Surgery 11-22-10

dasto
dasto Member Posts: 11
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
Surgery was 11-22-10 and I thought that I had researched and was prepared. I was surprised by one thing. The gas used to aid the procedure produced severe pain post surgery. It feels like all my ribs are broken. My shoulders, chest, and neck have severe pain. Just wasn't prepared for this. All else seems as expected. Tried to sleep in the bed but that didn't work. Randy of Indy mentioned that he slept in a recliner for a few days. Great advice, Randy. I'm in the recliner now and I'm not moving anytime soon!
Tapping this out on my iPhone.

Comments

  • jminnj
    jminnj Member Posts: 129 Member
    #2
    I know this will sound a
    I know this will sound a little crazy given the pain, but try to walk around if you can and drink water. The walking will help the gas move around and eventually out of your system. Could take a bit, but it will help. Glad to hear you are on the other side of surgery. I wish you all the best on your journey. I am 10 months post surgery and it does get better every day.
    Take Care,
    Joe
  • dasto
    dasto Member Posts: 11
    #3
    jminnj said:

    I know this will sound a
    I know this will sound a little crazy given the pain, but try to walk around if you can and drink water. The walking will help the gas move around and eventually out of your system. Could take a bit, but it will help. Glad to hear you are on the other side of surgery. I wish you all the best on your journey. I am 10 months post surgery and it does get better every day.
    Take Care,
    Joe

    Pain
    Joe,
    I appreciate the tip and well wishes. It's just nice to get a response! I'm a baby when it comes to pain and this pain is sharp and severe. Otherwise I'm doing excellent and as you say...glad to be on the other side of surgery.
    Dan
  • ghdeaver
    ghdeaver Member Posts: 16
    #4
    I agree with Joes
    I agree with Joes suggestion. Walking is the best medicine for the gas pain. I had one bad day and then it was gone the next day. Good luck.
  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010
    #5
    For the Surgery they put you
    For the Surgery they put you in an inverted position with head down. This also places weight on your shoulders which may be causing some of the pain.

    Make sure and walk! In a few more days you will be doing really good.

    Larry
  • steckley
    steckley Member Posts: 100
    #6
    The gas will go soon.
    Glad your surgery went smoothly. Here's hoping for a life of zero PSAa.

    Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recoery.
  • JR1949
    JR1949 Member Posts: 230
    #7
    Surgery 11-22-10
    dasto, My surgery (radical prostatectomy) was on Monday, March 09 and I got pneumonia and was not realeased until Thursday. I remember the pain, I could not get comfortable in the bed. I did not have the back pain when I got home. Now the pain in the groin area will stay with you for a while. I could not sit on hard aluminum bleacher seats to watch my grandaughter in May and June without sitting on a pillow. Hang in there, it will get better. The walking is helpful too. Wish you zero PSA's.

    JR
  • dasto
    dasto Member Posts: 11
    #8
    JR1949 said:

    Surgery 11-22-10
    dasto, My surgery (radical prostatectomy) was on Monday, March 09 and I got pneumonia and was not realeased until Thursday. I remember the pain, I could not get comfortable in the bed. I did not have the back pain when I got home. Now the pain in the groin area will stay with you for a while. I could not sit on hard aluminum bleacher seats to watch my grandaughter in May and June without sitting on a pillow. Hang in there, it will get better. The walking is helpful too. Wish you zero PSA's.

    JR

    JR and others
    Great forum! It helps to learn from others that have already been through the experience. The pain (chest & shoulder) has been pretty unbearable, but I finally gave in and took 2 tablets of oxycodone. The bottle said 1 or 2 tablets as needed and I was only taking one tablet. What a difference 2 tablets made! I know tomorrow will be better!
    Dan
  • mtguy
    mtguy Member Posts: 22
    #9
    dasto said:

    JR and others
    Great forum! It helps to learn from others that have already been through the experience. The pain (chest & shoulder) has been pretty unbearable, but I finally gave in and took 2 tablets of oxycodone. The bottle said 1 or 2 tablets as needed and I was only taking one tablet. What a difference 2 tablets made! I know tomorrow will be better!
    Dan

    Drink plenty of water
    Dasto - I know what you are going through with the gas. I had pain in the right shoulder the first two days. The surgeon says thay is typical and it is always the right side. I was in the hospital for 12 days (complications) so I did a lot of walking around the hospital corridor. You can only take laying in a hospital bed for so long. I was with a couple other guys going through the same thing. All these guys shuffeling along with their bag and IV carrier around the halls. I called it "Pass the Gas Shuffel".

    If you take the oxycodone, be sure to take lots of water. That stuff will impact your digestive system and can cause constipation. And you want to get your bowel system moving which should happen about day 4 or 5. You don't want to be putting any pressure down there to go. I was using a stool softener to help things along.

    I splept in my recliner for over a week. An electric blanket is a nice touch covering the chair. I don't know if you had the chance to expernience a warm blanket in the hospital but it was the nicest treatment there.

    Things will get better - you can bet on that.
  • dasto
    dasto Member Posts: 11
    #10
    mtguy said:

    Drink plenty of water
    Dasto - I know what you are going through with the gas. I had pain in the right shoulder the first two days. The surgeon says thay is typical and it is always the right side. I was in the hospital for 12 days (complications) so I did a lot of walking around the hospital corridor. You can only take laying in a hospital bed for so long. I was with a couple other guys going through the same thing. All these guys shuffeling along with their bag and IV carrier around the halls. I called it "Pass the Gas Shuffel".

    If you take the oxycodone, be sure to take lots of water. That stuff will impact your digestive system and can cause constipation. And you want to get your bowel system moving which should happen about day 4 or 5. You don't want to be putting any pressure down there to go. I was using a stool softener to help things along.

    I splept in my recliner for over a week. An electric blanket is a nice touch covering the chair. I don't know if you had the chance to expernience a warm blanket in the hospital but it was the nicest treatment there.

    Things will get better - you can bet on that.

    Improvement today
    It's interesting to note at this stage in recovery just how great something simple like a shower or bowel movement feels! Having a better day and eating better, too. I tried to go without the oxy again, but the chest/shoulder pain returned. I went about 14 hours without a tab and now need to resume. Just trying to calibrate the minimum oxy required for needed pain relief. Monday is my appointment to assess if the catheter can be removed.
  • ncobjim
    ncobjim Member Posts: 37
    #11
    dasto said:

    Improvement today
    It's interesting to note at this stage in recovery just how great something simple like a shower or bowel movement feels! Having a better day and eating better, too. I tried to go without the oxy again, but the chest/shoulder pain returned. I went about 14 hours without a tab and now need to resume. Just trying to calibrate the minimum oxy required for needed pain relief. Monday is my appointment to assess if the catheter can be removed.

    Keep moving
    Make sure you do keep moving.
    I had RP in 2006. 10 days later had a massive pulminary embolism.
    2 days After that had DVT in both legs which has caused nerve damage.
    PSA went down to 0.05 after operation in 06.
    Went up to 0.4 in June 10.
    Just finished 8 weeks of IMRT radiation & in the middle of 6 months
    Hormone Therapy.
    PSA is down again to below 0.0

    Hope you make out well also.
  • dasto
    dasto Member Posts: 11
    #12
    ncobjim said:

    Keep moving
    Make sure you do keep moving.
    I had RP in 2006. 10 days later had a massive pulminary embolism.
    2 days After that had DVT in both legs which has caused nerve damage.
    PSA went down to 0.05 after operation in 06.
    Went up to 0.4 in June 10.
    Just finished 8 weeks of IMRT radiation & in the middle of 6 months
    Hormone Therapy.
    PSA is down again to below 0.0

    Hope you make out well also.

    ncobjim
    ncobjim,
    In 2006 you obviously endured more than your share of issues. That had to be rough but brave of you to face. Now, four years later it looks like you are winning another battle. Quite inspiring and helps me realize just how lucky I am.

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