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Posted 5/19/2017 4:53 AM (GMT -5)
Barfy: Trifecta means: cancer free, continent, sexually functional
Posted 5/19/2017 5:31 AM (GMT -5)
one down, two to go. Thanks!
Posted 5/19/2017 5:41 PM (GMT -5)
When you walk you do not remain dry, correct. They removed the cath today. If I sit I leak a little. If I lay down I can remain dry. Standing I seem to leak more. Getting the hang of kegal to go from laying to the bathroom. If I walk out side do I just put on a "pull up" and go for it? Thanks!
Posted 5/19/2017 7:13 PM (GMT -5)
Barfy, you've got the idea. Learn how to kegal as you stand up. Eventually, all going well, you'll get to where it's automatic...then unnecessary to even think about it. I wore heavy pads full time for about 2 weeks, then light pads during the day and heavy at night...then eventually got to where I don't need them except for security reasons....like when I'm going to be on an airplane for 4 hours. Keep walking, keep kegaling, and you'll get strong.
Posted 5/19/2017 10:23 PM (GMT -5)
What about sports? Do any of you guys snowmobile? Were you able to do that again? Hunt, fish?
Thanks
Posted 5/20/2017 3:58 PM (GMT -5)
How did you get through being non-continent? If I sit I leak, If I walk I leak, If I stand I leak, If I drink water I will leak. It gets to the point where I just put on the depend and go for it, but within 15-20 min it is totally soaked. If I lay down I can remain dry. I am sick of laying down and I know that is not very conducive to my recovery. So other than not drinking anything and laying on my back, what can I do? Its also getting to the point where things are getting sore. I am doing my kegals and can hold things back until I get to the bathroom. After that it seems like a non-stop flow. It is only the second day after getting the cath out, but up until now thing seemed to improve by the hour. Thank's
Posted 5/20/2017 4:11 PM (GMT -5)
You are in the maximum leak period. It's frustrating and unpleasant. The worst for me when I was back to work teaching. I would change a pad before going into class, and when I came out of the class 80 minutes later the pad was soaked, and sometimes my underpants and outerpants would be wet as well. Students never noticed, in part because I always wore dark pants. Had to keep extra clothes at the office. Not how you want to be at 61. For me this period lasted about six weeks, after which I experienced rapid improvement. How do you put up with it? You just do. It's like the weather -- you can't control it so you adapt. Don't worry too much. This phase will pass, but you will never look back fondly on these particular old times.
Posted 5/23/2017 5:27 AM (GMT -5)
The only way to control leaking is by using your kegal?, or does your body have another way of shutting things off.
Posted 5/23/2017 6:09 AM (GMT -5)
Barfy, here's how it was explained to me....we men actually have 3 built-in valves between our bladder and the outside world. One is the urinary sphincter, and there are two more inside the prostate that are involved in splitting things between our urinary tract and our reproductive tract--which allows us to have sex without peeing.

The prostatectomy removes the prostate...and those two valves. The urinary sphincter is left behind after surgery...but is usually damaged and has to heal. Kegalling works the muscles in your pelvic floor, which can also be trained to clamp things off. Which is, by the way, how women do it their whole lives.

In some cases--and it's not all that common--the man never regains urinary control, and requires repairs of one kind or another. For now, keep working it. It's possible to overdo the kegaling, so be careful how many you do. 10 reps 3-4 times a day is usually what's recommended.
Posted 5/23/2017 6:40 AM (GMT -5)
I am probably doing the kegal 4-5 times per day, 10 seconds 10 reps. It does ache in that area, too much?
I am back to work for 6 hours a day this week. Taking it easy, mostly sitting desk work. I think I am going to get a donut to sit on. Other than that things seem to be going good. Thanks for the reply!
Posted 5/28/2017 9:35 PM (GMT -5)
Ok, I am in day 18 after surgery, day 9 after having the cath removed. I was off work for 11 days and went back for 1 half day and three 8 hour days I was a little sore after the 3 full days so I have been off the last 3 days and will be off for memorial day. I am still sore on the very bottom. I do not think I am over doing it at all. I went to church this morning, 1 hour, then came home and changed and went to a grad party for an hour came home and changed and went to another for about an hour and came home and slept for about 2 hours. It seems as though I should be through the pain but I am not. Nurse told me I should be in a recliner to avoid this pain. Truth is the only way I am comfortable is lying down on the couch, I don't leak when lying down either. Am I expecting to much? I do not seem to be gaining any ground on this. Very discouraged! I do not want to drink anything because I will leak. What should I do in the typical day to help myself through it. Thanks
Posted 5/28/2017 10:17 PM (GMT -5)
Even though the incisions are small, the surgery was major. Perhaps you are expecting too much. After my surgery I improved every day for a while, and that was great. Then the rate of improvement slowed a lot, and some days were worse than the day before. That's discouraging, of course. Unfortunately there isn't a rigid schedule according to which we improve. Others may have a different opinion, but I don't think there is much or anything to be done about your situation right now except to wait to heal and regain strength, and wait for continence to improve. Lower your expectations and you'll feel better.
Posted 5/29/2017 9:12 AM (GMT -5)
Thank you fiddle!
Posted 5/29/2017 5:36 PM (GMT -5)
Thwnks for sharing your journey Barfy. I went through Ralp on 5/26 - yesterday was my toughest day yet but feeling much better today as the gasses have passed.

I have 6 places they went in and kept one incertion open and it continues to slightly bleed..this one was for drainage - is that normal?

and I haven't poopbeen d in 4 days since the day before surgery where mag citrate cleaned up the bowel - is that something I should be concerned about ?
Posted 5/29/2017 6:56 PM (GMT -5)
Barfy,

Keep on working it. Like fiddle said, there really is no schedule. I went back to work on day 20, and worked a couple of days, then took a few more off. I was fortunate and mostly continent almost immediately.

ddyss,

I'd say it depends on what a "little bleeding" is. If you're concerned about it, call the surgeon's office. As far as your gut goes, you're probably about ready for something to happen. Have you been taking your stool softener (dulcolax) and drinking lots of water?
Posted 5/29/2017 8:01 PM (GMT -5)
Barfy, you are so early in the game. Remember recovery of continence is not. Linear thing. You will have good days followed by bad days. Some guys take longer than others. Most guys do recover.

I recall that at 6 weeks I was fully continent by my Drs definition, that is, no pads. But even at 6 months, I leaked a but once in a while. When I mentioned it yo the surgeon at my 6 month visit, he told me I'd likely continue to improve for up to a year. And he was right.
To monitor progress, I weighed my pads, on a food scale and kept a journal. This allowed me to track my progress week to week, rather than day to day, which would have frustrated the hell out of me.

Hang in there, you will continue to improve. Do the kegels, but don't overdo them.
Posted 5/29/2017 8:55 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks Halbert
Doc said to wait for a couple of more days before the bleeding stops. I am on two dulcolax a day so hopefully it will happen soon!!
Have a good night guys ! We will all have a better day tomorrow!
Posted 5/30/2017 12:19 PM (GMT -5)
Barfy you need to be patient on the continence thing. I had my surgery 5/1, catheter out 5/10. I am going through 3-4 Depends a day. But this morning my depends only weighed 100 grams which is a record low for the morning. The depends weighs 65 grams so only 35 grams of pee.

My surgeon said rapid improvement to about 4-6 weeks then slow improvement after that.

The only time I pee is in the morning, other than that I pretty much fill diapers all day.

It helps if you shower when you change pads, use soap and water. Prevents irritation and rash.

Also I "buzz cut" my pubes so I stay drier down there.

Post Edited (gardener55) : 5/30/2017 11:33:41 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/30/2017 3:12 PM (GMT -5)
Barfy - I'll give you my "standard" spiel that I use for heart surgery patients in another forum.

Don't forget that the anesthesia used in surgery can have a profound effect on your bowels and intestinal function. For many of us (myself included) this can bring intestinal movement to a virtual stop. If things are allowed to be stopped for too long, it WILL be very uncomfortable. After my heart surgery I was so stopped up that at four weeks post-op I had to be re-admitted to the hospital to get help in getting things moving again. After that visit, the docs told me to use Miralax DAILY. This is a laxative, but it is not a stimulant laxative. The importance of this is that stimulant laxatives can cause cramping of the intestinal muscles, and after an abdominal surgery you really don't want this. The Miralax is gentle, but it really works. They told me to start with a full dose every morning. Then when things begin to move on a regular basis, titrate down to a half-dose daily, then after a week or two more, down to one-fourth of a dose daily. After that, stop whenever. . . I found that this has worked for many folks who otherwise might have had some very bad times.

Whatever you decide to do about bowel function (or lack thereof), keep a close watch on it. Once you get all bound up, it is no fun to get it going again.
Posted 5/30/2017 3:44 PM (GMT -5)
Hang in there, it takes time. Things have shifted, been pulled, cut, are swollen, etc. Things need to heal. The advice you are getting from the Forum members is solid. It's a journey, one step at a time.
Take care.
Posted 6/8/2017 7:28 PM (GMT -5)
I hit the 4 week mark yesterday. I have been back to work this week taking it very easy. Last night I sat at my daughters softball banquet for about an hour and 30. When I came home I urinated "cherry juice".
Not to concerned they said it could happen. Today it got worse and at the end of going it was bloody. The next 3 or 4 times I went I was passing clots. Some were bright red and some were dark. I assume it was old and new blood. This kind off freaked me out to say the least. I have been pounding the water as told by the Dr. to keep it flowing. Everything has been real good the last several hours. No blood or clots.
Anyone go through this? It doesn't seem like I am over doing it. I will be taking the next 4 days very very easy.
Posted 6/9/2017 5:36 AM (GMT -5)
Barfy,

NOthing particularly unusual. We had a member a while back who reported that a month or so after surgery he peed what looked for all the world to be a surgical knot in a piece of suture. One drop of blood in a pee stream will make it look mighty pink.

Is Mr. Happy waking up yet?
Posted 6/9/2017 5:56 AM (GMT -5)
After the last 2 days I seem to be much more continent, does it come on that fast or do I have a clot that is slowing things up? I think I must of had 20 or so drops, it was very red. The ed is improving, still progress to be made. Thanks for the reply.
Posted 6/9/2017 8:08 AM (GMT -5)
Trying to stay positive with the slow progress. I honestly think I may be doing to much even though I am off work. I get an ear full when I "lay around" all day. I understand the extra burden I am with not doing as much around here, but I am told I need to take it easy. The wife is getting more distant. She is frustrated too.
Posted 6/9/2017 9:02 AM (GMT -5)
You have had major surgery... It takes time for things to heal...It doesn't pay to judge how well you are doing day to day, better to compare week to week. As I read over your posts you are making great progress. You won't be good to anyone if you push too hard and end up back in the hospital...
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