Prostate removal

Hi Fran,

Sorry that your husband had to have his op. My advice is to go to the Urology Dept. of your hospital. The nurses there will be able to give you advice on how to do pelvic floor exercise to regain control of his bladder and answer your queries. I never managed to regain control of my bladder after my op. and have to wear pads which is supplied by NHS. 

Best wishes

Hi Fran, as Hobbit123 has said an appointment with a urological physio to check he’s doing the PFE properly. I wasn’t but a physio soon got me doing the exercises correctly.

As far as the pains go, I suffered these type of pains and met a doctor who prescribed Gabapentin as these are nerve pains due to everything being “jangled” during surgery.

To be honest I never took them as I was happy to find out the cause of the pain and it wasn’t cancer related.

Can you give us more details on your husband. What was his Gleason score and staging before the operation? Was his prostate particularly large or attached to other structures?

Did he have nerve sparing surgery? These things can affect continence afterwards with nerve sparing being helpful.

Have you had any post op feedback?

Sorry there are so many questions but the answers will help to contextualise the situation.

Best wishes to you and your husband.

All we were told is that it was Gleason 7 didn’t mention nerves or if it was large we have had no feedback wat so ever it’s like we’re left in the dark all we were told is they were checking psa in 5,weeks and he would see consultant in 7 weeks and he would get a delivery of pads which he hasn’t and it’s 3 weeks wed since prostate was removed I did ring them last Thursday and all they said was they would resend the fax for pads I’m at my wits end as think he’s sinking into bad depression 

Hi hobbit if you don’t mind me asking how old you are as it must not be nice wearing pads I’m so sorry for you we did go back urologist over excersises and all the nurses did was gave him a ladies pelvic floor excersises sheet as that’s all she could fine to be honest they have not been any help at all I’m starting to think because he has so much go wrong the last 5 years there just pushing him aside as if he’s a lost course especially since are daughter passed away 12 months ago I have no faith what’s so ever in the hospital thank you so much for your reply to me 

Hi Fran,

I am so sorry that you lost your daughter recently. With this on top, you are handling it very well. You must have faith in our NHS, they are the experts who can really help your husband. 

I am 72. No, it is not nice to be needing pads but I have learnt to manage with it. I was given a PFE sheet like your husband and I didn't know where to get help then. This could be a contribution factor that I have remained incontinent. So it is important that you seek help soon like Ido4 had suggested in his reply.

Sorry he is getting low, I'm not surprised to be honest.

It sounds like it might be worth contacting the specialist nurses on MacMillan on 0800 808 0000 and/or PCUK on 0800 074 8383.

Is there a Maggie's centre in your general area (mines is 20 miles away), they can help with things too especially how he feels and you feel.

Best wishes.

Hi Fran,

Here is a link to pelvic floor exercises you can print.

Pelvic Floor exercises

Best wishes,

Thank you hobbit I really appreciate your reply going to ring Macmillan tomorrow thanks for your reply and I wish you all the best

I don’t have much faith in nhs as my daughter passed away with there mistakes so it’s hard to trust them 

Hi we didn’t get anything like that for Jim I will print it off we have a Maggie at clatterbridge it’s only about 3 miles away even on my hubbys discharge letter apparently he should of had a district nurse out but never and the 8 days of needles didn’t show him how to administer them himself either but Ile keep battling on for him