What is life like after having the AUS?

I had an AUS installed June 4 and activated July 10. I am 100% continent. Sometimes I don’t go to the bathroom until I start feeling My bladder saying that you’ve got to empty it. I can go through the night without getting up. It’s a real life changer. I don’t have to wear a pad at all anymore. I used to have to go pee every time I was about to go out for a short time, Now I don’t have to do that anymore. I can go many hours without having to pee.

The surgery itself was easy to recover from. The only problem is they put stitches in your Perrine so sitting down is difficult/painful for the first week or two. I found that using a rolled up, thick towel shaped into a U allowed me to sit down without it hurting.

Make sure you pick a surgeon who has done this many times.

You have to squeeze on a little bulb in the scrotum in order to pee. When I go all night without peeing, I sometimes have to squeeze it four times because it keeps shutting down before I’m done.

@jeffmarc I have seen some responses where they say its not 100% incontinent. Have you found instances where this is not the case? I am completely incontinent now during the day but at night I can hold it until I have to pee. However I have noticed any activity at night might cause a leak. Such as sex night. Would the AUS prevent any leakage? I sometimes have climacturia. Is this preventable with AUS.

@archtxt4u, I encouage you to use the group search to find many discussions as well as expert blogs about AUS:

1. Go to the Prostate Cancer group page https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/prostate-cancer/
2. Enter keyword "AUS"
3. Enter

Here are a few examples:
- What was your recovery like for Artificial Urinary Sphincter (AUS)?https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/recovery-timeline-following-aus/
- Can someone help me about life after AUS 800 implant https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/life-after-aus-800/

Also see the Mayo articles in the Men's Health Blog https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/mens-health-1/

I am not sure if I have a normal size bladder and if I don't I might have to go more times but that would still be better than not emptying like I do now. I believe I have both stress and urge incontinence and I realize the SNS is for urge but after 40 sessions working on the pelvic muscles I would have thought the stress incontinence would be better.

What you are experiencing is what I would hope to accomplish. I know nothing is for certain especially when it comes to medical issues but the AUS is sure something I want. I don't know how many of those my surgeon has done but I am for sure going to ask him. I should have chosen the AUS instead of the SNS 2 months ago because I could be going on an Alaska cruise next week without a suitcase full of pads and depends.

@jeffmarc

@tuckerp
The AUS did make me 100% continent day and night. I’ve been wearing just my underwear for the last seven days and not leaking at all. Before this, I did not leak at night, But if I coughed or sneezed at night I would leak.

Other people have discussed their AUS in this forum and some of them have still had to wear a pad because they leaked A little.

When having an AUS installed, the surgeon has to decide what size cuff to put around the urethra. I actually discussed this with my urologist before going into surgery. She explained how she did it based on the size of the urethra. My oncologist said my doctor was really an artist, that I couldn’t have had it put in by anyone better. Most people say they had to wait six weeks or more before it was activated, Mine was activated in five weeks and one day. The cuff size is a major factor in how much leakage you will have. Pick too large a one and you will leak.

If done well It should prevent climacteric. I have gone to the bathroom and tried to pee, forgetting that I had to squeeze the knob in my scrotum, nothing came out.