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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Prostate Cancer / September 2004I'm Home
I came back from the hospital today from the robotic laproscopic surgery. Preliminary data indicates no spread, but this is obviously dependent on the prostate biopsy. The operation lasted about 4 hours. I wernt to sleep quickly and woke up in the recovery room feeling surprised that it was over. The incisions are not very sore at all! My main problems are the catheter and the fact that the pelvic drain is still emitting fluid and thus will remain in until probably the time thst the catheter is removed (next Thursday). Both the pelvic drain and the tip of the catheter are leaking bloody fluid, which makes it hard to decide what to wear. I am currently wearing an adult pullup, which takes care of the catheter and my underrshirt is stained. Hopefully the pelvic drain will stop oozing soon. My main problem with discomfort is with the catheter. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate them. The hospital toilet seat had an open front and therefore when the catheter was adjusted to be comfortable normally, it was also comfortable to sit on the toilet. At home we have an elongated toilet with a closed seat and the catheter has to be longer to go over the seat and down to the bag. So far I have just changed the position of the catheter when I use the toilet, but this is not really a good solution. Thanks for all of your good wishes and prayers!!! BobS Glad to see that you are back at home, Bob! The most difficult part is behind you now.... I wish you a speedy recovery! MikeH :) > I came back from the hospital today from the robotic laproscopic > surgery. Preliminary data indicates no spread, but this is obviously [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks for all of your good wishes and prayers!!! > BobS Bob, welcome home. Glad to hear everything went well, so far. Don't know what to tell you about that damned catheter. I just kind of experimented around trying to accommodate it as best I could. My bigger problem with it was sleeping in the bed with the big bag hanging off the bed frame on one side when I wanted to turn and sleep on the other. The tube wasn't long enough! And I was constantly worrying about inadvertently pulling it out. Also, I developed some minor irritation from the catheter that a little bit of polysporin ointment seemed to relieve. Mine was in 14 days. With your robotic lap procedure, I imagine you won't have yours in that long.  SignatureJerryW jweindel at flash dot net > I came back from the hospital today from the robotic laproscopic > surgery. Preliminary data indicates no spread, but this is obviously [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks for all of your good wishes and prayers!!! > BobS > Bob, welcome home. Glad to hear everything went well, so far. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > wasn't long enough! And I was constantly worrying about inadvertently > pulling it out. Why not plug it and drain intermittently, as I do, rather than use a bag? Larry Never thought about trying that. SignatureJerryW jweindel at flash dot net > > Bob, welcome home. Glad to hear everything went well, so far. > > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Why not plug it and drain intermittently, as I do, rather than use a bag? > Larry Larry, Just a followup question to a physician. As I said, I hadn't even thought about plugging the foley and collecting urine in the bladder instead of a bag. As I thought about this, and how much sense it made to do it that way, I wondered if there was any possibility of compromising the anastamosis by letting the bladder fill so soon postoperatively, particularly in an overnight situation. Would the filling bladder create an urgency to urinate long before actually filling the bladder to the point of stretching it? Just curious in Texas. SignatureJerryW jweindel at flash dot net > > Bob, welcome home. Glad to hear everything went well, so far. > > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Why not plug it and drain intermittently, as I do, rather than use a bag? > Larry > Larry, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Just curious in Texas. This is a very good thought, Jerry, and I don't know the answer. My situation is not as above. I have a long-term stricture problem related to my EBRT, and have self-cathed for two years. A week ago I was unable to cath: I probably began a false passage. I am wearing an indwelling for two weeks while the false passage heals, and am using a plug in my catheter rather than bagging it. There is no bladder consideration in this circumstance, so it may well be that dependent drainage is necessary at that stage. In 1988, when I had my TURP, I was on dependent drainage and did not use a plug. Larry Larry, Thanks for the clarification. I do now remember you talking about being self-cathed with long term stricture following EBRT. The father of one of my co-workers had a similar kind of problem with EBRT following RP. Over a period of about two years, I guess, he developed increasing stricture (from scarring?) and was self-catheterizing. Earlier this year he had to have a port put in...is doing OK now. SignatureJerryW jweindel at flash dot net > > Larry, > > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > drainage and did not use a plug. > Larry Or giving yourself a bladder infection. On 8/20/04 4:01 PM, in article 0pvVc.5771$FV3.3188@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com, "JerryW" <jerryw@seemysig.net> wrote: > Larry, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Just curious in Texas. > Or giving yourself a bladder infection. Glenn, the factor mainly responsible for bladder infection is incomplete emptying: at least that is what I was taught. There should be no more risk to infection due to intermittent emptying of the bladder via a plugged indwelling catheter - versus continuous dependent drainage - than there is in the case of intermittent emptying of the normal bladder in the normal way in youth and health. Larry > On 8/20/04 4:01 PM, in article > 0pvVc.5771$FV3.3188@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com, "JerryW" [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > > > Just curious in Texas. Bob: On the catheter, I bought a velcro strap that was made for the Foley. It cost four or five dollars. The velcro was for attaching the strap around my leg, and it had a setup to hold the tube just above where the connector was at. The idea was to secure the Foley so if the tube got caught on anything it would disconnect at the point where the tubes joined and it would not pull the catheter out. With this you could also switch sides as needed. I also had some ointment that helped, but make sure it will not damage the tubing. There are different types of catheter tubes, and some can be affected by petroleum based products. When I sat on the toilet the Foley leaked badly. I always had a wad of toiler paper that I held around the end of my penis to absorb the urine as it came out. It did not just drip, but sometimes would spurt out quite a bit for a foot or more. That sure surprised me the first time it happened. I had the catheter in for three weeks. I pray you have a more reasonable doctor who removes the damn thing in a week or at most two. Best of luck to you. Thank you. David S. > I came back from the hospital today from the robotic laproscopic > surgery. Preliminary data indicates no spread, but this is obviously [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks for all of your good wishes and prayers!!! > BobS Retaping to change the catheter position is an option. Re the velcro, I told the doctor I wanted to use it, but he said not to because of the potential danger of blood clots with a strap around the leg. Don't know how significant this concern is. My experience: the catheter was just plain uncomfortable, but by shifting my legs/body I could move into positions that were relatively better. Paul > Bob: > On the catheter, I bought a velcro strap that was made for the Foley. [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > Thanks for all of your good wishes and prayers!!! > > BobS Sounds like you are in good hands. The discomfort of original surgery, and catheter will be a slight memory in 3 weeks. Hang in there, and no one likes the catheter......... You need to relieve yourself via catheter........get used to it, wash, and lubricate the point where the tube enters. Use double antibiotic. salve. You are going to be just fine! You made it pat the biggest hump! John Loomis > I came back from the hospital today from the robotic laproscopic > surgery. Preliminary data indicates no spread, but this is obviously [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks for all of your good wishes and prayers!!! > BobS Congratulations on your progress so far. I agree with previous posters that a certain amount of bother with the catheter just goes with the territory. Remember to rinse your undershirts with cold water, hot water will set a bloodstain (tip courtesy of my wife). When you say that there is fluid leaking from the tip of the catheter, I assume you mean from the tip of your penis. This happened to me whenever I had a BM. I am assuming you got some extra adhesive leg supports for the catheter tube when you left the hospital -- mine were called "cathsupport," I think. I held the connection of the catheter tube to the bag tube on my leg and stood up, sat down, spread my leg (like I was sitting on the toilet) before placing the leg support. This gave me some assurance of slack in the tube. However, I don't think it was ever that comfortable when I was on the toilet seat, so I took the tube out of the leg support and held it in one hand to make sure it stayed straight, unkinked and slack. > I came back from the hospital today from the robotic laproscopic > surgery. Preliminary data indicates no spread, but this is obviously [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks for all of your good wishes and prayers!!! > BobS I too used some kind of a bandage on my leg to hold the cath tube in place. When using the toilet, my natural tendency was to have my penis point down into the bowl - however, with the cath, it's not necessary. It was a strange feeling, but it'll be a memory in short time. As for sleeping in bed witht eh darn thing - I gave up on that. I decided that the reclining chair was my friend - I slept there as long as I had the cath in. Also asked my doc to give me something to help me get through the night - as a restful night's sleep is important for the healing process. Good luck, Sandy K. *I came back from the hospital today from the robotic laproscopic *surgery. Preliminary data indicates no spread, but this is obviously *dependent on the prostate biopsy. The operation lasted about 4 hours. *I wernt to sleep quickly and woke up in the recovery room feeling *surprised that it was over. The incisions are not very sore at all! Welcome back! I can't suggest anything about the blasted Foley except be extra careful. Time will pass quickly and soon you'll be having <.1 PSA checkups. Al Please be quiet if replying via email, flames will be deleted promptly. I won't even read the whole message... Boy, I'm really enjoying all this talk about the Foley, Catheter, straps, leaking fluids, irritation, etc. Thanks guys, something else for me to think about!!! Just kidding, The more prepared I am the better prepared I'll be. (Make sense??) Gald everything looks upbeat, Bob. Keep us posted. Frank B. (RRP 9/2/04) Frank You r in my thoughts and prayers> I know you will be fine. As for the catheter. I have had 2 once before the RRP and the one after RRP. The before one was agrevating a heck. Needed pain meds to sleep. The post RRP was cath was not irritating at all, just a drag to keep track of. Someone here painted a picture of his dog on the night bag so that when he went for walks it was like walking his dog. I am not as artistic I just told people I was walking my puppy. I am sure you have kept yourself busy reading this and other site so I am confident you are prepared. Please let us know when you get home and have the energy to post. |
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