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Posted 5/31/2009 12:10 AM (GMT -7)
Hello All,

I just had my prostate removed on May 15.  I have some important lessons to share with you.

Be prepared for a better home environment (diapers and toiler seat)

Eat high fiber meals

Have more fresh fish soup with ginger

Try not to couph

do deep breath exercises

More later... Best wishes

Posted 5/31/2009 6:38 AM (GMT -7)
As I remember it, the most important thing is not to move Mr. Foley ;-) Hope you feel well! Previous 5 biopsies over 4 years negative PSA going from 3.8 to 28 Father died from PCa @ 78 - normal PSA and DRE Dx Nov 2007, age 46 PSA 29, Gleason 4+4=8 Decided to participate in clinical trial at Duke 6 rounds of chemo (Taxotere+Avastin) 1/8/2008 33.90 1/11/2008 29.50 1/31/2008 38.20 2/21/2008 32.00 3/13/2008 26.20 4/3/2008 26.60 4/24/2008 20.60 followed by RRP at Duke (Dr. Moul) on 6/16/2008 Gleason downgraded 4+3=7, T2c N0MX, one small positive margin PSA undetectable for 8 months, then 2/6/2009 0.10 4/26/2009 0.17 5/22/2009 0.20
Posted 5/31/2009 11:40 AM (GMT -7)
I only had mine for about 3 weeks. I came off on July 3rd, so Independence Day has a double meaning for me. Previous 5 biopsies over 4 years negative PSA going from 3.8 to 28 Father died from PCa @ 78 - normal PSA and DRE Dx Nov 2007, age 46 PSA 29, Gleason 4+4=8 Decided to participate in clinical trial at Duke 6 rounds of chemo (Taxotere+Avastin) 1/8/2008 33.90 1/11/2008 29.50 1/31/2008 38.20 2/21/2008 32.00 3/13/2008 26.20 4/3/2008 26.60 4/24/2008 20.60 followed by RRP at Duke (Dr. Moul) on 6/16/2008 Gleason downgraded 4+3=7, T2c N0MX, one small positive margin PSA undetectable for 8 months, then 2/6/2009 0.10 4/26/2009 0.17 5/22/2009 0.20
Posted 5/31/2009 6:00 PM (GMT -7)
Welcome Steven,

I hope your recovery is right on track.

Don't misplace your safety glasses during recovery.  Once you get back to real world chores you may need them.  Although, getting poked in the eye by a lilac branch will take your mind off of post-surgery issues for about a day and a half.

DS  

PSA 01/07 was 1.2, PSA 01/08 was 1.9, PSA 01/09 was 2.5.

BIOPSY 02/24/09, adenocarcinoma DX at age 52

 Right:GS 3+3=6, tumor 3/6 cores, 10% involvement,PNI-Yes

 Left: GS 3+3=6, tumor 1/7 cores, <5% involvement,PNI-No

LARP 04/09/09,nerve sparing. Final pathology:

 GS 3+4=7, Margins uninvolved, 2 lymph nodes negative.

Catheter removed on 04/17. First no-pad day was 05/03.

ED treatment is 25 mg Viagra nightly.

First followup PSA results on 05/28/09: <0.1,undetectable!

Posted 5/31/2009 6:35 PM (GMT -7)
Ooooh Yes by all means do NOT forget the Raised Commode! I did only ONE scrunch down on a regular miserable 15" high seat before so gladly moving on to the raised one (with the handles on the side). They even sell em at WalMart. Just google "Raised toilet seat with arms" to find one -- or rent one from whatever hospital equipment outlet that your Uro admins might recommend.

Thanks for the memories of Encounters of the Toilet Kind right after surgery -- ouuuuchhhh!
Age 58, 195lbs, 6'4", 57 at DX, PSA Aug2008 7 4 ... June2007 4.7 (BPH + LUTS)
Biopsy Nov2008 1 of 12 cores 5%, Gleason 3+3 - Sona showed 140+ cc (110 grams post op) prostate size.
02/03/09 open RRP surgery , Nerve sparing both sides, 1 day in hospital, Day 4 first BM,
Pathology Report: All margins clear - No Invasive spread - no change in Gleason score.
02/18/09 Cath out, passed a 1cm STONE within hours.
Using pump (Encore) daily since catheter out - working good with 2 rings.
04/01/09 Was Oxalate stone -- usually from kidneys -- X-ray Kidneys @ next PSA).
03/06/09 Started Levitra 20mg rehabbing -> no real effect yet (04/01/09) . (Same for Viagra @ 100mg)
04/01/09 PSA <0.1 (And starting Cialis daily @ 5-10mg) -- 04/19 nocturnals finally starting!

Posted 6/1/2009 8:56 AM (GMT -7)
There are many post-op tips to be shared, but copious amounts of soup with ginger isn't one of them I'd be making.  ;-)  To each his own diet, though.  Raised toilet seat:  I didn't need that, nor do I see much value in it . . . but some few people may have a physical condition where it would help.  The catheter wasn't an "issue" for me during the two weeks post-op I had it attached.  Coughing will be a good thing to do for someone out of the hospital, but I recognize that can cause some leaking. Congratulations on a successful procedure.

Age:  59 (58 at diagnosis - June, 2008)

April '08 PSA 4.8 ("free PSA" 7.9), up from 3.5 year prior

June '08 had biopsy, 2 days later told results positive but in less than 1% of sample

Gleason's 3+3=6

Developed sepsis 2 days post-biopsy, seriously ill in hospital for 3 days

Dr. recommended robotic removal using da Vinci

Surgery 9/10/08

Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL

Dr. Robert Nadler, Urologist/Surgeon

Post-op Gleason's:  3+3, Tertiary 4

Margins:  Free

Bladder & Urethral:  Free

Seminal vesicles:  Not involved

Lymphatic/Vascular Invasion:  Not involved

Tumor:  T2c; Location:  Bilateral; Volume:  20%

Catheter:  Removed 12-days after surgery

Incontinent:  Yes (1/2 light pads per day)

Combination of Cialis and MUSE (alprostadil) three times weekly started 9-27-08

Returned to work 9-29-08 (18-19 days post-op)

PSA test result, post-op, 10/08: 0.0; 12/08: 0.0; 4/09: 0.0

 

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