Experiences with alcohol use after regaining urinary continence

Hey again Kevin,
Your history of successful outcomes and having the RP at age 58 mirrors a friend of mine. He was diagnosed at age 57, had his surgery while still 57. He is now 65, and has had no issues ever since. Perpetual PSA's of < 0.1 ng/ml, fully continent, and great sex life. There is something to be said for being diagnosed at an age that is less than 60 years old, and your ability to have a tremendously sustained disease-free life thereafter. Pray and be thankful. Good luck and I wish continued success to you.

Thanx

When I was doing SRT, my radiologist joked that if I was to die of a heart attack, they, my medical team, would be "successful" in that I would not have died of PCa. I thought for a moment, initially upset, then though, she's not wrong!

I wish your friend a lifetime of < .01! I have two friends who underwent surgery around the time I did. They see their urologist once a year, talk about vacations, kids, grandkids, then close with "see you next year!" I am happy for them.

I also attended the funeral of a friend recently who died less than a year after diagnosis, late 50s, so, for the 30k or so here in the4 US who die each year of this...we have come a long way in imaging and treatment to manage this cancer, we are not there yet until that 30k is substantially less.

That makes sense completely!

Regarding the old-fashioned ingredients, I have no clue as it was in a pitcher. Could it be the cherries or orange twists? 🙂

At the end of the day, another good thing to offer is to listen to your body and notice the little nuances as you mentioned and go with that as a new normal emerges.

Thanks for the reply. Appreciate it.

Interested in the research on alcohol and prostate cancer.

Alcohol and caffeine are bladder irritants that can worsen incontinence, at least in theory, and something that I have personally experienced.
From what I have read over the years, including citations on this site, there is no current evidence that sugar, whether consumed as pure sugar or metabolized from alcohol, can worsen prostate cancer cell growth.
Obviously, as previously stated, it makes sense to exercise moderation and the less refined sugar and alcohol the better for your overall health.

This is the type of thing where you could do a search and found the answer.

A search like this

“Does alcohol have a negative effect on people that have prostate cancer”

You will find the following and a lot more about the negative effects of alcohol on prostate cancer.

Yes, alcohol can have negative effects on individuals with prostate cancer. While the relationship between alcohol consumption and prostate cancer risk is complex and not fully understood, alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of developing more aggressive forms of prostate cancer and poorer survival rates following a diagnosis. Additionally, alcohol can exacerbate symptoms related to prostate cancer treatment or the enlarged prostate itself.

Some research indicates that men who continue to drink after being diagnosed with prostate cancer have a slightly lower survival rate compared to those who abstain from alcohol.

Alcohol can worsen symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate, such as increased frequency and urgency of urination. It can also exacerbate bladder inflammation caused by radiotherapy, a common prostate cancer treatment.

I had surgery two months ago and six weeks since catheter came out. I am still desling with incontinence, but on a clesr downward path. Had moderate amounts if alcohol on two occasions. It gave me some urgency but no increased leakage.

Not to be a party p00per, but taking alcohol after or w/PCa can be double cancer trouble.

"Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This means that there is sufficient evidence that alcohol can cause cancer in humans. Group 1 is the highest classification of carcinogens, indicating a strong causal relationship between the substance and cancer.
No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health
Jan 4, 2023 — Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive, and dependence-producing substance and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by...

World Health Organization (WHO)

After having NS RARP in April, I experienced more incontinence than anticipated. Hence, my alcohol consumption was very limited the first few months. As my incontinence improved, I did resume very moderate drinking although I definitely found that some alcohol or mixers definitely affected my incontinence more than others. Specifically any sort of drink with a carbonated mixer was a problem as well as beer to a lesser extent. Wine, on the other hand, never seemed to affect my incontinence. Having now reached almost total continence, I find myself sticking with the occasional wine most of the time just to be on the "safe" side.
Best of luck with your upcoming surgery.

My Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist (PFPT) said the same thing: Caffeine, alcohol, sugar, anything acidic like OJ, and carbonation from any source (even mineral water like Pellegrino), are bladder irritants and need to be avoided after your catheter is removed..."if" you want a more rapid restoration of urinary continence. That leaves "water" as your best and only recommended choice per my PFPT. I told her that I have to have "flavor" a couple times per day...I can't just drink water 24/7 for 4-6 months. She acquiesced and said that I can have limited flavored drinks. I like 7-Up Zero, Fresca, and Diet Dr. Pepper (I am a Type II Diabetic). She said to try to limit my intake to 4 oz at a time once or twice a day at most for any of those flavored drinks. She said/asked me to avoid the Diet Dr. Pepper if I can, since it also has caffeine, while the other two do not. I also have a rather strict, well-planned schedule for consuming ONLY 8 oz (1 cup) of any liquid at a time. That immediately precedes or follows a trip to the bathroom every two hours. So, from awakening until II go to bed each night, I urinate - whether I think I need to or not - 8 to 9 times per day. Whether I feel the need or not, when I urinate every two hours, it really prevents random leaks or bigger accidents throughout the day. My PFPT also has me doing lots of different Kegel exercises to re-strength my pelvic floor muscles. I am 4-months post-RP and 3.5 months post-catheter removal. I have regained 95% of my continence . I still have those frustrating little leaks.