02-10-2021, 02:44 PM
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#1 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Ohio
Posts: 13
| Post RALP - 1 Week
This has been a long journey for me as you can see from my signature, but I am now 10 days post RALP and prostate free. I had decided that when they found cancer that I would have surgery as long as it hadn't spread outside of the prostate. All of the scans prior to the surgery and the comment from the surgeon when he removed it that it appeared to be prostate contained have me feeling pretty good
Recovery hasn't been as bad as I anticipated. The worst pain the evening in the hospital was from intestinal gas pain with didn't pass until the next morning. I was just mildly uncomfortable from the 6 incisions and in the perineum area. After I left the hospital I have been able to alternate Tylenol and Motrin for pain and to help control inflammation with minimal discomfort. Still having a few bladder spasms and they can be intense.
Monday was 1-week post-surgery and I had the catheter taken out and passed the voiding test and was pretty happy. I've had a little leakage during the day Monday and Tuesday but overnight I was completely dry. I did get up 3 times to use the bathroom and was able to freely go each time. Today I've had some leakage twice already so I know there is still plenty of healing to happen. Most of the leakage seems to happen just after I stand up from sitting.
If anyone had advice on how to proceed from here I'd appreciate it.
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02-11-2021, 02:40 AM
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#2 | | Veteran (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 337
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
Pay close attention to your daily water intake. It is a subconscious temptation to avoid incontinence issues during healing by drinking less water. It can lead to dehydration. Be sure to stay hydrated.
Keep your stool soft and bowels moving/ empty. Take fiber supplements if necessary. This is good health advice in general for aging.
Keep your BMI in the normal range the rest of your life. A successful healthcare experience can inspire a life time renewal to your personal health care and appreciation of life and your commitment to it's quality.
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02-11-2021, 06:07 AM
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#3 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Ohio
Posts: 13
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
I'm still trying to drink 10-12 glasses of water a day plus juice. I have not been drinking at night like I was when the catheter was in. I had been on a daily fiber supplement before the surgery but they asked me to stop prior to surgery. I think I'm going to go back to it this week but I am still taking a stool softener that was prescribed.
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02-18-2021, 09:13 AM
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#4 | | Junior Member (female)
Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 14
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
How's it going now, Guitarhunter? My husband had a robotic radical prostatectomy five days ago now and is scheduled to have the staples and catheter removed next week sometime; that's when he'll sit down with the surgeon and they'll talk about the surgery and the pathology. He's also seen a pelvic physiotherapist and will see her again once the catheter is removed. The surgeon says he was able to spare the nerve bundle entirely on one side and partially on the other side. You're ahead of us by a few weeks and your lack of incontinence issues is very good news for you; we're hoping it's the same for us. Any advice or words of encouragement for my old fella?
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IADT3since2000 (02-19-2021)
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02-18-2021, 09:18 AM
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#5 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Ohio
Posts: 13
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
Quote:
Originally Posted by UniversalRemote  Any advice or words of encouragement for my old fella? | Stay positive, some days are better than others. He didn't get here overnight and the healing won't be overnight. I'm sure he'll feel way better after the catheter is out. Start the Kegel's as soon as it's removed and do them in as many different positions (sitting, laying down, walking, standing) as possible.
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UniversalRemote (02-18-2021)
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02-18-2021, 09:19 AM
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#6 | | Newbie (male)
Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: South Bend, Indiana - USA
Posts: 9
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
Thank you for the encouraging words. My RALP is scheduled for 03/17/21.
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02-19-2021, 06:38 AM
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#7 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 40
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
For post surgical continence measure progress by the week, not day. You will have good days and bad days, but week over week you will see improvement. Expect it to take 3 to 6 months back to "full" continence. I say "full" because there will always be that leakage when you really stress your abdominal muscles, like picking up something very heavy or squeezing your abdominal muscles hard for something.
__________________
Dx at age 63 March 2017
Prostate Cancer 3+4 Open RP May 2017
PSA detectable May 2018, single digit .1 2 digit .06
August 2018 2 digit .07
November 2018 2 digit .10
6 month Lupron Shot Dec 2018
Salvage Radiation Jan - Mar 2019
Nov 2019, June 2020 Nov 2020 PSA undetectable
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| | | | The Following User Says Thank You to DaveinMaryland For This Useful Post:
UniversalRemote (02-19-2021)
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02-20-2021, 03:04 PM
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#8 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Ohio
Posts: 13
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
I've been patient for the most part for the last 20 years of my life. I'm seeing good progress with leakage and really only wearing 2 diapers a day already. I've even changed a few that were barely wet. I'm more worried about "diaper rash" now than leakage.
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| | | | The Following User Says Thank You to guitarhunter For This Useful Post:
UniversalRemote (02-21-2021)
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02-20-2021, 04:46 PM
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#9 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 40
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
If diapers make you uncomfortable, go to pads. You will need to get some underwear with spandex to hold them in place (5% spandex is enough). I had good success with Hanes boxer briefs. Eventually you will be able to go from pads to thin shields, and eventually, nothing.
__________________
Dx at age 63 March 2017
Prostate Cancer 3+4 Open RP May 2017
PSA detectable May 2018, single digit .1 2 digit .06
August 2018 2 digit .07
November 2018 2 digit .10
6 month Lupron Shot Dec 2018
Salvage Radiation Jan - Mar 2019
Nov 2019, June 2020 Nov 2020 PSA undetectable
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02-21-2021, 12:13 PM
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#10 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Ohio
Posts: 13
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
Today there is more leakage than the last 3-4 days. Maybe that's what you mean by good days and bad days. Maybe it's 2 steps forward, 1 step back kind of things.
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02-21-2021, 01:24 PM
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#11 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 40
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
Exactly. sometimes it is 2 steps forward, 1 back. That's why it's best to look at it week to week instead of day to day.
__________________
Dx at age 63 March 2017
Prostate Cancer 3+4 Open RP May 2017
PSA detectable May 2018, single digit .1 2 digit .06
August 2018 2 digit .07
November 2018 2 digit .10
6 month Lupron Shot Dec 2018
Salvage Radiation Jan - Mar 2019
Nov 2019, June 2020 Nov 2020 PSA undetectable
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02-23-2021, 12:29 PM
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#12 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Ohio
Posts: 13
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
Today has been a good day. I only had to get up twice last night for a bathroom trip instead of the recent three. I am tired today and just woke from a nap but yesterday was my busiest day in 3 weeks.
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02-23-2021, 01:07 PM
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#13 | | Veteran (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 337
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
Give up coffee, caffeine, carbonated beverages and alcohol. They all irritate the bladder. Alcohol inhibits healing. Eventually you can work them back in. My experience is they inhibit the return of your control.
__________________
Born 1953; family w/PCa-grandfather, 3 brothers;
7-12-04 PSA 1.9; 7-10-06 PSA 2.0; 8-30-07 PSA 3.2; 12-1-11 PSA 5.7; 5-16-12 PSA 4.76; 12-11-12 PSA 5.2; 3-7-16 PSA 7.2;
3-14-16 TRUS biopsy, PCa 1%-60% across 8 of 12 samples, G3+3;
5-4-16 DaVinci RP, Path-65g, lymph nodes, seminal vesicles, capsule, margin all neg, G3+4, T vol 35%, +pT2c, No Incontinence-6mos, Erections-14 months;
1-15-21 PSA less than 0.02; zero club 4.5 yrs
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02-24-2021, 08:19 AM
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#14 | | Junior Member (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Ohio
Posts: 13
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
In the last 3 weeks, I have had 1 coffee and 1 beer. I don't drink carbonated drinks at all. I thought I was going to miss coffee, but it hasn't been that hard.
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02-24-2021, 04:28 PM
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#15 | | Veteran (male)
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 337
| Re: Post RALP - 1 Week
Quote:
Originally Posted by guitarhunter In the last 3 weeks, I have had 1 coffee and 1 beer. I don't drink carbonated drinks at all. I thought I was going to miss coffee, but it hasn't been that hard. | I used green tea in the interim. Back to one cup of coffee a day now.
__________________
Born 1953; family w/PCa-grandfather, 3 brothers;
7-12-04 PSA 1.9; 7-10-06 PSA 2.0; 8-30-07 PSA 3.2; 12-1-11 PSA 5.7; 5-16-12 PSA 4.76; 12-11-12 PSA 5.2; 3-7-16 PSA 7.2;
3-14-16 TRUS biopsy, PCa 1%-60% across 8 of 12 samples, G3+3;
5-4-16 DaVinci RP, Path-65g, lymph nodes, seminal vesicles, capsule, margin all neg, G3+4, T vol 35%, +pT2c, No Incontinence-6mos, Erections-14 months;
1-15-21 PSA less than 0.02; zero club 4.5 yrs
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