continence training questions??

Sounds to me like you're doing really well for being five weeks out from surgery. It also sounds like you're doing everything right.

Incontinence can be maddening, as many of us know. Hang in there. My guess is that things will get a lot better in the next month or two.

Jonathan

I had a little quicker recovery, but that's exactly how it progressed for me. You're right on track.

Best wishes,
Tom

Tigerfan, thats a good suggestion, I'll start that today.

Hawkgfr, I was watching the Cardinal ballgame yesterday afternoon and I drank a couple of beers, and it was the first time during the day that I actually had the urge to pee, I held it for a while just because I could, then went to the bathroom and I had the strongest stream I've had in years. Next time (I hope there is a next time) I'll try to hold it longer....maybe I'll drink 3 beers.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and support. My dad really struggled with in-continence after he had the surgery back in the early 90's, I wish he was still alive so we could compare notes.

My husband was dry at 3 months after doing biofeedback. He was incontinent until he learned to do kegels properly. His biofeedback therapist told him that he will have to do 100 kegels a day for the rest of his life. I remember that the first sign of continence was being dry at night.

He had some leaking yesterday, for the first time since he became dry. He thinks it is because we went out for brunch and he had a drink and some coffee, two things he has had to stay away from since his surgery.

Tigerfan, I tried doing the kegals in different positions, laying worked ok, but standing caused a lot of leakage, maybe I can use a urnal.

Bluebird,

Thanks to both of you. The nurse who explained (if that's what you want to call it) said just do 100 kegals in sets of 15. I know what you mean by getting tired after doing the 3rd set of 10. I do 10 for a hold for 10 seconds and relax for 10 seconds and at the end of the 3rd set I can't tell if I'm actually relaxing. I've been doing 3 set of 10, morning, noon, and evening. I think I may do 2 sets of 10, 5 times a day. I do have less control in the afternoon and perhaps it's because I'm getting tired or I'm more active also. Thanks again for the advice.

I am always a bit wary about posting about Kegels because I don't want to contradict what other patients may hear from their own doctors.

So, this is from the "For Whatever it's Worth" department.........

My surgeon and his staff instructed me to not bother doing any Kegels prior to the surgery because it would not offer any real advantage. After the surgery, I was instructed to perform them as we all do -- squeeze the anal muscle as if trying to hold off a bowel movement. At the same time, squeeze the external sphincter as if trying to cut off the flow of urination. Hold like this for 10 seconds and relax. Wait one minute and then do the same thing again. Repeat this 6 times.

Do this preferably sitting on a toilet just before bedtime to give the muscles a night of rest. Using a different position and doing it at a different time of day is also okay, from what I was told.

HOWEVER, THE DIFFERENCE in what I was told -- from what many others seem to do -- is that ONLY ONE SET per day is recommended. And no more than the one set.

It was explained to me that the external sphincter is, by nature, not a robust muscle and too much exercise can actually weaken it.

I place great faith in the instructions received from my surgical team. So I've religiously adhered to a habit of doing them when getting in bed for the night as I'm doing some reading before turning out the light.

As I said, I do NOT want to advise anyone against the instructions they may have received from their own doctors. If your doctor says to do it differently from mine, my guess would be that you should perhaps ask them about this, but then follow their instructions.

After all, I am not a doctor and I do not even play one on TV. LOL

Chuck

Resident of Highland, Indiana just outside of Chicago, IL.
July 2011 local PSA lab reading 6.41 (from 4.1 in 2009). Mayo Clinic PSA Sept. 2011 was 5.7.
Local urologist DRE revealed significant BPH, but no lumps.
PCa Dx Aug. 2011 at age of 61.
Biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma in 3 of 20 cores (one 5%, two 20%). T2C.
Gleason score 3+3=6.
CT of abdomen, bone scan both negative.
DaVinci prostatectomy 11/1/11 at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), nerve sparing, age 62.
My surgeon was Dr. Matthew Tollefson, who I highly recommend.
Final pathology shows tumor confined to prostate.
5 lymph nodes, seminal vesicles, extraprostatic soft tissue all negative.
1.0 x 0.6 x 0.6 cm mass involving right posterior inferior,
right posterior apex & left mid posterior prostate.
Right posterior apex margin involved by tumor over a 0.2 cm length, doctor says this is insignificant.
Prostate 98.3 grams, tumor 2 grams. Prostate size 5.0 x 4.7 x 4.5 cm.
Abdominal drain removed the morning after surgery.
Catheter out in 7 days. No incontinence, occasional minor dripping.
Post-op exams 2/13/12, 9/10/12, PSA <0.1. PSA tests now annual.
Semi-firm erections now happening 14 months post-op & VERY slowly getting a bit stronger.