Surgery booked

Hi Carlos53, it’s understandable to be apprehensive and nervous.

Do your pelvic floor exercises, keep fit, stay positive that this operation will rid you of your cancer. 
Hospital staff from cleaners, nurses, doctors are so professional. Trust your team.

Take loose fitting trousers, joggers are probably best for when you are coming home.

You will probably come round In high dependency depending on your hospital before transfer to a ward. 

It takes a bit time to get used to having a catheter but it is very manageable.

The days after the operation don’t sit for too long, reclining is probably best it takes pressure of your nether regions! I found out to my cost and pain I had sat upright in a chair too long the day after the operation. Start gentle moving as soon as you can, I walked up and down the ward periodically and then round the garden or house when I got home. I started gingerly walking down the street and back on day 4 gradually increasing distance.

I had a plastic stand for my night catheter bag but a plastic bucket will also accommodate it. 
Let people help you, don’t overdo things.
Best of luck, hope all goes well.

General exercise is also good, the fitter you are the better.

Down load the tool kit from this site. There's loads of other info downloads too.

Day after the op I was told to walk the corridor (about 40 metres) 25 times before being discharged at lunch time. Not easy but the surgeon kept emphasising to keep moving but gently. It helps bowel activation and stops everything seizing up.

Buy some jogging bottoms for getting home.

Get some pads but not to many, you may not need them for long.

Depending on the type of bag you have it will have just a hook or a frame to hang it on, get a bucket or similar to hang it over. I used a cat litter tray underneath it.

My night bag was reusable but had to be washed and flushed daily. It will connect to the leg beg. Shower and do the whole lot at once. Have some way to hang the night bag in the shower to dry ready for next night. And wash the leg bag outer at the same time.

I had anti blood clot stockings for 28 days and same for injections which are with a very fine needle and painless.

I had two types of laxetives but fybergel drink also helps.

Eat healthy and exercise gently at first.

I had an hour taxi drive to the airport then flight home three days after the op. The drive was the worst, you need a slow smooth careful driver, mine wasn't.

All in all its not actually as bad as you might be thinking.

Good luck with the op and recovery

Cheers

Bill

Do take stool softeners such as Fybogel for a couple of days before you go into hospital. A side effect of the opiate painkillers such as morphine that you'll be given is severe constipation and that's NOT a nice thing to deal with when you've had your abdominal muscles cut by surgery. I found that out the hard way! I couldn't move my bowels for over a week after my surgery and ended up being taken to hospital by ambulance to have an enema. It solved the problem, but far better to avoid it in the first place.

This is major abdominal surgery and it'll take you a long time (several months) to fully get over it. Be as active as you can, but listen to what your body tells you with its pain signals. You won't be able to lift anything heavier than a bag of sugar for a month after surgery. Don't try or you'll regret it! I nearly passed out when I stupidly tried to push a supermarket trolley around Sainsbury's a week after I came out of hospital. Don't do it 😄. I could walk, but pushing uses those abdominal muscles you won't have for a while.

Very best of luck with your surgery,

Chris

Edited by member 21 Jun 2020 at 17:46  | Reason: Not specified

Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery. My husband has his first telephone consultation with surgeon this Friday.

I'm 68 and had my RALP on March 9th. I didn't stress out much, but I did do my best to prepare.

I used existing (old) tracksuit bottoms (my newer ones are slim-fit, so unsuitable) while I had the catheter, but didn't buy anything special. They were fine, really don't need to be that loose, just so nothing catches. Personally I also found trunk-style pants a help as they give support.

I found that I was most comfortable on the sofa (it is a very comfy sofa) for the first few weeks after the op. Didn't like lying down, but my office chair was definitely a no-no. Cushions are helpful. Do get some exercise - you should walk regularly for 5 minutes while you're awake.

My wife stopped me doing any lifting until the surgeon said it was OK - been pushing supermarket trollies since (and other stuff). Just don't do stuff too early - follow instructions. It took a while for all my stitches to come out, but I never had any real problems. Just a few small scars now; nothing compared to the one I have from melanoma.

While the anti-clot injections lasted 28 days for me, I was told I could take the stockings off after 14. Personally I found the stockings more of a pain than the injections, so was glad about that.

Apart from a bit of urge incontinence (which is apparently down to me having had a very large prostate for a dozen years) not really needed any pads (dry at night from day catheter came out). Definitely do the pelvic floor exercises - I find the NHS Squeezy App helpful. You can also get a pack from this site, which I would recommend, that includes some pads/pants.

I did get a urinary tract infection for which I had to take a course of antibiotics. Since been told that Cranberry Juice helps ward against this, so if you are OK with the taste, I would recommend drinking it (I dilute it 50/50 with water, not having a sweet tooth). Drinking plenty of liquid is also good for your bowel movement.

Carlos,

I was very anxious as well. Anybody would be. BUT I had open surgery and they banged in loads of staples. Never really hurt and has healed up just fine. Didn't feel a thing when they took them out. The sense of relief of waking up in recovery after the operation knowing it was behind me was imense.

I'm 14 weeks after and have had no incontinence issues at all since about week 10. Managed sex after about 4 weeks ....but wasn't my best ever performance ;-) Things have progressed positively since and although taking cialis still (which is no big deal) things getting slowly back to normal. Now, everyone is different, nothing comes with guarantees etc but if they are able to spare the nerves then it puts you in with a really good chance. Try not to worry and keep us updated

Hi Carl. Yes I had stitches. I was thinking the same about people that have had staples, but who knows. 

You are in the same position as I was a couple of weeks ago. I got a couple of very positive messages from folks on here, and it made all the difference. Hence why I am reaching out to you.

Take care and hope all goes well next week.

J

Hi Carl,

I was surprised to have metal staples.  They gave me a staple remover to give to the GP.  It was a very basic hook.  They're thicker than paper staples and just make two holes.  When they're out they leave two tracks of red marks but now I wouldn't know where the holes were.   No problem at all.

If you click on this link it takes you to a photo of mine.  I hope.   

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/vbvGQhUy9z3F3JEj9u8gBPN0DFlxJts1TVpRUzn39oC9ARX7ec7v2I8EQX44OFtv3tufvWzpoSgbudB7xEYFYct3Jm6yeIUPI0aWEDT_niuZJOvf3g=w1280

I was also surprised to find they shaved my stomach.

I suppose I was anxious before the op but it was balanced by excitement.  Getting that thing out was all I could think about.   On awakening I had no pain at all which seemed incredible and felt quite exhilarated that 3 months of worry was gone, removed.  I knew that worry would be replaced by something else to worry about and I know that we live from psa test to psa test but it's been given a good shot.

All the best for Thursday.   If you say what time it is I'll remember and think about you in the hospital.

Regards
Peter

Edited by member 04 Jul 2020 at 19:23  | Reason: Not specified

Carlos

From my experience finding solutions to the ED issue was fun.

Thanks Chris

Hope so. I expect he'll let us know after he gets home (tomorrow?) 😀 

Hi Carlo. Hope everything went well on Thursday. It gets better every day after the surgery.

J

Interesting I was sick on day 2 also. As I say, it gets better every day. 

Good luck with the catheter.

J

I did a few times. Happened when trying to pass wind. Tried to avoid though. Nurse said not to worry. I also note it is described in the handbook I got from hospital. 

Glad your surgery has gone well. 

J

Brilliant Carl. Good to hear from you. Glad it went well. 😃

Yes, leakage around the catheter (bypass) is perfectly normal. I was told particularly when farting or having a poo. This is one of the reasons for washing the catheter each time you have a bowel movement (in my instructions, anyway).

If you can keep the catheter really clean you will reduce the chance of getting a UTI. I had to change my shorts at least daily as they can get a bit gross.

Best wishes

Keithyboy

Hi Carlos,  It's good to know it's going well.  Toilet problems with catheter and then after catheter are common but as long as you don't strain it should be alright.   I found sitting down put a strain on the pipe and a bit of blood would make the bag contents go rose. It's worrying at first.  Sometimes when you're walking the ball in the bladder can cause blood as well.

I hadn't told anyone of my op and decided to visit the neighbour's wearing my bag.  It might not bring a smile to everyone but I was thinking I never thought I'd urinate sitting on their sofa while I'm talking to them.  Wondering what I'd say if there was a gurgling or if the bag burst open.  Stomach playing up I suppose.

All the best, Peter

Carlos, things are still healing so perhaps expecting a bit too much but good to be positive. Frequently guys say they are dry at night first and a small leakage at night sounds promising. Standing is almost always a reason to leak as you squash the bladder. 

Hope all goes well.

Thanks Chris