Surgery coming up and a bit nervous, especially about the catheter

@heavyphil Its weird how were diagnosed with a killer disease, but more worried about the little things..lol.. I wont lie, all the way leading up to wondering if i have cancer or not, the catheter has been very close to the number one concern. Very stupid on my part, but being totally honest.

@harvey44 Just the thought of something foreign in that place just freaks me out..lol But I know a lot of people go through it.

RARP 3/13/26. Discharge same day as surgery. No pain & didn’t take anything. Sore abdominal muscles when raising up. Catheter was sore if it pulled. Continence while sleeping or sitting but get leakage more in afternoon when walking etc.
not bad at all.

@mpersonne I understand, its the th o ught more than anything. It doesn't hurt at all with the right catheter but it is uncomfortable.

We flew home six days post-surgery, catheter and all. Lugging it around is a major nuisance. Removal day was great - my husband took it out himself, had a Facetime connection with the PA who talked him through it!
Then be patient with yourself while you heal up - and do Kegels with the rest of us. 🙂
Hang in there!!

I have done my surgery on March 9th, doing good...Catheter is most uncomfortable but it is only one week not a big deal....my only advice for you.. keep urine bag below your mattress line at night ...one night I forget and got urine goes to my bad.
I had a DaVinci Robotic Single port (one incision) surgery. Surgery was done by one of the best surgeon(in my opinion) with certain technique which not all surgeon’s are trained in. He is approaching the prostate from behind the bladder (through the pouch of Douglas), it avoids damaging the Retzius space, offering superior, often immediate, urinary control. On 3d day after catheter out I do not have any leaking.
If anybody have any question I will glad to answer it

RARP six months ago at Jax Mayo. Dang near outpatient. Catheter merely a nuisance. Did have abdominal pain for a few days, but not too bad. Followed strict orders of doing nothing (but walking) for six weeks. By three months had resumed all normal activity (lots of exercise, etc). Still leak if lots of alcohol and squirt some with serious physical exertion. I've come to terms that my "junk" will never be the same again, but cancer never crosses my mind. So mostly grateful and keep plowing ahead. Best of luck to you.

Had my catheter in a couple weeks. The only maintenance issue was keeping the tip of the penis clean and lubricated so there was no irritation. The very very young nurse instructed me and that was… awkward at the time? Getting it removed was a breeze, as well. The nurse told me I would likely not have much control of my bladder, initially. I never spilled a drop but was prepared for the opposite. I had a friend who had major issues with incontinence.

With so many comments, I hesitate to add another. Mine was April 2025. 7 days with the catheter which regretted the thought of it. Turns out I was pretty impressed with the system and it was very convenient. I was amazed that some mornings I had over 1800cc in the bag which some days actually equaled a half gallon! I had a pad on the bed and underwear liners following. You'll have to see how your bladder control is at the time to know which would be the best for absorbing.
If you use the leg bag, there is a support elastic band on your upper leg. That can tend to slide down eventually which pulls on the tube ...which pulls on the end of your...well...you know. You will notice when it happens!
Just take this time to relax and recover. I can't stress enough to get on YouTube and search for prostate cancer subjects like recovery tips, the many treatments of ED since that is probably a given and read forums/discussions of others in our same situation.
Sir, sadly you may feel as devastated as I'm sure most of us have and do feel. Watch lots of podcasts and get yourself educated on what you may want to include in your recovery. I think you will discover how much information your hospital team didn't have a chance or time to tell you about the situation we have had to deal with.
But first and foremost, remember it's better to be alive for ourselves and family than the alternative, right?
Recovery can feel like baby steps, but each day that goes by is closer to better days. And here I am just under a year already post Prostectomy from April, had a hip replacement in October and mid January I have a hernia repair. It's been kind of a rough year for me. But I educated myself with those YouTube videos and found myself educating SO many people who came to our campground about prostate surgery! I put the embarrassment aside and many had no idea about it or what a PSA test was. So I feel in some way, maybe God wanted me to spread the word and educate others to help them...who knows!
Anyway, this intended short post didn't turn out that way. But if you have any questions and would like to DM me, feel totally free to do so!