Husband having Radical Prostatectomy next week.

What I’ve learned is that there is no one typical story post op.  We are all on our own journey.  The last friend on here reported a fabulous outcome so keep fingers crossed for similar.  We’re here to support you.

Hi Cathy,

like Huffles says everyone is different and it’s natural to question if you are doing the right thing . Have you had a conversation with the surgeon about what will happen and what the side effects may be? Do you know your stats - PSA/ Gleason score ? Do you know where it is in the prostate ? How big it is ? Were you offered RT or Brachytherapy as an alternative? It’s really hard for anyone here to comment because there’s so many different treatments and usually down to the individual choice and medical advice.. Some people have felt that they have been rushed into surgery and not been offered alternatives. Some people have side effects where the nerves have been effected, other people have had no problems what so ever . Radiotherapy is now often offered as an alternative, it is vastly improved and very targeted and successful now, unlike years ago when it tended to have some very bad side effects ( because they seemed to roughly point it in the right direction and hope for the best in some cases.) Bracytherapy is the newest thing but not every hospital does it so you need to ask. Surgeons will promote surgery because that’s what they know. If you are not ready at this point to go ahead I’m sure you can say you need more time, or you may want to talk a bit more with your Consultant or Nurse about your fears. Just because you have that appointment doesn’t mean you have to go ahead. You need to talk to someone that has your husbands scans and details and ask these questions if you haven’t already. You need to feel happy that this is the best choice 
Best wishes to you both 

L

Thankyou so much for replying.

We are both 100%sure that surgery is the right option so that's not really the problem, the surgeon talked us through all the options. It just feels quite daunting. We will get through this and it helps to read posts like these.

I hope you are doing well.

Hi Cathy J and a warm welcome to the forum, though sorry you have to be here. I am sorry you are feeling anxious and worried about  your husbands treatment  and recovery, it's perfectly normal, as is thinking the worse. I can't help as I didn't have surgery, though I know many guys did, and hopefully they will be along soon to offer advice and maybe take some of your worries away. best wishes.

Eddie

Cathy, 

100% sure is a good place to be . Hopefully a few people will let you know about their surgery and how they felt after. It’s a very worrying time, but it will be over soon and hopefully this will be behind you and you can move on .

Hi Cathy , hope all is well and recovery is going as planned x

Thanks, Johnam 

All going according to plan, we think.

The op went as well as it could I think, according to the surgeon. A bit of drama on Wednesdsy when the catheter was blocked. Dashed off to the hospital and hubby endured another new experience, when they flushed out his bladder (ouch) and replaced the bag. (One less job for me there!)

Another phase of this whole process is nearly done. It feels that just as you breathe a sigh of relief there's something just as worrying to come. The catheter and staples come out on Tuesday. I know a lot of you have coped with incontinence  issues to varying degrees but it is bothering me quite a lot. Any advice welcome. I've raided the chemist for supplies but should just wait and see how it goes, I guess.

Strangely hecsays it feels like he needs to pee sometimes. When I'm feeling positive I wonder if thats a good sign!

Sorry to ramble on. Thanks for listening.

Hello Cathy, I’m sorry - I completely missed your thread! I’m sorry to read about your worries - that seems to be the role of us wives! We can’t ever stop those worries! However, it sounds as if you are ‘getting there’ along the treatment pathway. I hope all continues to go well for you and your husband and you can soon be breathing some sighs of relief

From experience these things do happen . And yes it is usual to experience feelings of wanting to pass urine naturally when a
urinary catheter is in place. But It’s worth asking your nurse just  to make sure   Not rambling you are a concerned wife . I just wish we were at the same stage and we could compare notes  . But trust me when my OH gets his surgery I’ll be looking for an ear too . Keep in touch & hugs to you both x

Hi Cathy, feeling like he needs to pee is perfectly normal and it will soon pass