Does incontinence get worse before it gets better

Hi Boston,

My advice...hang in there. My experience was like many I've read on the site. Like you are expressing, I had good and bad days until the incontinence was gone. It wasn't really the type of thing where each day it improved, it was more like one day you think you got it licked and the next day it isn't so good. After a couple of months it was definitely better overall, but still the good and worse days. Then at about three months out from surgery, I woke up one day to complete continance and have never been bothered with any incontinence at all since.

Agree with what’s been said. The first four to five months post surgery were days of improvement followed by two steps back It can be discouraging. At seven months out I’m 90% continent. It appears that I am the exception more than the norm and that your steps of improvement will get you there very soon. It’s hard to hear and believe but hang in there. Better days are ahead. Good luck

I always noticed progress. Maybe not every day, but there was a continuous progress week after week. Therefore, though I started with a moderate/high level of leaking, I was certain I would evetually became continent, as it actually happened in two and a half months. I was monitoring the pad's weight every day. It is the only objetive way to know if it is improving or not, because sometimes your mind deceives you and your subjetive feelings are wrong. In any case, I think each one is different and the details on how the surgery was actually perfomed and plain luck are the key factor, not so much what you do. Walking is good because when you walk you automatically turn your sphinter in alert mode.

In first 11 weeks I saw very little improvement maybe just 30%. In weeks 12 and 13 it progressed nicely and quickly so by the end of 3 months I was 98% dry. I had some progress for next several months to about 99%. Now, 18+ months post RALP, I still have stress incontinece with sudden moves, lifting, sneezing, running and other physical activities. Still whenever active, I have light pad in my compression shorts. I can live with that.
MK

You will not only have good days and bad days, you can even see improvement up to a year later.
As you said, it’s a long haul, so just enjoy being cancer free, do your walking, kegels, and don’t worry about incontinence. It’s way too early in the game .

I was 4+4. psa went from 4 to 16 in 6 months. Biopsy showed 70+ % involvement. Had Davinci 3-1/2 weeks ago. Prostate was 100 grams. Cancer had spread into surrounding tissue. Surgeon said he was very agressive and felt good that he got it all. First felt like i was sitting on a pineapple, now like a pine cone. Incontinence has gone from complete to spirts and dribbles when standing up from sitting. Doing about 6 depends and 3-4 pads per day. This blog has given me help to better deal with the slow and sometimes regressive progress. Thanks to all for sharing their situations.