HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Question about blood in the urine.

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/12/2009 5:14 PM (GMT -5)
I am now post-op by 13 days and am having the catheter removed on Wednesday of this week.  The only issue I have had during this period is a slight pinkening of the urine after I return home from my daily walks. The walks are at a moderately slow pace and about 1.5 - 2.0 kilometeres long. It generally lasts about 2-4 hours and then clears up.  The urine is pink, rather than bright red, and there have been the occasional small bright red clots, although not every day. I was wondering what others have to say about this, especially those who had a Da Vinci procedure.

Keep well,

Regards,

Bill

 

Posted 10/12/2009 5:19 PM (GMT -5)
Bill, was an open surgery guy myself, but lots of experience with blood in the urine post surgery.

Saw my dr. today, like he says, it only takes a few drops to pinken the urine, I am still on a SP catheter, and yesterday was more than pink.

You are still healing, so I feel its normal for you to have some minor spotting or bleeding as you continue to heal.

The fact that it clears up, is a good sign. Be sure to let your doctor know the next time you see him ,or sooner if it is more than just pinkish n color.

good luck, brother.

david in sc
Posted 10/12/2009 5:39 PM (GMT -5)
Bill,
I went back and looked at my old posts and saw this one dated 5 days after surgery. Clearly I was not thinking straight at the time.

"Mad at this stupid situation I decided I had to "get moving here!" I put on my leg bag for the first time since leaving the hospital and went for a fast walk toward the neighborhood park wearing one pound arm weights for extra effort. I got as far as 1/4 mile into the park and re-checked my plumbing to find the tubing full of old blood and chunks pasta bits. Those were pasta bits in there, weren't they? Rather than leave the gumbo mix, and my stomach contents as a donation to the neighborhood deer and horseflies, I turned around and came home for some recreational TV watching. "

So, yeah, you are not the only person to see a little pink in the bag after a walk.
Sounds like you are doing well.
Jeff
Posted 10/12/2009 6:11 PM (GMT -5)
Model, I can only tell you what the urologist told my husband after his da Vinci surgery - if you see any blood in the urine after the first 10 days, you're probably doing too much. My husband passed some major clots the first 2 or 3 days after surgery but was fine after that. He also had his catheter and staples taken out after 9 days.

Good luck with everything.
Posted 10/12/2009 6:15 PM (GMT -5)
If you search the topic - which is frequently discussed here - I think you'll see that just about every one of who has gone through the da Vinci surgery has commented about blood in the urine when wearing the catheter and afterwards.  It's to be expected and can last, depending upon the patient, for several months.  Most of us, too, were worried or expressed concern about the coloration of the urine - so don't think you or your emotions are singular in concern.  Add this issue to the list of questions you'll prepare in advance of the visit to the physician/surgeon's office this week to have the catheter out and discuss it with the physician's assistant or the surgeon if you have the opportunity to speak with him.  Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Posted 10/12/2009 7:43 PM (GMT -5)
Blood in urine? OMG I think i was the king of that situation. First of all, it is normal for even 2 months out to still get blood, blood clots and weird stuff coming out. It is a bit unsettling, but perfectly harmless. You are supposed to pass blood clots. It is part of the healing process...just like a scab falling off.

At 3 weeks, I felt great and on a Saturday held auditions in NYC and on Sunday road a bus for 2 hours and conducted a concert. Well, at midnight that night, I was passing ropey strands of blood and chunks. Bright read, thick gross. I called the Dr. in the morning. He told me I had popped a capillary and it was absolutely no big deal. Only if I could not pee - because blood clots were clogging up the plumbing - was I to go to the hospital. He assured me it looked far worse than it was, told me to take it easy for a a few days and it would go away. Well, for most of a week, I would be fine in the morning but by nighttime was passing more scary blood and guts. I drank lots of water and by 3"00 AM every night, I was running clear. Well, eventually it went away and I was just fine. Again, the Dr. told me to worry ONLY if I could not pee. A tiny bit of blood turns urine pink. A half teaspoon will look like Sweeney Todd was there.

Relax. Don't worry. drink lots of water and pee a lot. If it scares you, get over it. It is all perfectly normal.
Paul
Posted 10/12/2009 8:15 PM (GMT -5)
Bill -
Assuming that you have a Foley catheter (comes out the penis, rather than the abdominal wall), this is not uncommon. The Foley has a 20cc balloon at the end which is inflated with water. This balloon stays in the bladder, and keeps the drainage tube part of the catheter from pulling out of the penis. With vigorous activity, this balloon gets tugged on, and rubs against the bladder lining. This can cause erosions and some bleeding from the bladder mucosa (like a rug burn). As others have mentioned, this is nothing to worry about.
Best wishes,
Doc
Posted 10/12/2009 9:19 PM (GMT -5)

Perfectly normal and on cue. Next step, letting go of the appendage and flying on your own. It is a great feeling to be able to take a shower, go for walk, do everything without being tethered. Best wishes in the next chapter...pads and kegels.

Ted

Posted 10/13/2009 7:40 AM (GMT -5)
Thank you to all who replied to this. I was not overly concerned as it cleared up between walks and I assumed it might be from activity. Just wanted to hear what others experienced.

And yes, I am looking forward to the catheter removal tomorrow, although, it may be a case of watch what you wish for, as the next stage begins with bladder control exercises and pads. Oh well, it is a positive step on the raod to recovery and I am looking forward to it as well as the pathology results.

Keep well,
Regards,
Bill
Posted 10/13/2009 8:06 AM (GMT -5)
Bill, Good luck on the next stage. Keep us posted. I know you will be glad to be free of you buddy.

Jeff T
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply