I'm interested in conversations about and I want to talk about
Know exactly what you want?
Show search

Notification

Error

Leg / Groin Pain Post Surgery

Email this conversation Print this conversation
User
Posted 02 Dec 2018 at 18:01

Hi, I had a robotic prostatectomy in June 2016 at age 53. All went well and, at the time of writing (Dec 2018), no detectable cancer so happy boy!

However (and here we go!).....since my op (2.5 years ago) I've suffered from severe pain in my right upper leg / groin after around 40 mins of continuous walking. The onset of the pain always follows the same pattern - tingle turning to pain in the right buttock, then the groin, then the femoral muscle - at which point I need sit sit down to 'recover'. After around 10 mins I can start walking again but for shorter periods of time. If I rest for around an hour then I get my full 40 min 'allowance' back - if that makes sense! Since my prostate op I've seen a string of neurologists, rheumatologists, cardiologists, vascular specialists, physios, and an osteopath. Lots of scans, X-rays, Ecographs, Ecodoppler, MRI's and 2 failed nerve blocks. My leg 'files' make my prostate cancer ones look pretty insignificant! 

After trawling the internet over this time I have, as you can imagine, become a fully fledged medical professional - joking of course! After my op, there was an 'issue' removing my final drain catheter which resulted in a lymphocele. Personally, I've always suspected this lymphocele is the 'offender' as it shows on one of my MRI's as being in conflict with the obturator nerve that heads towards my right leg. So with my fully qualified Doctors hat on (!) - it feels to me that the repetitive motion of walking does something to the lymphocele, which does something to the nerve, then to the buttock, the groin and the femoral muscle......but hey, what do I know, I'm only the patient :-) My original Urologist isn't keen on the idea of draining the lymphocele but after 2.5 years I'm up for just about anything. It's a difficult one - he saved my life but I'm left with a debilitating issue...:-(

My question to the community: is there anyone else out there who's experienced similar issues to me. I'd love to hear your story and specifically about any success you've had sorting it out! 

User
Posted 02 Jul 2021 at 15:48

Hi all - now 5 years down the line from my robotic radical prostatectomy and all's good - still undetectable PSA readings.

I've popped back onto the community to update on the issue I had with severe leg pain following my prostate op.

To cut an incredibly long 5 year story short - I've been fixed! That possibly sounds quite blasé but I assure you it isn't - it's actually been life changing. It's taken 16 specialists, endless medical appointments, physio, osteo, scans, treatments and perseverance to rid me of the excruciating (to the point of vomiting) pain that radiated into my right buttock, groin and down my right quadriceps every time I walked for more than 20 mins.

I appreciate some people don't even have the luxury of walking 20 mins so I hope I don't sound like a wimp. As you can imagine - over the past 5 years we've had to plan lots of things around my reduced walking ability.

My prostate op left me with a lymphocele in my lower right abdomen which rubbed against (was in conflict with) the obturator nerve of my right leg every time I walked. It was the repetitive motion which caused the issue.

The lymphocele was identified on a check up MRI shortly after my op but was simply never considered to be the cause of my pain issue. I always thought it was and banged my head against many brick walls - specifically with my neurologist!

Eventually, this April 2021 my urologist performed a marsupialisation of the lymphocele with great success. It has literally been instantly life changing for me - I can't stop walking and exercising and it's something I'll never take for granted again!

My message is a simple one - never give up! :-) Simon

User
Posted 03 Jul 2021 at 00:54

Really glad that is sorted. A shame they didn't look at the most likely cause five years ago. 

Dave

Show Most Thanked Posts
User
Posted 02 Dec 2018 at 18:40
Is the lymphocele close to the sciatic nerve? If so, it seems like a no brainer to get it drained although it may take more than one attempt.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 02 Dec 2018 at 18:58

As someone who suffered from a slipped disc 30 years ago, I can sympathise with the pain and trouble you are experiencing.  The pain would go down the back of my leg and into the foot with tingling before the agony sets in.  Initially it was my left leg then some years later moved to the right leg.  Currently it is behaving itself but your symptoms of walking, resting etc is almost identical.

I found this article which seems to be an exact match.  Prostatectomy, lymphocele etc.

Quote "Lymphocele formation was the most common cause of hospital readmission after radical prostatectomy."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5927813/

Edited by member 02 Dec 2018 at 19:02  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 03 Dec 2018 at 07:01

Hi Lyn and thanks for your input! The lymphocele is nearest to the obturator nerve. The pain I experience never descends lower than the femoral muscle on the front, top of my right leg - essentially it's centered around my right buttock, groin and the femoral muscle. I've been banging on about draining the lymphocele since my op but there seems to be a 'reticence' to do it. I'm not giving up though :-)

User
Posted 03 Dec 2018 at 07:04

Hi Mr Angry and thanks very much for your input and the article - I've added it to my 'ammo' file. Sorry to hear about your own pain issues and glad things are stable!

User
Posted 02 Jul 2021 at 15:48

Hi all - now 5 years down the line from my robotic radical prostatectomy and all's good - still undetectable PSA readings.

I've popped back onto the community to update on the issue I had with severe leg pain following my prostate op.

To cut an incredibly long 5 year story short - I've been fixed! That possibly sounds quite blasé but I assure you it isn't - it's actually been life changing. It's taken 16 specialists, endless medical appointments, physio, osteo, scans, treatments and perseverance to rid me of the excruciating (to the point of vomiting) pain that radiated into my right buttock, groin and down my right quadriceps every time I walked for more than 20 mins.

I appreciate some people don't even have the luxury of walking 20 mins so I hope I don't sound like a wimp. As you can imagine - over the past 5 years we've had to plan lots of things around my reduced walking ability.

My prostate op left me with a lymphocele in my lower right abdomen which rubbed against (was in conflict with) the obturator nerve of my right leg every time I walked. It was the repetitive motion which caused the issue.

The lymphocele was identified on a check up MRI shortly after my op but was simply never considered to be the cause of my pain issue. I always thought it was and banged my head against many brick walls - specifically with my neurologist!

Eventually, this April 2021 my urologist performed a marsupialisation of the lymphocele with great success. It has literally been instantly life changing for me - I can't stop walking and exercising and it's something I'll never take for granted again!

My message is a simple one - never give up! :-) Simon

User
Posted 03 Jul 2021 at 00:54

Really glad that is sorted. A shame they didn't look at the most likely cause five years ago. 

Dave

 
Forum Jump  
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.




MenuTop ▲
©2021 Prostate Cancer UK