I'm interested in conversations about and I want to talk about

Know exactly what you want?

Show search

Notification

Error

Cheshire Chris's Treatment Thread

Email this conversation Print this conversation

User

Posted 10 Sep 2018 at 17:00

I went to my GP's surgery this morning to get my surgical staples removed by the district nurse. It feels a lot more comfortable with them gone - the sharp pain in my side I felt when I stood up and the staples dug in has entirely disappeared now. Hopefully this'll make it more comfortable to start doing a little more exercise.

When I stood up from the table I'd been lying on after having the staples out I felt a strange "ping" sensation inside me. I'd guess that was one of the soluble sutures inside me breaking? No harm done, but an odd sensation.

Chris

User

Posted 11 Sep 2018 at 13:26

Removing the staples has made a huge difference to my mobility. This morning I walked to the Post Office and back, which is about three quarters of a mile in total. It took me half an hour rather than the 15 minutes it would normally have done, but there was no real pain. I couldn't have done that a couple of days ago! I don't want to overdo things, but at the same time I want to regain my fitness and mobility as fast as prudently possible. Doing a little more every day is the best way to achieve that, I think.

Chris

User

Posted 11 Sep 2018 at 13:46

Marvellous news Chris, get fit slowly

User

Posted 11 Sep 2018 at 14:09

Think you have the right approach to do more but gradually. It takes time for deep healing and you don't want to overdo it and set yourself back. More good news though.

Barry

User

Posted 11 Sep 2018 at 14:40

So pleased to see this - don't push yourself too hard though

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 11 Sep 2018 at 15:31

What's the expression? "Strong drink giveth the desire but taketh away the ability"? I think I can now add "... and a month on bicalutamide taketh away both the desire AND the ability". First real side-effect I've noticed, but I guess it's good in that it shows it's working!

Chris

User

Posted 11 Sep 2018 at 16:01

It is only a month Chris. I was 11 months on Bical and randier than ever tbh. In fact now I’m potent again I’m like a kid in a sweetshop , just waiting to lose it again when I need treatment. Bical shouldn’t affect a man as much as injectable HT because it doesn’t remove all your testosterone— it simply disguises it from the cancer. But fatigue was a big issue in the first few weeks.

User

Posted 11 Sep 2018 at 16:11

Oh, I'm not bothered about it in the slightest, Chris. Just interested to note that the bicalutamide is obviously having an effect in that department, which strikes me as good, because it probably means that it's also doing what it should be and slowing down the cancer cells too. It'll be interesting to see what my PSA is in November when the next test is due, because it's not been measured since early May.

Chris

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 09:16

A question for anyone with previous experience of abdominal surgery:

As advised by the district nurse, I’ve taken the dressing off my main incision this morning. Looks dramatically better than it did when it had the staples in! There’s quite a thick “ridge” of skin where the two sides of the incision have joined together, and I can feel a constant “pull” in my side from this. Should this ease off as the wound heals, or is there anything I can do to make the skin more flexible (creams, etc)? Obviously it’s very early days yet - only 11 days since I had my surgery - and I don’t want to do anything that’ll put the healing process at risk, but if anyone does have any advice on how to encourage the scar to heal as cleanly as possible I’d be grateful.

Thanks,

Chris

Edited by member 12 Sep 2018 at 09:33 | Reason: Missed out a word

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 09:53

Massaging it with something like bio-oil or Boots scar cream may help. Often found in the maternity section of Boots.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 10:28

Yes anything rich in Vitamin E basically

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 11:14

Thanks, that's very helpful.

Chris

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 11:21

There are scar gel patches available which promote healing and lessen the intensity of the scar when it has healed.

The three out of my seven laparoscopic punctures that were slightly infected because the ‘dissolvable’ stitches did not, are still itchy three months after my surgery. Wish I had bought some patches.

Cheers, John

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 12:21

Thanks, John.

When I saw the district nurse on Monday she spent quite a long time with tweezers and scissors, picking out and snipping off the loops of suture that were poking up above the surface of my keyhole wounds and scratching, which made things a lot more comfortable. Of those wounds, three are now clean and dry and healing nicely. The fourth one is right on my waistline and still dressed and draining a bit, because it keeps being irritated by the waistline of my trousers, but it's a heck of a lot better than it was a week ago. I've now switched to wearing trousers with an elasticated waistline rather than a belt, to help it heal. The main incision is looking unbelievably better than it did on Monday - the actual incision is just a raised pink line, and the 28 staple holes have all formed scabs on them and the inflammation around them has greatly reduced. Very happy with how quickly things are healing!

Chris

Edited by member 12 Sep 2018 at 12:26 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 13:16

Chris

my wife has had full knee replacement done on both knees. Interesting was that both done in same hospital by same consultant 1 with staples the other sutures.

i was shocked when I saw her leg when the staples came out and the join looked like a mountain ridge. 3 months after regular aloe vera massages I can tell you the 8 inch scar is almost invisible

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 13:32

Thanks, Alan - that's very reassuring to hear!

Chris

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 14:25

I had a ‘lightbulb moment’ following the irritation I suffered from my wounds, when a friend said ‘I always have to have my stitches removed as they never dissolve in my body’. I realised I was probably the same!

I think I went to the nurse three times to have fine fishing line sutures removed, and then three courses of antibiotics to cure the infections that were caused by their failure to dissolve as intended.

Cheers, John.

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 17:42

I emailed my surgeon about the “pulling” I’m feeling from the main incision, and he’s replied saying that it’s coming from the internal sutures he’s put in the layers of muscle under the skin, and should go away when those sutures start dissolving in 3-4 weeks time.

Chris

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 18:04

Hi Chris,

I don’t mean to be negative , but my pain has never disappeared in a band across my abdomen since surgery 3 1/2 yrs ago. I did speak to my surgeon 6 months post op and he glibly said it was nothing he had done and was possibly a gastro condition lol. Same bloke that told me I couldn’t have 5mg Cialis and it was psychological that it was working for me. My GP said I’d been left with internal adhesions which I think is true. To this day , if my bladder is full or I really need a poo , I have needle like pains inside which are quite severe. If I wake up with a full bladder I can’t actually sit but have to roll out of bed instead. Given my situation now I pretty much rue the day I was coerced into having surgery. Yet if I was undetectable I’d be happy to put up with it all. Hope it improves for you. Early days ok !

User

Posted 12 Sep 2018 at 18:30

Sorry to hear that, Chris. I’m in no pain now (that disappeared when the surgical staples came out); it’s literally just that the main incision is sitting about an inch below the level of the surrounding skin (or fat, to be more accurate!) because it’s pulling everything inwards. As you rightly say, it’s early days yet - only 11 days since major surgery, and the surgeon told me beforehand that it would probably take 6-8 weeks to recover from it.

Chris

Email this conversation Print this conversation

Join the online community now.

Click through to become a member and gain access to support, information and real time replies.