Bladder Function

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ChristyRN
ChristyRN Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I'm new here. I'm an RN, but work in the OR, so I'm clueless to all of this.

My boyfriend had an anterior-posterior resection with permanant colostomy. He lost his bladder function.

Did any of you experience this and if you did, how long did it last?

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  • KierstenRx
    KierstenRx Member Posts: 249
    #2
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    Hi Christy,
    I had APR surgery with permanent colostomy last February. I too have had problems with bladder function. Mine started almost immediately after surgery. Would especially lose function at night. I saw a urologist who said that when they do that surgery it can cut through those delicate nerves and cause damage. He also said that the radiation could continue to cause problems for up to two years. I am over a year out from surgery and still have problems from time to time. Sometimes my bladder will behave just fine for weeks, then suddenly it will go haywire and I will start having control promblems again. Most days I wear a thin liner just in case.

    How far out of surgery is your boyfriend??? A urologist may be able to help. Mine put me on Vesicare for several months and that definitely helped.

    Please feel free to email me if you need to ask any "in depth" questions.

    Kiersten
  • dn220
    dn220 Member Posts: 79 Member
    #3
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    I have lost some function but I had surgery that affected my bladder before my resection. The doctor says I need surgery on my bladder but getting chemo and having 6 surgeries in a year, we cant do that right now. My bladder incont is getting worse every day though so I may end up having to have it done. My resection with permannet colostomy was just in march though.
    Deb
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    #4
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    I had the same op as your boyfriend. I ended up with very mild changes in bladder function (reduced sensation of 'urge', but I still enough to let me know; some leakage after vigorous exercise -- I use thin pad on those occasions). In my case, I'm not sure if it was the surgery or the presurgical radiation. I support the idea of seeking consultation with urologist or other specialists. Hope this improves with time....or minimal intervention. Best wishes
  • ChristyRN
    ChristyRN Member Posts: 2
    #5
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    His surgery was Feb 26. With the cysto, it lasted nearly nine hours (that's a teaching hospital for you)

    He just got his nephrostomy tube out last week. He still has no sensation, but can go pee. He says he has to "push" it out. Not sure what he means by that, but he takes longer than a woman to go to the bathroom now. If he goes too long without going, he'll leak on himself, so he goes about every two hours--even at night.

    He has been in contact with urology. They sent him home on Flomax--not sure he's taking it now. He's supposed to go for something called a Lasix Radiosomething to check on the flow through the renal system.

    He still has radiation to go--will that make it worse?

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