Stool softener

I just finished a bottle of 60 and am due to go in for my first psa check in a week. Should I be taking more of those things or is the reason I was told to take them passed now? Or should I call the Doc's office on Monday and ask them if I should continue on them?

For starters, welcome here. Glad you found us. As for your question, are you now having BM's fine on your own? Are you struggling, or is it painful? It's not about how many you take, it's about how many you need to help you get regular again. Did you have recent PC surgery? Kind of sounds like you did, or perhaps some other treatment method. If you wish, include some more information about your self. It certainly wouldn't hurt to simply ask your doctor, no such thing as a dumb question to them, so ask away.

As for my own example, took them for about two weeks after my surgery once I was home from the hospital. Then I was regular again and able to go without any pain or struggle, I simply stopped taking them.

David in SC

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Age 56, 56 at DX, PSA 7/7 5.8, 7/8 12.3,9/8 14.5

You should add your information to your sig since it will help everyone to see what stage you are at.

Stool softeners have two general purposes. First to help establish bowel function shortly after surgery -- ideally bowel function should resume 3-5 days post surgery. The second purpose is to prevent you from damaging your newly repaired parts by straining too hard when passing a stool. I presume that you are at least six weeks post surgery. If your bowel movements have been regular and without much strain you are probably past the need for the stool softeners. Try going without for a day or two and if everything is OK you no longer need them. If you find yourself constipated, go back to the softeners and ask your doctor about possible dietary changes.

Wishing you a a zero for your first PSA

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Age at diagnosis 67, PSA 5.5
Biopsy 12/08 12 cores, 8 positive
Gleason 3 + 4 = 7
CAT scan 1/09 negative, Bone scan 1/09 negative

Robotic surgery 03/03/09 Catheter Removed 03/08/09
Post surgical pathology report. Lymph nodes negative, Seminal vesicles negative
Surgical margins positive, Capsular penetration extensive Gleason 4 + 3 = 7

If you are not having problems with your stool then you probably don't need them any more. I only took laxative medication for few days after surgery.

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Age: 67
PSA 9/05 1.15; 8/06 1.45; 12/07 2.41; 8/08 3.9; 11/08 3.5 free PSA 11%
Dx 12/30/08
2 cores out of 12 were positive Gleason (4+4) and (4+5)
Negative CT scan and bone scan done on 1/16
Robotic surgery performed 2/9/09
Surgeon: Dr. Randy Fagin, Austin TX.
Pathology report:
Prostate weighed 57 grams size:5.2 x 5.0 x 4.9 cm
Bilateral 10-20% involved
Gleason 4+4
both nerve bundles removed,
pT3a Nx Mx
Negative margins
seminal vesicles clean
Lymph nodes: not dissected
1st PSA test 4/7/09 result <0.1

Prunes became my friends in the beginning. Still eat 5 a day.

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Dan

PC diagnosis @ 53 YO
PSA: 3.4 - 3.7 for preceeding 10 years, new GP advised Urologist visit

09/18/08 12 plug biopsy
09/29/08 PC diagnosis, 1 of 12 plugs, 5% cancer, Gleason 3+3 (6), left side plug w/cancer
12/17/08 da Vinci robotic radical prostatectomy, lab confirmed biopsy, 5%, PIN rest of prostrate, negative margins
12/29/08 catheter removed
03/24/09 1st PSA blood draw, < 0.1% "undetectable"

current status: 1 pad/day, dry overnight; however, total ED

I took stool softener and prunes for about 2 weeks. I was afraid to push when performing a BM. I continued the prunes for another couple of months, probably because I liked them.

Bob

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Age 69, First ever PSA 7.8 taken June 2008, Biopsy July 2008, 10 of 12 cores positive, Gleason 3+3=6
da Vinci surgery December 10, 2008, catheter removed December 29 2008
St. Lukes Hospital, Bethlehem, Pa.
Dr. Frank Tamarkin

Prostate weight 73.0 grams, Gleason 3+3=6, stage pT3a
Tumor locations: right anterior apex, right posterior apex to mid
left anterior mid to base, left posterior apex to mid
extensive perineural invasion in right anterior apex, right and left posterior apex to mid
seminal vesicles negative

First post PSA < .1 Jan 16 2009
Second post PSA < .1 Apr 17 2009

I'm still taking stool softeners 2x daily. The anethesia and pain meds at hospital tend to plug me up. I've only taken a few percocets since back home and they did plug me a bit, too. I think I'm done with those so I think I'll be back to normal in a day or so. The same happened when I had hernia repair a few years ago. I only took softeners long enough to help with BM to keep from straining.