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Posted 7/19/2018 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
I am 3 months post ralp. Since having the catheter removed, I have had stress incontinence. My bigger issue is that I have no idea when I need to pee. I have no sensation until I feel that I'm dribbling. I do kegels regularly. I have set my alarm to remind me to go to the bathroom every hour, I stopped coffee, and I limit my water unless I'm going to be home all day. This is becoming debilitating, I hate leaving the house. I go through 4 to 5 large pads a day. Is anyone else experiencing this
Posted 7/19/2018 3:32 AM (GMT 0)
I went thru that in 2016 and 2017. My cancer was extensive and high grade, and the surgeon used a broad cut, removing a lot of nerve tissue. As a result I had very little sensation or control. Because of the seminal vesicle invasion I needed to somehow regain enough continence to hold a quart of urine every day to undergo post-op radiation. At seven months I made the decision to have an artificial urinary sphincter implanted, which then had to heal for several months before I could start radiation.

But now all that is behind me. Since you also have such adverse pathology, I am curious if you are facing the same sort of post-op treatments (?)
Posted 7/19/2018 4:08 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW.

First good post op PSA!

Sadly, incontinence is common. It will likely improve with time. Three months still leaves a lot of time for more healing. Hopefully it will improve in a few more months. All I can give is my standard advice: drink water, walk and do your kegels. And be patient. If it doesn't improve in a few more months, talk to your URO about your options.

Others with better advice will be along soon,
Andrew
Posted 7/19/2018 12:58 PM (GMT 0)
Went months using 6-7 pads per day. Finally doctor recommended PT for my condition. Have now been going for almost a month and my usage has declined by half. My therapist who specializes in this says that when a large prostate like mine (165 grams)is removed the muscles in that area become weakened and the whole pelvic floor needs to be strengthened.


Walking and Kegels help for some but many need additional special exercise for this area particularly if overweight.


Strongly suggest you have your doctor recommend a specialist in this type of PT. As I understand it this is a PT specialty and there are only a couple even in a big town like the one I live in (Houston)
Posted 7/19/2018 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the responses. My Doc has told me that if I'm still incontinent at 1 year, he would recommend a bladder sling. Since I no longer have a sensation of having to pee, would a bladder sling even help? Has anyone had experience with a clamp? I'm very active and that might suffice when I'm away from the house.
Posted 7/19/2018 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
The sling would keep the pee in until you wanted it out. There is that.
Posted 7/19/2018 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi leaker65

I had robot surgery in 2013 and leak from day one. Did kegels but only improve to the point that
I was using 5 to 7 large pads a day. Keep doing your kegels, drink coffee, go out. Don’t
Let this get you down. Just put a new pad in and keep going. Read my post about my AUS surgery. I talk
To my uro about a bladder sling, he told me I leaked to much for a sling and the outcome wouldn’t be good.
Give yourself a year hopefully you will be ok.
Echotango
Posted 7/19/2018 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
Just want to comment about your loss of sensation. That happened to me to, when I was going through several pads a day. My completely unscientific theory is that when your bladder never gets close to full before it starts emptying, you never feel like you have to pee. Once you develop a decent degree of tone in the external sphincter, you’ll fill your bladder enough to start feeling the urge, and that’ll help you consciously bear down to hold it in till you can get to the bathroom.
I also found PT useful, btw.
Good luck!
Posted 7/21/2018 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the responses. I now have a bladder infection and the pee sensation is back (all the time). Hopefully when the bladder clears up, things will be better.
Posted 7/22/2018 11:30 AM (GMT 0)
For the first two and a half months, I dibbled uncontrollably and never had a sensation of a full bladder, because it was never full! When I began to get some control back, my bladder would fill up a bit, and it was a GREAT feeling! Full continence took nine months or so. It takes time.
Posted 7/23/2018 10:36 PM (GMT 0)
I'm 7 months post op surgery now but I'm still leaking now. There is a small improvement but not much. I think some people takes a while others has a faster recovery. Just keep on doing those walking exercise. My current PSA result is zero and that is a good news.
I know its discouraging but its part of the recovery.
Posted 7/24/2018 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
Kabog, good news on the psa. I'm currently on meds for a bladder infection and on day 2 my dribbling started to slow down. I hope this is the beginning of control. I may have had this infection for awhile and that may have been my issue.
Fiddlecanoe, my wife says I'm impatient. I want control NOW! Glad to hear that control came for you.
Posted 7/24/2018 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
Kabog, good news on the psa. I'm currently on meds for a bladder infection and on day 2 my dribbling started to slow down. I hope this is the beginning of control. I may have had this infection for awhile and that may have been my issue.
Fiddlecanoe, my wife says I'm impatient. I want control NOW! Glad to hear that control came for you.
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