Recovery from a radical prostatectomy.

Email this conversation Print this conversation

User

Posted 16 Sep 2018 at 16:34

My husband had a radical procedure ( open surgery) 5 weeks ago and is still very fatigued and having to have a wee frequently... every 2 to 3 hours.

A couple of weeks after leaving hospital he got a bladder infection and has just finished taking the course of antibiotics, so this may be why, but I had expected him to be further along the road to recovery. Am I expecting too much?

(He is 60 and was in good health before the operation.)

Thanks

User

Posted 16 Sep 2018 at 17:57

Yes, you may be expecting too much. The estimate for open surgery is that about 12 weeks will be needed off work - the body has a lot of repairing to do and diverting all calories to repair (I think I read somewhere that major surgery needs 5000 calories a day?) can leave the patient feeling exhausted.

When you say he needs to wee every 2 to 3 hours, are you saying that he is continent? Having bladder control at this stage is excellent - it will improve further with time.

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

User

Posted 16 Sep 2018 at 19:10

During the day he is pretty good, having just an occasional dribble, most mostly able to control it. At night the need to wee is waking him every couple of hours and he is sometimes loosing a bit of urine, but not too much. The lack of sleep is getting to him.

We told the surgeon about the bladder infection and he has ask to see us . ( We used our savings to pay for the operation privately, as the wait on NHS was November.)

Thanks for you help.( I’ve read several posts with people walking 5 miles a day after 4 weeks etc )

User

Posted 16 Sep 2018 at 20:14

When reading how other people have got on, remember that open RP is a much more intrusive operation than keyhole / da Vinci and recovery is therefore slower.

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

User

Posted 16 Sep 2018 at 23:41

I don't suppose he's trying to overdo it or drinking too much. When does he have his last drink of the day. Perhaps 8pm would be a cut off time till things get better.

User

Posted 17 Sep 2018 at 07:31

I am sorry you had to fork out for a private operation when the NHS should have been there for you.

Since my operation I was virtually continent from day 10 when the catheter was removed, and I can sit in a pub and drink six pints without moving, when some friends have to get up twice. I often ask them “Got a bit of prostate trouble then?”

However, I now seem to have nocturia (the urge to urinate at night, one of the symptoms of prostate trouble), which I didn’t have before. I perhaps have to get up every two or three hours. It’s no problem as I only sleep around five hours a night, but sometimes have a lie-in till 5am.

User

Posted 17 Sep 2018 at 09:23

Probably the 6 pints of beer!!

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.