HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

RALP Lingering Side Effects

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/15/2022 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
I had my surgery about 2 years ago (RALP) and still have some weakness in my abdomen and lingering low level pain. Bending over to pick things up, especially if the object is heavy, is certainly more difficult. My urologist is pretty dismissive and says that it is common to have muscle damage. Anyone else have this experience? I've been doing yoga and exercising which seems to help a bit. Thanks!
Posted 1/15/2022 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
I had robotic hernia surgery about 2 years after RALP and ART and I swear it fixed some of those lingering pains and aches. The surgeon has to cut through a lot scar tissue and adhesions caused by the treatments to get at the hernia as well as repairing it. Maybe I am just imagining things but it seems to be less annoying now, a year later.
Posted 1/15/2022 5:15 AM (GMT 0)
My RALP resulted in a hernia which I had to have repaired with open surgery. As a result, I feel that I need to be careful with exercise and heavy lifting. Just another side effect of having prostate cancer, I guess. I wish you all the best!
Posted 1/15/2022 7:08 AM (GMT 0)
My husband, too, had lingering discomfort that turned out to be a hernia after RALP. It seems to be a not uncommon side effect.

Good luck!
Posted 1/16/2022 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
I have to be more careful lifting objects now myself. One of the nice things about being my age is I can ask some young whipper snapper to do it for me and they generally don’t mind a bit. They even seem somewhat enthusiastic to help me.
Posted 1/16/2022 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
I didn’t have prostate surgery but it seems that hernias are not uncommon after prostate surgery. Maybe consult with a general surgeon. Unrelated to my radiation treatment, I had an inguinal hernia repair and a smaller tear repaired that was around my navel that I never knew about except for some discomfort when lightly pressing on that area. Waited until recovered from treatment before getting repairs, for obvious reasons( survive cancer first)
Posted 1/16/2022 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Mumbo, MoTownPaul, Melaine, Island Time, and Fauntleroy. Sounds like hernias are not uncommon. I really appreciate all the feedback.
Posted 1/18/2022 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
After I had my RALP, my PT cautioned me that the body heals from the outside in, so even after the incisions have healed, there is a lot going on under the surface and to take it really easy when lifting, coughing, etc, for a long time. I am now 11 months out, so I am assuming my innards are pretty much healed and I'll start doing more weight training, sneezing, etc.
Posted 2/6/2022 6:02 PM (GMT 0)

patrickm said...
After I had my RALP, my PT cautioned me that the body heals from the outside in, so even after the incisions have healed, there is a lot going on under the surface and to take it really easy when lifting, coughing, etc, for a long time. I am now 11 months out, so I am assuming my innards are pretty much healed and I'll start doing more weight training, sneezing, etc.

Thanks, Patrickm. Sounds like some of the lingering pain is pretty much par for the course. I have found my ability to do situps and other types of activities have not gone back to their "before surgery" state. I'm thinking maybe that was a bit unrealistic of an expectation.
Posted 2/6/2022 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
My RALP was exactly 3 weeks ago. My stomach is still tender to touch, and the port incision is not fully healed. Yet, my abdomen seems strong. I even shoveled snow during last week's snow storm, even though my wife inlisted my nephew's help.
I really waned to go for a long bicycle ride today, but it's below freezing. So, instead, I went on 3 mile hike up and down a steep wooded trail.
I know this isn't helping the discussion here. I'm just offering counterpoint.

Post Edited (Your Friend) : 2/7/2022 1:53:56 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/7/2022 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
There is also a sort of mental construct of "things will be as good as ever after surgery (or any treatment, really)". A major medical intervention is exactly that. It's a MAJOR intervention. The idea that we will have no long term effects--whether a month or a year or longer down the road is kind of wishful thinking, is it not?

Fact is, if you're having this surgery you're not 18 anymore. The aches and pains and general changes due to being in late middle age are there. They aren't going away. So we adjust. And accept that that guy with the dad bod we see in the mirror is not the young stud we thought we were then.

Hernias are not uncommon after RALP. Neither are weird abdominal pains that come and go. Look up "adhesions" to get an idea what they are.
Posted 2/7/2022 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
halbert - my post way above was probably too early in this thread. My robotic hernia surgeon explained what he had to do to get to the inguinal hernia after RALP and ART which he does not know until he gets in there. He warned me he might have to switch to an open repair if it gets too difficult. I actually felt better down there months after the surgery than after RALP. I really think he cleaned up adhesions and scar tissue as he dissected his way to the hernia. Prostate surgery is pretty invasive and you are right about the age issue, just don’t heal as fast anymore. Macho man is long gone…
Posted 2/7/2022 4:34 AM (GMT 0)

MissingProstate said...
I had my surgery about 2 years ago (RALP) and still have some weakness in my abdomen and lingering low level pain. Bending over to pick things up, especially if the object is heavy, is certainly more difficult. My urologist is pretty dismissive and says that it is common to have muscle damage. Anyone else have this experience? I've been doing yoga and exercising which seems to help a bit. Thanks!

I bet I was 2 years out and still not back 100% at the gym. At the time, it was somewhat disconcerting. “I can’t trust my body” I’d be thinking when I couldn’t do what I could before the surgery (especially sit ups).

Be careful. Slippery slope if you sit it out too long (like I have). Age can be used as an excuse to just sit down.

Good to know it wasn’t just me.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply