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Pre surgery shopping list

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User
Posted 26 Apr 2019 at 19:28

Hi all,


I'm 54, recently diagnosed after PSA of 20 and biopsy showing Gleeson Score of 9 (4+5) T3a/2.  I've opted for surgery.


Somewhere on this site I read a post where someone had very thoughtfully put together a shopping list of things to buy before going into hospital - pads, bedding etc. and now I'm about a week off surgery I can't find it again.


Anyone any idea where it is, or did I dream it!


 


 

User
Posted 26 Apr 2019 at 19:59
 

 

 

LyneEyre posted it, I've copied it below.

 

 

Add earplugs as it was noisy at night. To be honest I needed none and had none of these although I always wore tightish briefs. The hospital provided the night bag stand and neither my catheter nor me leaked at night. The pads are post catheter removal and Boots do a good range, esp the bigger branches, 5 tears thickness I think.

I bought a new dressing gown but only wore it walking to the op room as I didn't fancy wearing it with a bag of urine and a bag of blood hanging from underneath. I was quite flash wandering round the ward with these pipes and bags and the fashionable NHS gown tied at the back plus dvt stockings.

 

Posted 07 Dec 2018 at 00:00
 




Shopping list:

- a bucket to stand the night bag in


- jogging bottoms in sweatshirt type material in a dark colour and preferably with a drawstring waist rather than elasticated (M&S usually has these)


- pants one size bigger than he usually wears. Not boxers - he will in effect be having a vasectomy alongside the RP so his penis and testicles may be very swollen afterwards and pants will give him more support


- ask the hospital whether he will be given instagell or another local anaesthetic to bring home with him; if not, buy some from the chemist. The eye of his penis may get very sore with the catheter rubbing


- a waterproof sheet from Duncombe might not be needed but is reassuring for him when he has the catheter removed. Alternatively, the disposable waterproof pads you can buy at large pet shops.


 



Edited by member 26 Apr 2019 at 20:16  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 08:20
Whatever Dark Rainbow says DO NOT take 4x2 500mg paracetamol in one dose!! That is the dose that must not be exceeded in 24 hours!!

You will get some serious pain killers to take home I would suggest you follow the prescription instructions!
User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 09:00
It's worth having a pen and paper nearby to record when you are taking Ibuprofen/Paracetamol etc. My kindly wife did the recording for me, as my head was a puddle and I couldn't keep track of it myself.
User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 09:29
Thank you all for the replies.

Shopping is done and everything ordered, be interesting to see what adverts now follow me around the internet!

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 20:48

Here is a link to another similar conversation. https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t19997-Due-for-surgery-in-2-days


Thanks Chris

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 21:13
One warning: opioids can cause horrendous constipation (they did for me) so if they offer you morphine or "hospital strength" cocodamol you might want to ask for something else instead. There's nothing worse than being constipated but completely unable to "push" because your abdominal muscles have been cut during surgery!

I actually found intravenous paracetamol to be the most effective painkiller by far, and it doesn't block you up.

Cheers,

Chris
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User
Posted 26 Apr 2019 at 19:59
 

 

 

LyneEyre posted it, I've copied it below.

 

 

Add earplugs as it was noisy at night. To be honest I needed none and had none of these although I always wore tightish briefs. The hospital provided the night bag stand and neither my catheter nor me leaked at night. The pads are post catheter removal and Boots do a good range, esp the bigger branches, 5 tears thickness I think.

I bought a new dressing gown but only wore it walking to the op room as I didn't fancy wearing it with a bag of urine and a bag of blood hanging from underneath. I was quite flash wandering round the ward with these pipes and bags and the fashionable NHS gown tied at the back plus dvt stockings.

 

Posted 07 Dec 2018 at 00:00
 




Shopping list:

- a bucket to stand the night bag in


- jogging bottoms in sweatshirt type material in a dark colour and preferably with a drawstring waist rather than elasticated (M&S usually has these)


- pants one size bigger than he usually wears. Not boxers - he will in effect be having a vasectomy alongside the RP so his penis and testicles may be very swollen afterwards and pants will give him more support


- ask the hospital whether he will be given instagell or another local anaesthetic to bring home with him; if not, buy some from the chemist. The eye of his penis may get very sore with the catheter rubbing


- a waterproof sheet from Duncombe might not be needed but is reassuring for him when he has the catheter removed. Alternatively, the disposable waterproof pads you can buy at large pet shops.


 



Edited by member 26 Apr 2019 at 20:16  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 26 Apr 2019 at 20:13
Thanks Peter, much appreciated.
User
Posted 26 Apr 2019 at 20:16

Some additional things I got (for template biopsy, so a significantly lesser op)...


A hand mirror for my hospital washbag, so I could easily peer down below to see what they'd done.


Hospital style non-alcoholic hand sanitiser at home. After reading the hospital's pre-op MRSA leaflet, I used it frequently for a couple of weeks around the area to be operated on (arse, groin, perineum, pubic hair, etc). It turned out my pre-op MRSA test was negative, but they didn't tell me that (only found out when I got my records some time later).


If you are on your own, at least a week's worth of easy to cook and easy to digest food, and fluids.


Pain killers (not asprin based).

User
Posted 26 Apr 2019 at 23:14

Hi


Additionally 


Please make sure you got paracetamol  but not the Micky mouse type one !


Has to be paracetamol 500miligram so they will advise you to take 4 times 2 of them each time.


 


Ibuprofen of 400 milligrams 


You will need to take 3 times a day one at a time.


Two days after I had the operation I was asked to get them on a Saturday  cold /dark evening!! They did not supply to me a single pain killers so I had to suffer until Monday afternoon!!! 


10 days after when I complained about not given pain killers than I was told for NHS it costs £7 but If I get them from community it would be cheaper!! 


So make sure you get them.


I suffered 3 days (maybe karma?)


Also you get a bucket to place the night bag. 


Make sure you have a TV in your room.helps you to sleep and kill the time.


Make sure you have so much energy drinks but not like red bulls..has to be smoothie type or you can make your self or friends or lovers you name it.


And most importantly you can ask as much questions as you need on here.


I did get plenty helps advises from the saints on here from nameless heroes ...trust me...morally you will need them. 


Ohhh Also if you had an active sex life......use your imagination and say good bye to all those good times for a while...but never say never! It would return trust me.


I'm a ex failed Gigolo after the operation I still get demand but I'm just grateful to be alive ! It was a first major operation whole my life  it was painful and after 5 months still I'm in pain (my fault for being greedy) and just manage to lift up my gorgeous 18 months old baby boy:)


Good luck 


D.R


Ps.100% advises given to me from The saints on here about pre and post operation they all came through!


So ask as many questions as possible on here 

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 03:24
A waterproof mattress protector available for about a tenner from eBay or the likes of Dunelm Mills to protect against the inevitable ‘accident’.

Cheers, John.
User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 08:20
Whatever Dark Rainbow says DO NOT take 4x2 500mg paracetamol in one dose!! That is the dose that must not be exceeded in 24 hours!!

You will get some serious pain killers to take home I would suggest you follow the prescription instructions!
User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 09:00
It's worth having a pen and paper nearby to record when you are taking Ibuprofen/Paracetamol etc. My kindly wife did the recording for me, as my head was a puddle and I couldn't keep track of it myself.
User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 09:29
Thank you all for the replies.

Shopping is done and everything ordered, be interesting to see what adverts now follow me around the internet!

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 09:54

Good luck. I may have been lucky but had no pain at all nor had any leaks or spills except on my first walk without catheter when I didn't take a spare pad.


You soon recognise that pad fullness is weight based not wetness based unless it's overfull.


Just take it easy, keep drinking fluid as you don't need the loo, and don't strain anything down there. Your stomach wounds give an idea how healing inside is going.  All the best Peter

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 10:53

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Whatever Dark Rainbow says DO NOT take 4x2 500mg paracetamol in one dose!! That is the dose that must not be exceeded in 24 hours!!

You will get some serious pain killers to take home I would suggest you follow the prescription instructions!


 


Well ...I wish that there is a way to upload the evidence of Medicals prescriptions on here. 


Besides 4x2 paracetamol was advised for me to take maybe every hospital advises people  differently 


Thank you


D.R

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 12:12

Shopping lists aside, your GPs apparent negligence is staggering.


To have a double digit PSA in your forties and to have it sustained at that level for 5 years before intervention, all the while incubating a serious cancer, is well past acceptable. Add in the family history and you pass the threshold for negligence in this non-lawyer’s opinion.


Even if you are the forgiving sort, at a minimum the GP needs retraining so as to avoid this happening to others. 

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 13:29

DR


I understood you to mean 2 tablets 4 times a day , which is the maximum daily dose recommend by the NHS. 


 In your post you have missed a comma after the word "times" which alters what you meant to say.


Thanks Chris


 

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 14:32

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


Besides 4x2 paracetamol was advised for me to take maybe every hospital advises people  differently 



That means that you take 2 tablets 4 times a day, NOT that you take 8 tablets at once!


Cheers,


Chris


 

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 16:20
Hi Chris
I had my op on 07/02/19.
In addition to the above items I would add:
Tracksuit bottoms that have a zip that goes from your ankle up to your hip (I bought mine on line from Canterbury store) - makes emptying the catheter bag a lot easier.
Sterile wipes and sterile gloves for when you have to keep the catheter clean (to prevent infection).
Cushion to sit on for the journey home.
My surgeon said I would not need to take any laxatives, but after 4 days I relented, and was mightily pleased I did.
Hope all goes well
Mark
User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 19:41

I have a large quantity of instagel sat in draw in date and doing nothing, if you would like it get back to me for contact info and I'll post it to you!


 

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 20:00

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Whatever Dark Rainbow says DO NOT take 4x2 500mg paracetamol in one dose!! That is the dose that must not be exceeded in 24 hours!!

You will get some serious pain killers to take home I would suggest you follow the prescription instructions!


 


Yet another postcode lottery francij, not everyone gets sent home with painkillers :-/ 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 20:48

Here is a link to another similar conversation. https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t19997-Due-for-surgery-in-2-days


Thanks Chris

User
Posted 27 Apr 2019 at 21:13
One warning: opioids can cause horrendous constipation (they did for me) so if they offer you morphine or "hospital strength" cocodamol you might want to ask for something else instead. There's nothing worse than being constipated but completely unable to "push" because your abdominal muscles have been cut during surgery!

I actually found intravenous paracetamol to be the most effective painkiller by far, and it doesn't block you up.

Cheers,

Chris
User
Posted 28 Apr 2019 at 22:51

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Whatever Dark Rainbow says DO NOT take 4x2 500mg paracetamol in one dose!! That is the dose that must not be exceeded in 24 hours!!

You will get some serious pain killers to take home I would suggest you follow the prescription instructions!


 


Yet another postcode lottery francij, not everyone gets sent home with painkillers :-/ 



Saint Lynn


Nobody given me free pain killers from the hospital, I was asked to get them from the community!


D.R

User
Posted 28 Apr 2019 at 22:55

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


Besides 4x2 paracetamol was advised for me to take maybe every hospital advises people  differently 



That means that you take 2 tablets 4 times a day, NOT that you take 8 tablets at once!


Cheers,


Chris


 



Yes Chris your right. 


D.R

User
Posted 29 Apr 2019 at 22:14

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


Shopping lists aside, your GPs apparent negligence is staggering.


To have a double digit PSA in your forties and to have it sustained at that level for 5 years before intervention, all the while incubating a serious cancer, is well past acceptable. Add in the family history and you pass the threshold for negligence in this non-lawyer’s opinion.


Even if you are the forgiving sort, at a minimum the GP needs retraining so as to avoid this happening to others. 



Thanks.  That aspect of it has been dealt with. 

 
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