Leakage after Radical Prostatectomy

Oh, that's me. I went to see the physio a week after the catheter came out. Struggled to get out of the waiting room chair & struggled to walk. "Are you in pain?" "No... I just pee every time I take a step".

It's taking quite a toll on my mood, to be honest. So disheartening. And after 3 visits, I still can't do Kegels. Trying to do them at home, I first pulled a muscle in my back & after the second visit, I have major pain right at the muscle above the sit bones. I can barely move, have pain any time I try to sit & had Tramadol last night just to get to sleep.

Sorry I couldn't be more positive, but know that you're not alone & it's normal.

I am 71 years old and had a RP at age 69. Was recommended the following book by my urologist: Life After Prostatectomy by Vanita Gaglani RPT. It's available on Amazon. It is a very detailed book to give you a 10 week step-by-step guide in how to become continent again. There is no guarantee that any of us will achieve total continence but it can be improved. It helped me.

She explains the reasons for incontinence and how to overcome each of them. Doing proper Kegels is only a small part of the process. The pelvic floor muscles strengthened with Kegel's are only a part of the body core and all need to be strengthen in unison. She also talks about diet and its role in maintaining continence. Some fluids and foods are irritating to the bladder and promote incontinence.

One aspect of gaining continence surprised me. She talks about getting enough water intake per day-more than most people think, It's counterintuitive to think that actually taking in more water promotes less leakage. Most people try to limit fluid intake to avoid leakage. But concentrated urine causes bladder irritability and increases leakage. Also, by increasing fluid intake you are training your bladder to have a larger capacity so you don't feel to urge to go as often.

There are many other pearls and discussions. It is comprehensive. What have you got to lose? It helped me.

Square - how old are you . Are you talking you had surgery Sept 17 of this year ? Its quite the surgery and it takes time to heal and to learn how to hold your urine a 'different way' . You WILL do it , just takes time if your surgery was this September . Surgery go OK? PSA check yet ? Let me know . James on Vancouver Island .

Peter , how long has it been since surgery? This usually comes along , but you have to work at it . Do all sorts of exercise . Hiking to start ! How old are you ? James from Vancouver Island.

I just turned 60. Surgery was one month ago. I go back to work in a week, so anxious about how I'll get on, because I do walk between sites quite a bit.

Slow progress, but I'm trying to go from pants & a pad, to just pants, to just pad.
I managed to sleep last night in just the pants with no pad. So that's a small victory.
I might do the first day at work with pants & pads and hope that it doesn't look too bulky in my work trousers - otherwise people will think I'm pleased to see them.

Kegels are the bane of my life at the moment. Wish I could do them.
I'd like to get this:
https://www.habithealthshop.co.nz/shop/pain-management/nurotrac/neurotrac-myoplus-pro
but I don't have 1000 bucks lying around.

Based on what I've read, what I see in groups like this, and my own experience, I think that, even with religious bladder training and kegel's, the middle of the bell-shaped curve for return of acceptable continence is about 10-14 weeks post surgery. Keep doing what you have been, and expect slow improvement over the next two months.