Hi I have localised prostate cancer. Been told I will either have to have Surgery or radiotherapy. Has anyone had the prostate removed? Bit concerned about the side effects i.e. incontinence and ED.
Hi Raaid. I had my prostate removed 4 weeks ago. I was sent home the following evening. Only minimal pain from surgery and mostly I turned down painkillers. Had a catheter in for a week. I found that awful but the week soon went and it was a turning point for me when it came out. All pain and soreness disappeared after catheter was removed. Started to go out for walks and drove short distances soon after. I am now back in work. Drove 500 miles yesterday without any problems. Been on some long walks. Feel as though I can do anything I could before the op although I am holding back on manual tasks and heavy exercise until I see my consultant in a week. Consultant did ask me if I wanted nerve sparring surgery. I responded that my life was more important and that I would leave it to his expert judgement. I assume I will find out when I see him what he actually did. Incontenence and ED is a reality for me. I undersatnd the effects are different in each case. Some recover, although that can be a relatively lengthy wait, maybe weeks, months or a year. Some however do not recover natually. I am on tabs for ED. Working a bit but I was not all that strong in that department before op. I find bladder incontinenece a real nuicence and limiting but am managing it now to a certain extent with pads and inconinence pants for belt and braces and a plastic urine bottle. Consultant has said that surgery will resolve it if necessary but that would not be considered for some time. I too was given the option of radiotherapy or surgery. What swayed it for me was that surgery was decisive and if it is not successful there is the option for radiotherapy after. Having surgery after radiotherapy is not usually an option.
I had a prostatectomy 5 weeks ago, and can confirm much of what Static says.
Yes, it hurts at first but I didn’t need more then paracetamol at night after the first few days. I was discharged the next day and the catheter was in place for 10 days, annoying but the time soon passed. Some men suffer lots of leakage once the catheter is removed. That’s not my experience. Maybe I’m lucky but 5 weeks on and I am using Level 1 pads, that last a whole day (and night), i.e. no leakage to speak of. The annoying thing for me is getting up once a night to pee, but I can cope with that. I am taking it easy, no heavy lifting and just local walks but generally feel much better then I expected to. Have yet to get results of prostate biopsy and post op psa test (so cannot say if the procedure has been a success) but as Static says, there are options if the outcome is not good. Fingers crossed. I would recommend talking to your surgeon and an oncologist to get all the information that is relevant to your case. If you can, take someone with you as it is so easy to miss something or forget to ask something.
Good Morning Raaid. This is a great website. Ive been through lots of old postings and found them most useful, together with the advice I have reecived from the members. I also sent away for the Tool Kit from the Prostate Cancer UK site (they ask for a donation). I found that pack absolutely invaluable and have read and referred to relevant information numerous times. I think you can also download a lot of the information from the website. I was then given another one of their packs at my pre-op 'Moving On' . That also has been invaualble. These are trying times for us all but thank goodness there is knowledge and help available.
thank you for the info was at the hospital yesterday to see the surgeon. He explained the robotic surgery procedure to me and my daughter in law whom is a theatre nurse and has worked with this surgeon. He advised me that in his opinion due to my age (73) surgery was my best option. I have another appointment due on the 16th Nov with the oncologist. However if I wait to see the oncologist I will not be able to get surgery until next year.! Decisions! My daughter in law says I should go for the surgery which could be done before xmas
You don't give any details like age, Gleason score or biopsy results.
I'm commenting here because I was given similar choices but decided to take a different path.
For me NHS suggested prostatectomy or brachytherapy ldr with a lean towards removal versus radiation.
First I've decided to try HiFU ultrasound privately but some nhs do offer it. The operation wasn't too bad, catheter in for 5 days. That has just been removed so hopefully things will be a bit more comfortable. Similar to above I was glad when that was taken out.
Functional checkup in 4 weeks for flow and ED check. Then a PSA test every 3 months for a year then another MRI to see where we are.
I had a proctectomy earlier this year and then RT this summer. Yes 2022 has been a funny old year. The incontinence after the operation was short lived, It's not an overnight success but over a number of weeks. By week12 everything was back to normal. Then RT followed and I had more side effects from that, my bowel was a bit shot up and had episodes of bowel incontinence which was more disturbing.than Urine incon. Anyway 12 weeks on everything is back to the new normal,
My advice would be to do the pelvic floor exercises as if your life depended on it, avoid caffeine and alcohol. Keep yourself as fit as possible. I am late 60s and cycle most days. . I drink both caffeine and alcohol now
have decided on the surgery. As the cancer has not progressed beyond the prostate. I have a PSA of 15 and Gleason score of 4+3. At 73 going on 74 I thought this would be my best option.
If I had chosen radiotherapy I would have to get 3months HT and then 4to 5 weeks radiotherapy Monday to Friday. As I live 40 miles from the hospital this could have been a problem with getting to and from the hospital as I live on my own.
