A Strange And Personal Question
You know, in this forum, there are few things that are taboo to discuss because once you've had a dozen people fooling around in the southern hemisphere then how much humility is really left? 😂.
I've seen a pelvic floor therapist numerous times pre-op, while everything was working as normal - too normal, as because I'm on 5mg of tadalafil for a month pre-op I can say that things wake up when the wind blows, so there have been "reactions" lol. Part of this is "internal work" where they put a finger or two in your rectum and have you flex your pelvic floor to make sure you are engaging and, more importantly, releasing properly from all angles.
How does this work post-op when that's all that's keeping your bladder from draining? Do you wear a condom or something so that you don't empty your bladder when relaxing your pelvic floor? If I fast forward my sessions with her to post-op, I cannot imagine that I wouldn't simply pee all over her table and carpet if I relaxed my floor.
I didn't think to ask my pelvic floor doctor about this but I've been curious. In case I have issues, which with all my pre-op prep I hope not to, then I'd like to know what to expect.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.
My pelvic floor therapist managed to get a “rise” out of me regularly, it was awkward but she says she was used to it pre-op or if the guy was capable post-op.
So I get the dignity part.
lol You're right.
But I've had 2 physios & 1 surgeon write me off as a hopeless case.
In fact, I got the letter yesterday:
"Peter was seen today. He is three months post his radical prostatectomy. He is doing his
level best to try and find his pelvic floor. He is really unable to essentially isolate or perform
a pelvic floor contraction. It sounds like he also has difficulty with the posterior component
also of the pelvic floor. His PSA is undetectable with reference to his 4+3 prostate cancer. I
think given his current situation using so many pads that it is quite likely that he will end up
with an artificial urinary sphincter. We will therefore ask him to see Mr Mundy in three
months’ time for his next review to meet him initially and then put him on the waitlist for an
artificial urinary sphincter."
Also yesterday, I lasted 3 hours at work & had to go home.
I did my usual unsuccessful walk to the toilet as soon as I got to work, didn't make it so just stood there & filled the pad instead.
That's become common.
But this time it leaked out the side of the underpants as well.
I always have 2 spare pairs with me, so got changed.
An hour later... repeat performance.
I ran out of pants, so had to go home.
Going back today & hope I do better.
This is no fun.
You poor guy... Your misery is shared by all of us who have spoken to you about this. Unfortunately, you alone are the one burdened with this loathsome condition.
Can’t you get the procedure done on the mainland by someone who specializes in artificial sphincters?? This “waitlist” nonsense is socialized medicine distilled down to its worst component; you obviously NEED this procedure and they jerk you around with useless pelvic exercises that even THEY know will never work.
I said it before and I’ll say it again: Pay privately for the procedure to be done by an excellent surgeon who does this routinely. Mortgage your home, take a loan, whatever. The surgeon you finally end up with in Tasmania is probably some chop shop, half-assed boob who practices like it’s the 1990’s. He may mess things up so badly that even a good surgeon won’t be able to help you down the road.
Don’t mean to rant, but you have been a great sport about your ugly situation - and what you are experiencing is FAR from normal. It makes me angry to see the victim blamed for the crime…
Phil