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Advice on recovery from surgery

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I discovered 2 months ago that I have to have my prostate out and I will have the surgery on Thursday. It is keyhole surgery but still relatively serious.

I had booked my ski holidays long before and nobody so far seems able to tell me if I will be recovered enough in 13 weeks to ski the first one, and how much I can exercise in the last weeks before. Probably it will depend on my recovery rate. Obviously I don't want to get a hernia from being too gung-ho. Does anyone have experience of this? The trouble is that this holiday is one I booked for a group of us with guide.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
snowball, sorry to hear it, good luck with the surgery.
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good luck with the surgery snowball,
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snowball, I am no medical expert, but I had my gall bladder removed by keyhole, I seem to remember I was jogging within a week, and playing hockey within 2 weeks afterwards. I was amazed how quickly I recovered.

What does the operating doctor say?

If this is the procedure, there is some info from the NHS here: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/resectionoftheprostate/Pages/Recovery.aspx
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snowball, best wishes for a quick recovery
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snowball, best wishes from me too. There will be a specialist urology nurse who should be able to advise you before you go in - maybe try ringing your Consultant's secretary who could put you in touch or failing that, speak to your Consultant/Registrar on admission.

I would be thinking positive thoughts re skiing in 13 weeks, all being well.
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snowball, best wishes with the surgery and hope you make a good recovery.
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snowball, if it is a straight forward TUR for benign prostate problems you should be over it quite quickly after some peeing blood/plumbing/pain issues. Way faster than most abdominal procedures.

But there are other procedures for other problems. Pm me if you cannot go into it here.
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snowball, Good luck -probably be following you in the not too distant. If you're struggling on keeping exercise up aftrwards, potentionally the kneehab device might be of inteterest to keep your quad in shapes, so perhaps a consideration? I haven't personally used them, but I know Scottydog of Edge and Wax fame is a fan.
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Thanks all. Actually it is a non-virulent cancer. Luckily, however according to the MRI and bone scans it has not spread so the prognosis is good.
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Jivebaby, kneehab? what is that?
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snowball, no idea as to the answer to your question, but the very best of luck with it all.
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TUR or laparoscopic cysto-prostatectomy or similar? (ie up yer old man, or through the abdominal wall? ). I ask because TUR is the more common and minor op but not usually described as "keyhole".

If the former, and histology confirms low-grade and non-invasive and you don't need radiotherapy afterwards, you should be fine.

If the latter it might be a bit more tricky.

Bottom line is you need to ask.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
snowball,Kneehab is a strap on gizmo that looks like a fancy knee support: It harnesses electrical pulses in a similar way a physio would apply treatment to artificially stimulate muscle exercise.

You'd need two, however it is possible to hire them: If you're interested email or call Edge and Wax : the link to the producer site + http://www.currentbody.com/rehab-pain-relief/kneehab-knee-rehab.html?gclid=CJGK_IXU3KsCFYMPfAod9kQuQg

One of the UK's top boarders used it to aid her recover from a knee injury last season: I understand this is its primary purpose, but if you need to keep your leg muscles intact, and are out for a while, this perhaps could be an option to help keep in trim. There are a few articles although it’s not well known in the UK, at least yet. The link indicates that the hire option is a min of 4 weeks and I would hope you'd get a discount for hiring two!

Just thought -the outer shell may be the same with Left or Right inners -if so you could hire one set and potentially buy the inners for the other as I think that would be cheaper than hiring -and then just switch them round. Please note this is just a suggestion/idea of mine, although I'm almost sure that I've read that this is how it's done I just don't have the information to hand to be totally certain.

I hope you can post how the op goes together with your recovery progress and if you do use an exercise aid like the kneehab it would be really interesting to hear how you get on.
Cool Cool
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snowball, best of luck. I see that stoat has turned up - I reckon he can help you far more than most of us. Just one thought - you might need to let your travel insurance company know.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Radical prostatectomy (through the abdominal wall) by robotic keyhole surgery. I had a leaflet which said I could carry (light) shopping after 6 weeks, which is what got me worrying. Of course if it turns out I need chemo after all I'll probably have to cancel anyway. I have left messages with the prostate nurse but she hasn't got back to me. Perhaps I'll have to wait for admission when I assume I'll meet my consultant (I met a member of his team a month ago but didn't ask her).
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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snowball, In that case I think you are just going to have to see how things go. Worst case scenario you have a relaxing holiday in the alps... but I suspect that is not what you are hoping for...

Risks of herniation should be pretty low, just any pelvic/abdominal surgery can be suprisingly knackering afterwards, way more so than thoracic/cardiac surgery. But people vary hugely.

and the Usual Advice - check your travel insurance...
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Thanks.
When I booked, my insurance was in place and I didn't know I had cancer. However my insurance gives out this week and they will not renew it until I am certified fit to travel. Problem.
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Good luck with everything snowball.
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Good luck snowball. Don't push yourself too hard. Be guided by the surgeon and how you feel. Operations are invariably tiring and these effects can last for a long time. In your favour robotic prostates are pretty good recoverywise and certainly better than an open job.

Bert


Ps I'm mildly tickled by a poster named snow ball asking about gentlemens urological troubles.
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snowball,
Had the keyhole radical prostectomy three weeks ago. At no point in the whole circus did I experience what I would call pain so don't worry about that. Discomfort, big aches and bruising yes but no real pain. The morphine is wonderful but it does wear off unfortunately. The physical impact of the op was greater than I expected and made me weaker than I expected but I was walking (gingerly) to shops three days after op and made it ten days or so after that - albeit briefly - to my first sH's bash in Covent Garden. .
Did my first hour-long, fast walk with backpack today - it hurt but not terribly so. Swimming and pilates plans in place too. There's no nice way to put this but the, er incontinence thing is a gotdamn hassle and the thing that holds me back from doing more exercise more than anything - at this point anyway.
In short, at this stage in my recovery process, I'd fully expect to be skiing in 13 weeks time.

PM me if you want to talk more detail about it.
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BertIsfantastic wrote:

Ps I'm mildly tickled by a poster named snow ball asking about gentlemens urological troubles.


Ho ho, didn't think of that Very Happy

Big Paua Perfect, just what I wanted to know. I know quite a few men have it now so hoped there would be someone who had had it or knew someone who had.
I shall be very interested in how you progress. Do you have any holidays booked?
Yes I knew about the embarrassing aspect. I'm taking my old salopettes as well as the new ones Toofy Grin
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
snowball, Hope all goes well and you recover quickly.
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snowball
Sorry to hear that and best of luck with the op and the recovery.

You have my full sympathy, because I am sitting here surfing Snowheads, while I am recovering from some pelvic surgery two weeks ago, although nothing as major as yours. I am also gloomily contemplating my fitness (such as it was) disappearing like snow in summer. I have booked to go ski-ing in early Jan, but am banned from lifting anything over one kg, or similar effort, for another four weeks. For two months after that, I have been told to be careful and not do anything strenuous, and no lifting over three kgs. So if I am ski-ing, it will be very sedately, and I will have to be careful not to fall (and someone else will have to carry my bags).

As for the op, I didn't have much pain, nor a general anaesthetic, but I was still wiped out for the first fortnight, and slept loads - as in wake up late, get showered and dressed, and lie down for a rest before breakfast, etc. I feel much better now and have to remind myself to be careful.

I am walking every day, cautiously stretching, doing knee bends and stairs. I am allowed static core exercises, but nothing that puts any strain on the scar, so no crunches, etc.

snowball wrote:

When I booked, my insurance was in place and I didn't know I had cancer. However my insurance gives out this week and they will not renew it until I am certified fit to travel. Problem.


I am glad you posted this. I will get on to my insurers tomorrow - that had slipped my mind. If it's any small help with your problem, I found this:

Quote:
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/travel-insurance.htm
renewal of annual travel policies

Policyholders with annual policies are often required to tell their insurer about any significant changes in their health when they renew their policy. It is good industry practice for insurers to include reminders about this on renewal documents.

But insurers are not obliged to offer renewed cover on the existing terms for the next year’s insurance – and they may not provide any cover for claims arising from the condition.

This can be problematic for the consumer if they already have a holiday booked. They may not know until they travel whether their condition will affect their travel plans.

Most policies also only provide for cancellation when they are "medically necessary". This may not be known until nearer the time of travel. So the consumer may not be able to cancel their holiday and claim for the associated costs before their existing cover ends.

This means the consumer may have to:

* run the risk of being liable for cancellation costs, if they cancel the holiday nearer the time; or
* run the risk of being liable for medical expenses abroad, if they go ahead with the holiday; or
* cancel the holiday early, bearing the cost themselves.

In this type of situation, we normally take the view that it is reasonable for the insurer to offer the policyholder the option of cancelling the holiday and claiming under the policy before cover ends – even if the cancellation is not medically necessary at that stage.

If the policyholder decides to go ahead with the holiday, they know what insurance cover they have – and what costs they may incur.
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nordicfan, now you have put me in doubt again since your lifting ban sounds similar to mine for the first 6 weeks - according to the leaflet.

Insurance I may have to just take the risk it seems. I have 2 holidays close together and then I should be safe with the third one in March unless I have to have chemo.
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b]snowball[/b],
Re holidays booked - not booked but am intending to do an an off-piste week in Chamonix at the beginning of March and also the sH's off piste bash starting on the17th March. Although that is a much longer recovery period than you have I still wouldn't think your 13 weeks to reasonable skiing fitness would be unachievable . You may have to drop the cliff hucking and inverted aerials for a while but anything under a ten metre drop won't be a problem I'm sure Toofy Grin Remember the "holiday" part of "ski holiday" - long lunches (with loo handy nearby) - and the trip will become part of your recovery.

My theory is that the advisory leaflet is written from the average experience of probably older, less fit and motivated blokes than me and you so it is angled towards the worst case scenario. Don't let it's advice hold you back.

(Top tip: Don't drink beer with the catheter still in - the bag starts acting like a helium balloon! A glass of wine is fine).

Best wishes and I'm sure it will all go well. Let us know (by PM if you want) how things are afterwards.

BertIsfantastic, Prostate pedant note and public health announcement: I get the humour but something I didn't fully appreciate until it came to be my turn but prostate removal ain't about wee problems (that's a symptom) but cancer. Even if it is a slow grower, it comes down to a choice between life and early death and we all like to think we've still got a good few turns left in us yet. When you're told you've got it you just wanna get that bishtard out of you and walking away on its own asap. Can't shout loud enough about plus 50-year-old blokes getting regular annual prostate check ups which was how mine was discovered. Don't be shy now. It's only a blood test.
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snowball, for encouragement I had emergency keyhole surgery to remove my appendix in March - 7 days before a 2 week skiing holiday - and was 100% fine.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
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Jivebaby wrote:
snowball,
You'd need two, however it is possible to hire them: If you're interested email or call Edge and Wax : the link to the producer site + http://www.currentbody.com/rehab-pain-relief/kneehab-knee-rehab.html?gclid=CJGK_IXU3KsCFYMPfAod9kQuQg


Hi we don't do those, but in a strange conincidence, I DO use one and swear by it. I bought one for my left knee last year when i dislocated it, and had arthroscopy 3 weeks ago, and it is seriously accelerating my recovery, as I have a specific issue with my VMO muscle, and you can isolate the kneehab to that.

I also bought a right knee strap, you can buy this separately, so you only need ONE kneehab system, and then buy the other side knee strap. Make sure you buy some spare electro pads at the same time, as they are unique and do wear with regular use.

I am seriously impressed with this bit of kit, and wish we DID sell it. Best usage for me has been two doses a day, AM and PM, and remember to work WITH the contraction, dont just let it zap you. This is how you get the muscles firing correctly. If you are looking for overall muscle recovery it is awesome, as it fires up the VMO slightly ahead of the rest to ensure the knee is as stable as possible through the contraction.

Hope this helps, I have no interest financially, I did rent the first time round, but ended up buying and it was being used the day after my surgery as maintainence until a week later I started full physio and integrated the Kneehab into my programme.

Best bit of kit I have found for knee stability and overall upper leg muscle recovery by far. It costs money, but for me it has been worth every penny, and the physio is looking to get one in as she has been impressed with the results.

ScottyDog
Edge & Wax
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
snowball wrote:
nordicfan, now you have put me in doubt again since your lifting ban sounds similar to mine for the first 6 weeks - according to the leaflet.


Oh dear, I didn't mean to worry you more. I think Big Paua's experience is likely to be much more relevant to you than mine, as he had similar surgery to yours. Mine was different (hernia repair) and it was not keyhole. And thinking back, the reason I was so cream-crackered when I got home from hospital, may have been partly due to four nights' bad sleep on the trot, and working long days at home and at work before the op to try to get things in order. rolling eyes

Three weeks on, I am my normal insomniac self now, and the only reminder of the op is a madly itchy and lumpy scar. I am having to consciously slow myself down, as I really don't want another hernia.

With regard to the knee rehab thingy, while it looks great for knee injuries, I am not sure how much it will add to your rehab. If your advice leaflet is anything like mine, leg exercise is fine, so long as it is low impact, and I don't strain the scar. So I am trying to keep my legs in order on the stairs, but I don't run down. I have just started back on the wobble cushion too. Swimming and cycling are apparently OK in another three weeks. It's my arms and upper abs that are fading away, (what there was of them - I wasn't that fit in the first place Embarassed ) so I shall be glad to get back in the water.

Anyhow - best of luck and please keep us posted if you feel up to it.
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snowball, I only saw this now. Best of luck with the surgery and recovery! I hope all goes well and you can ski as usual the whole season.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
snowball, I've recently had major surgery, although with much more significant cutting than you are likely to experience. Don't under estimate how rubbish your abdominals will be afterwards...although you are much fitter than I was when my surgery happened....you just don't realise how much you need them until they give up the ghost!!

I had some physio appointments soon after my six weeks of light lifting was over and I can't tell you how much it helped! Some proper phased ab rehab exercises made a real difference and speeded up my ability to start doing more on the fitness front. I'd highly recommend you try and get at least a couple of sessions booked in as soon as you feel up to it.

I have to say that although I'm now many weeks down the line from my surgery I have not recovered full fitness yet...I'm only just released to start full abdominal excercises this month so have just six weeks to try and tone up the core before the PSB. I'm going skiing but expecting to have shorter days and longer lunches...that suits me very well! Smile

Good luck, hope the surgery is a breeze and you'll be back on top form well in time for the season.
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snowball, Good luck. My bunch of lads has one member (no pun intended) who had just this proceedure and he was out doing the usual Saturday hours run within 8 weeks and skiing with us at 13 weeks post op. Hope that gives you grounds for optimism snowHead
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Thanks everyone for the good wishes - off tomorrow morning.
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snowball, best of luck. Do keep in touch. Smile
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snowball, I hope it all goes well tomorrow and wishing you a speedy recovery.
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snowball, very best wishes for the surgery and a quick recovery from John and me.
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snowball, Take care, hope all goes well and I wish you a speedy recovery.
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Good luck snowball. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Ps remember the anaesthetist is your friend as they have the keys to the cupboard full of the good drugs.

Bert
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snowball, I wish you the best of luck, I had my prostrate removed by keyhole surgery at Guys in Oct 2009, the consultant was a Mr Dasgupta, super chap who brought keyhole surgery for prostrate techniques to the UK. I don't want to be too much of a dampener but it took me from Nov to to the New Year to recover and I didn't ski until March. Even though its keyhole surgsery its still a big operation, mine took 4 1/2 hours and your body does take a fairly traumatic shock.
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snowball, very best wishes.
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