Pre-op Questions

william1
william1 Member Posts: 35
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I sincerely hope everyone had a blessed holiday.

I am waiting to have a mini-lap R/P next month and am wondering if any of you have advice on how I might better prepare myself for surgery. My doctor has advised me to lose twenty pounds ( I'm working on it), take a multi-vitamin every morming and to walk.

Are there any specific vitamins I should be taking? How about exercises? I'm trying to walk at least thirty minutes a day.

Another concern is how do I better prepare myself mentally? As the time draws nearer I find that I'm re-reading the potiential side effects and the percentages of those men who will overcome them in time. I know and accept fact that there are no gurantees and understand each mans case is unique. I just want to do everything within my power to enhance my recovery.

How will I feel in the recovery room when they wake me? How soon will they get me out of bed to walk? I've never had any type of surgery, should I anticipate a tremendous amount of pain? Is it true the catheter will be more bothersome than the incision?

If you'd share your experience by posting a response on this sight or sending me an e-mail I'd be very appreciative. I'm 53 years young and other than being a little overweight am in good general health.

Thanks, William

Comments

  • rogermoore
    rogermoore Member Posts: 264 Member
    #2
    Good morning William,

    I am sorry to be so tardy in responding to your posting, but I am just returning from vacation.

    Sorry to hear of your diagnosis, but am glad you are visiting our site. I am a 4 3/4 yr survivor of a RP at age 58. I just celebrated my 63 birthday in excellent health. Feel free to visit my home page on this site.

    As far as exercises, you should be exercising the kegel whenever you think of it. This is the tightening of the adominal muscles like you would trying to stop the stream during urination. Following surgery and removal of the prostate, other muscles will have to assume the duties of the prostate, one of which is stopping the flow of urine. If possible, it would be good to lose some weight as the doctor suggested.

    As for pain, as with any surgery there will be some pain. In my case, I had surgery in the morning and they moved me from the bed to a chair that evening. It did hurt considerably. They will insert the catheter prior to surgery. It will not hurt following surgery, but will become uncomfortable before removal.

    There will be pain, but in my case it wasn't excruciating. I traveled 5 hours from the hospital to home on the third day following surgery (Nashville to Tupelo)without needing any type of pain killer. As a matter of fact I never took any pain killer once leaving the hospital the third day. The day following surgery you will be up and walking in the hallway.

    If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me or post them on this site.

    Good luck

    Roger
  • Photon
    Photon Member Posts: 57
    #3
    Hi William

    As Roger says sorry for being late replying. Also He has said it all virtually. By the way you Americans must be tougher than us Brits because they kept me in for 7 days after my RP, although they had me out of bed in chair 10 hours after the op. It was painful. That was 18 months ago. In my case it took me 3 months to gain continence and because of the severity of the tumour I could not have nerve sparing surgery. But life is good and I was back to heavy mountain walking within 4 months at the age of 61.

    One thing I would add to Roger's note is to make some specific mixed fruit and vegetable juices (preferably organic) to help overcome the effects of the anaesthetic - internet has some recipes.

    All the best for your op I am sure you will come through it well.

    Photon
  • JohnW55
    JohnW55 Member Posts: 8
    #4
    mMy doctor told me not to take any vitamins nor aspirin beginning 2 weeks before surgury. I had lap surgury in August and it went very badly, needed emergency surgury next day as I developed internal bleeding the next day. I am 55, my tumor had already come out of the capsule. Good luck, most turn out fine. John
  • Peter51
    Peter51 Member Posts: 29
    #5
    WIlliam, I'm sure you'll come through the surgery fine but it certainly would be better for your body and your mind to follow all the advice given you such as losing weight, excercising and doing the kegal excercises.

    After the surgery, you'll be uncomfortable and may want to prepare your sleeping and resting areas beforehand. I did not have a recliner and rented a medical one that helped me get from a standing position to a sitting position. That was a lifesaver. I also got a hospital style rolling table and a new laptop computer so that I could work from home. I also rented a bar that slipped between my mattress and boxspring, another lifesaver. Getting upright and back down horizontally can be a real test of your will for a week or so.

    I don't want to tell you the pain will be little. The best part is that it reduces dramatically each day afer the surgery. I found that it stayed with me a while but was about halved each day from the day before.

    Another important issue is to keep your stools soft. Listen to all the advice given by the medical staff to keep loose. I was given percoset for the pain but they advised me that by using it the pain would be much worse since a side effect of that drug is to constipate you.

    Good luck. Keep your spirits up. You'll be reflecting back soon and advising others.

    Peter
  • Willx
    Willx Member Posts: 41
    #6
    William, you may think this to be a crazy suggestion, but I'll make it anyway. Between now and your surgery, you should have as much sex as possible. In addition, you should take a picture of your erect penis, because it may the last time you ever see it in that natural condition again. I hope you are not offended by this suggestion, but I wish someone had told me the same thing before I had my surgery over 7 years ago.
  • william1
    william1 Member Posts: 35
    #7
    Willx said:

    William, you may think this to be a crazy suggestion, but I'll make it anyway. Between now and your surgery, you should have as much sex as possible. In addition, you should take a picture of your erect penis, because it may the last time you ever see it in that natural condition again. I hope you are not offended by this suggestion, but I wish someone had told me the same thing before I had my surgery over 7 years ago.

    Thanks, to all of you for sharing your personal experiences. Until now I've always been a very private person when it came medical problems. I have always avoided visiting and talking with family and friends who have become ill. It's not that I intend any disrespect, it's just always been a private matter with me. Before I was diagnosed with P/C I never would have believed I'd be reaching out for assistance in this manner.
    Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge with others. It means a lot.

    Willx, all I can say is I'm praying the good doctor can or will preserve the nerve bundles. Yes, this thought has been on my mind constantly. The thought of NO more erections and NO more orgasims is mind shattering. All things considered... I still choose life. A quality of life is important to all. I guess it just has to be re-defined from time to time !
    William
  • popsvdb
    popsvdb Member Posts: 3
    #8
    william1 said:

    Thanks, to all of you for sharing your personal experiences. Until now I've always been a very private person when it came medical problems. I have always avoided visiting and talking with family and friends who have become ill. It's not that I intend any disrespect, it's just always been a private matter with me. Before I was diagnosed with P/C I never would have believed I'd be reaching out for assistance in this manner.
    Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge with others. It means a lot.

    Willx, all I can say is I'm praying the good doctor can or will preserve the nerve bundles. Yes, this thought has been on my mind constantly. The thought of NO more erections and NO more orgasims is mind shattering. All things considered... I still choose life. A quality of life is important to all. I guess it just has to be re-defined from time to time !
    William

    Hey Guy!

    That's why we all is here! Power in numbers and that stuff!

    Ya know, it's hard for a lot of guys to talk about this thing, 'cause its so closely related to what makes us men "manly"!

    My pop died of prostate cancer at the young age of 32. I was six. NOBODY knew it was prostate cancer that killed him until after I was diagnosed and was doing my research. Even my Mom had kept it secret from me. Too bad. I'd have been much more sensitve to it's indicators at a much earlier age.

    Anyway, I'm OK now, at least for the time being. To a large extent it was due to "Asking Questions!" Lot's of 'em, hundreds, thousands...

    Ask away. Don't feel shy. There are thousands upon thousands of us willing to share our experiences and our knowledge. Just one insight might make all th edifference in the world.

    I did no special physical preparation (stay away from aspirin or any other blood thinner). Of course you'll go through a pre-op routine. I'll let your doc fill you in on that! Suffcie it to say I hope you like lemon aid - lots of (special) lemon aid. I also hop eyour sewer system is in good shape!

    IDid alot of psychological prep. Get your support group around you - lots of hugs and kisses and the like - do your "I'm gonna be OK" cheer, get everybody to do it with you. This ain't namby-pamby. It's important.

    Post op I had no pain, no pain killers. I had the same op you're gonna have. You'll be fine!

    The cath is a pain in the butt (oops - wrong hole, and it wasn't really painful, just a nussance). Talk at length about Side Effects with your doc. Badger him. Mine was reticent to get in to the details - you need to know them, you need to internalize them.

    Yell for more info. Email is best, but I'll be here from time to time.

    Keep the faith, you'll be fine!!
  • KMiyoko
    KMiyoko Member Posts: 13
    #9
    My advise on exercises will be to do the Male Kegel exercises. I feel it really helped my husband regain continency sooner than most patients. First of all it teaches you which muscles you need to strengthen to be able to hold the urine in. The exercise is similar to the female Kegels, but explains how to do it properly to target the right muscles. Here is a web site to find out how to do it:

    http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/urology/prostate/patient_inst/kegel.html

    Just keep doing waht you are doing. If you would like to actually talk to my husband about what things are like let me know. He has talked to a number of men since his surgery about his perspectives on his experiences.
    Here is another informative web site about what to expect before and after the surgery.
    http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/urology/prostate/patient_inst/curpatient.html

    My husband talked to a number of guys that had this type of surgery before he had his surgery.
    If you want to talk to my husband Email me at: KMiyoko808@yahoo.com
    Good Luck,
    Kay
  • Morris
    Morris Member Posts: 12
    #10
    Stay away from anything that thins the blood.
    DO THE KEGEL EXERCISE.
    The cathiter is a real nusance--my wife told me that if I didnt behave and do EVERYTHING the Dr. said that she would just give a little TUG on it to get my attention--she got my attention alright--haha.
    My Dr. told me the main reason that I did so well was my attitude--I was sure that I would beat PC,I had a great Dr.--you have to be 100% comfortable with his ability. I interviewed 5 Dr.s here in Spokane and the best one had only done about 165 of this type surgery--as far as Im concerned "THATS A PRACTICING PHYSICAN"I wanted a Dr. that didnt need any practice, so I went to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale,Az--Dr. Andrews has done thousands of this type surgery--I was 10,000% comfortable with him. I did my homework and it paid off.My PSA is .035 for 3 years.
    Sex is about 98% normal,but on occasion there might be a need for a little hands on stimulation to get things going.
    I can tell you from the bottom of my heart, my wife told me right up front that she would rather give up our sex life to have me alive if that was the way it turned out---I came back with--"IS OUR SEX LIFE THAT BAD?"--WE TEASED ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SURGERY AND THE RECOVERY.
    As for my Dr.--well he didnt escape being teased either--I told him just before they took me into pre-op that I wanted "THAT SPECIAL FEEDING TUBE IN MY ARM WHEN I WAKE UP"--he didnt have a clue and asked me what I walking about--I told him I wanted the regular I.V. and another SPECIAL one with VIAGRA in it so that when I wake up there will be a little pup tent in my bed--he just laughed .
    But as you can tell--I like to joke around.
    I have never been to a PC meeting and have never felt the need to go but I would talk with anyone who needs to talk. This is a crappy thing to have happen to you at this stage in our lives, but you can get through it--keep a POSITIVE ATTITUDE--laugh when your down dont be afraid to talk.
    I discovered 2 years after my surgery that the reason I developed it so soon in life was :
    While I was on my all expence paid vacation to South East Asia (VIETNAM)I was sprayed VERY often with AGENT ORANGE and PC is one of the main causes for guys our age to develope PC early.
    I have never seen or heard anyone on this or any other sight mention this fact and am curious how many others were exposed like me.
    Good luck --Morris
    Stay positive and if you need to talk just e-mail me at.
    jaskula@cet.com

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