Driving after Da Vinci Robotic Surgery

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

Les

Age 58 at Diagnosis

Oct 2006 - PSA 2.6 - DRE Normal

May 2008 - PSA 4.6 - DRE Normal / TRUS normal

July 2008 - Biopsy 4 of 12 Positive 5 - 30% Involved Bilateral w/PNI - Gleason (3+3)6 Stage T1C

Robotic Surgery Sept 18, 2008

Pathology October 1, 2008 - Gleason 7 (3+4) Staged pT2c NO MX - Gland 50 cc

Seminal Vesicles and Lymph Nodes clear

Positive Margins Right Posterior Lobe

PSA 5 week Oct 2008 <.05

                   3 month Jan 2009 .06

                   6 month Apr 2009 .06

                   9 month Jul  2009 .08

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

  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.  

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  age: 53 @ Dx, Pre-op PSA Feb 08' 5.0, April 08' 4.1

  Biopsy 5.1.08, 5 of 15 cores postive, T2a, Gleason 3+4=7

  DaVinci performed 7.29.08

  Bladder sling installed, umbilical hernia repaired during surgery.

  Path report, "cancer fully contained, margins clear".

  Cath removed 8.8.08, ED therapy begins 8.9.08

  100mg Viagra three times a week, pump for ten minutes daily

  and hold for ten minutes.

  8.16.08 switched to Levitra 20mg, immediate results

  9.15.08 Pad free at night, one thin (light) pad during the day

  9.18.08 1st Post-op PSA Undetectable Zero's....Yes!

  12.22.08 2nd Post-op PSA  Zero's still...

  6.23.09 1yr Post-op PSA Still a zero..

  Pads gone 1.3.09, finally found the courage...Thanks ya'll

          ".....tryin' to reason with hurricane season...."

       

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.

My Stats

Age at diagnosis 54, PSA 5.1

Biopsy 04/08 12 cores, 5 positive
Gleason 3 Cores at 4+3=7, 2 Cores at 3+4=7
Perineural Invasion Noted on biopsy

Robotic surgery 08/12/09 at Vanderbilt, Nashville TN. 

Post Surgery - Dr. Spared 100% of Nerves on the left side.

Estimated that 50 - 70% of the nerves were spared on the right side.

Final Path report

20% of the prostate Invovled

Tumor graded at T2C

Overall Gleason 3+4 (7)

Lymph Glands Clear

Positive Margin 1.8 cm in length Noted in Right Apex

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

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.

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

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

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Diagnosed Dec 2007 during annual routine physical at age 55

PSA doubled from previous year from 1.5 to 3.2

12 biopsies - 2 pos; 2 marginal

Gleason 3+3; upgraded to 4+3 post surgery

RRP 4 Feb 08; both nerves spared

Good pathology - no margins - all encapsulated

Catheter out Feb 13 - pad free Feb 16

PSA every 90 days - ZERO's everytime!

Great wife and family who take very good care of me

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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Age 49

occupation accountant

PSA increased from 2.6 to 3.5 in one year

biopsy march 2008 - cancer present gleason 7

Robotic Surgery May 9, 2008 - houston, tx

Pathology report -gleason 8, clear margins

12 month  PSA <.04 (low as the machine will go)

continent at 10 weeks (no pads!)

ED is still an issue but getting better

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.

DaVinci at Addenbrookes, Cambridge, England 18th May 2009.  Nerves removed one side.

Catheter in for 8 days, no pain, no post op problems apart from an infection, cleared with antibiotics.

Some aching around the penis, which still occurs.

6 week psa 0.1, post op pathology all good, confirming pre op tests. Ed a problem, no treatment as yet.

Light ladies pad during the day, just to control a slight dampness and a Tena for  men pad at night for occassional leakage.

Awaiting 3 month consultation at the moment.

Sept 09 - still awaiting consultation. 99% dry during the day, tena pad at night just in case.