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Posted 3/8/2010 7:28 AM (GMT 0)

I'd like to revisit something I mentioned earlier.

I am having strange incontinence problems and maybe you guys could relate and have some advice. I am almost 6 weeks post-op. When my catheter was removed 5 weeks ago, I would get annoying squirt…squirt…squirt stuff, especially arising from sitting, sneezing, coughing, etc. I was doing better than most, I thought.

Soon after, I was down to no pads at night and one pad during the day, barely needing that. However, the last 10 days have been different, and it’s hard to describe.

Generally, I start off with a normal, decent urination. It feels fine, but 1-3 minutes later I have to go back to expel a small amount of urine (small squirt or just drops). Two minutes later I have to repeat this. Two minutes later, same thing. This feeling continues much of the day. If I don’t go back to the bathroom, I feel VERY uncomfortable. Oddly enough, I can actually get through the day without a pad.

I am not sure if things have improved or not. I feel more miserable this way, although there are pretty much no involuntary squirts (a cough or sneeze might create one). I feel like I empty my bladder well, but yet more drops remain. I don’t know if my bladder has lost its elasticity or the loss of the upper sphincter muscle is just allowing drops to exit the bladder prematurely.

Based on my morning urination, my bladder can hold a decent amount. I generally do not have to get up during the night (sometimes maybe once).

Before my PC, I had BPH and at times I was having problems with retention. I know how that felt. It was truly miserable and uncomfortable. Flomax did work very well for me for many years. Anyway, that kind of retention is NOT at all the feeling I have now. It is that constant additional bit of urine in the urethra (or perhaps up a bit from there). It also starts to burn and irritate at times. I have been checked for an infection (urine culture) and none has been found.

Can any of you relate to these symptoms? Is this perhaps normal as part of the recovery process? I know they have P/T folks here who specialize in incontinence and it may be a matter of strength/training of some pelvic floor muscles. I don't know.

I have a new local urologist who I'll be seeing at the end of April (they are so busy)

 Suggestions?

Mel

Posted 3/8/2010 11:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Mel,

I had a like problem of dripping shortly after i urinated. In fact, it seemed like I could hold the urine better when I had a full bladder. Of course your always producing urine and when the bladder is empty the brain isn't trained yet to keep that sphincter tight. Me thinks that it is also a healing problem. Remember that bladder was connected to a sphincter muscle that you never needed before. So the connection has to heal. It sounds like you are doing well for the time that you have been on the other side. Hang in there, things will get better.

Ricky
Posted 3/8/2010 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
HI, I'm about 8 weeks past opeen surgery and about two weeks ago I started having similar issues, needing to urinate but only drops and and a small squirt, and then repeating a little while later. Tested for urinary tract infection but no infection, did take three days of antibiotics, even tried pure cranberry juice, how do you spell pucker. Finally the last few days, good stream is back on its on, so I would say just give it a few more weeks. I also had BPH and my prostate was measured at 126 versus a normal 40 when it was removed.
Posted 3/8/2010 2:56 PM (GMT 0)

Let me clarify. I don't feel that I need to have a normal urination and only a few drops come out. After a normal urination, I keep feeling that there are a few drops left. It is very annoying. I then go and only the few expected drops come out. Then a few minutes later, same problem.

Someone said it sounds like a stricture, but I would think a stricture would be having to urinate normally and not being able to.

Anyone out there with such an experience (stricture)?

Mel

Posted 3/8/2010 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
It sounds to mike like you need to retrain your bladder....Don't give in to the sensation and hold back...

Posted 3/8/2010 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
Mel...somewhere back if memory serves me (from this forum and I apologize I don't remember the name of the member), the urethra is not in a straight line and can sometimes hold urine after empting the bladder, which will give you that urge. A method that was mentioned to try, was to press upward at the very base of the penis to push the urethra upwards slightly to expel any remaining urine after emptying the bladder. For awhile that seemed to work for me until the nerves healed and the sensations went away. Might be worth a try.
Posted 3/8/2010 3:51 PM (GMT 0)
LV-TX, glad you brought this up. I told Mel about it earlier, but wasn't sure if I had heard of it here on the forum. No one ever said they remembered and Mel didn't say if he tried it or not, so I didn't know if anyone saw it or not. The drooping loop in the tube was a subject of discussion?, good deal............

Mel, maybe try this technique and see if it relieves the feeling? LV says base of the penis, i recall behind the scrotum, try either method and see.
Posted 3/8/2010 3:53 PM (GMT 0)

I've tried both. No joy. I might be doing it wrong.

Mel

Posted 3/8/2010 5:08 PM (GMT 0)

   What Steve said......and, yes I had this going on for awhile with time, and maybe a few good extra shakes of the ole' boy it took care of itself!

 You're doing great!

Posted 3/8/2010 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
Mel,
I had that problem for 4 months, even now, there are times when I feel like I lost few drops only to find out that nothing was lost. Sometimes, I will sit on the toilet a empty my bladder and yet I can still have few drops left.
Posted 3/9/2010 5:12 PM (GMT 0)

Mel,

I remember that you had the temporary superpubic approach; it may be interesting to see if any other members of HW had that model and perhaps similar symptoms.

Hero

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