One week out from RALP... what am I missing in preparation?

They shaved me from nipples to knees! 🪒

Before my RARP, I was told to buy jock straps in case the scrotum swells. I did not need them, but better safe than sorry…

@turtbean

We were warned and told NOT to trim anything since they will do it in sterile environment and the way they want it be done - it only shows how every hospital has different rules and protocols 🤷‍♀️ !

I'm not a medical professional so take this comment as just my layman's observation. One thing my care team had briefed me on was using a non-stimulative stool softner, and they recommended the non-stimulative version of Colace. The idea was to keep from getting constipated to avoid straining during bowel movements after surgery. I bought it and (since I have never used it) tried it about a week before surgery just to see how it affected me. I found it to be very gentle and predictable. Consequently, I started regularly using it right after surgery and used it for several weeks. I also religiously followed my care teams diet and hydration recommends. It all worked perfectly for me and I was never constipated in those tender days after surgery. If your care team didn't mention it, you might want to ask them about it and if they recommend it then you might want to consider it. Best wishes.

I second that !!!
Extremely important to keep things moving and soft for a while. My husband is very regular but he used BM softeners just in case since it was mandatory per his pre op instruction papers. Also, he had Miralax ready in case that he did not have BM in the first 2-3 days post op.

Another thing that is important is Cialis prescription for penile rehabilitation and for better blood flow in that region which promotes faster healing and nerve reparation. Our surgeon actually told us that it preferably needs to be started before surgery so ask for it.

Hi,
Depending on how much damage was done during surgery you might want to get some Depends overnight pads or some other brand cause you are probably going to leak pretty bad for a few weeks after the cath is out. Start the Kegals as soon as your doctor give you the go ahead. I took lots of short walks with the cath in and after it was out. Lots of good advice from the survivors.

Dave 3+4

Looks like you have everything! My husband had surgery 2 weeks ago today. Had slight leakage for a few days now he is completely continent for 4 days now!! Like they say, everyone is different, always better to be prepared. Best of luck to you!! Just one thing, bring a pillow for the ride home! This way you have a cushion where seatbelt crosses.

A few suggestions from a guy that went through this 5 years ago:

1. Get some vasoline and put on catheter right as it exits your penis. Pull the head of the penis back and apply a little vasoline as well as this keeps the dry catheter from chaffing the urethra/penis.

2. As one person suggested, start 5mg Cialis (cheaper generic) daily. Also get a vacuum pump and begin using a week or two after surgery when the catheter is removed. If you are fortunate to immediately regain nocturnal/daily erections you may not need this. Daily stretching of the penis and increasing blood flow (Cialis( helps prevent penile atrophy/shrinkage.

3. My urologist recommended a book "Life after Prostatectomy and other Urologic Surgeries" by Vanita Gaglani available on Amazon. Comprehensive program/guide to regaining continence. It's more than just doing kegels. It involves diet, core exercises, and how to wean off the pads. Highly recommended. It's detailed and tells you exactly what to do step-by-step on a weekly basis post surgery.

Good luck!!

I took 6 weeks off of work to heal up. I thought I would have at least 2 weeks to chill but no, I actually needed the full 6 weeks. I was terrified of the catheter- the idea still gives me chills. Keep it clean. Taking it out is surprisingly painless. Bring a depends with you when they pull it- you can wear those home. I was also very relived when I had a bowel movement after the surgery. It took a long time to happen so don’t worry if you don’t for a while. They kept me 2 nights in the hospital but most people only need 1 night. Not sure why they kept me but I believe it was I had a hard time getting up and moving after the surgery. I also had pain if I sat too long. A pain in the tail bone. I used a cushion at work and the pain went away after a few months.
Best of luck and heal up quick!

@topf I use jock straps post catheter/post surgery to securely hold my pads in place. Yes, I wear briefs (not boxers), but had a couple of incidents of leakage when the pad slipped.

Instead of getting tight briefs, I just bought jockstraps and found that they are great for keeping the pad in place and buy me a lot of peace of mind.