There is a FAQ about what you need after a radical prostatectomy that is
posted here regularly.  If you do a google groups search you ought to be
able to find it.

You will be in some pain but it should be controllable by the pain
killers they give you after surgery.  The biggest problem I had was some
gas, and that sort of thing is not uncommon.  But it resolved pretty
quickly.  Once I got home, I found I didn't need too much in the way of
pain killers.   I think I took Vicodin at most three or four times.  The
biggest problem of course is dealing with the catheter.   You are
fortunate to have it removed so early.  After they take it out, you
should feel a lot better pretty quickly.

The most important thing is to walk as much as possible.  Also, don't
sit with your legs down for any extended period.   Get up and walk
around for a while after half an hour of sitting.  That is to avoid a
blood clot in a leg, which can go to the lungs, and even result in a
stroke.   It is the only really serious potential problem following surgery.

Walking will also help speed your recovery.

How bad am I going to feel immediately after the operation? After my
hemorrhoid operation, I was in severe pain (controlled by pain-killers)
for at least 12 hours - had to be knocked out for most of that time. I
think that this is the major question that the doctor will side-step.
------------------
I was told a long time ago that a hemorrhoid operation is a simple but
one of the most painful operations.  so, if that is true, then this is a
cake walk.

having gone through the standard RP, after the ICU area, which i slept
most of the time.  after i was transferred to a room, i just took a pain
killer twice a day and it took the edge off of the pain.  i was amazed
that i was in that little pain.  my only major pain, was when i would
try to sit up and i was pulling on those muscle groups.  but just laying
there and not a problem at all.

hope this helps.

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional    
"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."

 You should have an IV and a button, to self-administer morphine or the like.
I did.  It takes much more to get rid of pain after it has become severe than
to keep it mild in the first place, so don't wait for it to get bad.  I walked
a few circuits around the ward the day after surgery, but geting out of bed was
a real pain,,, ;-}  That will be tough for several weeks- I have forgotten
exactly how long, mine was three years ago.  There will be a drain tube in your
belly, attached to a bag.  The removal of my catheter was delayed several weeks
because this other tube kept pumping reddish fluid out.  Handling the urine bag
is a bummer.

You are lucky on the catheter. I had mine for a little over two weeks, and
took it out myself (per the doctor's instructions). And, yes, four to six
weeks is about right if you include full recovery. I went back to work at
four weeks and other than getting tired easily, there were no problems.

There's a reason he'll side step the question -- everyone is different in
their ability to tolerate pain. For me there was never a moment of pain
after the surgery. Now, I have a very high pain tolerance. I never used the
morphine that was available to me, nor did I use the Vicodin or other pain
killers. Your mileage may vary.

Ed

Leo,

I did not have any problem with pain except for maybe the first day or
two in the hospital and that was controlled very well with pills.  The
pain I felt right after waking from the operation they asked me on a
scale of 1 to 10 how bad the pain was and I said it was fairly intense
and finally after they asked a second and a third time I said about a 7.  
After that first few minutes it was almost nothing, because of the pain
meds they administered.  Don't worry about the pain part it won't be as
bad as you think.  You will be sleepy and everything will get better and
better.

The 4 to 6 weeks you will not be able to do normal work activities like
lifting ect.  You have to watch those types of activities because of the
surgery....don't want to bust a stitch laughing ect.  Walking is great
though and do it if you feel up to it.  The healing process goes on for
up to two or three years.  You will have most of the recovery in a
matter of weeks for some of us and months for others.  

Everyone goes their own way with this.  I'm happy to say we are not
machines.

Dale J.

Dear Leo -

Pain is one of those things that differs from person to person.  I had an
epidural and pain meds were administered continually while at the hospital
and I had a button that I could press every 30 minutes if I needed
additional meds.  I was given fentenyl - supposed to be 80 times more
powerful than morphine.  I remember pressing the button a few times in the
recovery room - however, we discovered that the button wasn't working.  Once
repaired, I did use it when I experienced pain.  I was released from the
hospital 48 hours after I went into the OR.  I am still taking Celebrex 2x
per day and only used additional vicodin for the first few days at home.  If
I feel any additional pain (rarely) I use ES Tylenol.  For me, the most pain
now comes from coughing, sneezing or laughing - it's actute and I just have
to work my way through it.  I think the pain is not the biggest issue.  For
me, it's the garden hose I have attached to me and the difficulty getting
comfortable to sleep.  My cath comes out this Monday - I'm looking forward
to it.

Sandy K.
Age 47 2/04 - PSA 4.9
3/5/04 - Biopsy 9 of 10 cores positive
Gleason 6, Staging T2b
6/17/04 - RPP at Sloane Kettering in NYC

I felt absolutely no pain... none!  I wanted to keep my eyes closed in
Recovery.  I didn't open them until I was wheeled to my room.  Then I wanted
to sleep.  By that night, I was up and walking.  I had no problem walking,
but I did feel unsteady when getting up.  Never any pain.

I used the "pain button" a little bit for the first two days after the RRP.
They urge you to use it if you think there might be pain.  No pain medication
needed after the second day.  I slept on my back for perhaps 3 or 4 weeks
because lying on my side was somewhat painful.  No pain at all while on my
back.

Not much fatigue or discomfort at all. I returned to work after 4 weeks.

Of course everyone's experience is different.....

 Al

Hi Leo,
My experience was I guess a good one. I had little post op pain, what I did
was controlled by self administered morphine. I got rid of it after day 2
and went onto 2 Paracetamol tabs and a Cox inhibitor twice a day.  Really
didn't need them after day 5 but continued for the standard 10 day stay in
Sydney. The catheter came out on day 10 and I went home. The drain in my
left groin was my main bugbear and was glad when that came out. I started to
walk on the day of the surgery and continued to walk as much as possible.
Also drinking lots of filtered slightly alkaline water seemed to help me
especially when the catheter came out and I had my first pee! Absolutely no
pain or stinging. If you are reasonably physically fit do as much aerobic
exercises you can manage prior to the operation, do really deep breathing
exercises and keep positive. After the op gradually do your deep breathing
and exercises. I was fortunate in having a nurse-in-charge who ensured I
didn't slack off the pace!!! Especially the deep breathing. Within 1 week of
coming home I was driving my ancient MGB and doing all of my shopping. Went
to the movies and sat through 3 hours without discomfort 2 weeks after
return. It is now around 6 weeks (May 15) since the op and apart from a sort
of residual bruising type feeling, brought on I think from the cold weather
and the flu, I am leading a normal life. I drive, I take the subway I go to
town, the movies just not lifting anything too heavy and not riding my push
bike just yet!!! another 4 weeks apparently. I am 66

Cheers

FredP
PS My greatest pain was the boredom in hospital for 10 days!!

The anesthesiologist over medicated me so I have no recollection of
recovery or being taking to my room other than being bumped around a
bunch.  My pain was when I started puking due to the anesthesia.  That
was an experience for me.  I had this incredible discomfort in the
small of my back because of the Trendelenburg position they used and I
had to stand up.  The second my feet hit the floor up came nothing.  I
thought I was going to eviscarate myself.  hey were very concern about
my BP because it was too low.  Then came the questions about the pain.
"Oh no!  No more of that sh** please!"  That was when it started
getting better.  The vomiting set the bar for pain for me (thought I
was going to pop staples at high velocities).  It was still managable
and I have an average tolerance for pain.  After the first few hours
there was what I expected as far as pain. Heck, I'd been cut on!  It
was the small of my bad back that really bothered to any degree.
Walking was my salvation be it mere feet thanks to the IV or around
the room or down the hall.
I had the catheter for two weeks.  You should get a set of wings or a
special tab pinned on after that experience.  It wasn't painful, just
irritating those last few days.
You'll do fine...take it one hour at a time thenone day at a time.

Chuck McClellan

*How bad am I going to feel immediately after the operation? After my
*hemorrhoid operation, I was in severe pain (controlled by
*pain-killers) for at least 12 hours - had to be knocked out for most
*of that time. I think that this is the major question that the doctor
*will side-step.

Well, for me it wasn't so much pain, but nausea. I couldn't eat or
drink anything for 2 days (including the day of operation). Otherwise,
had some percadan available which came in handy at times, but morphine
bottomed out my pulse rate and blood pressure. Hopefully, this won't
be anywhere near the pain levels you've previously experienced.

Al

Please be quiet if replying via email,
flames will be deleted promptly.
I won't even read the whole message...

You've gotten a lot of good answers already.  All I
can add is a bit of advice:

 Hope for the best, but don't worry too much if
 the experience is worse than you're hoping for.

Some people had no pain at all.  Some had serious pain.
One even had vomiting.  Some had little or no pain at
home in the following weeks.  Some had a lot.

But ALL of them got over the pain as time went by.
So if you have pain, be assured that this too shall
pass.  However bad it is the evening after the operation,
it probably won't get worse and will certainly get better
as time passes.

One more point about the catheter.  Most people seem
to have required catheters for longer than one week.
Don't be shocked if yours lasts longer than one week
too.  The nurse may have given you a best case
scenario on that.  Hopefully, she's right.  But it might
last longer.

When you wake up after the operation.  Don't think
about the pain.  Don't think about the catheter.  Think
first of all about this:  The treatment is over and done!
The cancer is gone!

Those thoughts will carry you through any post-operative
pain and discomfort and keep your spirits high.

Best wishes.

   Alan

I had RRP Sept. 0f 2002, at age 49 Gleason 7(4+3)T2B.

Whatever the nurse tells you may or may not be the case for you. They
told me I'd be home after 3 days. But I was draining so much into the
JP drain, I had to stay 5 days. I was never in much pain, used the
self administered morphine drip only 2 days. But decided I didn't
really like the way the drugs made me feel, quit using it. I used one
Vicodin every 4 hours for 2 more days after. I was up and about after
2 days, walking all over the ward with the JP drain bucket in one hand
and the catheter bag in the other. (a few weird looks from everybody I
passed, the JP drain bucket was blood red, the nurses finally gave me
some sort of bag to hide the bucket)! The catheter was in for 3 weeks,
the JP drain for 4 weeks, I leaked a lot at home. I was back on the
bike(I'm an active cyclist)after 3 weeks. I was back at work in 6
weeks, but I could have been back after 3 weeks easily. (I have a
generous employer).

It's not all that bad. Just hope they get all the cancer out.

Just don't worry about it, you'll be fine...really.

Tom
Portland, Oregon

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