Driving after Da Vinci Robotic Surgery

With my procedure coming up in a couple of weeks, I was wondering how soon after the catheter is out you would be able to drive the car assuming everything progressed well?  Does anyone care to comment on this?

Hi Bill,

I am almost sure there isn't any problem with you driving after the cath is removed. I think most doctors are inclined to ask you not to drive while the catheter is in place...but after the removal shouldn't be a problem. I drove home right after mine was removed.

Good luck on your upcoming surgery.

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You are beating back cancer, so hold your head up with dignity

Bill,

I was told not to drive until my original catheter was out, which was for 30 days. They definitely don't want you to drive with staples in place or your original catheter or if you are still requiring prescription pain pills. If any thing happened in most states, they could get you for a DUI conviction from the medication alone.

Now interestingly, I have been on 6 other catheters since the original, and there was never any driving restriction on them.

Good luck to you.

David in SC

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Age: 57, 56 dx, PSA: 7/07 5.8, 7/08 12.3, 9/08 14.5, 10/08 16.3
3rd Biopsy: 9/08 - 7/7 Positive, 40-90% Cancer, Gleason 4+3
Open RP: 11/08, Rht nerves saved, 4 days in hospt, on catheters for 63 days, 5th one out 1/09
Path Rpt: Gleason 3+4, pT2c, 42g, 20%, Contained in capsule, 1 pos margin
2009 PSA: 2/09 .05,5/09 .1, 6/09 .11. 8/09 .16
Latest: 7/09 met 2 rad. oncl, 7/09 cath #6 - blockage, 8/09 2nd corr surgery, 8/9 cath #7 - out after 38 days

I too was told not to drive while the cath was in...Have no idea why?

 

  My Doc never mentioned driving or not......I waited a few days, 3-4 don't remember which...slapped on the leg bag and was driving. Of course not if I'd popped a pain pill, didn't really use too many.

 When you get home though, shave your inner thighs, saves some uncomfortable moments when switching the tape securing the cath tube from one leg to the other. I forget who on here told me to do this....good advice though.  

 

I drove about a week after it was out. The only issue I had was incontinence. Make sure to cover the seat with a blue pad if you expect you wife to ever drive the car again. Even if you don't leak, it's a courtesy - like putting the seat down. (It's 7 weeks for me and I have not had to worry about the toilet seat position. I either pee outside or in the shower.)
Jeff

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DX Age 56. First routine PSA test on April 8th: 17.8.
May PSA: 22.6, 3 weeks later: PSA: 23.2.
Biopsy 6/10/09: 7/12 scores positive, Gleason 6=3+3. Bone scan and C/T scan negative.
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RP DaVinci -7/21/2009 @ Univ of Roch Medical Center
Left nerve gone, right partial spared.
Catheter removed - 7/31/2009 Pathology report received:
Gleason 3+4=7 Tumor size: 2.5 x 1.8 cm location: both lobes and apex. No Malignancy in Seminal Vesicle, vasa deferentia, lymph nodes 0/13
Extraprostatic extension present; Perineural invasion: present, extensive
Prostate mass 56 grams. Pathologic Stage: pT3aN0MX
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One Month Status:
Potency - 9/7 7 weeks Still no activity
Incontinence - 8/20 3-4 full pads per day
9/7 3-4 full pads per day (I'm going to try cutting down on fluids. Bad idea, I know)
Post Surgery PSA - 9/3 6 weeks - 0.05

Post Edited (Worried Guy) : 9/11/2009 1:11:56 PM (GMT-6)

I drove the day after the cath came out with no problems. Just make sure you still aren't taking pain meds while driving.

Larry

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Father treated for Prostate Cancer in 1997 with Proton Beam - Still doing well.

I had surgery wednesday and was driving saturday, but i was suppose to wait the 7 days when I had a catheter.  The most significant pain after surgery is stomach mucsles and gas bubbles. Really no pain for the cutting

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Dx'ed 5/08 one core 2%  out of 12  3+3 gleason

Engineer just reminded me. My wiastline increased 4 inches right after the surgery! Good thing I had sweat pants. about the time the catheter came out I was still 2 inches above normal and my jeans didn't fit. In some states it is illegal to drive your car in your underwear. ;-)

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DX Age 56. First routine PSA test on April 8th: 17.8.
May PSA: 22.6, 3 weeks later: PSA: 23.2.
Biopsy 6/10/09: 7/12 scores positive, Gleason 6=3+3. Bone scan and C/T scan negative.
----------------------------------------------
RP DaVinci -7/21/2009 @ Univ of Roch Medical Center
Left nerve gone, right partial spared.
Catheter removed - 7/31/2009 Pathology report received:
Gleason 3+4=7 Tumor size: 2.5 x 1.8 cm location: both lobes and apex. No Malignancy in Seminal Vesicle, vasa deferentia, lymph nodes 0/13
Extraprostatic extension present; Perineural invasion: present, extensive
Prostate mass 56 grams. Pathologic Stage: pT3aN0MX
----------------------------------------------
One Month Status:
Potency - 9/7 7 weeks Still no activity
Incontinence - 8/20 3-4 full pads per day
9/7 3-4 full pads per day (I'm going to try cutting down on fluids. Bad idea, I know)
Post Surgery PSA - 9/3 6 weeks - 0.05

Gee, I lost 35 lbs in the first two months after my open surgery. If a doctor puts a written restriction on you involving driing, and you drive and get into a wreck, it can spell serious trouble for you in a lawsuit and with your DMV.

David in SC

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Age: 57, 56 dx, PSA: 7/07 5.8, 7/08 12.3, 9/08 14.5, 10/08 16.3
3rd Biopsy: 9/08 - 7/7 Positive, 40-90% Cancer, Gleason 4+3
Open RP: 11/08, Rht nerves saved, 4 days in hospt, on catheters for 63 days, 5th one out 1/09
Path Rpt: Gleason 3+4, pT2c, 42g, 20%, Contained in capsule, 1 pos margin
2009 PSA: 2/09 .05,5/09 .1, 6/09 .11. 8/09 .16
Latest: 7/09 met 2 rad. oncl, 7/09 cath #6 - blockage, 8/09 2nd corr surgery, 8/9 cath #7 - out after 38 days

My doctor said he'd like me to wait 5 days at least. Its because of the amount of pressure you have to put on the brake pedal. Especially a quick stop. The pressure could hurt the incisions. I was in a hurry to drive because my wife was in a hospital and I had to check on her ASAP. I drove there every day. I was super incontinent but didn't let it slow me done. You shouldn't have to wait long. Just try not to have to slam on the brakes. I still had the cath in and wore a leg bag.

Best advice I got was to get draw string pants, I think it was the nurse that told me. You need something loose with the catheter

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Dx'ed 5/08 one core 2%  out of 12  3+3 gleason

If you have been building stamina by walking, then driving after the catheter is out is no problem. But for me the issue was learning to manage incontinence – note I said management, not the incontinence itself. about the third or fourth day I had to cut short some local errands, throw a plastic bag on the car seat and head home to change both my pad and my pants. By the eight day I drove a longer trip 1 ½ hours each way with a carefully planned bathroom break at the beginning, middle and end and I was fine.

Remember that you will be under a maximum lifting restriction of 5 or 10 pounds, so don’t plan any errands for heavy stuff.

I think the restriction on driving with the cath in is a safety issue. As many of us know, a wrong move can cause quite a bit of pain and that could distract you from your driving. There is also the issue that in an accident the catheter could act like a lever and do internal damage.

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Age at diagnosis 66, PSA 5.5
Biopsy 12/08 12 cores, 8 positive
Gleason 3+4=7
CAT scan, Bone scan 1/09 both negative.

Robotic surgery 03/03/09 Catheter Out 03/08/09
Pathology: Lymph nodes & Seminal vesicles negative
Margins positive, Capsular penetration extensive Gleason 4+3=7
6 weeks: 1 pad/day, 1 pad/night -- mostly dry at night.
10 weeks: no pad at night -- slight leakage day/1 pad.
3 mo. PSA 0.0 - now light pads

I think the key answer is, do what your doctor advises. My doctor didn't really impose any restrictions, If it feels bad, don't do it. I drove 3 days after surgeru with the cath, and it didn't bother me in the least.

Obviously, from the above posts, evry doctor has a little different post op intructions. Some, maybe much of it, is for legal liability on his/her part, the rest is for our good.

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Age 58, PSA 4.47 Biopsy - 2/12 cores , Gleason 4 + 5 = 9

Greetings everyone.  Before surgery my doc said no driving as long as I still had the cath and as long as I was taking prescription pain meds.  I only took the pain meds the first day home from the hospital and then switched to OTC so was free to drive when my cath came out on day 9.  David

I drove the day the catheter was removed.

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Age: 67 at Dx on 12/30/08
PSA 9/05 1.15; 8/06 1.45; 12/07 2.41; 8/08 3.9; 11/08 3.5 free PSA 11%
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 Dr Fagin, Austin TX
Pathology report:
Prostate weighed 57 grams size:5.2 x 5.0 x 4.9 cm
Posterior lateral lesions measuring 1.5 x 1.4 x 1.0 cm showing focal capsular penetration over a distance of 3mm.
Prostatic adenocarciroma accounts for approx. 10-20% of the hemisphere.
Gleason 4+4
both nerve bundles removed,
pT3a Nx Mx, Negative margins
seminal vesicles clean, lymph nodes: not dissected
continent after 4 months
8 weeks PSA test 4/7/09 result <0.1
5 months PSA test 7/9/09 result <0.1

I drove the day the catheter was removed. However, I was very sore and could not turn around and look at traffic. I was one of those people that drove straight and used the mirrors.

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Thanks to everyone who replied to my question about driving. Waiting until after the catheter is out makes a lot of sense to me.

Regards,
Keep well,
Bill

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Age 64. Diagnosed with Pca January 2009, PSA 5.6, Gleason 3+3=6, T1c, TRUS biopsies of prostate left adenocarcinoma of prostate involving part of 1/4 biopsy fragments, less than 10% of the surface area involved, CT scan clear. Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy surgery for treatment - September 29/09.

Here in England I was told to wait at least 2 weeks after catheter removal in order for the stomach muscles to heal . The main concern was heavy braking causing a problem leading to hernias. I also have found an increase in waist size after surgery, but I hope that in time I shall come back down to my usual 32". 3 month follow up now booked for the 29 th Sept.

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Diagnosed February 2009. Gleason 6, Psa 7.2, 12 core biopsy, and then Mri scan, which showed organ specific.