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To Pee or not to Pee

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Posted 7/3/2008 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
Okay, it’s not “to pee or not to pee.” It’s to stop in midstream or not too. The subject line just sounded to good to pass up. While researching information on the web regarding Kegel exercises I have read several recommendations on stopping urine stream in midstream. Some say do it and some say don’t do it. This is not very consistent information to say the least. Even my doctor was wishy washy about the question when I asked him. He said that it wouldn’t hurt but that he wouldn’t make a habit or use it as an exercise. I have been trying this experimentally and I personally feel that it improves my control and continence levels. One site stated that this was a good exercise if performed correctly and that the control to stop the flow should be taken from the buttocks area and not the front abdominal area to stop the urine stream. I would like to get some feedback from this wonderful knowledge base before I do something wrong or incorrectly.   Thank you all.   Mike
Posted 7/3/2008 2:12 AM (GMT 0)
i had an appoinment with a group to teach me to do the kegels. they said do not stop in midstream. they indicated it could lead to urinary tract infections. after i stopped in midstream once or twice to see which muscle i needed to strengthen, i haven't stopped in midstream. i am about 90% dry. i went completely padless last friday. however, monday night i woke up in a pool of pee so decided to start wearing pads again at night time. i have been dry since. i have been told i am backwards in that most say the continence issues are during the day time but my issues are at night. i do 2 sets of kegels a day, 20 reps each holding the muscle for 5 seconds and relaxing for 10 seconds. i have done them since the day the catheter was removed.

they say the kegels help on the ed issue as well. i have been on viagra for about 2 weeks and still don't have a good erection. before surgery i lost it (doctor said it was stress and psychological). i'm hoping i get it back but have been mainly interested on the "peeing" side of things post surgery. continence like ed takes a lot of patience.
Posted 7/3/2008 3:24 PM (GMT 0)

Mike:  I have always understood that the idea behind stopping in mid stream was to learn how to locate the muscles to work on when doing the Kegel exercises, after you located the correct muscles you shouldn't do the stopping in mid stream thing.  I obvoiusly may have misunderstood the reasoning.

I've been very lucky so far with my continence, very little leakage but I'm continuing my exercises, not wanting to lose what I have gained.

David

Posted 7/3/2008 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I heard the "don't do it" thing also. I stop my stream about once a week just to see where I am - and I can stop it like turning off a faucet. However, I still dribble like crazy all-the-time when I am standing. It drives me crazy. I cannot maintain a kegel clentch and walk at the same time. Maybe you are not supposed to, but whenever I relax I dribble.

The kegel muscle is in the same muscle group as your rectum, so when you kegel you are also squeezing your rectum. I think this is where all the talk about the rear end is coming from. People say "squeeze your buttocks" but that has nothing to do with it. It is your rectucm. Those of us who have fought constipation all their lives probably know the muscles down there a little better than most. My doctor said if you can make your penis jump (it is a tiny jump) then you are doing it correctly.

kcragman
Posted 7/3/2008 11:36 PM (GMT 0)
I echo dkob131's reply: only do it to identify the muscles you need. It can also tell you how strong your muscles are to begin with (if, say, you can't completely stop the stream). My bio-feedback coach told me not to continue doing it. Here's the regime she put me on:

Once you identify the correct muscles to flex by stopping in mid-stream, you do squeezing exercizes: squeeze for 10 seconds 10 times. Do this 5 to 10 times a day. Don't do more than 10 at one time because you'll tire out your pelvic floor muscles. As you get better at it, increase the 10 second time to 15 seconds, and so on.
Posted 7/4/2008 2:06 AM (GMT 0)
Well I am confused. I fail to see how stopping your urine mid stream and then restarting is going to give you a urinary tract infection. Urine is sterile and stopping mid stream should be no different internally to your plumbing than finishing urinating at one hit. You are able to stop the flow by contracting frontal muscles (feels like you are drawing your penis and testicles up), but you can also stop the flow by squeezing and drawing up the rear internal muscles in the region of your rectum. I did read somewhere or other that the rear muscle exercise develops support for the bladder while the frontal squeeze develops the sphincter muscle controlling the bladder opening and closing.
Bill
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