Groin and thigh pain following radical prostatectomy

I had a very similar situation with pain in the hip and groin when on my feet for 20 minutes. I also had a lymphocele after protetectomy. I went to many different doctors for years before deciding to treat the lymphocele. All pain went away completely immediately after treatment. 

The doctors have a hard time with these in terms of how to get rid of them and the side effects they may be causing. Mine had to be treated many times before it finally disappeared.

hi jim

just read your stuff about leg/groin pain after your prostate removal. i had my prostate removed about 4 weeks ago ( robotic surgery) and all seemed well and normal as was expected after such an op. However, as i became more mobile after the catheter was removed I began to have right leg/thigh/groin pains, this occurred after about 20 minutes walking. At first medics thought it might have been a DVT, but after a scan this was discounted. So after ice packs and pain killers and rest the symtoms disappeared. Thinking it was just a " one off" a few days later i went for another walk......and the same thing again. It has happened twice again. I have a telephone physio appointment in a few days (suggested by gp) it has to be by telephone because of covid19 lockdown restrictions. So ill see what the physio has to say. But from your description of your issues I think i have the same as you. I have a phone appointment with my designated urology nurse soon, i will certainly mention the issue. I also have a post op blood test, and a routine phone consultation with the surgeon, again I will press the matter. Should you wish to reply I will keep you informed.

Hope by now you found relief. I can relate to your pain.

Here is something I posted on Facebook Prostate Cancer Support Group. If you are still having issues, this is a great Group to Join.

Looking for advice on Pain Management.

I was 47 years old in 2002. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer with a Gleason Scale of 7.8. My PCP said I had no choice except to do radical prostactomy surgery, if not he predicted that I would be dead by age 50.

Back then there were only a few options, my PCP recommended a young and upcoming Urologist that that was having wonderful results by removing the prostate and saving the nerves so that the patient could still get an erection after the surgery.

All sounded great and I was told I could return to work after 6 weeks.

After the surgery, I woke up in extreme pain in my right groin. After talking to my Urologist, he said he had a difficult time on the right side and the pain should subside.

6 weeks later I was still in major pain and visited my Urologist for a follow up. I walked in with a cain, bent over and was suffering emmensly. The Urologist said "whats wrong with you"

I explain that I could hardly move because of pain in my right groin. My Urologist said he had only seen this in one other patient, but that patient never returned for another office visit.

I asked my Urologist what was the next step? His answer shocked me, he said " My job is done, you are cancer free".

Since then I visited several other Urologists, Cleveland Clinic and several pain management offices.

None would say anything bad about another doctor.

3 years later, I visited an Oncologist who was very helpful. After a full body scan with contrast, the results said "Everything is normal except for the 14 bilateral clips in the groin area. The Urologist said " He (My Urologist) pinched one or several nerves in my groin. My first reaction was, remove the clips! I was told it was too late because the clips were encised in scare tissue and I had a 75 percent of dieing if surgery was attempted.

I tried contacting an attorney and was told that in Pa you could only sue for 2 years after surgery.

To make a long story shorter, I tried everything, starting with over the counter pain meds., oxicodone, Fentanyl Patches, Accupuncture with electronic shock to the groin, etc.

8 years later nothing worked, so I was prescribed Morphine. I was taking 500mgs of Morphine per day until about a year and a half ago. The pain clinic wanted to increase it to 600mgs (the maximum dose allowed) and install a Morphine Pump in me.

Then came the Government Crack Down on Opoids. Suddenly, the maximum was 90 mg per day. Every month the pain clinic started dropping the amount of Morphine that they prescribed to me.

My last visit, hit the new maximum (90mg per day). I am in pain all the time now and the pain clinic is not offering any other options.

What do I do? Turn to the streets and use Heroine?

P.S. At the 10 year mark, my cancer started to return. Due to the swift action of the Oncologist I was seeing, I went through 39 days of radiation and now 19 years after surgery am cancer free, 66 years old, but still fighting severe groin pain. Also, talking to a psychiatrist. Nothing is working......

Feeling Helpless

Dan from Pittsburgh. PA

Hope by now you found relief. I can relate to your pain.

Here is something I posted on Facebook Prostate Cancer Support Group. If you are still having issues, this is a great Group to Join.

Looking for advice on Pain Management.

I was 47 years old in 2002. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer with a Gleason Scale of 7.8. My PCP said I had no choice except to do radical prostactomy surgery, if not he predicted that I would be dead by age 50.

Back then there were only a few options, my PCP recommended a young and upcoming Urologist that that was having wonderful results by removing the prostate and saving the nerves so that the patient could still get an erection after the surgery.

All sounded great and I was told I could return to work after 6 weeks.

After the surgery, I woke up in extreme pain in my right groin. After talking to my Urologist, he said he had a difficult time on the right side and the pain should subside.

6 weeks later I was still in major pain and visited my Urologist for a follow up. I walked in with a cain, bent over and was suffering emmensly. The Urologist said "whats wrong with you"

I explain that I could hardly move because of pain in my right groin. My Urologist said he had only seen this in one other patient, but that patient never returned for another office visit.

I asked my Urologist what was the next step? His answer shocked me, he said " My job is done, you are cancer free".

Since then I visited several other Urologists, Cleveland Clinic and several pain management offices.

None would say anything bad about another doctor.

3 years later, I visited an Oncologist who was very helpful. After a full body scan with contrast, the results said "Everything is normal except for the 14 bilateral clips in the groin area. The Urologist said " He (My Urologist) pinched one or several nerves in my groin. My first reaction was, remove the clips! I was told it was too late because the clips were encised in scare tissue and I had a 75 percent of dieing if surgery was attempted.

I tried contacting an attorney and was told that in Pa you could only sue for 2 years after surgery.

To make a long story shorter, I tried everything, starting with over the counter pain meds., oxicodone, Fentanyl Patches, Accupuncture with electronic shock to the groin, etc.

8 years later nothing worked, so I was prescribed Morphine. I was taking 500mgs of Morphine per day until about a year and a half ago. The pain clinic wanted to increase it to 600mgs (the maximum dose allowed) and install a Morphine Pump in me.

Then came the Government Crack Down on Opoids. Suddenly, the maximum was 90 mg per day. Every month the pain clinic started dropping the amount of Morphine that they prescribed to me.

My last visit, hit the new maximum (90mg per day). I am in pain all the time now and the pain clinic is not offering any other options.

What do I do? Turn to the streets and use Heroine?

P.S. At the 10 year mark, my cancer started to return. Due to the swift action of the Oncologist I was seeing, I went through 39 days of radiation and now 19 years after surgery am cancer free, 66 years old, but still fighting severe groin pain. Also, talking to a psychiatrist. Nothing is working......

Feeling Helpless

Dan from Pittsburgh. PA

I suppose you will have to try painkillers and lots of rest. You need to speak to your doctor if problems has persisted for months for options.

after a month of having robotic radical prostectomy i began to develop a groin pain. when im sitting it tends to go away, but after standing for 20 minutes i began to feel a burning sensation in right groin and the pain is so harsh that i could barely move or walk. ct laying down shows no hernia and small lymphocele but ultra sound standing up says its a hernia. im confused! can anyone help me as to which one is it? i made an appointment to have a drainage done on it next week..but im also seeing a general surgeon and urologist to make sure its not a hernia

Hi Jim.... i just had Radical Prostrate surgery on Feb 5 /21 .After having my catheter removed I noticed swelling in my groin on the left side i had an Ultrasound and they found no blood clots and the swelling went away on its on . At approx 5 weeks after my surgery I was walking with my wife and noticed my right leg was starting to cramp We walked home ( about 5 blocks) and by the time I got home my right leg was in complete spasm. The pain ran from my left hip across down my right leg. I went to emergency ( virtually crawled in) and had another US on my right leg . No clots found. They told me to go home and see my doctor... the only problem was that I could not walk to my car. My leg was completely seized. My surgeon has not responded and I had a MRI that I paid for. Your story is exactly the same as mineCan't walk 2 blocks . No PSA test yet.I'm 68 and need to figure out whats causing this. The MRI showed fluid around the Lymph node so maybe thats it

Hi Jim... not sure if your still having pain issues i was unable to walk and went through a bunch if treatments trying to get rid if this, My surgeon said he gad never seen this problem and didn't think it was a result of my surgery. I paid for a MRI which showed a possible disk issue.

i contacted a Doctor here in White Rock BC Canada that specializes in pain management and acupunture. He gave me a series if needles injecting a fluid into my back and leg muscles. I then followed that up with a massage . I can report that its been two weeks and no pain or muscle spasms. If you want more info google...

Lifelong Pain ClinicWhite Rock BC I highly recommend this

Neil Floyd

oh dear JESUS!! two days after i got home from hospital, i stared getting debilitating... and I mean WRITHING pain in my right groin. i had an emergency visit to my surgeon and he did a stat CTI. im waiting for results. this pain made me scream and cry and i usually dont react that way.