Your medical team will assess a variety of factors in order to give you a recommended treatment approach. If you are unsure of which route to take, consider getting a second opinion. The most common prostate cancer treatment approaches include:

​

• SURGERY PROSTATECTOMY: a radical prostatectomy is an invasive procedure that removes the entire prostate gland plus some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles.
   

• ROBOTIC PROSTATECTOMY: a minimally invasive procedure to remove all or part of the prostate and surrounding tissue, performed with the assistance of advanced surgical technology. 
   

• RADIATION THERAPY: also called X-ray therapy involves the use of high-energy beams or radioactive seeds to eliminate tumors. High levels of radiation are used to kill prostate cancer cells or keep them from growing and dividing, while minimizing damage to healthy cells.

• HORMONE THERAPY: also called androgen suppression therapy, removes, blocks, or adds hormones to treat prostate cancer. The goal is to reduce levels of male hormones, called androgens, in the body, to stop them from fueling prostate cancer cells.
   

• CHEMOTHERAPY: is the use of any one or combination of cancer-fighting drugs. It is prescribed in cases of recurrent or advanced prostate cancer that has not responded to hormone treatment, but it is not used to treat early stage disease except as part of a clinical trial.​

​

The following insights, sourced from fellow prostate cancer patients, are meant to serve as guide posts to help you mentally prepare for your recovery journey ahead.

​

• IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TREATMENT: 'Do not get carried away by doing too much the first day. You will feel limited pain because some of the pain medication from surgery is still active in your system. If you do too much the first day, you may pay in the days that follow, after the meds leave your system.'
   

• HYDRATION IS CRITICAL: The first few days after surgery you need lots of water to allow your system to work through the immediate side effects of treatment. Your first recovery mantra should be Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

​

• HYGIENE: Maintaining good hygiene is critical to progressing swiftly toward full recovery. Adequately preparing your living space before treatment will help make this more attainable. Review the Recovery Checklist for more detail

​

• EXPECT PLUMBING ISSUES:  'Once the catheter is removed the ability for you to resume bladder and sexual function will be greatly compromised and troublesome. Resuming normal bladder and sexual control will be among the most challenging obstacles to overcome during your recovery process. The level of dysfunction and recovery will vary greatly from one patient to another.'

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• INCONTINENCE, EXPLAINED IN LAYMEN'S TERMS:  'Articles written by the medical community or advertisers regarding bladder control use simple words like ‘incontinence, leakage or urinary incontinence’ to categorize the issue​​.
   

  • Medical explanation: ‘it is totally normal to have difficulty holding your urine after the catheter is removed. This is called urinary incontinence and may last for up to one year. Most patients use pads or adult diapers to control leaking urine’.
     

  • The truth is: in most cases, you will positively experience some level of dysfunction in holding your urine after treatment. Your bladder will have gone rogue. This is mainly due to the proximity of the prostate gland to the bladder, urinary tract bowel system, nerves and muscles. Not being able to control your bladder may be "normal" to the medical community, but not being able to pee is anything but normal. The issue of bladder dysfunction will become the most difficult element to manage throughout the recovery process.'

​

• POST SURGERY CONSTIPATION:  'It will take from 4-6 days after surgery until your body is ready to allow you to have a bowel movement. The first and second bowel movements will most likely be hard as a rock. Make sure you take the stool softeners daily. Bowel movements will get easier after a while. You may experience a watery stool a few times, but this is nothing to worry about.'
   

• THIS TOO WILL PASS: 'The bowel movement issues will be impacted by treatment, but not nearly as challenging as the urinary and sexual dysfunction. The bowel and urine systems are so close together, they are like siblings that live together in the same house competing for attention after the surgery.  Both systems will flex their muscles until they work out their problems and agree on ways to coexist.'
   

• KEGELS ARE KEY: 'If you are not familiar with Kegel Exercises, you need to not only become aware of them, but you should add them to your daily routine immediately. When you cannot control your urine, the urgency in mastering these exercises will become very apparent.'
   

• CATHETER & GRAVITY: 'The catheter is constructed to always flow into the bag. As long as the bag is lower than your body there will be no problem. The hose can even be in a U shape!'
   

• SECURE THE BAG:  'You'll want to avoid allowing the catheter to come loose when putting on your clothes or moving around. If it slips, be prepared for short term (pain) and long term consequences (rash, chafing, etc.).'
   

• STRAPS, STRINGS, ETC - The MacGyver Approach: 'I did not have any information regarding how to stabilize my catheter, so I attached a string or shoulder strap onto the hose just under the lowest hose regulator valve. The string limits the pulling down of the tube on your penis. You can easily slip the string on and off. Most likely I wouldn't need to go the string route had I known about purchasing a Catheter strap, Velcro strips and/or ACE bandage.

​

• YEAST INFECTION MAY OCCUR: 'Once the catheter is removed, frequent monitoring and changing of diapers whenever it necessary is critical. The combination of leakage and a humid diaper can lead to yeast infection.' (See Post-Catheter Recovery)
   

• LISTEN TO YOUR BODY - STRESS IS REAL: 'Your body has defense mechanisms at work 24/7 to protect us, even when we are unaware of the tension building up within us. Be aware that actual and subconscious stress is a normal response to having cancer, and the trauma caused by the treatments can result in a wide variety of  stress symptoms. You and your caregiver need to monitor your body reactions to alleviate any negative reactions.'
   

• SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION: 'For many patients recovering from a prostate cancer treatment, the inability to perform is often the most complex element of the recovery process. It not only impacts the patient in the most private arena of their personal life, it also deeply affects the relationship with another person. The physiology and psychology of the sex drive is already complicated enough without adding the dysfunction into the mix. The medical community offers a range of counseling and support services for patients. Don't be afraid to look into these options if you can use the support.'

​ROADMAP PROCESS:

Once a treatment approach has been selected, there are two stages in the process; the Treatment itself, followed by Recovery. Most prostate cancer survivors voice how easy the treatment stage is when compared to the recovery stage. The easiest way to describe the difference is to use an analogy of a 'two stage long-distance auto race'.

• The first stage, the Treatment Stage, uses a racing car, driven by a professional driver, who carefully follows a precisely designed, sophisticated protocol and is supported by a highly trained professional team. During this stage you are riding in the back seat.

• The second stage, the Recovery Stage, uses a fixer upper car and you are the driver. You have little to no advanced training, a poorly designed roadmap and a support team that will have varying degrees of capability and engagement in aiding the process. Furthermore, you are driving impaired due to the heavy duty medications and range of potential side effects.

The level of trauma, disruption and dysfunction associated with treatment will differ greatly from one patient to the next, as each patient’s body will react and recover in its own unique way. The differences are due to a multitude of factors; type of cancer cells, Gleason scale, extent of surgery or treatment, physical conditioning, the bodies receptivity to healing, nerve regeneration… the list is as varied as each individuals DNA.

​While each treatment type is accompanied by its own unique set of issues, there are commonalities that each patient is likely to face during their recovery. These challenges range from stress and anxiety, to managing a catheter, to incontinence and sexual dysfunction.   

The following insights, sourced from fellow prostate cancer patients, are meant to serve as guide posts to help you mentally prepare for your recovery journey ahead.

• IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TREATMENT: 'Do not get carried away by doing too much the first day. You will feel limited pain because some of the pain medication from surgery is still active in your system. If you do too much the first day, you may pay in the days that follow, after the meds leave your system.'
   

• HYDRATION IS CRITICAL: The first few days after surgery you need lots of water to allow your system to work through the immediate side effects of treatment. Your first recovery mantra should be Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

​

• HYGIENE: Maintaining good hygiene is critical to progressing swiftly toward full recovery. Adequately preparing your living space before treatment will help make this more attainable. Review the Recovery Checklist for more detail

​

• EXPECT PLUMBING ISSUES:  'Once the catheter is removed the ability for you to resume bladder and sexual function will be greatly compromised and troublesome. Resuming normal bladder and sexual control will be among the most challenging obstacles to overcome during your recovery process. The level of dysfunction and recovery will vary greatly from one patient to another.'

​

​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​INCONTINENCE, EXPLAINED IN LAYMEN'S TERMS:  'Articles written by the medical community or advertisers regarding bladder control use simple words like ‘incontinence, leakage or urinary incontinence’ to categorize the issue​​.
 

• • Medical explanation: ‘it is totally normal to have difficulty holding your urine after the catheter is removed. This is called urinary incontinence and may last for up to one year. Most patients use pads or adult diapers to control leaking urine’.
     

  • The truth is: in most cases, you will positively experience some level of dysfunction in holding your urine after treatment. Your bladder will have gone rogue. This is mainly due to the proximity of the prostate gland to the bladder, urinary tract bowel system, nerves and muscles. Not being able to control your bladder may be "normal" to the medical community, but not being able to pee is anything but normal. The issue of bladder dysfunction will become the most difficult element to manage throughout the recovery process.'

​

• POST SURGERY CONSTIPATION:  'It will take from 4-6 days after surgery until your body is ready to allow you to have a bowel movement. The first and second bowel movements will most likely be hard as a rock. Make sure you take the stool softeners daily. Bowel movements will get easier after a while. You may experience a watery stool a few times, but this is nothing to worry about.'
   

• THIS TOO WILL PASS: 'The bowel movement issues will be impacted by treatment, but not nearly as challenging as the urinary and sexual dysfunction. The bowel and urine systems are so close together, they are like siblings that live together in the same house competing for attention after the surgery.  Both systems will flex their muscles until they work out their problems and agree on ways to coexist.'
   

• KEGELS ARE KEY: 'If you are not familiar with Kegel Exercises, you need to not only become aware of them, but you should add them to your daily routine immediately. When you cannot control your urine, the urgency in mastering these exercises will become very apparent.'
   

• CATHETER & GRAVITY: 'The catheter is constructed to always flow into the bag. As long as the bag is lower than your body there will be no problem. The hose can even be in a U shape!'
   

• SECURE THE BAG:  'You'll want to avoid allowing the catheter to come loose when putting on your clothes or moving around. If it slips, be prepared for short term (pain) and long term consequences (rash, chafing, etc.).'
   

• STRAPS, STRINGS, ETC - The MacGyver Approach: 'I did not have any information regarding how to stabilize my catheter, so I attached a string or shoulder strap onto the hose just under the lowest hose regulator valve. The string limits the pulling down of the tube on your penis. You can easily slip the string on and off. Most likely I wouldn't need to go the string route had I known about purchasing a Catheter strap, Velcro strips and/or ACE bandage.

​

• YEAST INFECTION MAY OCCUR: 'Once the catheter is removed, frequent monitoring and changing of diapers whenever it necessary is critical. The combination of leakage and a humid diaper can lead to yeast infection.' (See Post-Catheter Recovery)
   

• LISTEN TO YOUR BODY - STRESS IS REAL: 'Your body has defense mechanisms at work 24/7 to protect us, even when we are unaware of the tension building up within us. Be aware that actual and subconscious stress is a normal response to having cancer, and the trauma caused by the treatments can result in a wide variety of  stress symptoms. You and your caregiver need to monitor your body reactions to alleviate any negative reactions.'
   

• SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION: 'For many patients recovering from a prostate cancer treatment, the inability to perform is often the most complex element of the recovery process. It not only impacts the patient in the most private arena of their personal life, it also deeply affects the relationship with another person. The physiology and psychology of the sex drive is already complicated enough without adding the dysfunction into the mix. The medical community offers a range of counseling and support services for patients. Don't be afraid to look into these options if you can use the support.'

                              

ESTABLISHING A NEW NORMAL

​

After prostate cancer treatment, your ‘normal’ daily living activities will be filled with the ‘abnormal’.  Leading up to my three month check-up, I prepared a list of what I considered 'abnormal' experiences that worried me. I shared this list with my doctor, expecting some level of concern, however, he waived each item off as if it was to be expected. All of the 'abnormal' I was experiencing was considered totally 'normal and routine' to the medical community.

If, during your recovery, you wonder - are my 'abnormal' experiences similar to those of most prostate treatments patients? - the answer most likely is yes.  For a small percentage of prostate cancer patients, certain 'abnormals' may even become their new 'normal' for many months or years to come. Setting realistic expectations with yourself and being patient from the outset of your recovery journey is a must.

​​​
 

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION FOUND ON THIS WEBSITE IS NEITHER WRITTEN BY MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS, NOR DOES IT CLAIM TO BE QUALIFIED MEDICAL ADVICE. All content is written by fellow Cancer Patients that have gone through their own cancer recovery process. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.