HELP. when does incontinence stop after prostate removal?

Posted by charliepnet @charliepnet, Mar 16 4:19pm

Had my prostate removed and dealing with incontinence. done my research and know it could take from 2 months to year to maybe never. Please tell me of actual experience with it. Seriously I am not dealing with this well and not sure I can deal with it. I know there are bigger problems out there then mine.......but this is mine. sorry

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

I am four months out and go through 2 pads a day. just started PT . From all these comments I have learnt everyone is different.

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I had my prostate removed in 2011. I carried out Kegel exercises for 10 years, but have remained incontinent ever since, using 1 level 2 pad a day, but requiring several when playing golf. I am in a cycling club, and cycling does not give any problems.

A Urinary consultant has given me 2 bulking injections, which gave a small improvement, but he now concludes that I should have a sling inserted. This has a reasonable chance of stopping the leakage, but I am worried that I would have to give up cycling.

Has anyone had any experience of the male sling?

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You may want to try the forum.NAFC.org for more info on the sling. I have seen people commenting about it some with good success. I had surgery 1 1/2 years ago and I had some incontinence prior and have added the stress incontinence and am using heavier padded products so I am looking into the AUS which is made for heavier incontinence. I have pudendal nerve issues which causes hypersensitivity in the pelvic area so I do not know if I will have the surgery. Wishing you the best, enjoy your golf and cycling.

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8 months for me. Doing 1,000 cruches, pelvic floor hunch in the air on your back and hold for a minute and Kegel 3 times a day. I don't wear a pad and it is getting better but like at 6pm, it goes wild where no warning, I put a small towel down the gym trunks and ok. Happy to be looking down and not up from under 6 feet of dirt.

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I have empathy for you. It’s a lot to deal with afterwards. I started out for five months with zero success. I did Kegels, exercised, ate healthy and hoped and prayed for improvement with one year’s time. By the end of my first year, I was 95% continent. They say 80% will be after a year. However, that leaves 20% who aren’t. Good luck and I hope you continue to improve.

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@jerryegge

I have empathy for you. It’s a lot to deal with afterwards. I started out for five months with zero success. I did Kegels, exercised, ate healthy and hoped and prayed for improvement with one year’s time. By the end of my first year, I was 95% continent. They say 80% will be after a year. However, that leaves 20% who aren’t. Good luck and I hope you continue to improve.

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Thank you.

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@pamperme

You may want to try the forum.NAFC.org for more info on the sling. I have seen people commenting about it some with good success. I had surgery 1 1/2 years ago and I had some incontinence prior and have added the stress incontinence and am using heavier padded products so I am looking into the AUS which is made for heavier incontinence. I have pudendal nerve issues which causes hypersensitivity in the pelvic area so I do not know if I will have the surgery. Wishing you the best, enjoy your golf and cycling.

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Pamperme. Search AUS. Lots of discussion. Good and bad.

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I am 20 months out from robotic prostate surgery. My incontinence lasted for 6 to 8 months. Doing Kegel exercises 3 times per day, morning, noon and before going to bed. I do them morning and evening now. You have to keep strengthening the pelvic muscle. If you don’t continue the Kegel exercise it would be like not strengthening and toning your muscles at the gym. What happens is everything turns to flab. Kegel exercises are a part of your life from this point forward.

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From all the comments posted you can see all individuals are different. This is what worked for me. I started my kegels prior to my surgery which I believe helped. After surgery my kegel schedule was 30 kegels, 8 times a day. Held each one for a slow count of 5, number 30 was held for a count of 15. I was pad free at 6 months and 1 week. Some here have stated that too many kegels can cause digestive problems, I did not have any. I must add that my cancer had metastasized into a pelvic lymph node prior to surgery and was told that the cancer will most likely appear again. It has. I was told that when radiation is performed most likely what stage of incontinence I was at, it may not improve from that point. This was/is my aggressive schedule. I wish you well.

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I h my prostate surgery in 2008 and was told to come for stimulation therapy and do kegels. I did that for several months and it really did not help. I was using Depends Guards ---about 5 per day. They said it would not get any better and then they decided to try to do the sling, but while trying to insert the cathether they tore the original sutured area and for 4 months I had to use a cathether because it would not heal. I decided no more surgery and then my PSA began to creep up and I had 40 radiation treatments which the urologist said "fried part of the urinary tract"

Then I was given a Cunningham Clamp which is a calm that goes around the penis and when you need to pee you release it . I have used that for 12 years now. Only issue is that at times it can rub underneath of penis raw.

I went to a specialist for incontinence and he said the botox would have to be repeated every 6 months or so and that it is not exact science as to how much to give. He said only option would be AUC. I am hesitant to do that because again it is surgical and embarrasing how you have to use it.

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