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Back home after Open Radical Prostatectomy

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User
Posted 05 Mar 2022 at 18:15

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

I haven't managed to spill the night bag yet but I did disconnect it one morning and forgot to turn the tap to off on the leg bag. Didn't find out until I had a wet foot and scent marked half the house 😂 Chris

Sorry Chris I used to include the bit of advice about making sure the joints were tight and the taps were in the right position before disconnecting the night bag.☹️ I have caught the leg bag tap when pulling my trousers down and got a shoe full or urine. I now have a lock on the tap.

I think most of us have some sort of anesthetic in the lower back area, I didn't realize that at the time until it was mentioned on here. I then remembered the anesthetist doing something behind my back as I was asking if it was too late to change my mind.☹️

Thanks Chris

 

Edited by member 05 Mar 2022 at 18:55  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 06 Mar 2022 at 18:27

The epidural is given to reduce discomfort when you wake from the operation and for the first couple of hours or so. Less pain means they don’t have to give you morphine etc, which reduces the chances of feeling and being sick. You are also less constipated and you have less itching.

Zum

User
Posted 06 Mar 2022 at 18:42

Hi Zum

They did tell me it eases the pain after the op. I was attached to an on demand morphine drip but I didn't need it until a good bit later. Unfortunately I was still sick as a dog🤮. Chris

User
Posted 13 Mar 2022 at 14:41
Update (a bit overdue I'm afraid)

8/3/22. The catheter finally comes out.  This turned out not to be straight forward. Two nurses and a registrar decided it was above their pay grade to pull any harder. I had to wait for the surgeon. He called by on his way to theatre. He gave it one excruciating yank and out it came (thankfully without bladder still attached 😄). He showed me the problem. The balloon hadn't deflated properly and left a pucker around the tube. Has anyone else experienced this?

11/3/22 Bladder control pretty rubbish when standing at the moment but I seem to be getting fairly good control at night. Slight squirt when I get up for a pee but the rest of the load makes it to the toilet. Very little on the pad in the morning. The catheter incident can't have helped with bladder control. However, on the down side, I find myself back in hospital with a swollen right leg. An ultrasound scan has ruled out DVT, which is a relief. 

13/3/22 A CT scan has now revealed a pocked of fluid (presumably lymph) is pressing on the right iliac vein, resulting in the leg swelling. Need to see an intervention radiologist to put in a CT guided drain. Anyone else had this problem? 

The lymph drain is is supposed to be coming out tomorrow but it's only down to 150mL per day so that's going to be in a bit longer. A few set backs but feeling good otherwise. 

Chris 
User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 14:25

Hi Chris....good to see your update as I was wondering how you were doing. It's a shame you've had a couple of set backs and ended up back in hospital....did you go back to hospital where you had the op ? I hope you get sorted soon. Best wishes to you.

User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 14:59

Hi Paul,

I suppose complications are always something you may bump into on the way with PCa treatment.

Rather strangely I was originally told to come back to the private hospital where I had the surgery but they then referred me to the NHS hospital. It's not that they don’t have the capability to perform the procedure I need. I know someone who had the same procedure performed at the private hospital. I'm still stuck in the NHS hospital at the moment and none the wiser as to when the procedure is to be performed. Such is life. Chris

User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 17:54

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Hi Paul,

I suppose complications are always something you may bump into on the way with PCa treatment.

Rather strangely I was originally told to come back to the private hospital where I had the surgery but they then referred me to the NHS hospital. It's not that they don’t have the capability to perform the procedure I need. I know someone who had the same procedure performed at the private hospital. I'm still stuck in the NHS hospital at the moment and none the wiser as to when the procedure is to be performed. Such is life. Chris

I hope you get sorted soon Chris and back home continuing your recovery 🤞

User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 18:26

It's a nuisance for you but hope you get sorted and back home soon. Hubby is booked for his RP 12 April so fingers crossed. Best wishes to you 

User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 18:33

On another note Chris, were you given compression stockings to wear after your op?

User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 19:02

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

On another note Chris, were you given compression stockings to wear after your op?

Yes, I was sent away with two pairs of dark green support  stockings. which I am still wearing. I was told to keep wearing for two weeks. Chris 

Edited by member 14 Mar 2022 at 19:07  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 19:44

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Update (a bit overdue I'm afraid)

8/3/22. The catheter finally comes out.  This turned out not to be straight forward. Two nurses and a registrar decided it was above their pay grade to pull any harder. I had to wait for the surgeon. He called by on his way to theatre. He gave it one excruciating yank and out it came (thankfully without bladder still attached 😄). He showed me the problem. The balloon hadn't deflated properly and left a pucker around the tube. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Chris 

I had exactly the same issue with my post RARP  catheter removal, my surgeon is convinced that the swift removal by a senior nurse after the catheter got stuck was the cause of my stricture. I do sometimes post that if the catheter gets stuck that guys insist on getting a urologist involved. A little surprised that your surgeon has yanked the catheter out. 

The cuffing of the balloon is a common issue with catheter removals but probably more common with long term users. Reinflation and deflation can help reduce the cuffing. One of my old school urology nurses said if a catheter got stuck they used to make the guys walk round the ward until the catheter dropped out. 

Hopefully your joint had healed enough so that the removal has not caused an issue. I went back into theater numerous times to try and fix the problem.Good job I love the whole general anesthetic experience.

Thanks Chris.

Edited by member 14 Mar 2022 at 19:46  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 21:26

Hi Chris. I was given the impression that the balloon cuffing issue is not uncommon. When the surgeon/urologist showed me the problem I thought why didn't they try re-inflating the balloon. It would seem an obvious thing to do to me. It did cause a bit of bleeding afterwards so it can't have done the bladder neck much good. I did try walking around to loosen it but no such luck. Chris

User
Posted 14 Mar 2022 at 21:54

Sorry you’re still having a few issues Chris. Hope they can get your swollen leg sorted soon and get you home. Fingers crossed for a full recovery soon x

User
Posted 25 Mar 2022 at 16:23
How you getting on Chris?
User
Posted 26 Mar 2022 at 15:48

Hi Jane,

Things haven't been going too well since my last post. The good news is the I had an additional drain fitted which has relieved the fluid pressure on my Iliac vein. My swollen leg quickly returned to normal. I was discharged from hospital only to rush back a few hours later with severe urinary retention. I had another catheter inserted which thankfully was removed after three days. Still getting intermittent retention but it's manageable. My main problem is the original drain which is stuck fast. Three attempts have been made to pull it out. The last attempt felt like my insides were coming with it. The disturbance caused the drain to start flowing again but this time it was a brown foul smelling liquid. I can only imagine it is trapped blood debris from the surgery. The Dr didn't seem particularly concerned about it. Better out than in I suppose. At this point they decided not to have any further attempts to remove the drain while it was still flowing. It does seem to be a case of kicking the can down the road but it at least got me discharged from hospital. However fate was against me. No sooner had I got home when I went down with a UTI. Still suffering the effects as I write but hopefully the antibiotics will sort it out. The original drain has now all but dried up again so it will be back in touch with the hospital on Monday to see how the hell they can get it out. It's not helped by the surgeon who did my prostatectomy being off with Covid. I hope next time I make a post the news will be a bit better. Chris 

User
Posted 26 Mar 2022 at 17:11

All the best - hope they get everything sorted and you can get on with healing and life

User
Posted 26 Mar 2022 at 18:35

Gosh Chris.....you've had a rough time of it what with one thing and another.......hope you have better news soon. Best wishes

User
Posted 26 Mar 2022 at 18:37

Hi Chris

Sorry to read this, you are having a bumpy ride and this PCa lark is still throwing you curve balls.  I hope the UTI soon clears up and hope the drain can be removed successfully without giving you any more pain.  I hope the next time you post it will be much better news.  Wishing you well x

 

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Hi Jane,

Things haven't been going too well since my last post. The good news is the I had an additional drain fitted which has relieved the fluid pressure on my Iliac vein. My swollen leg quickly returned to normal. I was discharged from hospital only to rush back a few hours later with severe urinary retention. I had another catheter inserted which thankfully was removed after three days. Still getting intermittent retention but it's manageable. My main problem is the original drain which is stuck fast. Three attempts have been made to pull it out. The last attempt felt like my insides were coming with it. The disturbance caused the drain to start flowing again but this time it was a brown foul smelling liquid. I can only imagine it is trapped blood debris from the surgery. The Dr didn't seem particularly concerned about it. Better out than in I suppose. At this point they decided not to have any further attempts to remove the drain while it was still flowing. It does seem to be a case of kicking the can down the road but it at least got me discharged from hospital. However fate was against me. No sooner had I got home when I went down with a UTI. Still suffering the effects as I write but hopefully the antibiotics will sort it out. The original drain has now all but dried up again so it will be back in touch with the hospital on Monday to see how the hell they can get it out. It's not helped by the surgeon who did my prostatectomy being off with Covid. I hope next time I make a post the news will be a bit better. Chris 

 
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