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is it possible to be dry from day 1

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Posted 2/29/2012 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
Met another guy at a support group and he says that he was dray from day 1 (7th day post surgery, day 1 after catheter removal).

Is that really possible?

I have not seen any such post here in last two months.

Ein.
Posted 2/29/2012 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
Yes it is possible, my husband did not leak one drop of urine.

He wore a pad for three days after the catheter came out, just in case. Then we threw out the pads.

Regards,

An

 

Posted 2/29/2012 2:54 AM (GMT 0)
Not a drop here. Dry on day one.
Posted 2/29/2012 4:06 AM (GMT 0)
There have been quite a few guys here that were fortunate enough to be dry as soon as the cath was removed. Just that it varies so very much guy to guy.

david in sc
Posted 2/29/2012 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
I wore pads for a week but felt like I didn't really need them. I did lose a few drops here and there--but then, I was doing that before surgery for years anyway.

DJ
Posted 2/29/2012 4:31 AM (GMT 0)
One thing I had going for me - no drops, threw out the pads after 3 days
Posted 2/29/2012 5:57 AM (GMT 0)
Several guys in my support groups were dry from day one. They are also the guys who don't need to come to HW, since they got along well after treatment.

The typical guy here is not the typical patient.

Posted 2/29/2012 7:33 AM (GMT 0)
very possible. realized I could throw out pre-purchased pads and diapers after a day.
Posted 2/29/2012 7:36 AM (GMT 0)
Ein, My hubby was also dry from the moment the catheter came out 5 years ago. He had the same surgeon as An 38 above. We were fortunate in that regard, so yes, it is more than possible. On the other hand we have met people here who had 1 -2 days of mild leakage, then completely dry. All age-groups - one member was in his mid 70's and had no leakage after day 1. So it depends. We did not expect it as good as it was. I still had the pads etc prepared for him to use. He had the catheter in for 7 days post-op then was dry on removal - voiding normally.
It is somewhat amazing to think that that was now almost 5 years ago. He has been continent ever since, so we are thankful for that. cheers
Posted 2/29/2012 8:53 AM (GMT 0)
My hubby was also dry from initial removal of Catheter. Does happen to some very lucky men.
Posted 2/29/2012 8:57 AM (GMT 0)
Very few drops here and great results thereafter.

Tony
Posted 2/29/2012 2:11 PM (GMT 0)
Never a drop here either,donated the supplies we got to a local shelter.
Posted 2/29/2012 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
Dry from Day one. 

I've talked to guys who were operated on by the same surgeon who did not have the same luck. 

In the past I felt that I was dry because of my doing Kegels (alot) pre-surgery.  Now I feel I got lucky.

Posted 2/29/2012 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
A friend of mine who lives here in Alabama had his RALP last November done by the top PC surgeon in the state with over 2000 surgeries under his belt and my friend was dry from day 1. My surgeon is a partner in the same URO practice and I only needed 2 pads a day and none at night for 2 weeks when I became 100% dry.

Terry TWG

Posted 2/29/2012 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
Dry here.
Surgical technique and experience of surgeon is top requirement for this result. Limited tumor load making excision convenient and trouble free is also helpful.
Youth (relative) of patient also is an indicator as is body mass index in normal range, which relates to muscle tone and limited trouble for surgeon.
No prior urinary issues also is related to prompt continence as is good muscle tone and attention to kegels, and other recommendations before and right after surgery.
Avoiding infection and other issues in the recovery period also are related to this result.
Even with all these factors present, some time is usually required for recovery of function.
In the end, some of the result is due to luck.
Posted 2/29/2012 6:26 PM (GMT 0)
I was dry from day 1, it took the rest of the first day after the 8am removal for the system to recognize the catheter was gone and to tighten on it's own.
Posted 2/29/2012 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Yes it is. I had DaVinci RP this summer. I was dry from the instant the catheter was removed..had complete on/ off control with no effort. Even ate 5 slices of watermelon to see if I could hold that once I got home! No problem. Wore a pad that night to be safe, but once again- totally dry. Yes, I must empty my bladder prior to sex or if I intend to pass gas, but that is not much to complain about. I don't know if it was the skill of my surgeon or my past bodybuilding/powerlifting routine while in my 20's strengthening that area (or perhaps a combination of both).  I have not been so fortuante in the ED department, but BiMix injections certainly take care of that....so I consider myself 100%.

Now Age: 59

PSA 3.3; free PSA 21%, DRE (-)

Gleason: 3+3= 6, 1 of 12 cores +

RP 7/19/11, Chilton Hosp., Northern, NJ, Dr.Tricia Greene

All clear, 10% involvment.

Post-Op PSA's: all <0.01 

Posted 2/29/2012 7:18 PM (GMT 0)
I always wondered WHY one guy is dry and the next not. We all had the prostate and existing plumbing removed so what are the mechanics that enable dry from day one and others not? Thankfully, I was fairly dry, fairly early. Still have the occasional few drops but no worries now.

Thanks, Mike
Posted 2/29/2012 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
Mike,

IMO it is the skill of the surgeon that makes the biggest difference. Just like with a plumber experience counts in making the best and tightest connections. From what my surgeon told me continence is best when the complete sphincter is saved and reattached correctly after the prostate is taken out.  I have read in this forum about continence failures as the result of nicked or cut sphincters which IMO has to do more with the skill of the surgeon than anything else.

Posted 2/29/2012 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
I think much of the lesson here is get a good doctor at a good institution. The better the surgeon, the better the results. It's not too hard to find these guys.

Tony
Posted 2/29/2012 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
I was totally dry by week 3. I asked my doctor his thoughts on the key to success in the continence department. He said he has done them where everything went perfectly, and the patient has struggled. Other times tough surgery, perfect outcome. He said you just never know, some are luckier than others...mike
Posted 3/1/2012 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
I was dry after the catheter was removed, wore a pad for one day then did not need anything, nearly 5 years now, by the way, my surgeon has a 98% continence rate after surgery, think the skill of the surgeon makes a great difference.

regards Mal.
Posted 3/1/2012 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
98% that's great.

I had one guy who was dry after first day tell me he thought it was because he had IBS and that he had spend years doing kegels. That can't be it because I didn't really do kegels as much as I should have and had same results.

I'm also not sure age has anything to do with it. Have read plenty that equates lack of ED issues with younger men and healthy sexual function prior to surgery but don't think the same can be said vis-a-vis urinary function.
Posted 3/1/2012 7:26 AM (GMT 0)
Our surgeon also publishes a 98% continence rate. He has done about 2000 open surgeries and now 600RRPs

Originally when I looked at his stats it was after being told over here at this site that uro's were fudging the numbers, if I recall, the consensus at the time was the pad free number was about 30-40% after a year. Doctors who were publishing their numbers were supposedly fudging the figures by including people who were using a pad or two a day to catch leaks.

It's only in the last year that I have clarified how the stats are collected, by whom, and what the definitions are. The 98% number is a pad free number. The stats are collected by a respected and independent research institution that collects the stats of all my doctors patients along with samples of the prostate tissue for their research work.

I believe his stats. He is using a special stitch which he says has improved his early stats.

I can only speak of our experience and research, but the key to regaining continence and sexual function is picking a very good and very experienced surgeon.

An
Posted 3/1/2012 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
I'm still confused. This question has always bugged me. Terry, you'll remember that my surgeon is also very well regarded with thousands of DaVincis under his belt. I would assume he would be considered one of the best in the country. I, however, was not dry from day one. It took me several months to become pretty dry and even today I get the occasional oops if I sit up or step awkwardly, etc. I am not complaining and am VERY happy with my level of continence especially since I am finishing my 2nd week of IMRT. Still, I am curious. Didn't we all lose the 2nd "sphincter" with the prostate removal? Isn't that the reason we have the incontinence in the beginning until our body learns to adjust? Or does that have nothing to do with it and it is only the reattachment of the bladder sphincter and how well it is done by surgeon. Is it made better or worse by "how wide" the surgeon went in regard to the bladder? Again, just curious. Many of us hear about others here that are dry from day one and have to wonder why that is and why their outconme is different.

Thanks, just my 2 cents...

Mike

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