Home after RP, what to expect

Littlewren

We all react differently to anesthetic and pain killers etc. Depending on the type of surgery  he has been bashed about, possibly been semi inclined upside down for a few hours, pumped full of gas and had bits taken. Being in a hospital ward is not the best place for recovery.

You should see a vast improvement in the next few days , keep him hydrated and if he hasn't already passed a motion make sure he doesn't get constipation. Once his bodily functions get back to normal his appetite will return to normal as well.

Some painkillers can cause constipation. I don't recall being in too much pain and I kept refusing painkillers.

Always difficult seeing a loved one not at thier best , but in the next few days you should see him getting better. Take it easy but not too easy, he needs to keep mobile but no running marathons.

If you are worried about him call for medical advice , we keep being told the NHS is open for us.

Hope all goes well.

Thanks Chris

Omeprazole is prescribed to protect the stomach lining from the various analgesics such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.

You can read the account of my surgery and recovery below.

Best of luck.

Cheers, John

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t16224-Retzius-Sparing-Laparoscopic-Radical-Prostatectomy

Edited by member 09 Jun 2020 at 05:52  | Reason: Not specified

He's better now in as much as the sickness has gone. He polished off a spagbol last night with no ill effects.

He must have stretched himself last night bending to undress/ sort catheter because he had a pain in one of his wounds ( keyhole). It woke him at 7 am again and he got up but he's still got discomfort. So I suppose he's taken a small step back today but I imagine these things must be expected?

Hi,

I had an open prostectomy about 11 weeks ago now and the first week was pretty tough. Quite sore, struggled with the first bowel movement ( stool softeners definitely a good idea), and struggled to sleep as I could only lie on my back as I am used to and breathing capacity was lower. BUT once that catheter is out you start to feel you are making progress and things get better each day- but don't overdo it. Now, I'm up to cycling 200km a week or so and running a couple of times a week. So, stick with it, watch for any infections and don't do too much. I did find walking from day 1 helped a lot. Not far at first but gradually building things up

Hi I had RP sept 2018. Surgery was more extensive than anticipated but excellent result to date. My first 24 hours were tough. On my return home everyday got better and better. I was advised to undertake a daily gentle walk once i returned home - only a short distance. Getting the blood circulating was good. Once catheter was removed I was well on my way - gases in my abdomen had dissipated and whilst still a bit tender all good - very little leakage. No problem eating. Kept doing daily walks getting longer and longer. After a month no leakage no pads. Started gentle jogging. 
The bit that I underestimated was the ED - I had nerve sparing and lost about 60% of the nerves. It’s only now I am beginning to come to life. I was told to be patient and indeed the prophecy was correct.

Week gone by, getting better.

Just wanted to ask, how long should he be wearing the compression stockings he was given. His feet are a bit puffy, not too bad. All she said was wear them until you are a bit more mobile. He's moving around every hour and going for a short walk outside in the garden a few times a day. Still working through the 28 days of blood thinning injections but I'm not sure when the stockings should come off.

Edited by member 13 Jun 2020 at 12:56  | Reason: Not specified

Husband is complaining about soreness where the catheter goes in. He has another week to go yet before the removal :(

I was wondering too, if his pelvic floor exercises aren't helping in this respect. On his take home info sheets, it said ito start the exercises a week before removal ( although tbh he did start them earlier.) It seems there are two schools of thought regarding doing the exercises while the catheter is still in.

I was surprised too tbh. He was doing them pre op and was too sore to continue them straight away after the op but restarted as instructed. I did wonder if it was a good idea with the catheter in. I suppose hanging fire for another week won't make much difference.

LW

My take on PFEs. There are three stages, first stage moves / lifts the penis slightly. Second stage stops the flow of urine and holds in wind. Third stage stop you pooing yourself. 

Second stage is were to concentrate on. Six pack muscles are a completely different set of muscles, if I contract my six pack muscles is distracts from the efficiency of the pelvic muscles.

Of course we are all different.

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 25 Jun 2020 at 22:37  | Reason: Not specified

He's having it dressed 3 times a week by the nurse and a week ago had a swab. It came back with an infection so he was treated with flucloxocillin. It won't stop weeping.

Today he went back for a redress and she said it had opened and was oozing. Now he's got the flucloxocillan plus metronidazole

I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the fact that his drain in the hospital was collecting more fluid than they expected. At one point they were worried it was urine and he had a internal leak. On testing it, it was found to be normal bodily fluid. Plus about 10 days after the op, while I was washing his joggers he stupidly put his jeans on ( with a belt) and proceeded to bend forwards to the computer desk.

I have a feeling the belt edge rubbed the wound and started this whole debacle off.

Has anyone else had problems with their wounds and when did they resolve themselves. This getting him down now, he feels he's not progressing forwards.

I think we would both love to see a scab form

The skin wounds were glued, I wish they had been stitched or stapled. But they won't do so now because all the stuff has to come out. Dissolving stitches for the deeper cuts but touch wood they are fine.

He's just had a breakthrough moment...felt he needed the loo, got up...no leaks! Went to toilet, all urine successfully down the pan and back in front of the film. Not actually done that before without movement leakage. I don't think for a minute this will happen every time just yet but it certainly gave him a boost.

Can you post that link to the hipster pants TG, then we can pop to Asda.

We had the path report today. Good news and not so good. The good news is the surgeon wrote it is a grade 3 yet after the biopsy it was graded 4. Also the MRI pin pointed to a seminal invasion but on the slab it was discovered there was no spread to the seminals at all. All lymph nodes were clear. So I am presuming the T3b is now a T 3a. Still a T3 because it had spread to nearby tissue. The surgeon did say on the phone he thought that he'd got it all out...dependant on psa check of course.

The bad news was that he wrote there was some amount of small cell found mixed in. We have both slipped into a depression somewhat. The biopsy and MRI both showed up a small tumour and the percents were 5% and 1%. No small cell was picked up by the biopsy so we have been bowled over a great deal.