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Artificial sphincter: Was it difficult to learn how to use? Tips?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: 9 hours ago | Replies (51)Comment receiving replies
Thank you all for sharing. I've been 14 months since surgery and am mostly incontinent. Sleeping is pretty OK.
My urologist and my cousin's both suggested implanting an ASC. I've not yet met/spoken to my urologist's partner who performs the implantation, yet
I'm in middle of building a home and my wife was just diagnosed with a resurfacing of her breast cancer so, for next several months, lots of stress. I had planned to wait until June to move forward with ASC; but with recent wife's diagnosis; and the fact that her care will be entirely in my hands, I think I should wait until she's back to 'normal.' Thoughts?
Replies to "Thank you all for sharing. I've been 14 months since surgery and am mostly incontinent. Sleeping..."
I had prostate surgery and 3 months later my wife was diagnosed with glioblastoma. that was 5 years ago. I did the same and was a caregiver. I could not afford any down time. I went to Mayo clinic recently to see about an AUS. I told him i was concerned about the surgery. He smiled and said He was doing the surgery and I was at Mayo. Dont worry. I learned my lesson on a center of excellence. That might be my only suggestion. Make sure you have confidence in who is adding new equipment.
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My sincere prayers for both your wife's and your conditions. Bad luck has doubled down on you for now.
From my AUS 800 experience you might consider going ahead (bounded by your wife's needs of course).
Turned out my AUS surgeon was super competent. Except for the usual lingering effects of the anesthesia I had minimal limits on my activities (don't lift more than 10# for a few weeks). The 6-week recovery is to let the urethra and cuff completely heal and acclimate to each other. After that life was GREAT. No changing the diaper every day with a big pad changed 7 or 8 times a day. Now just a thin pad, once a day 'just in case'.
May both yours and your wife's conditions be overcome by your determination and modern medical science.