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Posted 12/17/2009 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
Being kinda new here I have just seen a few post on kegeling.I have seen only a couple of post with the pros and cons on this subject and know you vets are probably wore out on this subject but I am at a point where I don't know if the kegeling is doing any good.thanks for any help.

Zach
Posted 12/17/2009 4:48 PM (GMT 0)

I followed Scardino on this one and rejected the advice of my surgeon.  Per Scardino:

Do not start Kegel exercises before surgery.  Most men will recover continency naturally (very occasional minor leakages are nearly impossible to completely eliminate, however).

If after a reasonable time post-surgery continency still hasn't returned, you can try Kegels - but if they work at all they will usually only alleviate the problem, not solve it.  Further, for many men they will not work at all.

If they don't work, see a specialist.

Zen9


Posted 12/17/2009 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
I can't argue with Scardino !

They are a sort of thing that takes a long time to see much progress. In fact, one doesn't really know if they helped at all. But, they don't hurt anything, and just in case they do help, wouild hate to lose 2 or 3 months without doing them.

You will also find several different ways to do them. I shopped around on google until I found a method that worked for me.

I can't say I was religious about them, and maybe that is why it took me 8 months insetad of 4, who knows ?

Goodlife
Posted 12/17/2009 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
I can't tell that they are doing a thing for my long term continence. They do help me get to the bathroom when I first stand up. Psychologically, I need to do them so I feel like I still have some input and my recovery is not just nature taking its course. Either way I am still leaking.
I do them when I am watching TV, sitting in front of the computer, in bed, but never when I am out since I squirt and will readily fill a pad if I am standing.
Posted 12/17/2009 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
Zach,

I've come around to agreeing that the Kegel exercises won't solve the problem by themselves. We have two sphincters to retain urine in the bladder, one above the prostate and one below. Both can be traumatized during the surgery. They are comprised of smooth muscle and contract around the urethra when enervated by nerves we cannot directly control. The bottom one does have another component of skeletal muscle we can control and if it is "toned" by exercise, like those six pack abs we all wish we had, it can help somewhat in slowing the dribbles. Also, by flexing the muscle during Kegels a signal is sent to the bladder telling it to retain urine. I'm still doing them religiously but I don't think I'm going to get continent until my sphincters heal and start working by themselves.

Patience, patience, patience is my mantra.

Steve
Posted 12/17/2009 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Zach, I started doing Kegels at least five years before I even suspected PCa. I had serious ED problems since my early 50's and read in a men's health mag that kegels would help. The kegels didn't help the ED but I kept on doing them anyway. I used the info from the Mayo clinic on how to do kegels. I have no way of knowing if they helped with incontinence. I was completely dry at six weeks. May have just been good luck. Good luck to you.

Carlos
Posted 12/17/2009 7:16 PM (GMT 0)

    Kegels didn't really help me, unless I had the urge really bad, and pre PCa I was doing them sometimes and didnt know it after one too many beers before running to the head.  So I really didn't do them as a normal routine. My body and time took care of it I guess..

Posted 12/17/2009 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
Zen,

Your doctor's advice was almost identical to my own uro/surgeon. His attitutde, was if you want to do them, do them. He doesn't feel they help, and he didn't see any point in doing them pre-surgery.

David
Posted 12/17/2009 8:29 PM (GMT 0)

Purgatory,

You didn't read my post carefully.

My doctor's advice was to start doing Kegels religiously a month before surgery, then continue to do them religiously after the catheter had been removed post-surgery - even after continency had been restored.

I rejected that advice in favor of the advice Scardino gives in his writings, which I summarized above.

Zen9

Posted 12/17/2009 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
Excuse me. My reply was still the same ,but I had the opinion tied to the wrong doctor. There were two doctors in reference in your post.
Posted 12/17/2009 9:33 PM (GMT 0)
Zach, One source for good information on kegels and continence is the National Association for Continence, www.nafc.org. They have some articles on the web site and sell some pamphlets on pelvic muscle exercises.

Carlos
Posted 12/17/2009 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
I have a feeling that walking or (eeeek! jogging) is a satisfactory substitute for Kegels. I was a walker many years before surgery and have continued since. No continence problems. I do a few Kegels when I think of them, as like Carlos, I have seen reports they may help with ED. But I can't say they have helped me any in that department sad
Posted 12/18/2009 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
Zach just had surgery five weeks ago and the catheter removed three weeks ago.. I do the kegels morning noon and night with little progress (alot of dripping) My doc told me that alot of what is happening is due to the fact my nerves have yet to heal..I still can't tell during the day when my bladder is full hence i don't have to go. Still fill the depends. Must say that the nights are getting better. Less dripping and better urination in the morning. What i would like to know is the average time it takes to become "normal".
Posted 12/18/2009 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
My wife says I'll never be normal.

But I would say give it 3 to 6 months and you will be pretty good.
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