Incontinence

gnixon
gnixon Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I had nerve sparing surgery on October 3, 2005 and after four months still have a major incontinence problem. I'm sort of O.K. if I stay seated but any activity like walking or playing golf causes quite a bit of leakage. My surgeon at Emory Hospital in Atlanta has told me to give it time and continue doing the Kegel exercises I started right after surgery. Isn't there anything else I should try? Are there rehab people who specialize in incontinence? As you can tell, I am pretty discouraging. Thanks.

Comments

  • Peter51
    Peter51 Member Posts: 29
    #2
    I had the nerve sparing surgery October 2004 with quite good results. I stopped using the pad after three months. A close friend of mine had the same surgery a month after me. He is going through three pads a day. One difference is that he is very active and I am not. He is unhappy but admits that he is getting better just oh so slow. You may need to accept that you may improve also but over a longer time. Be patient. Do the excercises. Hang in there you may gradually return to a normal state. You have to remind yourself that you had cancer and that with the inconvenience of slowly healing incontinence, you may have survived the cancer and can still look forward to a long and healthy life.

    Peter Cassidy
  • william1
    william1 Member Posts: 35
    #3
    gnixon'

    I'm scheduled for surgery at Emory in Atlanta on Feb 08 and would like to communicate further by e-mail.

    I have all sorts of questions.

    Click on the envelope at the lower left corner of this post to send me an e-mail if you don't mind.

    thanks, in advance,

    william1
  • Peter51
    Peter51 Member Posts: 29
    #4
    I found an interesting web site you might want to visit. Copy and paste it into your browser: http://www.ustoo.org/Survivor.asp
  • william1
    william1 Member Posts: 35
    #5
    Thanks for the e-mail. I have tried to send my questions to your hotmail address. Let me know if you don't receive it.

    Thanks Again,
    william1
  • bandonpaul
    bandonpaul Member Posts: 8
    #6
    gnixon,

    I know very well how you are feeling with a significant incontinence problem. I'll share a bit of my experience with such, and perhaps you may get an idea which may help you. I had my RP in December '03, and had a lot of the feelings you describe: incontinence all the time, but it was slower while sitting or sleeping; any walking, standing, and exertion of any type made things worse for sure. I also faithfully did Kegels frequently during waking hours, but they did not seem to make a lot of difference for me. I know that many men have very positive results. My best friend(s)until April 29, 2005 were Poise pads, medium or max size, never regulars. These fit well in my briefs without shifting or leaking out of the sides. No other brands worked as well for me.

    After 16 months of near desperation, in April '05, my urologist installed an artificial urinary sphincter to do the work previously done by the natural sphincter damaged during the RP. I had to continue using pads while the surgical area healed, and in one month my doc activated the new device (AMS 800). Since that day I have not had to use a single pad. When I feel even a small urge to pee, I go to the bathroom and press the activation bulb placed in my scrotum to open the cuff around the urethra. I have plenty time to pee, and then the cuff automatically reinflates to close the urethra. This device has been an absolutly freeing for me to curtail undesired leaking.

    I recommend that you go to American Medical Systems on the Internet and review the information on their AMS 800, and discuss it fully with your urologist. Only you and he/she can decide what is best for you.

    I wish you every good fortune as you seek relief from this discomforting condition. If you wish to discuss this matter further with me, please email me through CSN and we'll make more convenient contact available.

    Paul - age 76

Discussion Boards