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What supplies to stock up before prostate surgery?
I would like to share a list of the supplies I purchased ahead of my surgery which I found useful, and those that were not, so others getting ready for surgery can learn from.
Waste baskets to place cathether bags in at night. A couple of times I did not fully close the bag after emptying it, and the waste basket prvented my carepet from being damaged with urine!
A cathether plug I use when I shower. I remove the night bag, plug the cathether and shower without dragging the bag: very convenient and liberating,
Lots of alcohol wipes to clean cathter tips, plugs etc. The hospital did not supply enough.
Cleaning alcohol and measuring cup with pointed mouth for washing cathether bags
Over shower glass door hooks for hanging washed cathether bags
Baby wipes for sanitation
Donut cushion to ease the pain of sitting on regular chairs
Disposable gloves
Grabber reacher tool (a life saver too since you can pick up stuff without bending and huring your surgical area)
Toilet seat Squat (I beleve the slang is 'Squatty potty" :)) Important to avoid straining after surgery: it is much better and safer to use the power of gravity through squatty potty instead.
Absorbent pullups to be used after the cathether is removed.
Water proof incontinece pads for chairs, bed, car seat etc. I never needed it, but it was reassuring to have it in place if ever it is needed.
Items I purchased in advance which I did not really use (or really need) include a cathether tube clamp (no need, you can just use your fingers), tearup pants (regular pants or shorts are just fine)
Hope this helps.
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Lidocaine infused antibiotic ointment for when the tip of your penis is rubbed raw from the catheter. (No surgery but did have a long-term catheter. Very soothing.)
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4 ReactionsI didn’t buy anything before my RARP. The only thing I needed Was acetaminophen.
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1 ReactionExactly! That is critical. That was supplied to me by the hospital, but ahead of time, I purchased a Neosporen plus pain relief cream, which I did not have to use. I used the abtibiotic and pain relief ointment supplied by the hospital twice a day, and did not have any pain at the point where the cathether enters my body.
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2 ReactionsGood list. I'd second using the disposable absorbent pads (which you mentioned) on the bed as one saved me a mess one night when I turned over in my sleep and pulled apart the catheter tube from the bag tubing. The pad absorbed all the urine so cleanup was as simple as putting down a clean pad. As @mjp0512 mentioned I also found triple antibiotic ointment useful for minimizing pain from the tubing rubbing the penis tip. Best wishes.
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3 ReactionsI did not mention a couple of other things I bought.
One is a dekor diaper pail which stores pads in a sanitart way. Very useful witg a foot pedal to open.
I also bought syringes and saline solutions to flush the cathether if it gets clogged. The Hospital also supplied the same thing, but I did not have to use any of them.
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1 ReactionOMG, soli, thank you for posting this!
I'm just over a week away from my RARP--REALLY looking forward to it!--and so appreciate your great timing on this.
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2 ReactionsGreat list and I am sure it will help many !👍😎
My husband had zero irritation with catheter and did not have to use special creams.
He was in love with snap on pants though. : )))
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3 ReactionsWhatever works!
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1 ReactionSame with me no irritation. I was going to my clients offices and I had to empty the bag occasionally, but was able to do that in a small bathroom for 1 at all offices since my clients didn’t have a lot of employees.
The catheter was real convenient actually.
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