Are Kegels Worthwhile?

very

Respectfully, what surgery did you have to deal with ED?

Implantation of a Boston Scientific AMS 700 Inflatable Penile Prothesis . . . we should move any further discussion to a new thread so that we do not hijack this one

My surgeon recommended 10 reps for 10 seconds, 4 times a day. I was only doing 1 set a day and wasn’t seeing any improvement after 6 weeks. I also was lazy, forgetful doing kegals pre-surgery. For anyone who is about to have surgery, l would recommend asking your surgeon to put the order for PT early, because it could take 2 months to schedule.

I had radical surgery ten years ago and I still leak. The day the nurse took the catheter out, he told me about Kegel and how to do it. Over the years I have had accidents when I leaked too much but you know what, what my wife casually reminded me, Hey, you're alive. Yes, I practice kegeling when I get frustrated and who's to say if it helps. It doesn't make it worse and if I am careful, I have no problem. I use a light pad most of the time and if I am going to do any serious exercise, I use a heavy one. I did have two nines on my Gleason scores and that could be why I leak but I am very active, kayaking, biking, and traveling.

ABSOLUTELY!!!

My husband says ABSOLUTELY!!!! Tell your husband to please do them!!!

Your doctor is correct when he says naturally over time. But doing kegals before and after (my opinion) will speed up the time. I did them before and was continent from day one. I am 6 months out and do not do kegals everyday. I do find with coffee and alcohol and lack of kegals create more urgency to pee with more dribbling. Your doctor is correct, that kegels won’t hurt to do. Simple to do. Doesn’t cost a dime. Will speed up recovery. Everyone is at different levels, so do them with “Hope” they help.

Absolutely! I did kegals for two months before RP. Also practiced starting and stopping when I peed. Lots of practice without over doing it. The day of catheter removal I had 100% control. Still over the past year since surgery a few short squats made it through. But thinking, over the years, that just happens periodically. Just to be safe, for a few months after surgery, I never saw a bathroom I felt I had to pass up. Now I can make it for an hour or two before having a pit stop.
Of course, I feel that my surgeon Dr Pathak, Mayo Jacksonville Fl, did an excellent job nerve saving and delivering zero margins.
Two months of kegals pre and a few more months post op really helped keeping continence under control.
We each have different physiology and surgeries. Best to do the work diligently and consistently to reap the benefits.

I am skeptical about the value of Kegel or other pelvic floor exercises. That said, I started doing them a month or so before surgery in late 2021 and still do them daily. My surgeon at Johns Hopkins was also of the opinion that "they can't hurt" but probably don't matter. That opinion may have been based upon the specifics of my condition as observed by him during the biopsy and prostatectomy, so I'm not prepared to say that he thinks Kegels have no value in all cases. My continence followed a slow curve over a 2 year period. I now do not use a pad for normal activities, but I will use a light shield for insurance in certain situations, and I need a regular pad for my 3-5 mile runs. Would I have had the same results without Kegels? My guess is yes, but for the few minutes/day that they take, I just don't see any downside to Kegels, so my advice to anyone facing prostrate surgery is to start a daily program of Kegel exercises.