Any Tips to help regain post surgery bladder control

Hi Y'all
Today Im 5 weeks post RALP and things haven't been too bad. Leakage is light - 1 pad a day for a while. But now I am having problems with bladder control that has set in much more intensely in the past couple of weeks. The problem is that when I get the feeling that I have to urinate, it has become very intense to the point where I have to grit my teeth and I almost have to run to get there in time. Sometimes I have a fair amount of urine to expel, sometimes not, yet the feeling is the same. And I still have the strong pain in my penis that occurs only at the end of urination, but that has been there since the cath was removed.

I read somewhere that its a bladder contraction and you have to retrain your brain to let your bladder fill completely. I've also heard biofeedback mentioned more than once, but have no idea whats involved with that. Any feedback on how to get a handle on this pain/problem would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

You might consider Hytrin, alfuzosin, Vesicare, Detrol. These might help get you by until you more fully heal. Good luck.

Otis857 said...
Thanks Tom,
I didnt notice any difference in symptoms no matter what I drank. I dont drink hardly any alcohol and completely gave up anything with caffeine in it to see if that changed the results, but no difference. The urges are about what would be normal timing, but when they come on, they come on hard. about the time I decide I need to head to the bathroom, as soon as I get up to head that way, I have to scramble to get there in time. Called the urologist and had to leave a urine sample, so I'll see what they come up with.

Otis, I am in exactly the same boat as you, even down to the timing, I am one day ahead of you on the surgery. Somedays I think I am a very small bit better, some times I think I am regressing.

And I did have a set back last night. I have been dry at night every night since the catheter came out on 3/3/14. If I am standing or walking I am peeing, but at least sitting or sleeping I have been bone dry with no trouble getting to the bathroom as long as I remember to squeeze, which I always do. Then last night I woke up at maybe 0300, had to pee, got up and when I got to the bathroom I realized my under pants were quite wet on one side. At least the bed was not wet, but that is the 1st time in 20 days since the cath came out, so that did not encourage me.

I don't know what else to do except keep the faith and keep squeezing those Kegels. Trying to work them hard while somehow also not over working them, but not certain what exact program accomplishes that.

Thanks for the replies y'all
PSA3DOT7, my wife echoed your thought, and Im trying the relax method out. It works OK when Im sitting, but when Im standing and the urge comes on, its tough to keep from getting the mental death clinch from coming on. I guess I'll just have to keep working on it!

BillyBob, Sounds like they had to go a little farther on your surgery than mine. That could account for the harder time you're having fighting incontinence. My problems with the extreme pain/urge is a new issue for me, and hasnt always been there, so Im lucky in that regard. Since we are both relatively early in the process, all I can say is hope & pray for the Kegals to start working soon. One comfort I had going into the surgery came from my primary Dr. He told me about the artificial sphincter if my continence doesnt come back. His father was having one implanted for that reason. A good fail-safe remedy if you need it down the road. Lets hope it doesn't come to that.