Hetho wrote:

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So now I`m wondering if I need to be monitoring food/water/diet etc input to prevent this happening again.

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 Maybe a liquid diet!

Im glad its all been sorted.

My husband had his Prostate removed years ago, but he never had any problems like this. The only thing he has had to do is regular PSA blood tests, they are always 0.00 so all good. He asked his doctor recently if he can now stop doing these tests...but he said no, as there is a risk of the cancer coming back we had no idea, as hubbys cancer was contained within the perimeter of the prostate sack. So we always thought it was gone for good. So every blood test now we wait on tender hooks to see what the results will be.

So never slacken off on those PSA blood tests guys

Grams

Unfortunately Hetho, we are given an overload of pamphlets, prior to surgery

In my case, just a few short weeks, before diagnoses and surgery,, I (I suppose like many others), we were more worried about ourselves, than reading pamphlets, and books

I opted for surgery, as I had read (worst scenario) about bowel problems after radiation, or water leaks after surgery

I have a very slight water leak, when I laugh

But I still think that I am better off laughing, than the alternative, of not being able to laugh any more

Hi Hetho

I expect you are OK by now but will respond just FYI if needed.  I am an ex ICU RN.

The majority of surgeons are frankly a bit crap about explaining stuff to their patients.  No idea why you had a Neurosurgeon for gut related issues.

The trouble with any gut surgery is that it's various bits don't like to be touched and will often go into a temporary 'paralysis' as a result.  This is usually managed post-op in ICU by immediately feeding people (so long as certain criteria are met, and they usually are) to encourage the gut back into action.  This approach is strongly supported by research to produce the best outcome, but is nevertheless sometimes resisted by surgeons who have their own 'fetishes' about time to feed.  A well run post-op organistion will ignore them.  Did you know you are not under the care of your surgeon all the time?  Post-op you are under the care of the anaesthetist for 24hrs, or the ICU consultant if admitted.

A blocked bowel or bladder is by no means common, but nor is it rare.

If there is no movement after about 2 days do something about it.  Most people seem to wait about 7-10 days which is not helpful.

The bottom line is it is appropriate and highly desirable to feed normally unless given a very specific reason to do otherwise, and report any issues immediately.