Out of area treatment NHS rights

Progress at last. Pre op on the 17th Oct and actual Brachytherapy op on 25th Oct.   Should I be pleased? Well sort of, mixed feeling really!

John

Hope all goes well and to plan.

Ian

I left the hospital after my pre-op appointment with a prescription for tamsulosin, antibiotics and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave
oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we
must never allow it to fall into the hands of terrorists.

Having read the MoviPrep instructions I spent the next few  days  sitting around being nervous.

Then, today, the day before my Brachytherapy, I began my preparation. In accordance
with my instructions, I stopped eating at 1600 hours and started MoviPrep at 1700 hours, this has been planned like a military operation, hence the time format.
You mix two packets of powder together in a one litre plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For
those unfamiliar with the metric system, a litre is about 32 gallons). Then you
have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes -
and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with
just a hint of lemon.

The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of
humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may
result.'

This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may
experience contact with the ground.

MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but, have
you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep
experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the toilet
had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom,
spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must
be totally empty, there is a final burst just like the end of a fireworks display, at which point,
as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating
food that you have not even eaten yet.

Tonight I will sleep in two pairs of my extra thick M&S cotton underpants with a towel under me. I took the old ground sheet off the bed, on reflection it was a bit over the top.

Finally, the downstairs toilet being occupied I was forced to make a run for the upstairs toilet this was during the finale spurt.  I nearly made it, the stairs carpet should clean up with a good shampoo but my favourite  corduroy trousers may need replacing.

The brachy op tomorrow should be a doddle after the MoviPrep!

John

Edited by member 24 Oct 2018 at 21:44  | Reason: Not specified

Sparrow

Might be a bit late now but my advice is "dab" don't wipe. My moviprep was for a colonoscopy, my first litre 13 hours before the procedure had no effect and at 2300 I went to bed the second litre was 0500 at 0600 the eruption started .A few minutes before the colonoscopy was due they cancelled the procedure. 

Best wishes Chris

Many thanks Sparrow for your very amusing and entertaining description of your Brachytherapy experience.

I too had Permanent Seed Brachy nearly 2 yrs ago (only 55 seeds!) and fortunately my "clear out" was performed in hospital on the day of the procedure with the aid of a very large syringe!!

Good luck with the recovery

Regards Tom  

Well, I have survived a good three weeks, some bruising around my scrotum and willy, I say some, actually I was mainly a dark blue /purple with my willy a strange but appealing striped effect like a blue and red zebra.  Unfortunately my wife was not impressed and forbade any attempt at rumpty tumpty in case of further injury. Not to worry, I doubt I would have been much good anyway.

The radiation seems to be working away in the background, I have little in the way of side effects, maybe it's a bit early yet and I have that pleasure to come?  The only thing that is bothering me is bowel control, yes, yes, I do have a thing about bowels and movements etc., but the fact is I am going for a poo about four or five times a day and I am frightened to go to far in case there is no toilet!

I wrote my GP a nice letter explaining the problem and requesting some more Tamsulosin and something for the loose bowels, she ignored the bit in my letter about bowels and just gave me a repeat prescription for Tamsulosin.

I wrote " my bowels have been objecting to the radiation and have been voiding themselves without my direct control up to five times a day. As you know Doctor I am not one to complain without good cause, and I wonder if you could prescribe one of the 20 or so Antidiarrheals ( I had to look that one up) for me?"  What is there to ignore there? Quite polite and to the point I thought.

Anyway, I have requested an urgent phone call from the duty doctor, when I will make my point about being ignored.

John

Ian

OK on the fibre based remedies, I do have some Laxido that is soluble fibre based, I am a bit reluctant to give it a try though, I have had a rather trying time with laxatives recently!

Interestingly the Doc suggested Codeine as an alternative but they are addictive and no doubt I would finish up "mainlining" and "on the streets" so I opted for the non addictive alternative.

Another trip to the pharmacy tomorrow, I am becoming well known there, I must account for a sizeable part of their turnover.

John

I get eczema and use various ointments for it, strangely my wife thinks I am a grumpy old git as well! Must be the drugs.

I can confirm that the Loperamide is doing the trick, no more having to stand having a wee with my buttocks firmly clamped together! Not an easy job I assure you.

John