bladder sling installed by my DaVinci team

I had originally sent an e-mail offline to Bluenose to ask this question since he and I had the same surgical team, but didn't get a response from him. It may have ended up in either his junk mail box or mine. Anyway, I will pose it to the group with hopes that Blue chimes in.

Here's the question...when my prostate removal was done a bladder sling was installed. Our surgeons do it with all their patients now. They say it helps to keep the leakage to a minimum. I agree, it has done that and all is good. But what I am finding is that it seems like my bladder can't get as full as I use to be able to get it before the surgery. My thought is that the sling is so tight around the bladder that it doesn't allow the bladder to fill up as much as it use to.

I asked my surgeon the last time I was there, and he said, "you're just getting old". I am 53 and never had this problem before my surgery, so I don't agree. I think it's a lot of bull.

For those of you who have had some experience with this could give me some input...especially Bluenose, I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Rip...I think I actually can hold more now after surgery and I don't have the sling either. Probably because I had the urge so badly before the surgery I was going every 1/2 hour. But as Steve said...it is different for everyone. But a side question, was the sling installation during surgery standard practice or was there other reasons to do it during the prostate removal. Reason for the question, my surgeon basically indicated that the sling was only performed if required after surgery. Did your surgeon make that decision before hand or during the actual surgery because he suspected a continence problem based on what he saw. Never heard of anyone else having it installed during the surgery.

 Hey Rip, how ya' doin' pal....Nope, sorry I never did see your email, but then that doesn't mean it wasn't there somewhere!

  As far as your question goes....I think maybe you're right....sometimes. Somedays I think I may visit the head more than other days,  but then I did that pre-surg. I very seldom have to get up in the night to relieve myself....most mornings on my first visit....I still impress myself! So I'm holding that well.  Other times during the day if I'm in a position of not being able to get to a head, during a meeting or whatever, I can hold it. Now, I think that may be what I feel more with the sling is the urge, you all know...wow, I do think that is more intense post-surg. But then like Ive said, I think all those sensations are more intense post-surg, don't know if I'm just more aware or what. I guess I'm not really running to the head enough to really be concerned with my freqency of visits.  All in all though, I wouldn't have changed a thing with my surgery. I'm real pleased with my outcome and I'm not worring about tomorrow till today.....Hope that helps Rip

 As far as different fluids go. I can still have a few beers with no problem at all...nothing that I feel is out of the ordinary without having to run off and relieve myself anymore than pre-surg.

 Les-These guys talk about the sling in the pre-surg planning. They're very good about explaining the procedure and yes they do it as the norm.

 I agree Les....Our surgeons were involved in  a study(with IU Med. Center) and outcomes concerning just that. I was told their postive outcomes with IC was somewhat higher than the national average. I've never checked it out myself, I heard it from my surgeon...I'll take his word. I mean in my case, everything he told me would happen, happened....

 I just had a co-worker Dx'd and underwent surgery the 5th of the month...this guy is a physical specimen....71yo and still working 40 a week.....71yo just the same. He used the same guys as Rip and myself.....he's up and moving real well, said he's not felt this good in awhile...his IC very minimal at four weeks today. So yeah, I'm a believer in the procedure and you're right guys need to be bringing it up in thier pre-surg consults....

I can hold nowhere near the level of urine I did pre PCA surgery.  My pre-op capacity was measured and was 450 mls.  Today, the most I can hold after sitting in the car for a couple of hours is 250 mls, at which point the urge to go is intolerable and when I stand up I get small squirts past the artificial sphincter.  While moving around the most I can hold is 150 mls.  This has not improved since having the AUS turned on 6 months ago, and I have come to live with it.  I've attempted trying to hold it longer to try and stretch the bladder, but it did not achieve anything over several months so I no longer do this. I believe it is not so much a question of bladder capacity, rather along the way I seems to have picked up some urge incontinence. 

Berb