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Question, Has anyone used the clamps?

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 7/18/2014 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
I realize this isn't a major issue after what most of us have been through. I am down to one pad a day, but I still leak a little at night. A couple of weeks ago I did more than leak. We was up at midnight changing sheets. I don't care who you are but at 64 it wears on your manhood. confused Would clamps help in this situation? I get up 2 - 3 times a night to relieve the pressure. Maybe if I wore a clamp I could get more rest. Other than the night issues I am doing pretty good. Any thought or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Bless you folks for being there for us newbie's.  
Posted 7/18/2014 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
I have tried Bard's Cunningham clamp but don't use it much, especially as I have mostly been doing much better lately(just don't ask about yesterday LOL). Sometimes it seems to be worth while for those times when leaking would be more of a problem than usual. But other times it just is not helpful, or I must have it too tight in order to work. Then it is not only uncomfortable, but that much pressure worries me.

It has a little bump on the bottom that is supposed to push into the urethra, which means you would need less pressure overall. But I can't ever seem to get the bump to stay lined up with my urethra, it is always to the side of it.

Also, I have noticed this wierd effect: Normally, if I feel a sudden urge to pee, I stop the flow before it happens with a strong Kegal(SP?). Then I can almost always hold it in until I get to the bath room. But I guess using this thing, the urine must use a stealth approach and gradually get backed up on the wrong side of my urinary sphincter, but being held back by the clamp. If I get a sudden urge and reflexively Kegal to hold it in, now it will force urine right past the clamp! That doesn't normally happen to me with a Kegal/muscle contraction unless I have the clamp on. Tighter would probably stop that, but I don't want it too tight!

Lastly, I think they say not to sleep with them on. I think 2 hrs is the max to have them on without moving them.

There is an alternative called "Dribblestop" which I would like to try. I think they OK sleeping with those in place.

Hope that helps, others may have more info, Good luck!

Bill

Still, there are reviews out there by a lot of guys who really love them. So I may have just not mastered the learning curve. I might have worked harder on that if I got it when I was earlier in the game.
Posted 7/18/2014 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
The clamps work. Probably 4 to 6 hours is all the little guy can handle. I think probably at night, depends and/or pads would probably be better. I wouldn't recommend the clamp for long term use.

I am an industrial electrician, and wet pants and high voltage are not a good combo. I used the clamps on and off ( not an attempt at humor) for a couple of months. They really did work well.

If you are down to 1 pad a day, odds are you will be getting better soon. By the way, my wife still has a pad and plastic under my side of the bed. That and depends make it better than wearing a clamp every night.

Good luck.
Posted 7/18/2014 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for you comments. I have found that most of this stuff is trail and error. We have a pad on my side of the bed, I have only needed it twice since the cath was removed in April. This has been a rocky road but so far all has been bearable. I will wait for more comments and let you know if I try one. Have a blessed w/end.
Age 64
PSA 4/13 4.5
PSA 8/13 6.0
BIOPSY 10/13 G 3 + 3 = 6
Tumor right side of prostate
DaVinci RP 3/11/14
Biopsy after surgey G 7, confined to prostate
1st post surgery, non detectable
Next PSA 7/29
In hospital 5 days, Lots of pain due to gas and back issues.
Cath was in 3 wks
Major incontinence for 6wks, now one pad per day.Good bladder control during the day. Leaking a little at nigh
Posted 7/18/2014 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
I wear a clamp every waking hour so I am glad to go without in bed and lying down is the only time I don't leak. I still wear a pad while sleeping just in case. A clamp would prevent leakage but you might still have that middle of the night urgency. I'm up once or twice a night to pee and my bladder seems to have only half of its pre-Pca capacity.

Sounds like you are doing well at a pad a day so it might have been a once in a blue moon event.
Posted 7/18/2014 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
I don't mind getting up a couple times but I thought maybe the clamp would relieve some of the stress. I do wear a pad every night. Just like to go pad less when I sleep. Thanks.
Posted 7/19/2014 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
Trucker-I'm 5 years out and never leak unless I'm at an event that I drink too much alcohol, then I'll wear a pad. That being said I never risk a night in bed without wearing a depends. In a deep sleep I might wet myself. Could happen a couple times a month. I'm embarrassed to put it on but more embarrassed to wake up in wet sheets. Research the clamps well, I think the jury is still out on the health risks of stopping the flow. But then again the jury is out on everything including why we even went through surgery. Good Luck, Inkhorn
Posted 7/19/2014 2:33 AM (GMT 0)

inkhorn said...
...... Research the clamps well, I think the jury is still out on the health risks of stopping the flow. But then again the jury is out on everything

including why we even went through surgery. Good Luck, Inkhorn

Well said, Inkhorn, well said indeed!
Posted 7/21/2014 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
Inkhorn, Thanks for the advise. I may try it in the near future. Got enough going on now just dealing with stress during the day. You know like coughing or sneezing and the pad now covering everything. LOL This has been a strang ride but the cancer is gone. This other stuff is just a little

aggregating.

Posted 7/22/2014 12:37 AM (GMT 0)

goodlife said...
The clamps work. Probably 4 to 6 hours is all the little guy can handle. I think probably at night, depends and/or pads would probably be better. I wouldn't recommend the clamp for long term use.

I am an industrial electrician, and wet pants and high voltage are not a good combo. I used the clamps on and off ( not an attempt at humor) for a couple of months. They really did work well. .....

Biker 56: "I wear a clamp every waking hour so I am glad to go without in bed and lying down is the only time I don't leak..........."

Goodlife and Biker, I've seen a lot of reviews where guys were as satisfied with the product as you guys are. Can you think of any tips to using that are not already included with the directions? It may be a learning curve, practice makes perfect deal.

This afternoon, working in the yard, I broke down and put the clamp on because I just got tired of trying to hold it in 10 mins after I just went. I have trouble if I have shaped it for comfort, either won't hold it in well or slips off. And always have trouble keeping the little bump on the lower side lined up with my urethra, which is suppose to be a real benefit. Anyway, I straightened it out to the way it came to me, clamped it down fairly tight, and it did keep me dry for a couple of hours. I checked it several times out of paranoia felt like it might be leaking- but I was dry. It really was not uncomfortable for that 2 hours.

I'm starting to think I might have got it too big. The 1st directions were to measure around, and by that I for sure needed a large and then some. But later I read to squeeze it and measure ACROSS(SP?), not around, and that way I might be a little shy of needing a large. And, I have to always have it clamped down a lot or all the way just to keep it from slipping off, especially if I have shaped it at all. So now that I have already bought it, that is a bit irritating.
Posted 7/25/2014 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
BillyBob,

I'm not sure if I'm satisfied with clamps or just too chicken to reach for the AUS brass ring. Clamps have allowed me to function at least, which was getting difficult with deteriorating continence; 10 pads/day, peeing every 10 minutes, limiting fluids and soaking through pads if I wasn't paying close attention.

I started with a medium size Cunningham clamp, (if I ever could have been classified as large I sure ain't now) and I found it to be big and awkward, getting the right bend, etc and it seemed to be open cell foam that was always wet and smelled like pee. I moved to Male Incontinence Clamp (MIC), mail order from California. They are compact, adjustable, all plastic, pre-shaped and easy to use. Eventually the little fork that engages the adjusting nut wears and I got frequent accidental unclipping, but they were cheap to replace. The manufacturer stopped shipping to Canada so I went to Dribblestop, a little larger, adjustable, plastic and closed cell foam, still an occasional accidental unclipping from awkward movements so a pad remains mandatory. Its hard to find the right balance between clamping too tight and discomfort or too loose and risking unclipping.

All can cause some skin irritation or discomfort but my urologist assured me it would not cause tissue or circulatory damage. No doubt there are other brands that work well, this has just been my experience.
Posted 7/25/2014 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
One of our side projects at the GFMPH with worried guy was making our own clamps out of 12/2 Romex wire. They really worked ok.

It is really tricky to find the happy medium. Too loose and they leak. Too tight and little willy turns purple, and hurts. You can bend and adjust them to meet your size and effectiveness desired. If you wear a pad with them which I recommend, they don't have to be set to stop all leaks, just coughs and sneezes, and lifting. Try to slow it down so pad can handle it.

Goodlife
Posted 7/25/2014 5:18 PM (GMT 0)

Tell me you are kidding about the Romax wire. Surely that would cut off circulation. Most nights I don't leak too much. I went to the bathroom about an hour after I went to bed last night, got up 3 hrs later with a full pad. At least I woke up before the full mark. I just thought a clamp would give me some stress relief at night. Got a pump 3 weeks ago. Just been pumping the little fellow up but haven't tried the ring yet. Gonna give it a shot this week end. So if you hear a blood curdling scream it will just be me putting the ring on.

Posted 7/25/2014 9:58 PM (GMT 0)

TruckersChaplain said...
Tell me you are kidding about the Romax wire. Surely that would cut off circulation. Most nights I don't leak too much. I went to the bathroom about an hour after I went to bed last night, got up 3 hrs later with a full pad. At least I woke up before the full mark. I just thought a clamp would give me some stress relief at night. Got a pump 3 weeks ago. Just been pumping the little fellow up but haven't tried the ring yet. Gonna give it a shot this week end. So if you hear a blood curdling scream it will just be me putting the ring on.

HA! Just beware the sudden SNAP! I can't tell that it has hurt anything, and was not actually painful, but it sure was startling and seemed like it SHOULD have hurt! I have tried a variety of rings, and one of them seemed to slip on fairly smoothly and somewhat gently, but I've forgotten which one that was.
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