I kept my cell phone with me constantly just in case.

As to pads, that comes after saying adios to Cathy the catheter. Yeah, that wench got named. My issue was brutal and constant bladder spasms and leaks around the tube. I wore Depends pants with the tabbed waists to make them easier to get on / off until I divorced Cathy.
Posted 4/13/2019 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
mentor5959, stairs are possible but you won't be setting any speed records doing them. It reminded me of that day after running a marathon, flat terrain is better.

I went out-of-state for my surgery and stayed in a hotel for a week. Getting from the shuttle and to the room did require a few steps but were doable.

I would say that I was glad to be in one place and just be allowed to stay there. My wife brought me food so I really only had to sit around, with some occasional walks, for a week until we went back to the hospital for cath removal.

I had one guy tell me that he felt so good that he met some guys for a beer with his cath was still in. I've never known him to tell a lie but I find that a pretty tall tale.
Posted 4/13/2019 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
How soon after the surgery did everyone get released????
Posted 4/13/2019 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
Next day, late in the day.
Posted 4/13/2019 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
My surgery was on Tuesday--actually got into the OR about noon, released at the end of the day--on the road by 5 or so.

For the shower question: most of the time these days they use a water resistant dressing over your incisions. You may have nothing more than steristrips, or you might have sutures or staples. You'll be told not to run water directly on the dressing.

I borrowed a shower bench, which made it possible to sit in the shower rather than having to stand and deal with Cathy. Yeah, you'll get water all over the floor--something else you'll need help with.

Bottom line, it really does help to have someone else in the house most of the time during the first week.
Posted 4/13/2019 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
My list for leaving the hospital:

1. Large Pads - dog pads at Walmart are cheap, put on car seat and couch and chair
2. Bucket - to put cath in even walking around it's easier to carry
3. Oversize Athletic Shorts - easy to get on and off, doesn't bother the incisions, easy to get cath tube in and out
4. Sweats - Easy to get on and off easy to hide leg cath bag!
5. Bladder Spasm medication - keep the screaming down to a loud noise!!
6. Recliner or couch - not gonna sleep much 1st couple of days makes it easier to handle cath
7. Depends briefs - so when you get the cath out you don't make the front of your Sweats all wet!
8. Lube - to put on end of penis to help relieve soreness from cath tube.
9. Slippers then Shoes - to walk tie shoes really loose so you can just slip them on. Start walking the day you get home a couple of times even just around the house then move outside walk as much and often as you can and then walk some more!! Works wonders on the mental part! Works wonders for continence! Helps with the constipation problem! Helps to sleep! Makes it easy to do kegals when your walking. Walking the best medicine available!
10. A patient spouse or friend - Yes you will need help at times. Cooking, Driving, lifting things, you will probably have a 5 lb weight limit. A gallon of water or milk weighs more than that.

Larry
Posted 4/13/2019 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
Add: Surgery was Tuesday, home Wednesday evening.
Posted 4/13/2019 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
A simple abdominal binder helped ease any discomfort. A very inexpensive Amazon investment, if you don't get one in the hospital.
Posted 4/13/2019 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
Mentor,

My experience was with RALP, open surgery is a bit different.

Was home approximately 24 hours after surgery which is the goal. I felt pretty bad for a couple days with bladder/bowel spasms and upper back pain from the inflating gas. Only took one pain pill the first night as the constipation from them is not what you need after this surgery. Soft poops are very good and do not make that mistake, Miralax 2x per day for a week worked best for me.

Definitely needed lots of help for a couple of days but my wife was very helpful until my catheter was out at 10 days. There is some extra work associated with keeping the regular and day/travel bags clean which she took care of although I could have done it after a few days but nearly as good.

Sleeping is terrible with a catheter so I was pretty tired until it was out. I was sleeping upstairs in my bed the second night home so the stairs were not an issue even though I was doing everything in slow motion for a while. The recliner was in my family room and the place for constant naps. Sitting upright was uncomfortable for a while so the recliner works better for longer periods. I drank lots of liquid and had to get up at night to empty the bag for a while also. You need to drink a lot to flush the system out but the bags fill up quickly which is the downside of being a good patient.

The first shower is wonderful but the catheter keeps reminding you which ways you can and cannot move. My wife held the bag for the first shower which became dangerous quickly so I would just set on floor and deal with it myself. My wife would dry my back and help with changing to the daytime bag and dressing.

My wife sews so she cut my jockey underwear on the side and installed some velcro so I could put on and off without messing with the catheter assembly.

Hope this answers some of your questions.
Posted 4/13/2019 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
As someone else said, I had robotic surgery and maybe open surgery is different, but...

I never once considered stairs to be a "problem" and never considered doing anything other than going up stairs to sleep in my own bed. I moved slowly for the first several days, including going up and down stairs.

In the couple days after surgery, it's nice to have someone around to wait on you, but not necessary.

Never considered a "bucket" for my urine bag. At night, I switched to a larger volume bag which clipped to the side of the bed. In the day, I used a smaller bag strapped to my leg...I even went on several outings (including one of my daughter's high school sporting events) with this on under sweat pants.

Spent 1 night in hospital.
Posted 4/15/2019 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
"How soon after the surgery did everyone get released?"

Like others, late the next day.

The major discomfort I had was from the %&#$ catheter. Every time I'd move that balloon in the bladder would bang around the bladder walls like a clapper on a bell. It takes a toll. (Sorry for the pun.) The bladder spasm med helped, some, but I found it difficult to sleep and did a lot of walking to try and tire myself out.

I'd traveled to Ohio for the surgery from Montana, stayed in a hotel for a week afterwards, and was cleared to fly back once the catheter was removed. I booked First Class for the return trip.

Also, I was taking a daily shot in the gut to prevent blood clots for about 4 weeks post-surgery. I am admittedly needle phobic so that was just another annoyance I was glad to get behind me.
Posted 4/15/2019 11:58 AM (GMT 0)

VinceInMT said...
"

Also, I was taking a daily shot in the gut to prevent blood clots for about 4 weeks post-surgery. I am admittedly needle phobic so that was just another annoyance I was glad to get behind me.

First I heard of this.

Can you or others expand on this?

Thanks
Posted 4/15/2019 12:17 PM (GMT 0)
Mentor... I was also on Lovenox for 4 weeks a daily injection to prevent blood clots. I have talked to several people that have also had these injections to prevent blood clots. I had to go off my daily aspirin when I was doing the injections and carry a card with me saying that I was on Lovenox in case I was in a situation where I would be bleeding. I will say after 4 weeks of giving my self a shot it made me a lot more understanding of people that have to take a daily diabetic shot!!

Larry
Posted 4/15/2019 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
open surgery
Released 23 hours later
Advised to walk 15 minutes of every hour & followed that advice every waking hour for first week.
Rising from reclined in bed was difficult / painful for several days.
Used pain meds to improve sleep each night for first week.

Singular advice is do the walking.

- Wilderness.
Posted 4/15/2019 4:28 PM (GMT 0)

Skypilot56 said...
Mentor... I was also on Lovenox for 4 weeks a daily injection to prevent blood clots. I have talked to several people that have also had these injections to prevent blood clots. I had to go off my daily aspirin when I was doing the injections and carry a card with me saying that I was on Lovenox in case I was in a situation where I would be bleeding. I will say after 4 weeks of giving my self a shot it made me a lot more understanding of people that have to take a daily diabetic shot!!

Larry

what determines which patients will need to take these Lovenox injections?
Posted 4/15/2019 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sure that would be decided by the surgeon or uro.
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