Robotic Prostatectomy Surgery

By oshrunner

1 min read

I have always been a healthy guy so when I started to urinate blood after my weekly 3 mile run I was to say the least alarmed. Within 6 weeks I had PSA test, CT scan, bone scan and a prostate biopsy with the Gleason score of 8. My head is still spinning with the news of prostate cancer and still trying to sort things out in my head with my upcoming robotic-assisted surgery in less than 2 weeks. Not sure what to expect after the surgery, after reading some of the stories here it sounds like my life is going to change in a major way. I just hope I have some of the qualities of my life that I have enjoyed for the past 58 years.

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Richard Faust Community Admin
Hi Oshrunner. Sorry to hear about the diagnosis, but glad you have come to a place you can get information and support. Many guys here have been where you are and understand. First and most important thing to point out is the PCa is absolutely treatable. As cited with specifics on this page covering PCa statistics, the survival rates, especially for early stages, is very high: <a href='https://prostatecancer.net/prostate-cancer-statistics' target='_blank'>https://prostatecancer.net/prostate-cancer-statistics/</a>. Second, concerning the prostatectomy and the potential side effects, you may want to look at this article on the topic from our editorial team: <a href='https://prostatecancer.net/treatment/radical-prostatectomy' target='_blank'>https://prostatecancer.net/treatment/radical-prostatectomy/</a>. You doctor should also be able to give you more details. You are correct that things will change and it is important to learn what you can, as there are things that you can do to prepare and steps to take post surgery. In this article one of our contributors writes about his surgery and the early recovery period: <a href='https://prostatecancer.net/living/riding-roller-coaster' target='_blank'>https://prostatecancer.net/living/riding-roller-coaster/</a>. Other community members may also chime in with their experiences, but it is important to remember that everyone is different and experiences side effects differently. Again, your doctor should also be able to help in this area. Know that you can do this and this community will be here for you. Please feel free to keep us posted on how you are doing. Best, Richard (ProstateCancer.net Team)
jobu Member
Hello Oshrunner, From your whirlwind experience of suspecting a problem, having multiple tests, choosing treatment and scheduling surgery I'm sure your head is spinning. I spaced that process out over 18 months and felt overwhelmed at times. The encouragement I can give you is that I felt better the day of my surgery than I had in weeks leading up to it, because I had peace of mind that I was being treated. My pre-surgery advice is: practice "prehab" and start doing your kegels now. You'll be glad later. After the surgery take it really easy. As a runner you'll probably want to get active again soon. Don't rush it, give your body time to heal.
golfer60 Member
Hi Oshrunner, I was diagnosed in March of 2018. I had just turned 58. I had robotic surgery on May 31, 2018. I am not a runner but I have been a golfer for over 40 years and I have been an avid walker for several years. I took the advice of a friend who had previously had the same surgery and I went to physical therapy before my surgery. Maybe it was the combination of the therapy, golfing and walking that strengthened my pelvic floor muscles but after surgery I had almost no incontinence. I had a small leak after I yawned while walking once and another time when passing gas but I quickly learned how to prepare myself before such "events". I returned to walking several times a day within a few days after surgery. Once released for full activity I returned to golfing without any issues. There was not a lot of pain but I was prescribed medication and I took several in the first few days of recovery. The biggest nuisance was the catheter. Getting that out was a relief.... I did a lot of reading before surgery and like you I found it to be a downer. I guess most people who take the time to post things tend to post negative experiences. I hope sharing this helps and I hope things are going well for you.
1. oshrunner Member
 Golfer60, Thank you for the positive response, like you the pain was manageable after surgery but I haven't had the success you have had with incontinance, still really struggling 2 week after the catheter was removed. I wish I would have done physical therapy before the surgery which is very good advice. This weekend is the half marathon in my town which I have been fortunate enough to run several times, it's really a reminder how far I have to go in my total recovery. I think you had the right idea on getting a leg up on your post surgery recovery. Thank you for the positive response, it has given me some hope, God Bless.
sayhey Member
Gleason 9 surgery 2 months ago. Still frustrated with in continence. Doing kegals. Any advice how many and how often. Sheesh.
1. oshrunner Member
 sayhey, I've been doing kegels 3 to 4 times a day since the catheter came out, I usually do 10 reps 20 seconds each. Its been a month for me and I have not seen any improvement. I go through 4 to 5 pads a day, holding out hope that I see improvement.
2. Richard Faust Community Admin
 Hi sayhey. Your frustration is understandable. Regaining continence can be a slow process. In this article our contributor Will writes about his work with a physical therapist, dealing with plateaus in progress, adjusting exercises, and building optimism: <a href='https://prostatecancer.net/living/kegeling-first-line-defense' target='_blank'>https://prostatecancer.net/living/kegeling-first-line-defense/</a>. Hope you see some progress soon. Best, Richard (ProstateCancer.net Team)
bill Member
Radiation therapy causes a 50% increase in the risk of getting Anal Cancer. Finasteride is a VERY dangerous drug. Get the Prostate removed by the Retropubic method.
1. Richard Faust Community Admin
 Hi Bill. A lot of things can go into choosing a particular prostate cancer treatment; such as grade, containment, other health conditions/considerations, etc... There is a risk of secondary malignancies following radiation. These risks can vary with the type of radiation treatment. This article from "Therapeutic Advances in Urology" looks at these risks, including rectal cancer: <a href='https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126090/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126090/</a>. It notes that "The risk of developing cancer of the rectum after radiation therapy for prostate cancer is similar to the risk of having a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer. There is evidence that radiation shifts the patients from normal to moderate risk for rectal cancer" and "It seems that there is a relatively increased risk of rectal cancer for patients that underwent radiation therapy for prostate cancer. However, it is still not clear whether this risk should be solely attributed to the effects of radiation alone." Every individual, with input from their medical team, has to weigh these risks. Best, Richard (ProstateCancer.net Team)
metch52 Member
I was like you. Lived a healthy life, run almost every day. Then had same symptoms. I usually drink a lot of water so i thought frequent bathroom trips par for the course. My Dr somehow failed to notify last year of my PSA but in January it showed 54. I went through the usual tests. Biopsy showed Gleason 7. i elected to have the DaVinci total removal, as I didn't want a cancerous lesion in my body. The surgery went well. One lymph node showed trace amount of Cancer. 2 PSA tests showed .73 then as of late May .19 my next visit is July 3rd I will get a PSA before that visit. I need to do better on Kegeling. I do go through 3 pads a day. I try not to drink any water before bedtime. Night visits to bathroom 1 or 2 . I do get out on fast walks about 2 miles a day and liht weights. I find if i lift something heavy like a 40 pound bag of salt, kitty litter, or 5 gal. jug of water I "leak" a lot. I don't have as much discomfort in my perineal area but still need a donut to drive and it's very uncomfrtable sitting on hard surfaces. Don't use the rubber donuts they are useless. I use a firm foam neck pillow the king people use on airline flights, i find those to be the most comfortable. Any questions contact me I hope this story helps.
oshrunner Member
Hello Metch52, Like you still trying to stay active, haven't resumed running yet but do try to walk 3 to 4 miles once a week. It's been 11 week since my robotic surgery and still using 5 to 6 pads a day, my work is pretty physical. Hope to get back to running and biking sometime but my doctor said no blke for 3 monthes. The running I really miss especially this time of year but with follow up radiation comming up in mid July I think that's probably not going to happen. I knew my life was going to change after my prostate cancer diagnosis but I had no idea how much it was going to change.