Road to Continence Pattern

Dan, for me, the Kegals neither helped or hurt, I am neutral on them. You may want to look at your stats, all the dates you have used are still in the future...lol.......just a typo I think.

David in SC

There you go Dan, I think I did the same thing here originally too. Glad to have you here with us.

kw said...
It may just take a bit more time for you body to readjust to how things are now.
Keep working at it and try not to stress over it. You may look at cutting out all caffeene until things improve.
Good Luck,
KW

Thanks, KW. Coffee/caffeine doesn't seem to make much of a difference either way.

Three main factors:

1) Time of day, PM through early evening is the worse.
2) Volume of fluids consumed at one time.
3) Activity level.

Dandapani -

Can only add my experience. Up until about the 3-4 month mark...it was like two steps forward and one step back. Meaning one day I would be good all the way up to dinner time, and the very next day leaked badly. Then almost overnight all the problems disappeared or should I say reduced significantly (I still wear one pad for those stress situations during the day only).

My uro said that the muscles used when doing the kegals take time to build up. You use these muscles during the day to stop urine flow unconsciously and they just get worn out by the end of the day. Over a period of time, just like using any muscle it will improve the endurance to the point that you will have nearly complete control. I would say for most men, the time frame is give or take 3-4 months. But as others said...it is different for each of us.

Good luck

I know i am still a rookie-newbie on the IC path, but would like to put in a vote for The CUP. I read somewhere on here about a (half joking perhaps) idea to just hang a pail under your penis while incontinent (obviously only good when you are lounging in your bathrobe while still at home).

But as humorous as it might seem I have been sold on the benefits of this method for the following reasons:

1: You can really monitor what is going on -- when you drip, when you do not and when you REALLY drip
and how much you drip (not getting anal about actually measuring it but you get a good idea).
2: You use ZERO pads during these times --surely a plus for all us cheapskates - and also saving landfill space by the TON!!.
3: As someone pointed out - you are dangling in a nice airy environment - not all humid and uriney and airless -- gotta be a plus there.
4: Along with #1 you also can really see when you just leaked -- with a pad I can sort of sense I just did but am never sure.
5: This is similar (when u think about it a bit) to the method we used to use with our Toddlers when they were resisting our cajolings to become potty trained -- you take away their nice warm feelings of a wet diaper for an uncomfortable running down the legs feeling (ok we avoid that last part with the cup).
6: Did I mention saving pads ??? ;-)

7: And this is a really good one -- when you have your partner using fingers trying to send some of the old feelings back to Mr Sleepy AND you still drip a little during this (as you inevitably will) you can just keep Mr. H heeled over into the cup while any of this important rehabbing is going on and the dribs go in the cup and do not interfere with any ministrations that she might be doing (and no doubt your partner and you are more relaxed about not having to sop up any drips. ). (I guess you can do this with a pad under just as well but remember #2 and #6!!!

8: Along the same line as #7, it allows you to check in on things as often as you like -- especially when you are looking for signs of life after taking some performance enhancing drugs etc.

As for cup attachments -- I just recycled the old LEG BAG rubberband (latex or something?) around my left leg, slip a 10 oz clear plastic disposable cup along inner thigh and slip penis head over into the cup. Scrotum etc is OUTSIDE cup unless you really want it all jammed in there. ( Disposable cups come in all different thicknesses -- use one that won't crush easily AND that has a comfortable curved top edge).

You only have to remember to shift the cup angle just before sit down so's it does not spill (also just have a small plastic bottle around for Dumping.

Obviously this only works for a tablespoon or two before you dump -- otherwise you slosh --unless you stick a tissue in to absorb for a while).

Can even be used under baggy sweats or boxers around the house.

Give it a try -- turns Incontinence into a Spectator Sport of sorts for you and partner!

(I am sure this idea might wear thin over weeks and months as pad use decreases anyways -- but for now in the early hi-flo days I like it a lot).

jim

Jim, you are taking the condom catheter to a whole new level. I've never heard of anyone strapping the cup down, most just carry it around..

www.urodry.com/mgmt/alphadry.html?gclid=CNXrtcL29ZgCFQNbxwodlCbFOg

kcragman said...
Dandapani -

You are barely two months into what my doctors tell me is a one year healing process.

KC, my Urologist told me before my surgery that by 3 months, the level of continence achieved by then, is what will likely be the long term outcome. I think from the feedback here, that he is a bit of an underachiever. Some gentlemen here seem to be healing over a much longer period, but healing nonetheless.

My first visit with him is early April for my first PSA reading. At the pace I'm currently going (I like the previous poster two forward, one back!) I don't think I'll be very far along by then (4+ more weeks), but I'm encouraged by the non-linear improvements that some seem to achieve (over night improvements).

I wondered what was happening in the PM when everything kind of falls apart. One poster above talked about muscle fatigue. That makes sense.

When lying down and resting at night, there is little urine pressure on the bladder neck. But I can tell immediately when I stand up after lying down, if the weight of the urine is about to exceed my bladder neck/muscle capacity to hold urine before I can make it to the toilet. (I kind of do the pee-pee dance you see little boys do, sort of holding their own with their hand while trying to make it to the toilet. LOL!) But resting at night, everything has a chance to restore its ability to hold the weight.

I have made improvements. I can drive to work (55 minutes) in the AM, walk up 6 flights of stairs, and make it to my desk without having to go urinate for at least 30 minutes. At 5 weeks out from surgery, that was not possible. I leaked walking in, leaked walking up the stairs, and barely made it to the toilet.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

LV-TX said...

My uro said that the muscles used when doing the kegals take time to build up. You use these muscles during the day to stop urine flow unconsciously and they just get worn out by the end of the day. Over a period of time, just like using any muscle it will improve the endurance to the point that you will have nearly complete control. I would say for most men, the time frame is give or take 3-4 months. But as others said...it is different for each of us.

LV, interesting. Up to a few weeks ago, I would get a sharp "electrical" pain/jolt inside my abdomen down low, and sure enough, I'd get a small leak/squirt. It was totally unconscious. That now has stopped. Wonder if this was part of the healing process, nerve wise. Nerve fatigue would trigger a small moment of loss of control.

That is still a lot of progress you have made there kragman, big improvement from your wettest times