Advance Sling surgery Tuesday

After 16 months of dribbles, I elected to have Advance Sling surgery after urodynamic and cystoscope tests indicated I was a good candidate.the catheter was removed early this morning and I have been 100% dry all day. Voiding was slow for the first 2 hours but is doing well now. This afternoon a sonogram indicated I was voiding very well. I hope my early continence is an excellent indication of the success. It feels so strange not wearing pads after16 months and staying dry. I'm honestly a little nervous hoping this is my new normal. Good luck to all my brothers out there and I'll keep you posted. Any comments or questions, let me know.
John

Thank you Jim and congrats on your excellent recovery.
John

Hello Bob,
I was experiencing the same as you are. Better in the morning and increased leakage in the evenings. I started measuring the pads deducting their weight from the total. With a effort on watching activity and how much I consumed along with avoiding trigger foods, the best I could get my leakage down to was between 1-3 ounces per day. If I had a high activity day with morning coffee and maybe evening adult beverages, I could jump as high as 8 ounces. I also tried 8 weeks of physical therapy and didn't notice any difference. I workout 4-5 days a week and average about 20 miles a week of light jogging or brisk walking. Clearly that's on complete hold until. I fully heal. When I decided on the advance sling I also had looked at the AMS 800 but after consulting with 2 urologist that specialicd in continence, decided on the Advance Sling since it was less invasive and results are seen quick. Both urologist felt I was moderately incontinent and this would be a good choice. Also, I knew if the sling didn't work, I could try the AMS 800. Bob, I had reached a point where I decided I was going to do everything available to reach dryness. I also tried the Bard Clamp, very uncomfortable but it did work but wasn't a fix. This morning which completes my first full day since removing the catheter, I peed normally but a little slower and slight discomfort which I was told to expect after surgery. I have been feeling pain mostly in the perineum area near one of the incisions. First day it was about a 7 and now it's about a 3 on the pain level. I'm getting around easily but being very careful not to injure myself. I absolutely am following the doctors orders on activity, no lifting of more than 5 pounds. Even though the catheter has been out only a day, it feels great not leaking at all. I keep checking my boxers, oh how I missed wearing boxers, to see if they are wet. Oh, I ordered from Amazon a donut cushion which will be delivered today. So far, I am optimistic. I'll keep you posted and apologized if I kinda rambled. Feel free to ask me any questions. You can either post or go to my email. John

John, sounds like you are on the road to being dry. I am interested in your recovery as I am seriously considering the sling. I read so much about the pro and con of the sling v AUS it is hard to make a decision. I don't want all the extra plumbing of the so called "gold standard" AUS, but I want something that will work. I had the cystoscopy done last month, now waiting for recommendations from the urologist.
How did you pick the surgeon to do the procedure? My urologist can do the procedure, but should I look for one that specializes in incontinence at one of the big name hospitals? Bob

16 mos...wow. Good for you man. And good on you for posting.

No cancer and now continent. Keep the good news "flowing"!

Best of luck

It's been 8 days since Advance Sling surgery and 6 days without a catheter. Still totally dry and not wearing pads. I have been experiencing discomfort with the incision along the perineum area. Saw urologist today and he said the incision looked good and no infection. I have been wearing jockey sport briefs and the urologist suggested going back to boxers to give the area more air. Next check-up August 29th. John

Hello Bob. Glad to hear you are going to see your urologist soon. I'm assuming he will be doing both urodynamics testing and cystoscopy. He should be able to give you immediate results based on my experience. I would also have him explain the results of both tests. He will have a good understanding from the urodynamics testing how the bladder is performing i.e. Capacity to hold fluid, amount of leakage, etc. The cystoscopy allows him to view the urethra, the sphincter, bladder looking for reasons of incontinence. I'm really enjoying be pad free. Only complaint is the major incision is still very sensitive and flow is a little slow but gets there. Keep me posted. Best of luck, John

Hello Alephnull. Even knowing there was hope, I was becoming very pessimistic. Just a few weeks ago, I would each morning decide whether a moderate pad would be enough or should I just wear depends. I would get encouraged when I would have a day where I leaked less than a couple ounces, then the next day maybe 6 ounces. I found being sedentary and carefully watching input, I could keep leakage less than 3 ounces but that wasn't how I wanted to live. I love to workout, run, trips with my family and grandkids, having a few beers but heavier leakage would dampen(haha) these activities. I just decided I was going to exhaust everything to get dry. Kegals, physical therapy, acupuncture, drugs prescribed by two different urologist and after 16 months I was done. So far, I'm encouraged with the initial results. I keep waiting to have wet pants but they stay dry. This morning I had a 24 ounce coffee, what a treat. Good luck and I'll keep posting my progress. John

Hello Alephnull. Feel free to shoot me any questions on my experience. I felt a sigh of relief when I decided to move on the Advance Sling even though the outcome was certainly not guaranteed. I'll keep posting on my progress. Best of luck. John

Hello Bob,
Glad to hear you are getting the urodynamics test next week. I don't know what the deal is but it always seems young attractive nurses perform these procedures. Haha. I also found I'd squirt trying to stop a dribble. Kinda funny, a fast squirt versus a dribble. This morning was my first driving day and I went to my favorite coffee stop and opted for a 24 ounce coffee. I will drink it slowly. Still slow healing along the incision in the groin but looking better. I also know exactly what you mean on the sex thing but thinking a little more optimistically a few months out. Still no leaking and pad free. Urologist recommended either boxers or nothing under loose fitting workout pants to allow more air to incision area. What a great feeling to do this and not worry about the dribbles. Take care and keep me posted. Best wishes, John

It's been 2 weeks since my Advance Sling surgery. I'm still having soreness and slight bleeding around the perineum incision so I saw my urologist today. He felt the healing looked good but as a precaution, prescribed antibiotics for 10 days. I'm still dry and otherwise feel well. I asked my urologist what he thought was my prognosis and was delighted with his answer. He believes this is where I'll be the rest of my life. He said my flow would improve, which I could live with its speed now and the few dribbles, more like drops, would also improve. He emphasized not to overdo and stay within the weight lifting limits set as I heal. John

Hello Bob. To answer your question, the two incisions near the upper inner thigh areas healed without any issues and quickly. Good luck on Thursday. If you have the urodynamics testing, it will take less than an hour. Uncomfortable but not painful. As usual, another time to put aside any modesty. Good luck and let me know how it goes. John

John!! said...
Today is 3 weeks since my Advance Sling surgery. I have not worn a depends or pad since the catheter was removed 2 days after the surgery. I'm feeling very good but still have some soreness in my scrotom and perineum areas but decreasing. I did experience a small amount of bleeding 8 days ago around the incision and very minor discharge. Antibiotics have pretty well knocked it out. Last night, after consulting with urologist, consumed a few adult beverages. Zero leakage and I slept through the night without a bathroom trip. I'm having my caffeine coffee in the morning without any problem. I absolutely am adhering to my urologist instructions on limiting physical activity. I find I have to keep lifting and bending over restrictions top of mind since I almost do these things since I feel so well. Only drips, which I'm not counting as leaks, happen right after I pee. I've found a technique that seems to eliminate this problem based on some tips on Worried Guy's threads. When I pee it's usually 7-9 ounces. I'm nervous that my early results seem really good and I love being dry again. Good luck to all of my brothers considering the Advance Sling or artificial sphincter. John

Thanks for all of these updates, John! It is encouraging me to consider having this done someday. I don't normally wear pads, except one of those smallest ones maybe just for insurance a day or at most 2 per week. And they always feel dry when I remove them during the early evening. Still, when I don't wear them I will usually have some small drops escape. Always the same old thing: out of the blue and usually for no apparent reason (or, if I get up from a chair real quick) I get this feeling that a muscle( I suppose it is the bladder ) is contracting on it's own. And unless I am the fastest in the west to clamp down with a Kegel, a dime or quarter size underwear spot is going to occur, but never enough to show through for at least a year now. But I better be paying attention, and on guard!

As far as stress incontinence during physical activity, I am also always on the alert to stop that, don't really get much of that unless I get that weird contraction 1st. For example, hiking fast up hills and off trail, not even thinking about preventing leakage, I mostly do not leak, unless I feel that contraction 1st. I usually get that anywhere from twice a day to 1/2 dozen or more on the bad days. But, not usually a problem, I mostly don't even dribble because I can get it clamped off quick enough. But for sure a hassle having to deal with it and stay on alert. ( Yes, a hassle and a pain, but let me tell you, 10 times better than the 1st year or especially 1st 6 months. I feel so blessed compared to how it was. I can live with this, though I would rather not)

I wonder if a sling would help with this? And, do you know: is it supposed to help prevent urine leakage or ejaculation during sex? I can see how an AUS would help with both of those, but not sure about a sling. Like some of you guys, I'd rather not have the extra plumbing just for the slight amount of leakage I have.