Life After Prostate Removal Surgery

What About My Physical And Emotional Wellness

Prostate Exercises for FASTEST RECOVERY | The Most Recent Training Advances for MEN!

Eating a healthy diet including a variety of foods, will ensure you have what your body needs to cope with treatment and recovery. Regular physical activity can improve your cancer recovery and reduce side effects such as fatigue.

Dont be afraid to ask for professional and emotional support.
Consider joining a cancer support group.
Learn to ignore unwanted advice and horror stories.
Live day-to-day and remember that every day is likely to be different.

Complementary therapies can work alongside medical treatments and some have been shown to improve quality of life or reduce pain. There is no evidence that these therapies can cure or prevent cancer. Some have not been tested for side-effects, may work against other medical treatments and may be expensive. Talk to your doctor about using complementary therapies.

What Happens After Urethral Sling Surgery

Patients usually recover from this surgery quickly. It’s best to limit demanding activities for approximately six weeks after surgery to avoid having the sling loosen before healing is complete.

After surgery, there may be swelling that makes it difficult to urinate. You’ll have a catheter coming out of the urethra for two to three days. After this, the catheter is removed and just about everyone is able to void on their own. In rare cases, the catheter may have to be reinserted for a few days or up to a week if you cannot urinate.

After the swelling goes down, youll gradually be able to urinate on your own and empty your bladder. However, your normal urination pattern may not return for a few weeks.

The majority of men who’ve had this procedure have been cured of their urinary incontinence and no longer use pads. The others usually improve to the point where they don’t use as many pads as they were before.

What Are The Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Surgery

People often ask what happens if the prostate is removed? What to expect after prostate surgery? And can you have your prostate removed at all? The answer is yes it is possible to have the prostate removed.

Life without a prostate can be close to normal for some, though not free from the after effects of prostate removal.

There are few prostate surgery complications. Some are acute, and others chronic. Among acute side effects could be a reaction to anesthesia, bleeding issues, blood clots in legs, damage to nearby organs, and infection at the surgery site.

However, in most cases, people are interested in life after prostate removal, the pain after prostate surgery, and the long-term after effects of a prostatectomy.

There are two main side effects of prostate surgery. These are urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

How Can A Prostatectomy Impact Your Quality Of Life

Prostatectomy is not life-threatening, but prostate removal significantly affects the quality of life, and it may cause problems like urinary symptoms, bladder issues, erectile dysfunction, and more. T

These issues may last for several months and even years, something patients should be ready for if they decide to have the surgery.

However, a lot depends on the patients age and the kind of surgery done. Studies show that about 60% of patients would make an almost complete recovery within 3 months with no long-term complications. By 12-months, almost 90% of patients can expect to feel much better and nearly normal.

Unfortunately, improvement is slow for some people, and they need 2-3 years to revive their sexual function and get rid of urinary issues. Regretfully, these issues may continue to haunt some for a while.

Here it is vital to understand that the above data is for radical proctectomy . The outlook is better after partial proctectomy.

The Initial Causes Life After Prostate Removal Surgery

One of the first symptoms of prostate issues is pain or tenderness in the groin or lower back. This can be the result of a noncancerous condition called enlarged prostatic tissue, or it could be an infection of the bladder. In either case, its important to see a doctor as soon as possible. If youre suffering from prostate pain, you may want to consider reducing your caffeine intake.

Another symptom of a potentially enlarged prostate is difficulty starting a stream of urine, leaking, or dribbling. These symptoms are not serious, but theyre still alarming. Most men put up with an enlarged prostate for years before seeking medical attention, but they typically seek treatment as soon as they notice symptoms. Even if you dont have symptoms, its worth getting checked to determine if you have any prostate issues.

If you experience nightly bathroom runs, you may be experiencing an enlarged prostate. You may be having difficulty starting a stream of urine, or you may even be dribbling or leaking during the day. These problems arent life-threatening, but can become a nuisance. You should not ignore these signs and seek treatment as soon as you notice them. If you feel any of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor.

What You Need To Know About Prostate Surgery

What is prostate surgery for?

The prostate is a gland located underneath the bladder, in front of the rectum. It plays an important role in the part of the male reproductive system that produces fluids that carry sperm.

Surgery for partial or complete removal of the prostate is called a prostatectomy. The most common causes for prostate surgery are prostate cancer and an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia .

Pretreatment education is the first step to making a decisions about your treatment. All types of prostate surgery can be done with general anesthesia, which puts you to sleep, or spinal anesthesia, which numbs the lower half of your body.

Your doctor will recommend a type of anesthesia based on your situation.

The goal of your surgery is to:

cure your condition
minimize pain before, during, and after surgery

Read on to learn more about the types of surgery, risks, and recovery.

The goal of prostate surgery also depends on your condition. For example, the goal of prostate cancer surgery is to remove cancerous tissue. The goal of BPH surgery is to remove prostate tissue and restore the normal flow of urine.

Robotic Prostate Surgery Recovery Time

Whats the recovery period like after robotic prostate surgery? When can I go back to work after prostate surgery?

If you are considering the da Vinci robotic form of prostate surgery, I just went through it, and I can tell you how the recovery period went for me.

First, I spent a couple of days in the hospital could have been sent home after one night but I decided to stay. I had a private room, was getting great care, and was able to walk around the floor whenever I wanted to. Why go home?

After two nights in the hospital, I was discharged and sent home. Suggestion: make sure you know how to work the Foley catheter before you leave. The nurse should show you how to change it and empty it in a clean and antiseptic manner. The hospital provided me with 2 collection bags: a larger overnight bag and a smaller bag that attaches to your leg. I ended up using the larger bag 99% of the time at home, because the smaller collection bag just filled up too fast. I couldnt even get through watching one football game without having to empty it.

The first week at home, you have to take it very easy. You just had surgery and dont want something to go wrong and have to go back to the hospital to get it corrected. You read the newspaper, watch TV, take naps, convalesce. Get used to moving around the house holding your catheter collection bag, which is kind of red at first.

Also Check: Natural Cure For Prostate Problems

Don’t Miss: Is Prostate Cancer And Breast Cancer Related

What Do We Know About Potency After A Robitic Prostatectomy

The return of potency is dependent on several factors:

Previous sexual function before surgery. Unfortunately, robotic prostatectomy will at best return you to your level of sexual function pre-surgery. It will not improve upon what you already had before surgery.
Age. Theyounger you are, the better your chances. Men under 65 have abetter chance of regaining potency, or erectile function than those over 65.
How many nerves are spared. As discussed previously, ideally both nerves can be spared and thiswill give you the highest chance of regain erections. However,even men with no nerve sparing can regain erectile function.

How Long Is The Hospital Stay For Prostate Removal

Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy | Brigham and Women’s Hospital

After prostate removal, you will likely stay in the hospital for at least one day. You will return home with a urinary catheter which will remain in place for seven to 10 days after surgery. At a follow-up appointment, your catheter will be removed, and you can begin a gradual return to activities. During your recovery from prostate removal, you may experience some side effects.

You May Like: Do You Have To Have A Prostate

Psa Levels After Treatment

A continuous rise in your PSA level can be the first sign that your cancer has come back. This should be picked up by your regular PSA tests.

The exact change in PSA level that suggests your cancer has come back will depend on which treatment you had. Speak to your doctor or nurse about your own situation.

Your PSA level should drop so low that its not possible to detect it at six to eight weeks after surgery. This is because the prostate, which produces PSA, has been removed. A rise in your PSA level may suggest that you still have some prostate cancer cells.

After radiotherapy or brachytherapy, your PSA should drop to its lowest level after 18 months to two years. Your PSA level wont fall to zero as your healthy prostate cells will continue to produce some PSA.

Your PSA level may actually rise after radiotherapy treatment, and then fall again. This is called PSA bounce. It could happen up to three years after treatment. It is normal, and doesnt mean that the cancer has come back.

If your PSA level rises by 2 ng/ml or more above its lowest level, this could be a sign that your cancer has come back. Your doctor will continue to check your PSA level and will talk to you about further tests and treatment options.

How Do Doctors Perform Prostate Removal

During prostate removal the prostate gland and some tissue around the gland, including the seminal vesicles, are removed. A prostatectomy takes about two hours and is performed under general anesthesia.

There are two approaches used for a prostatectomy:

Robotic surgery
Minimally invasive procedure with faster recovery time
Uses smaller incisions and robotic technology

Uses traditional incisions and tools

May be used for more complex cases

The surgical process is as follows:

The doctor will make a small incision to gain access to the prostate
The prostate is removed
The bladder is reconnected to the urethra
A catheter is connected to the bladder to allow urine to drain while the area heals

Side Effects From Radiation

Urinary symptoms from radiation treatment for prostate cancer are different from those caused by prostate surgery. “It’s more like a urinary tract infection-increased urgency and frequency, and men may some have bleeding or pain when they urinate,” Calvaresi said. These problems often go away once treatment is complete.

Radiation also may cause bowel changes, such as constipation, loose stools or both. These can be managed by over-the-counter medication. Men may also see some blood in their stool during treatment-if so, let your health care provider know about this.

Men undergoing radiation are likely to have ED, but not immediately. “It slowly sets in after radiation treatment,” Calvaresi said. Treatments for radiation-related ED are the same as ED caused by prostate cancer surgery.

Cancer Treatments And Erectile Dysfunction

Following surgery, many men experience erectile dysfunction , but for many, the disruption is temporary. Nerves damaged during surgery may result in erectile dysfunction. A nerve-sparing prostatectomy may reduce the chances of nerve damage. Another factor is the surgeons skill level for performing the nerve-sparing technique, which if done correctly, may improve patients likelihood of retaining erectile function, says Dr. Shelfo.

Prostate cancer may also be treated with various types of radiation therapybrachytherapy, external beam radiation or stereotactic body radiation therapy. Each type of therapy causes somewhat different side effects. About half of all prostate cancer patients who undergo any of these types of radiation therapy are likely to develop erectile dysfunction, according to a 2016 article published in Advances in Radiation Oncology.

What Are The Side Effects Of Prostate Removal

All surgical procedures have some risk of side effects. Not every person experiences the same side effects or severity of symptoms. Common side effects of prostate removal include:

As with any surgery that requires anesthesia, constipation after prostate removal may be experienced.Your doctor may prescribe stool softeners to prevent constipation and straining against the incision site.

Recommended Reading: Medicamentos Para La Próstata Inflamada

Does Incontinence Go Away On Its Own After Prostate Surgery

For most men, urinary incontinence will go away within about 1 year. The time frame varies depending on how severe your incontinence is, and what types of treatments youre using to manage it. Some men may recover from leaks within weeks, whereas others will take months for the bladder leaks to subside. Performing pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegels, which help strengthen the muscles that are located in the base of the pelvis between the pubic bone may help to speed the recovery process along.

You May Like: How Dangerous Is Prostate Cancer

Is Incontinence Normal After Prostate Surgery

Bladder leakage after prostate removal is not all that uncommon and typically will go away after your body begins to heal and your muscles regain strength. Approximately 6-8 percent of men who have had surgery to remove their prostate will develop urinary incontinence. The good news is that most men will eventually regain bladder control with time.

How Bad Is The Pain After Prostate Surgery

Radical prostatectomy: all about the prostate-removing surgery – Online interview

The level of pain is lower than that of open prostatectomy, due to smaller incisions. However, you will be administered pain medication both orally and intravenously, through an IV. Make sure you have someone to pick you up from the hospital, as you wont be able to drive right away. Ask your doctor to recommend some pain medication and dosages that you can take from home most common ones are Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Even though the recovery is fast, you should get plenty of rest and not force yourself with lifting weights or exercises in the first few weeks.

Also Check: How Treatable Is Prostate Cancer

Tips To Get The Most From Your Follow

Write down any questions or concerns beforehand

It’s easy to forget what you want to say once youre at your appointment.

Bring someone with you

It can be hard to take everything in at your appointments. Some people find it helpful to take someone with them, to listen and discuss things with later. If your appointment is on the phone, you could ask a friend or family member to listen with you.

Make notes

It can help to write things down during or after your appointment. Theres space for this in the appointment diary in our booklet, Follow-up after prostate cancer treatment: What happens next?

Ask to record your appointment

You could do this using your phone or another recording device. You have the right to record your appointment if you want to because its your personal data. But let your doctor or nurse know if you are recording them.

Ask for help

If there is anything bothering you, let your doctor or nurse know.

Ask for copies of any letters

If your appointment is at the hospital, ask for a copy of the letter that is sent to your GP. This will happen automatically at some hospitals. It will help to remind you of what was said at your appointment. If you don’t understand the letter, call your main contact at the hospital or contact our Specialist Nurses.

Life After Prostate Cancer

Youve survived prostate cancer. Now, you may be living with side effects of prostate cancer treatments such as erectile dysfunction or incontinence. In your life after prostate cancer, you dont have to live with these side effects. There are solutions available.

Even though prostate removal is considered the gold standard of care for prostate cancer, 1 in 5 men are unhappy with their functional results likely due to incontinence and sexual dysfunction, and approximately 21% of men will experience both ED and leakage after a prostatectomy.

Learn more about treatment options available to you.

Don’t Miss: Proton Therapy For Prostate Cancer In Florida

Day Of Surgery Medications

You may take all your normal medications with a sip of water, except oral diabetic medication, ACE inhibitors and diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide . Call our office if you have any questions about your medications. Due to COVID-19 restrictions we encourage you to contact our hospital concierge for the latest visitor guidelines by calling .

On the day of your surgery, you may use valet parking or park in one of the lots in front of the building. Your procedure will take place at AdventHealth Celebration, located at 400 Celebration Place, Celebration, Florida 34747. You will need to report to the hospital main entrance. Our concierge will meet you in the front lobby of the hospital to escort you to the surgery area and walk you through the process.

After your surgery is completed, Dr. Patel will call your family and give them an update on your status.