Newbie seeking continence information (or reassurance)

I had the catheter in for nine days, and am now almost three weeks out from its removal (and was I EVER glad to see that thing leave!). I was at Stage 1 continence (lying down/sitting) immediately, and improved on Stage 2 (standing and walking continence) fairly steadily at first, then slid back, then improved after I went back on ibuprofen last week, then slid back again. At this point, I'm using just one pad/day, but can't walk for more than two-three minutes without needing to pee, and then get into a cycle of needing to pee every few seconds, it seems like, even when what emits is just a drop or two.

I've been doing my Kegels, though I realized today that I wasn't quite doing them right, up to 200 quick repetitions/day, and will be working out a different cycle now that I realize I should be doing both slow reps (holding the muscle for 5 seconds at a time) and quick ones.

I'd graduated from working life before I got my diagnosis, so I can concentrate on getting better, and am getting out for errands, but nothing that includes long walks. I can generally stand still for a decent period, do the household chores (take out trash, clean the kitty litter, etc.).

This walking thing is driving me batty, though, and I feel like I'm not improving. Is what I'm experiencing normal?

I sure wish I'd found this place before the surgery...

Bill, welcome to HW. To set up your signature, click Control Panel, then select 'edit profile' then scroll down to fill in the sig. info, save that and you got it.

Just hang in there and keep workin your kegeals. Odds are you will improve in the normal time frame. If not, all is not lost. There are other options if you have to go that route.
Good Luck,
KW

Bill,
I am not sure any of us are what you call the norm. All any of us have is our own experience. I think I was about where you are at 3 weeks. The urge to go left, but the slight dribbling here and there when walking, or straining remains with me even to this day (9 months out). I am as near to being dry as I can be but still have those moments. I have gotten use to wearing a pad just for that little protection. With me there is no danger of a waterfall, but the ocassional dribble still continues.

I am suggesting that you are on your way to recovery, but do not necessarily think it will happen overnight. I thought when I was around 12 weeks out I would be back to where I was pre-surgery, and it just hasn't happened. I have read of some that were continent from the beginning as Coxjajb above, but there are also those of us who had to improve at a slower rate. Blessings.

Still way too early to tell.
Many of the guys here have had quick success with incontenence, and still many have had a slow recovery. You might wish to take a couple days off the kegels to see that you are able to mend.

Welcome to HealingWell, you will get some great insight and probably make some friends. Peace

Tony

Hi

To give a different perspective, I was dry two weeks after the catheter was removed but had a regimen. I don't know if this will help, but I walked 5 miles a day doing kegels the whole time. The walking occurred until I went back to work. I also cut out all coffee, soda, beer, etc., until I was dry. Those types of drinks have always gone through my kidneys quickly.

I would have an "accident" sometimes in the four weeks after I became dry so I wore pads for another 4 weeks but 99% of the time they were dry at the end of the day. I fly alot so that was one reason for the pads.

What is your Urologist and/or internist telling you about this?  My Urologist told me most of his patients don't see much improvement until the 3 to 6 month post-op period, and that's what's happening with me.  about the 3-month point I went from 8-10 pads per day to 3, then down to 2 and I'm almost at just one per day.    I don't know if I'll be one of the guys who becomes completely dry, but, at least for the moment, I'm managing well with what I have to do.

Update: I went back and forth for quite a while, trying things that seemed to help for a few days and then not. Last week, my primary care doctor ordered a urine culture, to see if I had an infection, and also sent me out for Pyridium (brand name), for which the active ingredient is phenazopyridine hydrochloride. This is for "urinary pain relief." My drug store didn't have that brand; I was steered to Azo, and have since found a generic that's a lot cheaper. They all seem to be about 95 mg. It makes you pee day-glo orange (which led to some suggestions from my sweetie about the frequency of toilet flushing - we tend to flush infrequently for water-saving), but wow what a difference! In one day, I was able to walk half a mile (including a ten-minute stop at an estate sale), and, even then, the need to pee was not as urgent as it had been. I'd had a low-level abdominal heaviness, which I'd ascribed to gas, although it was closer to the front of the abdomen than I commonly feel for gas - the medicine took it away in an hour.

So, I guess I've had an inflamed bladder or urinary system, which the Azo calmed down. The package says not to take it for more than two days without talking with a doctor; my doc had recommended four, and I cheated slightly by about half a day, continuing to take it until we got the urine culture results back - negative on the infection. I've stopped now, on a Tuesday, and am waiting to see if symptoms recur. If they do, I'll be on the phone agitating for a referral to the urologist who did my original diagnosis, to see if he can figure out what's going on; and back on the generic Azo until I get there.

I'm still leaking slightly when I walk for extended distances, like the 1/2 mile to the downtown of our little town, but I can appreciate that that's something to get over more slowly; and I'm at one pad/day, six weeks out, and that one only damp when I change it, not wet. So, general progress is good, if this urinary frequency dragon's been slain.

one pad a day at 6 weeks is awesome. You may want to consider having a biofeed back done. This shows if you are doing Kegels correctly. I have insurance so my out of pocket was only $55, consider it.