Surgery 1 month away - any tips or help to get ready for my RP ?
My RP surgery is at end of July. For those who have had surgery, is there anything I should do to prepare for the surgery. I am in PT now for pelvic floor so I'm working on that. I have a high level of anxiety thinking about this surgery - not the actual surgery itself (I've had other surgeries and have done fine) but the after surgery and possible side effects. Is there anything else I should be doing now to prepare for surgery? Is there anything you did that helped or anything you wish you had done prior? Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Hi
. It is good that you are trying to prepare yourself for the surgery and after. Simon wrote on preparing for and recovering from surgery here: https://prostatecancer.net/living/preparing-recovering-surgery and about his surgery timeline (with a section on pre) here: https://prostatecancer.net/living/post-surgery-recovery-timeline. Also, here is a spotlight page on some of the top articles on surgery: https://prostatecancer.net/living/survivor-guide-surgery. It sounds like you are off to a good start in already doing pelvic floor PT (see: https://prostatecancer.net/living/start-kegels). Hope this information is helpful. Wishing you the best and please feel free to keep us posted and to ask additional questions. Richard (Team Member) thanks. I found a local PT that specializes in men's pelvic floor specifically for PC. I've started working on strengthening my pelvic floor muscles before surgery and I will retun to PT after my catheter is removed to work on post-surgery recovery . Hi
. Glad to hear that you have a pelvic floor therapist. I also want to share with you this video from Erin, also a pelvic floor therapist, on Kegels following surgery: https://prostatecancer.net/video/kegel-mistakes. Best, Richard (Team Member)
Hello Joe
To respond to your upcoming prostate surgery, I’ll give my experience since I just had the surgery the first part of June. I did do a lot of research before hand on radiation or prostate surgery, after a couple of months I decided to go with surgery. I spoke with my urologist a few times in person and on the telephone before surgery. My surgery ended up being 5 hours and in the recovery room, I was advised the surgery was successfull. Side effects so far is of-course incontinence. Stock up on some depends, you’ll need them at least short term, a month plus, everyone experiences incontinence differently as my Urologist told me. I worked on Kegel exercises and I have strong family support system. It’ll be ok, nervous is normal actually.
GW
