Any suggestions with incontinence 5 days post catheter?

Be careful not to overdue Kegels, but do them consistently. I did them three times daily 10 each time. Used the video below :
https://www.youtube.com/watch

Hi,
Sounds like you had surgery like I did. You should see gradual improvement in the next few months. It took me a little over a year to stop seeing improvement which is very typical. But there are no guarantee’s, some men heal up in a few months, it all depends how much damage was done by the surgeon. Good luck, keep doing the Kegals and you should improve. There are other pelvic floor exercises you can do, ask your Urologist for a consultation with a specialist.

Dave 3+4

You could get a clamp. You can only leave it on for two or three hours and then you have to move it or take it off, but it at least stops the leaking in the pads for a while.

I really like the Wiesner Clamp, They sell it at Amazon. A lot of other people in this forum have said they liked it.

You are very early in your recovery. My husband regained full continence at 4 months and progress was gradual but steady.

He did Kegels many times a day - he did not believe in "too many" theory. He did them every hour or so, no matter where he was (working at the desk, standing in line in a store, showering, sitting on toilet, walking , driving car). Every time he did 10 fast and 10 slow and and total of 100.

He also did pelvic floor exercises every day that he found on YouTube and in some books and walked 2-3 miles every day.

He also measured his progress by measuring urine amount in his pads - you need to buy kitchen digital small scale (Amazon) and place it on bathroom counter. Weight pad (or briefs) before wearing and than after and register difference amount (in grams ) on paper. At the end of the day add all numbers and you will know how much you leaked in 24 hours. It will help you monitor progress and also with explaining level of incontinence if you go to physical therapy or to urologist - number of pads is bogus measure !!!! Some very clean people replace briefs or pads as soon as there is some moisture, some man do not care and do not change until pad is full. I would suggest to change pad/brief often since you do not wish to cause odor or skin irritation.

I personally would not use any clamps since you will not be able to measure progress and I also think that person needs to feel trickling to activate sphincter consciously and stop leaking if possible. That sphincter needs exercising AND making new neural pathways to automatic shutting off.

Keep in mind that most men regain continence by 4-6 months after surgery but some need longer period and about 95% of all men regain continence by 1 year post op.

Wishing you the best of luck and very fast recovery 🍀✨.

I was off of all incontinence products 4 months after surgery. Radiation screwed all of that up 2 years later after BCR and 2 years after that I now leak like a sieve. I agree with go easy the first few weeks as we need to heal first.

As far as expectations go, the 4-6 month range post catheter removal was common in my reading and experience. Ease into doing lots of kegels and allow some time to heal. I suggest finding a pelvic floor physical therapist and let them assist with your continence recovery. I found them to be very helpful. My most challenging part was when walking or being active. Walking / hiking would bring on water works for me. I even had to change pads in the middle of the woods a couple of times due to increased leakage when walking as opposed to normal daily activities. My advice is to be a little patient, be reasonably active, use a pelvic floor physical therapist, and be diligent with your kegels after you’ve healed some. Also, give yourself some grace. There is a lot of life to be lived, even if it requires a light pad.

I would try pelvic PT. I was doing kegels, but not correctly. Started PT and learned a lot, mostly it is breathing correctly. Actually, while doing contractions you should take a deep abdominal breath, start letting it out then do the pelvic contractions as you exhale. There is a lot more, but I won't get into all of it. Main thing is don't hold breath and keep breathing and if you can breath in abdominal and exhale while pelvic contractions, but start exhale then start contraction. It sure has cut down on my stress incontinence. Now using 1 small shield in 24 hours. At night leaking 1 - 2 ML. For the whole day I am leaking around 15 - 19 ML and that is with walking 3 miles and weight lifting. Couldn't do that prior to PT. Hoping it gets better I been holding there for a week or so.

@ranger1980, I hope you saw the helpful replies you got from the group. How are things going now 10 days since the catheter removal?

@surftohealth88

@surftohealth88
Great idea to measure the amount. Inhave seen progress with urination in the last week. Like you husband probably do more KEGEL than many. I can notice small improvement with less leakage when needed to go to the bathroom. I do change pads when they are damp or have a shooter .. like to change before bed nightly for comfort..its been 11 days since the catheter. Being told its a long game getting back to normalcy
PT is on the list once the green light from surgion. I want to start but had to be patient. I walked prior to surgery 8-10 miles daily plus some other activities so inget a little stir crazy. My spouse keeps reminding me to take it easy and follow the Dr plan . Thank you for replying and suggestions