Waiting For Prostate Cancer Surgery? Tips For Ensuring Better Outcomes and Faster Healing

The date for your prostate cancer surgery is set, now what? 

Finding out that you have prostate cancer and will need to have surgery to have your prostate removed is surprising and devastating news. However, learning about how to prepare for surgery can help make this stressful time easier to cope with.

Here are some useful tips to help you deal with the stressors of prostate surgery and ensure the best possible outcomes. 

Promote your prostate health with a good diet

Your prostate cancer diagnosis should provide a trigger for dietary change. Before your surgery, talk to your nutritionist about your food choices. Following a healthy, well-balanced diet before your surgery helps improve your prostate health and also prevents cancer from returning after surgery. 

Some of the foods you can eat to promote your prostate health include the following:

  • Plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains
  • Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, walnut, chia seeds and hemp oil
  • Lean protein foods, such as beans, peas, low-fat Greek yoghurt, beef liver and white-fleshed fish.

Ensure you maintain a prostate-healthy diet after surgery.

Stay physically active

If you work out regularly, it's important to continue your workout routine. However, ensure you stick to low- or no-impact exercises that won't exacerbate your prostate. 

It's also helpful to incorporate pelvic floor muscle exercises for men into your regular workout routine. A consistent regimen of these exercises before and after prostate surgery will improve your bladder and bowel control.

Undergo pre-operative checks and tests

Before your surgery date, your surgeon will require you to undergo a series of examinations and tests to ensure you're ready for surgery. These may include the following:

  • Having a pre-operative physical with your doctor
  • Completing a screening programme for prostate cancer
  • Doing any additional diagnostic tests recommended by your doctor or surgeon 

Depending on the results or outcomes of your pre-operative checks and tests, your surgeon may proceed with your surgery or cancel it. Your prostate surgery will be cancelled if any problem or concern that affects your suitability for surgery is discovered before the surgery date.

It's natural to fear surgery, but proper preparation is essential to minimise fear and get the most out of the procedure. Feel free to talk to your surgeon and other medical practitioners that they work with to address any problems or concerns you may have before your surgery date. Reach out to your surgeon for more information about prostate cancer surgery

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