Just when you think the leaking has stopped.....

I'm 5 1/2 months post op.  Had RRP on Nov 4 2011.  The first two months incontenece was very bad and ruled my life.  I used as many as 7 pads a day to start and was virtually a prisoner and stayed in the house for the first 6 weeks.  But then things rapidly improved in February and I've been dry for a couple of months now with only an occasional drip when lifting something. ED was fixed 100% with trimix last month and I thought I was past the dripping stage and on the way to a fairly normal life, sex included.

I had real a setback yesterday.  I took my dog for our usual two mile walk and halfway through the faucet came on. I started leaking just walking as we normally do.  I haven't even worn a pad for two months and by the time I got home my underwear and shorts were wet.  A neighbor at the end of my street wanted me to stop and talk but I cut her short, in a nice way, and rushed home.  I don't know if she noticed the wet spot on my crotch but I was totally embarrased.

I have no idea what's going on. I wore a pad last night but didn't need it.  I'm dry this morning and things seem normal again.  I have a bowling date tonight and don't trust myself to stay dry.  I'm nervous about going, but I'm going anyway.  I'll use a pad for peace of mind, and take along an extra just in case it happens again.

It's been a real journey and this is just another bump in the road.  I'm watching it close and if it happens again, I'm making an appointment to see what's going on.   It was a real disappointment, and I didn't get much sleep last night. Never knew what a quality of life issue fear of sudden incontinece could be.  Anyone else have a similar experience? Now I'm wondering if I have an infection or maybe if something from the surgery is coming undone.  hj

Also consider if you ate/drank anything that day or the evening before that is out of your recent ordinary habits. Bladder irritants come in all forms, even a vegetable or two.

I've been totally dry since a few weeks after catheter removal.. but I do get the ""spritzes." It happens maybe for a few hours every 2 months.

Frankly, I don't mind it at all. I smile, because it reminds me how far I've come in that one crucial area. I would not smile if it lasted for any length of time!

Mel

davidg, thanks for the tip. The night before my leaking problem, I went out with my family to celebrate my grandson's 18th birthday.

I only drank water, but ate a huge cut of prime rib w/horseradish, caesar salad, loaded baked potato, and shared a bloomin' onion with my grand daughter. I was stuffed to the gills and the next morning I was still burping the taste of the horseradish I'd smeared on that lucious prime rib. Needless to say I had to take an antacid early in the morning but was fine by noon.

The leaking started around 6 P.M. which was almost 24 hours after I'd pigged out on the spicy stuff I don't normally eat. maybe the horseradish or antacid because of the horseradish is the villian. I'll watch the spicy stuff from now on. Never correlated eating spicy stuff with peeing my pants. It's a new world for me these days....

Looks like my return to being incontenent was only a temporary hiccup, I hope so anyway.  I'm back to being dry again. It cleared up overnight.  Been fine for 2 days now.  

That sudden regression that came from nowhere scared the living pi$$ out of me....so to speak...

things like that just show what a roller coaster we're on.  At least I won't be as concerned if it happens again.  I'm certainly glad I didn't throw those pesky pads away.  I'll keep them around for a while longer just in case.... 

Before PCa I never knew incontenence could bring down quality of life to such an extent.  I just didn't think about it.   I can now appreciate the battle others are fighting and consider myself one of the more fortunate ones..... cheers, hj

 

I'm not dry yet by any means, but had gotten to the point that I could last the whole day at work on one pad. Earlier this week, I got stuck in traffic for an extra hour on the way to work. (1.5 hrs total) I can't pee when sitting down so I held it and got rather uncomfortable. I got to work and made it to the restroom, but I dribbled the rest of the day using 3 pads. The following days were similar. Today I got by with 2 pads.