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Continence questions. Five days after catheter out.

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Posted 7/12/2015 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
As expected, five days out I have little control. But I am continuing to Kegel and assuming that my control will come in its time. I have tried to go to the bathroom about every 15-30 minutes (as much to try to stay dry as anything else) and I have found that often there is urine and that I can control the stream.

There have been two times when I have tried going intermittantly (pad control and social situation) and have found that it has been completely useless because I seemed to leak continuely and go through multiple pads. Both times were in the evening and I had either a couple of beers or glasses of wine. Is this from the alcohol, time of day, or just that I may have had more liquid coming in?

I would like to begin to be out in public but if I am leaking like an open faucet that makes me nervous. I need some suggestions on how to make the transition.
Posted 7/12/2015 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
catfan, It sounds like you're right on schedule, with the bump in the road of extra catheter time. Yes, in my experience both fatigue and alcohol can create more leakage. Ironically it seems, I've also found that taking on more fluids (within reason) helps me retain and control things.

Dry at night is the first true marker. When that happens, daytime is just a matter of time and practice.
Posted 7/12/2015 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
caftan, Alcohol as well as Caffeine are clearly irritants to the bladder. You might think about staying away from both for a few weeks or so, until you find you start getting more control. It will help, and maybe make it easier for you to go out in public. I did that, and actually never went back to full regular coffee in the morning. Pre surgery I was drinking 2-3 cups in the morning. Now I have 1 cup in the morning of half-caf. If I have any more coffee after that, its decaf.
Posted 7/13/2015 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
Catfan,

I agree with limiting caffeine and alcohol along with acidic drinks like orange juice. Beyond that I think it's a trial and error thing of finding out what works for you. You need to actively manage the problem.

Figure out the best strategic times to go to the men's room, always keep extra pads (plus shorts and trousers, if possible) on hand. You may want to experiment with different pads. If you go to their websites, I think Tena and Depends will send you free sample packs. Of course, keep up the Kegels.

Alcohol still can be a problem for me; I generally limit myself to one drink. I find that drinking some water throughout the day also helps, especially when drinking coffee, juice or alcohol. It seems to help dilute the irritants. Milk also seems to help a little.

Good luck with your management program. You're pretty early in this process, but things should become more manageable and predictable in a few weeks. Hang in there. It will get better.

Jonathan
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