Hi Wal

Thanks for sharing this.  The good news is that surgery and follow up radiotherapy can definitely effect a cure, and (although I'm not a doctor) I think you're doing the right thing. Of course, for the next five years you'll be sweating on every PSA test, but you'll learn to cope with that.

I don't think (or maybe I've missed) you've said where you are in the UK and which hospital.  If it's Bristol then I know you'll be a good (robotic) hands.

Let us know when you have a date, and I'll maybe share what I remember of my experiences on the day.

Bob

PS: If you have high blood pressure, then make sure you have it under control before you go for your pre-op exam.  My op was postponed twice because my BP was too high for safe surgery. In the end, my GP prescribed a massive cocktail of drugs that forced it down.  It got to the point that if I stood up quickly then I nearly fainted!  Once the surgery was over, I threw the worst drugs away and kept the rest so my BP is still fine four years later.

Hi Wal .You are getting some good help  from the lads on this site and that is how it should be we are in this thing together ,good luck and keep well .regards  george (urostar)

Hi Bob & all,

I am living in West Yorkshire (originally born a Geordie in Gateshead) and the hospital is the Bradford Royal Infirmary, which I believe is one of only three hospitals in the UK that offer the Robotic Radical Prostatectomy, so I feel lucky in that respect.

To the best of my knowledge, I have never had problems with high blood pressure, so I am hoping that I will pass all of the pre-op tests (ECG, Blood pressure, Allergies etc) with flying colours!

As I said before, it is just another waiting period where I have to be patient (no pun intended) until I get the go ahead.

I appreciate everyone's comments and encouragement and it is reassuring to know that other guys have been through all of this (albeit with different versions of the same story) and have come out at the other end and beaten this ***!

More postings as things happen.

Cheers.

Wal

Hi again,

I now have a date for my Robotic Radical Prostatectomy - two weeks today on the morning of Friday 3rd October.

I am awaiting my pre-op appointment to make sure that I am fit and well for surgery, although I have no reason to doubt otherwise.

The Radiologist said yesterday that it may be necessary for me to have a 4 week course of Radiotherapy after surgery, but this cannot be decided until they biopsy the Prostate, Lymph Nodes and Seminal Vesciles post-op and also see what the results of my post-op PSA test are.

So, it is everything crossed whilst there is yet more waiting for the next two weeks to fly by and then it will all literally be in the hands of the surgeon and robot!

Wal

I'm sure it will all go like clockwork now.  If you need the post op radiotherapy then so be it - don't worry about it.

In the months following the operation you'll need to wear Tena pads, but you'll probably be able to throw them away after 6 months. I had my op in December and the following September I went on a day trip to London on the train without wearing any pads at all!  Just keep up with the Pelvic Floor exercises.

I suggest you have a word with your GP before you're admitted and get some strong painkillers, such as Zapain. You won't be able to take Aspirin or Ibuprofen because you'll be injecting yourself with Heparin or a similar anticoagulent agent - don't worry, that's easier than you think!

I also suggest you get in some Fibogel to get the bowels moving again when you come home.  The first bowel movement may be a bit painful and don't be surprised if there's a little bit of leakage around the catheter!

You won't be able to drive a car for some weeks after, so lay in a supply of food.  I got Wiltshire Farm Foods to deliver a batch of frozen ready meals!

A couple of final points.  During the op they inflate your abdomen with gas so the night after the operation you could fart for England (or Team GB as we must still call it).  It also means that you gain an inch or so around the waist, so make sure you wear loose trousers with a belt!  They will almost certainly give you compression stockings to wear during your stay so make sure you take slippers (rather than flip flops) for wandering around the ward.  At night, put the overnight catheter bag in a BUCKET! It's too easy to get the taps mixed up and end up with carpet full of p*ss!  Others here will confirm that the bucket has saved their carpets.

Good luck

Bob

Thanks for the tips Bob - it sounds like a barrel of laughs with farting and *** everywhere! :-)

Hey ho, it has to be better than the alternative of doing nothing and suffering the slow and painful consequences.

I will let you know how it all goes.

Wal

Oops!

The website didn't like one word - I should have said "farting and urinating everywhere"!

Wal

I should have mentioned earlier that with prostate cancer it really helps if you have (a) a very good sense of humour and (b) no dignity whatsoever! 

Fortunately, I do have a good (and at times warped!) sense of humour, although this does seem to be a "If you don't laugh you will cry" situation.

As for the dignity side of things, I realised right from the start when I was reading up on Prostate Cancer and the treatments & recovery, as well as the possible side-effects, that I was going to have to "bite the bullet" and make the best of what could be a very dismal situation at times, although this will hopefully improve as I heal.

I am just pleased that there is a possible solution to this problem, thanks to the advancement of medicine and robotics combined and I intend to make the most of this opportunity to recover that I have been given.

So I am positive and appreciate that I will be having problems with a number of my bodily functions after the operation, but it will improve with time (and the obligatory pelvic floor exercises!).

Wal