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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Prostate Cancer / January 2004Update 4U
Well... I am home! Had the radical last Thursday morning and woke up in the recovery room thinking , Damn, that was fast! But I was kept in recovery a long time because I would stop breathing from time-to-time (sleep apnea sp?). I slowly came to and got to me room around 6:00 PM. Was up and walking the next day. The doc kept me there one more full day and then sent me home! 2 things: a. The catheter seem to leak abit when I try to have a BM. I am thinking Depends are in my near future. b. I am somewhat constipated...is this normal? I take the softener that was prescribed but sit for an hour at a time on the commode. (Just me and my Golf Digest). I get the staples out Friday morning and may find out the pathology on my gland and lymph nodes but don't know the date that info will be back. Should lose the catheter in a week or so...and I for one will be GLAD that damn thing is outta there! I am keeping a positive attitude but still have a lingering thoughts. And THANK YOU for your support. It certainly came at just the right time. Best Regards to you all, Phil Lewis hi phil - the night i got home from the hospital - had first BM and had bright red blood on toilet seat and down front on the floor. called surgeon's answer service. it was 10:30pm and he called right back. said it was "normal" ok, only happen a couple of times after that and in less amounts, but scary. do whatever you can to get the BM's going. they want to get everything back in working order as soon as possible. you get to where you do a count down on the removal of the catheter. ~ curtis knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional > a. The catheter seem to leak abit when I try to have a BM. I am > thinking Depends are in my near future. Very common, but usually you're on the toilet at the time, so don't worry about it. > b. I am somewhat constipated...is this normal? I take the softener that > was prescribed but sit for an hour at a time on the commode. (Just me > and my Golf Digest). Constipation is normal. Call your doc and get a better solution. You don't want to become impacted, especially with your prostate 'space' still empty next to your colon. Next you'll be in the hospital with diverticulitis. I see that there have been reply's to you already, Phil, but to add to the advise already given (and i'm only 3 weeks post-surgery!): >2 things: >a. The catheter seem to leak abit when I try to have a BM. I am >thinking Depends are in my near future. This is normal - The first time I had leakage around the cathether, I wanted to rip the plumbing out of the wall! Fortunately, the 'instruction booklet' I was given upon discharge told me that this was normal, unless the flow outside the cathether was heavier than what was going into the bag. >b. I am somewhat constipated...is this normal? I take the softener that >was prescribed but sit for an hour at a time on the commode. (Just me >and my Golf Digest). Very normal - - I didn't have a bowel movement for 3 days after my surgery. I told my partner, 'unless I scream out your name, just ignore the moans and groans coming from the bathroom'! Increase your intake of fluids and get more fiber into your diet (veggies, grains, prune/apple juice, etc.), take your Colace, and eat smaller portions at each meal sitting (eating several small meals during the day). This allows your body to 'catch up' on what it is it's supposed to be doing. >I get the staples out Friday morning and may find out the pathology on >my gland and lymph nodes but don't know the date that info will be back. I keep reading of you and others who had staples to close their incision. I had no staples (which surprised the hell out of me!), but instead, I had subcutaneous sutures, and steri strips closing the surface of my skin. The strips were removed 2 weeks after my surgery, and my scar looks pretty clean and neat! >Should lose the catheter in a week or so...and I for one will be GLAD >that damn thing is outta there! I was reluctant to believe this, but it's true... once it is out, you will be amazed at how quickly you forget it was in! (though part of you will NEVER forget it! LOL) >I am keeping a positive attitude but still have a lingering thoughts. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >Best Regards to you all, >Phil Lewis A positive attitude is what it's all about, Phil. And yes, the support from this group is incredibly beneficial to us all! Rus Massachusetts Hi, Phil.... Glad to hear you are past the surgery and back home. Leakage around the cath is perfectly normal. Nothing to worry about... and it doesn't necessarily mean you will have worse problems with incontinence when it comes out. As for the BM, you want to try to get it started as soon as you can. Eat fibers/fruits... prunes always help. My doc told me to take Milk of Magnesia in the beginning..... and that certainly helped. Sounds like you are doing all the right things... Now it's just a matter of keeping those spirits up, getting the cath out, and then getting on with the rest of your life! Cancer free!! Take care and keep us posted! MikeH > Well... > I am home! Had the radical last Thursday morning and woke up in the [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > Best Regards to you all, > Phil Lewis He's right. Hubby had this and was continent and potent from the get go.  SignatureRebecca Ford "> Leakage around the cath is perfectly normal. Nothing to worry about... and > it doesn't necessarily mean you will have worse problems with incontinence > when it comes out. Hi Phil, I too spent extra time in recovery, not because I stopped breathing but rather because I would not warm up. I do not remember much of it but my spouse told me I was still shivering when they wheeled me back to my room after about four hours in recovery. As for the catheter leaking, that is normal. Mine leaked starting about the third day. It results from a not perfect seal between the baloon and the bladder. I had to wear a pad along with the catheter. I was not constipated but I took plenty of stool softeners. I took 200mg of ducosate sodium each day and they also come in 250mg softgels. Good luck with the rest of your recovery. How many minutes until the cath comes out? Dave Perry > Well... > I am home! Had the radical last Thursday morning and woke up in the [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > Best Regards to you all, > Phil Lewis >Hi Phil, >I too spent extra time in recovery, not because I stopped breathing [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >cath comes out? >Dave Perry How long do you have the cath? 14 days? The reason Im asking is that Im a nurse in Norway, working at a urologi ward. So we have a lot of patients that having the same surgery. My impression is that, the patients who have had this procedyre recover rather quick. Hope you get cancer free. Wish you all the best. Torben The Uro said the catheter would stay in two weeks. Today is the one-week anniversary of my op so I am guess I have but one week left.... Last night I took a laxative pill that "works overnight" and it did it's job very well. I had my first "session" this morning and started feeling better right off the bat! 7 more days... Phil > >Hi Phil, > >I too spent extra time in recovery, not because I stopped breathing [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Torben Phil, A question for you and others... Are you sitting on the toilet because you feel a bowel movement about to happen or just sitting there because that's how it's always been for you? As others here have said, not having a bowel movement for several days is quite normal. I was nervous as ever when I went several days without one; a new experience for me. Those pain meds might not be needed as long as the prescription allows but that's a personal call. They gave me 2 kinds, one super duty and another lighter duty that gets used longer. For me it was more the anticipation of pain rather than the actual pain or events. That came from having a terrible time that first night in the hospital bed. Recovery room? Heck I don't remember a single thing even when people told me they spoke to me. And that catheter leaked only after I went for my first big walk and didn't feel the bag being pulled down my leg. Taking care to not get rashes AFTER it's removed is a wise move. By getting a good barrier cream to use or you'll get a serious baby rash and THAT can drive you nuts. What worked for me about keeping a good attitude was to tell my friends that I'm incontinent and joke about it along with how limiting it is. Most people will listen and understand or even share a story about a father or what it's like for a woman t deal with similar issues. Remember--- it's out and that's something to be grateful for,, greg I was sitting on the toilet because I needed to go. But I was told not to "push" and it was causing a lot of uncomfortable pressure. And you body naturally reacts to this pressure and tries to go but being "plugged up" it was kinda like trying to squeeze half-dried tooth paste from a tube. Eventually everything "worked out" and I am back going a lot easier. Phil > Phil, A question for you and others... > Are you sitting on the toilet because you feel a bowel movement about to [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > about a father or what it's like for a woman t deal with similar issues. > Remember--- it's out and that's something to be grateful for,, greg Mine was in 10 days after laparoscopic surgery. Dave Perry > How long do you have the cath? 14 days? > The reason Im asking is that Im a nurse in Norway, working at a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Torben Mine was 12/15 to 1/2 SignatureProstate Cancer Survivor (so far), not a doctor PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46 Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c RRP 12/15/2000 PSA .1 .1 .1 .3 .4 .8 EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47 PSA .3 .2 .2 .2 .3 Erection 05/12/2003 @ 48 HTbegins 07/21/2003 @ 48 PSA .1 Lupron 7/03, 8/03, 12/03 > Mine was in 10 days after laparoscopic surgery. > Dave Perry [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > > > Torben I "enjoyed" Mr. Foley's company for 8 days following laparoscopic RP. > How long do you have the cath? 14 days? > The reason Im asking is that Im a nurse in Norway, working at a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Torben Heck, I am getting kinda used to having that damn thing dangling out the bottom of my Depends....Maybe I should just wash it out when this is all over and make it into a Bota Bag for wine or something???? NOT! Phil > I "enjoyed" Mr. Foley's company for 8 days following laparoscopic RP. > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > > > Torben > >Hi Phil, > >I too spent extra time in recovery, not because I stopped breathing [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Torben > How long do you have the cath? 14 days? Torben, It was 9 days after my RP. My surgeon usually removed them after 9 or 10. I have heard that at the Cleveland clinic they remove them after an absurdly short time, like 3 days or some such thing. But that's 3rd hand information. Maybe someone on this list could verify or contradict it. JohnG |
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