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"Incontinence" Definition

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Posted 2/4/2009 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
My son's Cub Scout Pinewood Derby is coming up soon, where the car can't weigh more than 5 oz, so I bought a sensitive scale so I don't have to run to the post office during construction. rolleyes It has several units, one of which is ml. So I got the "bright" idea of weighing my pads to see how much I'm actually leaking/seeping. Over a 24 hour period I (according to the scale) gained 6 ml, which clearly isn't much.

Does anyone know what the "threshold" is to be considered continent?

Clearly I have way too much time on my hands smilewinkgrin
Posted 2/4/2009 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
Gotta love those Pinewood Derby races....ah and the old postage stamp scales... Don't have an answer except what my Uro said. I would most likely have some minimal (very minimal - his words) stress problems with the unexpected cough or sneeze etc. So I have no idea how to equate that into ml. I guess I figure that if I can get through an entire day with only the small teaspoon into a pad I would consider to be continent...others might think that is still too much. Good question hopefully someone else has a real answer.
Posted 2/4/2009 9:26 PM (GMT 0)

There are many guys here that have done a ton of measuring...(i'm not sure why)

Me, I didn't leak too much for the three months I wore pads..One in the morning and replaced it when I got home mainly for sanitary reasons.

 

Posted 2/4/2009 11:30 PM (GMT 0)
I had open surgery exactly 2 months today and I've been using only one pad for 24 hrs. I don't have any idea what is considered to be continence or incontinence. To me, as long as there's something (doesn't matter how much) in the pad when you change it, I considered it incontinence, until it's completely dry. It may take a while but we have to be patient. We know that this is one of the major (the other is ED) side effects of surgery. If I can't be fully continent, I still be glad and thankul that I went through the procedure. I am more at peace knowing that the PC is no longer exist. Likewise, as for the ED (though according to my DR both the nerve bundles were spared), if it will happen that I will not regain it, well there are other ways to enjoy sex life other than intercourse. Just be happy that we are cancer free and that's the most important thing. We will enjoy life longer.
Posted 2/5/2009 6:23 AM (GMT 0)
From what I've read some doctors who claim high levels of continence fudge their stats by defining people that only have to wear 1 pad a day as not incontinent. I might have a small dribble come out every great once in awhile but I'm talking about no more than what maybe used to come out after urinating before surgery - not even enough to go thru underwear. In my opinion you are not incontinent if you do not need to wear any pads at all.

Something I think I have discovered that I have not seen mentioned anywhere - maybe I've just missed it - is psychological stress leak. You read about physical stress leaks (sneezing, passing gas, etc). I am convinced that some of the leakage is caused by psychological stresses and you can learn to control it. For instance when I first removed my pad I was at work by myself all day and no problem. But a couple days later when my employee was there I was more self conscience and the more I thought about it the more I felt like I needed a pad.

Anybody else have this weird feeling?
Posted 2/5/2009 12:45 PM (GMT 0)
Like the others have said it varies depending on whose ox is being gored by the description. To me it is simple, if you have to wear a pad or any other device you are not continent regardless of whether the incontinance is stress, urge, or otherwise.

Scott
Posted 2/5/2009 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Scott. It's like being a little bit pregnant. Either you are or you aren't. My definition is if you are dry during your routine activites during an average day and night , then you are continent. I have a rare stress drip when sitting cross-legged and reaching to my right, but that's a special position and not a part of my everyday routine, so I don't count it. I would also venture to say if you are still wearing a pad 'just in case' then you aren't continent yet, as you probably don't mentally consider yourself dry forever. But that's just my semi-formed opinion... tongue
Posted 2/6/2009 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
Jetlagged -

I agree with those above who say zero leakage means continence. My doctors at GW were doing a clinical trial on incontinence, and they said Walsh at Johns Hopkins considered incontinence to be 2 pads a day. Yuck.

Steve n Dallas - Weighing pads is a great way to see improvement if you are leaking heavily month after month. I was depressed at my leakage, and totally embarassed by delivering 6 or 7 HEAVY pads to my 3 month trial weigh-in (they were measuring the weight of pads used in the previous 24 hours). I was off the charts. I discovered I had a gram scale at home, and I started weighing pads. I determined that I was not nearly as bad as I thought - I just had a terrible day before the trial weigh-in.

Now I can report I am losing about 10 grams a day (about one third of an ounce) - due to random leakage. I just can't seem to get over that last little hump. And, as I've said before I can't stand the feel of damp underwear, so it's pads for me for a while longer.

kcragman
Posted 2/7/2009 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
Being a long term HEAVY leaker I would say incontinance is anything that makes you change your lifestyle!!! Since I have had my AUS activated I can go anywhere I want. Wear anything I want. Drink as much of what ever I want and I do not have to plan ahead for "facilities" to use. I do not have to carry extra cloths and and number of pads everywhere I go. Eventhough I still use a womans panty liner to catch some dribbles and squirts I would say the AUS has given me "social continance"
Hope this is about a clear as mud!
KW
Posted 2/7/2009 3:54 PM (GMT 0)

Very nicely said KW.  I, too, was and, am at this point in time, a heavy leaker.  Continence is a very personal matter. Continence for one is, relatively speaking, incontinence for another. Ocassionally, I hear of a guy who goes for years in a state of incontinence and just puts up with it or reconciles himself to living with it...whether it be drips and dribbles or full fleged rivers.  I just simply cannot stand even the slightest amount.  That is the reason I have undergone AUS surgery in the hope of getting completely dry...I may be deluding myself into thinking that I will be dry dry dry...but I am hoping.  Right at this point I would probably accept wearing a panti-liner.  I'll find out in about another month when the AUS is activated.

Salty

Posted 2/8/2009 3:20 AM (GMT 0)

    Salty,  Please be aware that a few drips and dribbles are probably expected.  Do not be discouraged if you do have them.  It is a world apart from the flooding I had.

    Good Luck with the Activation.

    KW

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