New member introduction

greetings everyone,

I came across this forum about a montha ago and have decided to post after reading some useful information. I had my RRP surgery May 18, had the catheter removed 10 days later and am progressing slowly with improvements in most areas. I have however suffered from fairly severe muscle spasms in the area between my rectum and scotum, these have eased in the last couple of weeks but still plague me when I squeeze prior to standing. I still have a dull pain in the bottom when sitting and leak urine freely when standing.

The urine leakage is my real issue, its now 5 weeks since the catheter was removed and I still use about 8 pads a day (medium absorbancy). I seem to be able to hold most urine while lying and sitting but leak constantly upon standing. If I go for a 2 mile walk I fill a pad up, is this something that will correct with time? I've been doing the kagels religiously in sets of 10, perhaps 6 to 8 times per day, also drink at least 6 glasses of water per day as recommended by the continence clinic.

ED seems to be coming along, with stimulation in the shower I achieve maybe 60-70% erection but not firm enough to do anything with...I assume this is OK for 6 weeks post surgery and am encouraged.

I'm wondering iof the muscle spasms are interfering with the urine control...anyone else had this experience.

thanks for the generous sharing of personal situations.

Age 56

PSA 3.5 and 4.75 Jan 10

Biopsy positive both sides 2/5 per side May 2, 2010

Gleason 3/4

RRP May 18, 2010

nerve sparing procedure

Lymph nodes and vas deferens clear

catheter out May 28, 2010

ED maybe 70% but not "stuffable", no drugs or apparatus

Continence, 8 pads per day, down from an initial 10-12 when catheter removed

Post Edited (Arch) : 6/29/2010 6:39:09 PM (GMT-6)

My Kegel instructions were to do three sets during the day. One set in the morning standing, in the afternoon sitting, and in the evening laying down. A set is: 10 contractions held 1 second each, and then 10 contractions held 10 seconds each.

This routine made sense to me since it stressed the sphincter muscle in different positions and gave it periods of rest. Just like any other muscle, it needs to be worked, but there also needs to be some recovery time.

   Da Vinci  4/14 down to about 2 pads a day. It's always that morning 2 mile walk that wipes out the first pad, they say your suppose to hold a 50% kegle when walking, I can not do that, going to try those stand up kegles another member mentioned. You can over due the exercises and cause yourself pain, in the area you described. When doing your kegles, instead of counting off 1-1000- 2-1000 I use a stop watch now, it seems to go alot faster and the pain and hemriods went alway, also I hold it down to 5 sets a day.

   I"m about a month ahead of you and I do see approvement, so hang in there, I keep telling myself this is the grunt it out part of are trip, things could be alot worst. You sound like your doing great.     Good Luck -   Tim