Bladder Irritants and Diet: Will it Continue Forever?

On Thursday it will be two weeks since the catheter came out after my RALP. While dry, I have been staying away from consuming most of the following items on a list of potential bladder irritants. I had urgency/BPH problems when I had a prostate so I am not interested in irritating my bladder and potentially creating urgency problems now. I want to remain dry. Long live the Kegels!

The list: Citrus, Chocolate, (I had a hot cocoa and did not do well) Caffein, Spicy Foods, Tomatoes, (no I like Italian and I'm still having tomatoe sauce) alcohol (yes, I gave up my two glsses of wine a day) Dairy, carbonated drinks and aspartame. Now this is a list I cobbled together from a couple of sources.

However, here is the rub. Does this bladder irritant issue continue forever? When might it end? When does it end? I want my wine. You may want something else. Any advice from you sages out there?

Clanda,

Sound fairly typical. I decaffeinated myself prior to surgery, not for the urinary problems but to ween myself so I don't experience the withdraw symptoms of headaches. Post surgery I started to ween myself back to caffeinated coffee (can't live with my caffeine!) I do have my glass of red wine, but early in the evening. I haven't found any foods causing any problems, at least that I am aware of.

Like you it will be two weeks since the catheter was yanked out, and my only problem is still getting up every 2 hours at night to urinate. Even when it is empty it still feels partially full. And now and then I still have a drop of blood at the start of urination.

You know, it just doesn't pay to get old!

It should get better over time but likely you'll always have a touch of it. I use to be able to hold coffee for days now, within an hour or so of drinking a cup, I am looking for the restroom - fast.

Ease back into your normal routine. It could take a few months for the body to readjust.

Andrew

Citrus (especially orange juice), anything carbonated (sparkling water, beer, sodas), artificial sweeteners - all are still guaranteed leak-generators, 4 years later.

clanda,

I was told to avoid anything with caffeine, carbonation or alcohol because they could irritate the bladder and cause (or worsen) leaking. I stayed away from those things for 6 weeks, then returned to my regular intake of Coke Zero as my primary caffeine source (I don't like coffee) with no impact on my continence at all.

-Gedman

Clanda,
I had surgery and radiation as well as ADT and have extreme urgency with feeling of having to urinate even though bladder is empty with intake of coffee , tea , and diet sodas. I have learned that water tastes very good. I am now 1 1/3 years since my surgery. , James

Bearing in mind that the bladder irritants being discussed will neither injure you nor particularly slow your recovery, but merely increase the rate at which you leak for a few hours, you can think of the extra fractional pee pad use as part of the cost of your bottle of Merlot.

I rather like Rodney Strong Merlot. It's a reliably good one that can usually be found without an epic search. A mid-range price is around fifteen dollars a bottle. Add, say, seventy cents for that extra part of a pee pad and it's still quite affordable.

Inkhorn

I'm with you. I just had two glasses of Merlot and I feel fine!