What will I need first week post-surgery

Someone posted a very useful list of items needed post-surgery.

I'm just wondering what I'm going to need while the catheter is still
in. I'm not going to have any leakage then, am I? Just wondering,
besides the pants and bucket, what's the top ten things to have before
the catheter comes out.

And, I remember I.P. Freely saying something about they wouldn't let
him out of the hospital until he had a bowel movement. Is that
standard?

Seems I talked to someone else and he said he lost 10# on the liquid
diet, which tells me he followed it at least several days after
release. My paperwork says I get solid food the next day after
surgery.

Whaddup?

It's not the bowel movement they're looking for, it's bowel sounds
which show your bowels are operating. The first movement won't come
for a day or two or three after you get home.

There may be some leakage along the outside of the catheter tube as
the swelling up inside goes down. It may not be an issue though since
not everyone experiences this and the leakage is minor - not an issue.

One thing I experienced was some discomfort just inside the end of the
urethra everytime I moved. After a few days of this I went exploring
and found a little dried blood on the catheter tube rubbing on the
urethra. I scraped the dried blood off with my fingernail and all was
well.

Have you seen the list of things to get posted regularly on this
newsgroup? One of the most important for me was the coathanger tucked
between the mattress and boxspring allowing the bag to hang suspended
on the side of the bed rather than sitting on the floor or a chair.

There were no diet limitations for me post-op. They sent me home with
stool softeners which I didn't need and pills for bladder spasms which
I also didn't need.

Good luck with all this - it will all be a foggy memory a few months
down the road.
Dave Perry

On May 8, 5:33*pm, Dwight <nodamnspa...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Someone posted a very useful list of items needed post-surgery.
>
> I'm just wondering what I'm going to need while the catheter is still
> in. *I'm not going to have any leakage then, am I? *Just wondering,
> besides the pants and bucket, what's the top ten things to have before
> the catheter comes out.
>
> And, I remember I.P. Freely saying something about they wouldn't let
> him out of the hospital until he had a bowel movement. *Is that
> standard?
>
> Seems I talked to someone else and he said he lost 10# on the liquid
> diet, which tells me he followed it at least several days after
> release. *My paperwork says I get solid food the next day after
> surgery.
>
> Whaddup?

Earplugs
Recliner
Gym Shorts/Robe
Prunes work excellent.
Throw away the meds they give you!
Double anti-biotic creme to lubricate the tube at the penis.
I slept downstairs and put in earplugs to not hear frig. etc. It took a bit
to learn how to sleep in recliner, but it was the best.
Get into practice of showering, and getting up to walk. Walk every
day....The more you walk the better you feel.
Learn to use the portable leg bag real soon. It will free you up, and you
can drain it anywhere.......no one knows...
Use plastic wrap over incision area during shower......
Drink lots of fluid, bladder spasms happen and get better with time.
You will do fine.
John Loomis

"Dwight" <nodamnspamok@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d9a82b30-ad43-46fd-9c24-fc9aa4108aa9@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> Someone posted a very useful list of items needed post-surgery.
>
> I'm just wondering what I'm going to need while the catheter is still
> in. I'm not going to have any leakage then, am I? Just wondering,
> besides the pants and bucket, what's the top ten things to have before
> the catheter comes out.
>
> And, I remember I.P. Freely saying something about they wouldn't let
> him out of the hospital until he had a bowel movement. Is that
> standard?
>
> Seems I talked to someone else and he said he lost 10# on the liquid
> diet, which tells me he followed it at least several days after
> release. My paperwork says I get solid food the next day after
> surgery.
>
> Whaddup?

"Dwight" <nodamnspamok@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d9a82b30-ad43-46fd-9c24-fc9aa4108aa9@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> Someone posted a very useful list of items needed post-surgery.
>
> I'm just wondering what I'm going to need while the catheter is still
> in. I'm not going to have any leakage then, am I? Just wondering,
> besides the pants and bucket, what's the top ten things to have before
> the catheter comes out.

Hi Dwight. I'm sorry to hear that you are also going to join the club. You
MAY leak even with the catheter. It is "normal" to get some leakage outside
of the catheter drainage tube. I had a few episodes of this. Don't be
alarmed if it happens. It is expected.

> And, I remember I.P. Freely saying something about they wouldn't let
> him out of the hospital until he had a bowel movement. Is that
> standard?

No. It depends on the doctor. I was thrown out to fend for myself 3 days
after surgery even though I had not had any bowel movements at all.

> Seems I talked to someone else and he said he lost 10# on the liquid
> diet, which tells me he followed it at least several days after
> release. My paperwork says I get solid food the next day after
> surgery.
>
> Whaddup?

This is stupid. Talk to your doctor and raise this issue. I was put on solid
food two days after my surgery and had such cramping and gas that I thought
I was going to die....and then I wished that I would. I finally managed to
pass some gas on the third day and they sent me home. This might not happen
to you but going back on solid food so quickly is a mistake that I wouldn't
wish on anyone.

Sorry to dump this on you, but you should discuss this with your doctor and
see what sort of response you get. If he insists on putting you back on
solids on the day after your surgery and will not listen to you, I would
consider getting a second opinion and perhaps even a different doctor.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Nick

"Dwight" <nodamnspamok@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d9a82b30-ad43-46fd-9c24-fc9aa4108aa9@p25g2000pri.googlegroups.com...

> Someone posted a very useful list of items needed post-surgery.

That was Joe Price. He's has religiously posted it periodically for years.


> I'm just wondering what I'm going to need while the catheter is still
> in. I'm not going to have any leakage then, am I?

You will probably have leakage during bowel movements. But otherwise, it's
not likely.


> And, I remember I.P. Freely saying something about they wouldn't let
> him out of the hospital until he had a bowel movement. Is that
> standard?

It was with me, but I've hear of some being released lately after passing
gass.



--
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA <.1 <.1 <.1 .27 .37 .75 PSAD 0.19 years
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32 PSAD .056 years
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 and every 4 months there after
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145 PSAD 1.4 years
Casodex added daily 07/06
PSA <0.04, <0.05, <0.04, <0.04, <0.1 2/12/08
Non Illegitimi Carborundum

djperry42@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> It's not the bowel movement they're looking for, it's bowel sounds
> which show your bowels are operating. The first movement won't come
> for a day or two or three after you get home.

I got a twofer; they removed half my colon along with my prostate. I
don't know how much that influenced their insistence that my ticket home
was physical evidence, not audible indication, that what goes in will
come out.

They also had me on a low-residue diet, the purpose of which is to
*prevent* stool production (which is why it's so popular among fighter
pilots). I asked the surgeons how I'm supposed to produce my ticket if
I'm not eating its raw materials. When that stumped them, I asked for
some fiber -- SUBSTANCE -- in my diet, including prunes and prune juice.
Tastes much better than drugs and much less chance of problems.

Viola! Outta there.

I.P.

On May 9, 6:31*pm, "I.P. Freely" <fuhgheddabou...@noway.nohow> wrote:
> djperr...@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> > It's not the bowel movement they're looking for, it's bowel sounds
> > which show your bowels are operating. *The first movement won't come
> > for a day or two or three after you get home.
>
> I got a twofer; they removed half my colon along with my prostate. I
> don't know how much that influenced their insistence that my ticket home
> was physical evidence, not audible indication, that what goes in will
> come out.
>
> They also had me on a low-residue diet, the purpose of which is to
> *prevent* stool production (which is why it's so popular among fighter
> pilots). I asked the surgeons how I'm supposed to produce my ticket if
> I'm not eating its raw materials. When that stumped them, I asked for
> some fiber -- SUBSTANCE -- in my diet, including prunes and prune juice.
> Tastes much better than drugs and much less chance of problems.
>
> Viola! Outta there.
>
> I.P.

Your twofer made all the difference. There's no way anything of
substance is going to come out just a day or two after that cleansing
job patients have pre-op for just the prostatectomy. Gas is a
sufficient indicator of things working well enough to go home whether
it is heard only through a stethoscope or in the next room.
Dave Perry