LFPF ( Leak Free - Pad Free )

An interesting article on LFPF is at the Prostate Cancer Infolink. Any thoughts?


Read article here....



Regards,

Bill

Thanks for this link, Bill. If not totally encouraging, at least it provides us leakers with good empirical data and a reasonable expectation of what's down the road, and allows us to make plans for dealing with the future. Wish my uro/surgeon hadn't been so nonchalant about this issue.

-Charlie

I know as much anyone the great desire to be LFPF.

BUT, I went into this thing knowing it may take a year to get to normal. I even understood I may never be as good as I was before the "dance with Davinci"

I have found in my own life a kind of peaceful place, that says, it is what it is, I'm cancer free, and when the leaking stops, I'll be glad, but if it never gets any better, it's still better than dying of bone cancer or some other offshoot of bone cancer.

It has allowed me to relax a little and just take it as it comes. Do my kegels (sometimes), and do whatever else I'm supposed to do or not do (sometimes), and just take it a day at a time. For my first month, I used a clamp, which may have set me back on my pee pad count, but definitely made my life more tolerable.

After reading hundreds of posts, I have come to the conclusion that there is no secret formula, no special surgical technique, or some other way that allows sonme guys to be pad free quickly, and others not.

I liked the guy who said he clenched his but cheeks so tight, a tractor couldn't pull a needle out of his ass. I just can't clench mine that tight, and after a while, the needle will fall out.

All I can say is patience appears to be our only hope in this deal.

Good luck my wet brothers !

Edit. This post was a result of sloppy reading of mine. At the end of the study, at 24 mos., they state that 28% of patients were LFPF, 40% had an occasional leak, and 22% needed a light pad. Much more encouraging. Steve


Another thought on this subject. When they say Leak Free Pad Free they make no mention of HOW MANY PADS. If I get out there six months, nine or twelve months, and just need one light pad, then maybe by their definition I'm still incontinent, but I'll be a happy camper.

This post has certainly excited a few guys. The surveys are getting answered slowly but there is useful info. The voting is still out, with many state not reporting ;-) but it looks like we have 2x as many robotics than opens and the results are very interesting. We need more data so go ahead and answer if you haven't already.

Disclaimers: The survey is unscientific; your mileage may vary; past performance does not guarantee future performance.
Jeff

Maybe we need to talk about comparative continence.

When the PA pulled my cath, and gave me a container to hold under Willie, I kind of forgot what I was supposed to do.  As I was standing there talking, I wasn't aware that I was peeing all over the floor.  I couldn't stop it.

Today, I can go out for an evening, or on a light day such as Sunday, I can skip my pad.  I would say comparatively, I am continent, but when I lift something heavy, bend awkwardly, or sneeze, I squirt a little, just like my wife does as a result of having 5 kids.

So, I would say that comoaratively speaking, I am continent, but my wife still has to wash a lot of underwear.  I kind of feel naked without my pad.

Now if I had Jeff's shocker pad, that lit me up when I leaked, I would probably be totally continent.

For the first three months after my surgery I was using 10 to 12 pads per day. At that time I said I would be satisfied and thankful if I could get down to 1 pad per day.

Well at this time I am using only 1 pad per day and find myself wishing I was dry. I'm stepping back a little and remembering what it was like several months ago. With that thought I really am satisfied with my quality of life. Heck, 1 pad per day is nothing! I have no pain and no restrictions on what I can do, no prescription drugs.

Maybe by definition I am not continent but I'm continent enough.

Bob