Struggling with Recovery after RP

User

Posted 31 Mar 2023 at 15:30

Hi, firstly I feel bad posting this when reading others experiences & the difficulties they are experiencing following treatment for prostate cancer. Although my ailments are relatively minor in the scheme of things, I would like to establish if anyone else has been through the same or similar experience to me.

6 weeks ago I had a radical prostatectomy using robot-assisted keyhole surgery at my local NHS hospital.

3 weeks post op I began to feel I had a little energy, and started to decorate a bedroom (nothing major). About 3 days into this little project (I thought very slowly & cautiously) I started to feel really weak. The following day I felt very ill, flu-like symptoms, body finding it difficult to regulate tempreture and at times shaking uncontrollably – BUT body tempreture measured near normal, or slightly cool.

Called NHS111 (it was a Saturday, my Dr’s surgery closed), eventually doctor prescribed ant-biotics to fight possible infection.

Around 5 days after starting the 1 week course of Anti-Biotics, I began to feel a little improved – up to that point I felt very ill but still no tempreture.

Feeling a little better, I started to do some light chores. Feeling improved, yesterday I was determined to get out & do my hitherto regular voluntary session at a local charity. This is low stress/low physical work. It was so good to see folks & brightened me up no end. HOWEVER that evening and now the following day I feel exactly the same as I did 2 weeks ago following my decorating the bedroom – that is very ill, no tempreture, uncontrollably shaking.

For the moment I have decided to completely rest & manage the symptoms with paracetamol/Ibuprofen.

Back to my question, has anybody else had this experience? If so, how did you handle it and how long did it last?

What I can’t get my head around is even if I have “slightly overdone” my activity at this stage post surgery, what on earth is it in the body that makes it feel so awful?

Any thoughts welcome, and best wishes whatever stage of this nightmare you are at.

User

Posted 31 Mar 2023 at 16:17

Hi,

It isn't normal to feel like that. Most people are in good form the day after the op. It doesn't sound like you overdid it.

Have you had a Covid Test? It seems odd that you haven't mentioned Covid or Flu as they sound likely.

It's also possible that something has been left behind after the op.

It doesn't sound like you've been looked at properly by a doctor and it seems to me, if it's not Covid or Flu, you should be persistent with your GP or contact the hospital and say you've been ill since the op.

You could call 111 and ask to be booked in to see a GP in Urgent Care or go to a walk in if necessary. Lay it on a bit.

You might fill in some information in your profile. We don't know your age as that might be factor in how they treat you.

Regards Peter

User

Posted 31 Mar 2023 at 16:33

WW, I typically get the uncontrollable shaking when I have a water infection or UTI. So soon after surgery this is possible. A problem with the new joint between the urethra and bladder is another possibility, and the symptom is described as feeling very ill.

So soon after surgery you need to get checked out.

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 08 Apr 2023 at 12:42

Thanks once again for the encouragement to seek help. Long story short, after spending a hopeless few hours waiting to be seen at the local NHS walk in centre, I went into Hospital A&E. There I collapsed with what I now know was septic shock. Crash team stabilised me & I was admitted.

All the usual tests carried out, but no specific cause of the infection could be established.

Filled to the brim with industrial grade anti-biotics, the infection was brought under control over a few days.

I believe that my body was producing fluid that was not being absorbed by the lymphatic system (properly due to lymph nodes being removed as part of surgery). Some fluid became infected and the body did not care for this & was not absorbing infected fluid.

Back at home now, still feel wiped out due to anti-biotics, but no longer feel ill & gradually recovering.

With hindsight I did not, or was not able too see the fright train of sepsis coming down the track, and left it too long before going to A&E.

In my case I believe my diagnoses was hampered due to having a normal body tempreture. I now realise that this was masking the serious situation I got myself into.

Again, thanks for the support and very best wishes with your situation, whatever that maybe.

Richard

User

Posted 08 Apr 2023 at 14:52

Good luck Richard. All that happening and no-one on here knew. Regards Peter

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User

Posted 31 Mar 2023 at 16:17

Hi,

It isn't normal to feel like that. Most people are in good form the day after the op. It doesn't sound like you overdid it.

Have you had a Covid Test? It seems odd that you haven't mentioned Covid or Flu as they sound likely.

It's also possible that something has been left behind after the op.

You could call 111 and ask to be booked in to see a GP in Urgent Care or go to a walk in if necessary. Lay it on a bit.

You might fill in some information in your profile. We don't know your age as that might be factor in how they treat you.

Regards Peter

User

Posted 31 Mar 2023 at 16:33

So soon after surgery you need to get checked out.

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 31 Mar 2023 at 17:12

Thanks Peter & Chris, great advice. It sounds like this is not normal so I'll get things checked out. PS - it's not Covid.

Really appreciate your replies.

User

Posted 01 Apr 2023 at 09:22

I agree with Chris, what you describe sounds a lot like my experience of a urinary tract infection, especially the uncontrollable shakes.

(In my case that was the beginning of my prostate "adventure", they discovered it an enlarged prostate was preventing me fully emptying my bladder and providing nice culture conditions for bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance).

I think you need your surgical team on the case, there is a definite possibility it is a result of the recent surgery and catheterisation, and if so they will know the best way to sort it out.

User

Posted 01 Apr 2023 at 11:20

I also suspect you have a UTI, and it might be the original antibiotic isn't the right one for the bacteria. (Even a wrong antibiotic can have a short term improvement because many of them are also anti-infammatory which gives short term relief.)

What's usually done in such cases is to prescribe the most likely effective antibiotic while also sending off a sample to be analysed, and if that comes back indicating a different antibiotic is required, then you are given that too. Did you supply a sample?

User

Posted 08 Apr 2023 at 12:42

All the usual tests carried out, but no specific cause of the infection could be established.

Filled to the brim with industrial grade anti-biotics, the infection was brought under control over a few days.

Back at home now, still feel wiped out due to anti-biotics, but no longer feel ill & gradually recovering.

With hindsight I did not, or was not able too see the fright train of sepsis coming down the track, and left it too long before going to A&E.

In my case I believe my diagnoses was hampered due to having a normal body tempreture. I now realise that this was masking the serious situation I got myself into.

Again, thanks for the support and very best wishes with your situation, whatever that maybe.

Richard

User

Posted 08 Apr 2023 at 14:52

Good luck Richard. All that happening and no-one on here knew. Regards Peter

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