6 month post AUS activation journey

Had my six month checkup with my doc following activation of my AMS 899 AUS. Some of you have followed my journey since the sling days so I thought I would post this report.

It is really not much to report. Everything is normal. My AUS is working fine and the doc says my experience is at the "high end" of normal. I asked her a couple of things relative to other threads about AUS.

• To deactivate or not at night. She still contends that evidence pro and con is non conclusive so it is my call. It does relax the cuff and perhaps causes less wear and tear of the urethera but that's just conjecture. Activating and deactivating also may cause more wear and tear on the device but again, just conjecture.
• She took me through the method to deactivate/activate is I should ever need or want to do so. I intend to practice this a bit and may try going deactivated at night for a while. I have always been able to "hole it" at night. Still get up about two times during the night. An Advil PM helps to sleep better since any little urge seems to wake me up. She says this is fine to do the PM.
• I commented about being a bit more "bulky" in the scrotum than before. She says this is normal. I still sleep most nights with a knee pillow because it is more comfortable. I can move "the package" from between the legs and it acomplishes the same thing.
• I continue to leak a little when stressed playing golf or heavy lifting. Also leak a few residual drops after urinating if I don't wait long enough. Wear one light ladies Always Affinity Flexi Wings pad per day. Same playing golf and I change at the turn just to be safe but could probably make an entire round as long as I pee at the turn and don't drink too much.
• My PSAs continue to be negative and I will continue on the every six month check up.
• Still have total ED but not an issue for my wife and I. I may take this issue up with a specialist now that incontinence is under control.

My profile below shows links to my other threads if someone new searchs this on HW and would like to access them.

 

Thank God for the AMS 800. It can give you your life back.

tallguy,

I think my comment to you before activation was that I hope you would be as satisfied with yours as I am mine. It sounds like you are.

You mentioned tackling the ED issue. There are a few of us here that have both devices. I am as satisfied with my IPP as I am my AUS. I often joke that I have to be careful in bed to push the right button...

Wigs

tall guy,

with the excpetion of your ED issue, sounds like all systems are go for you, glad to read that, and especially the PSA part, hope you continue with smooth sailing from this point.


david

Post Edited (Purgatory) : 3/3/2011 6:55:34 PM (GMT-7)

Tall Guy - March 9th - blast off for me and activation - 6 weeks were forever.
I guess it is always dark before the storm, pad count now is horrible and end up wetting myself more than would like

You guys gave me some good questions to ask and consider.

Exercising - anyone doing weight lifts - squats etc with AMS.
I can still feel incisions in scrotum area and top is healing but not as fast as I would like

Thanks and will let you know after a couple of days of practice.

Thanks Tallguy for your experiences with your AMS 800.
I am scheduled to get one this coming July at Sunnybrook. You have answered a lot of my concerns.

Thanks,
Bob

Thanks Carl,

I appreciate your offer & I am sure I will be contacting you.

about Deactivation:
This report recommends nocturnal deactivation to lessen the 3 to 10 % risk of urethra atrophy over time.
Of course a pad would be needed at night, in my case when the flow is very low.
I think it is on page 3 of 4.

http://www.cuaj.ca/CUAJ-JAUC/vol2-no5/14-pointcounterpoint-herschorn-oct-08.pdf

There are a lot of scary stats in the report but the AUS is still the gold standard.

I will go with whatever Dr. H suggests.
Bob

I never have de-activated and do not really know of a reason to do so unless you are in the hospital. I have my watch set to 4 hours to remind me to void, since I have no sensation (I have a neo-bladder) to urinate.

You guys with a normal bladder, still get the urge to pee? I suppose you all do. Would your bladder try to push the fluids past your AUS if you did not?
When my neo bladder fills up, I start to leak a fair amount, so that is why I set my watch at 4 hours, day or night same amount of time.

I am glad tallguy (I am 6'8"" by the way!!) that all is good as well with the others here!!

Chris

Chis, suprisingly the AUS works for us "bladder" guys with a normal feeling. I have not have any pushing of fluids past the AUS as the urge to go gets very unfortable well before that has happened. I guess as an experiment i could not go and see what would happen and that will happen one day, maybe by accident. My AUS does not leak at all after it has closed it's self. I do have the ablity to stop and start urine flow with my natural sphincter and I think when the urge hits I begin to use the natural sphincter which does not work without conscious intervention.
I have started deactivating at nite and if fact I am deactivated now as I have been trying to give my urethra a rest from the pressure. I have had pain and burning which is not a good sign I think. So, I am hoping to avoid a major issue, time will tell. Not much the doc can do about it now.
Ron