Healing Process?

Snugg,
I too thought that I might be taking a step back in the streams department a few weeks ago where, except for overnite urinations (which were always firehose gushers) that the daytime streams were slowing down (sometimes to BPH-style piddles). Then I started deliberately drinking a lot more during the day to retrain my bladder to expand more (at least that was my thought -- Mr Bladder has his own ideas on when enough is enough). So although I might not be holding any more than before when urgency sets in, I now only go when I have 8-10 oz every time and that too gushes out just fine all the time. The only time I might have to really push is if I am trying to eek out the last drops. I might add that even with more drinking I can now go 3-4 hours easily between urinations -- up for an hour or two at the beginnings.
I have a theory that us guys, at early IC, tend to not drink a lot and try to go a lot more just to try to keep things dry (and get bragging rights on getting over IC in a week - hah).
But that might be counterproductive as far a training the bladder to work normally again.
I also wonder about if a surgeon laces up the bladder and urethra fairly snug to start with that it might allow a guy to get over IC really quickly, but later on as the scar tissue contracts a bit you could get a slower stream as time goes on. (Anyone care to comment on this one theory??). I will ask my PA/Uro next time if they deliberately try to leave some slack when lacing up that area.

I really think it can depend on the experience of the surgeon and maybe just plain luck. My surgeon was Head of Surgery for a number of years and has had only one case of incontinence continuing after 12 months. Of course, his words. But I was completely dry in two months after the "open Surgery".

I wore pads for two weeks after I no longer needed them (just in case) and because I had purchased a package of 50 prior to the surgery. I hated throwing so many away but what else to do with them. Also hardly ever used more than one a day after the catheter came out.