Treatment Experiencies

User

Posted 21 Sep 2016 at 16:40

In a week's time your cancer will be in a specimen jar no longer doing you any harm, I imagine we all get different levels of anxiety pre op. Your medical team would not be about to perform surgery on you if they thought you were unsuitable. Stay positive,you WILL be okay.

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 21 Sep 2016 at 17:56

Thanks Chris

Paul

User

Posted 23 Sep 2016 at 21:08

Hi Paul.

Your private message box is full... you will need to delete some to receive my response to yours.

KRO...

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 06:45

Hi KRO have deleted my messages,

thanks

Paul

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 07:01

Hi Paul think we all had fears of things going wrong , even when I sat with the surgeon just before my op thinking have i done the right thing , so its normal to have doubts and fears , so onward and upward mate . all the best for your op Andy

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 08:25

Hi Paul, my husband was extremely worried the week before his op it was almost as if the diagnosis had finally got to him. He sought advice from the online community and asked questions he was worried about from the guys who had the op and as ever all were honest and supportive - no subject is barred. He also had a chat with one of the nurse's who helped reassure him. As for me this community is invaluable through good and bad. If you have any questions we can help with just ask. Take care jayne

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 09:25

Hi Jayne,

my biggest worry apart from something might happen is that they wont get all the cancer and I will have to have RT, if that is the case I might as well of had RT anyway without surgery, I have been close to cancelling the OP,

Paul

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 09:28

Hi Andy,

How long was your OP, I have been told could be up to 10 hours, really hard to put it out of my mind, not getting much sleep which makes things worse

Paul

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 09:50

my op lasted about 4/5 hours. For me the op itself was a walk in the park, no pain whatsoever. I may have been lucky. The catheter was the biggest pain after the op and I was so happy to have it removed. I am incontinent still after 3 months but nowhere near as bad as at first and I feel I will be dry very shortly.

As for not removing all the cancer, that is the same worry with any treatment but I was told if I went down the RT route and it failed removal would be very difficult and could be impossible. When My results came back from the prostate exam showing the Gleason score was 9 and not 7 as my biopsy showed I knew I had made the right choice.

3 months post op I am back running, working and doing pretty much as I was before. I have changed my diet and eat far more fruit and veg and far less meat. I have almost cut all dairy products out of my diet and I feel so much better. I should of done it years ago.

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 10:33

Thanks you have made me feel a bit better, I am not too worried about the catheter or incontinence as I am expecting it, it is just getting to post OP,

Paul

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 16:28

Hi Paul

I don't think you would be human if you weren't feeling apprehensive about the op. I certainly was. You have read a lot of the experiences of those of us who have been through it and so you know what to expect but it is difficult getting through the final few days before the op. I found that immersing myself in doing something that I enjoyed took my mind off it but also giving myself the challenge of finishing some decorating meast that I was focusing on something different which made me forget about it for a few hours at a time. No easy way through but you will get there.

All the best

Kevan

User

Posted 24 Sep 2016 at 19:11

Hi my op was four and a half hours I had open surgery , very noisy ward so was pleased to get home got me up walking the morning after and out after 3 days . catheter was a relief to get removed , remember your not alone many of us have been in your position . get everything ready for your return home . Andy

User

Posted 25 Sep 2016 at 07:56

Thanks Andy,

feeling a bit better now thanks to you all, any tips on what to do ready for when I get home

User

Posted 25 Sep 2016 at 08:49

Hi Paul

The best of luck for the 29th. You will soon be able to put my mind at rest about the operation. My robotic assisted surgery is planned for the 10th of October. I go for my pre op on the 30th of September.

Brian.

User

Posted 25 Sep 2016 at 09:41

I will let you all know how it went as soon as I can, thanks for all the help advice and good wishes,

Paul

User

Posted 25 Sep 2016 at 10:02

Hi Paul, my husband had his surgery first on tues morning was back on the ward lunchtime after being im recovery I was with from 2pm he was in no pain just drifted to sleep on and off. Came home Thursday first two weeks v tired but no real pain. Third week started gradually doing some walking,catheter removed after 10 days all good. Went back to work phased return after 8 weeks. Post op results good news, we have 6 month app with consultant this week and psa result I'm worried he is more positive so sadly with pc there is always the worry and what if but you have got to have confidence in your consultant. He has no continence issues and recovered really well ongoing ed but work in progress😊 as for tips on coming home few pairs of loose dark joggers, sweatshirts, check if you will have supply of pads if not men's tena, nappy sacks, wet wipes, catheter bag stand hospital may supply ours did for night time, extra straps for bag, lots of dvds,books,etc. You can request a op bag from pcuk which is really useful. Hope this helps to put your mind at rest a bit. Jayne

User

Posted 25 Sep 2016 at 10:15

Thanks Jayne,

feeling a bit better after all the help from people on this site, I hope I will be in a position to help others when it is all over, I still find it hard to believe how many are going through this,

Paul

User

Posted 25 Sep 2016 at 11:53

Hi,

I can still remember all the fear and doubt I had prior to my op. I had never had major surgery and was scared. I also didn't want to outwardly show how scared I was because I knew my good lady was worried too.

On the day I asked the anethatist how many people died under anaesthetic and she told me one in two hundred thousand. Even then I thought I would be that one. Then apparently, my wife tells me, a look of calm and acceptance came over me and I told her she could go and I would see her later. I walked down to theatre, climbed aboard a trolley, got hooked up to the equipment. They put a cannula in my hand then I nodded off. I woke up later and it was done. Easy in hindsight to say it was a piece of cake but it was nothing like the experience my mind had blown it up into.

Take care. Onward and upward to the recovery camp.

THE CHILD HAS GROWN, THE DREAM HAS GONE

User

Posted 25 Sep 2016 at 13:08

Thanks Paul, all the different experiencies help a bit,

Paul

User

Posted 25 Sep 2016 at 14:26

Paul

I think you have had most of the normal tips already. One thing I would add... Dont aloow constipation to make things really uncomfortable if you take laxatives do so with caution and in small doses to start with. When you feel you want to go to the loo to do a poo take a small footstool or box with you. Put your feet up onto it when you are sat on the loo. Your feet should be raised about 9 inches or so off the ground and slightly further forward than perpendicular. This takes a lot of pressure off your back passage and therefore makes it easier to pass a motion. The last thing you want to do is strain for any normal bodily function.

Best of luck for the op, let us know how you get on.

very best wishes

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