Incontinence

Zoli

Hello Everyone, I had prostatectomy on April 15th at UCLA. Fortunately, the cancer had managed to stay local and they were removed along with some nerves and muscles. The recovery hasn't been that bad aside from damn catheter and now the incontinence. Do you all have any suggestions as to how deal and improve the incontinenece ? I am doing as much as pelvic floor exercise as I can but doesn't seem to help. Also, if any of you have any questions regarding my procedure and recovery, please don't hesitate to contact me. Wish you all the best.

KittySlayer

I found meeting with a Physical Therapist helped me make sure I was doing the pelvic exercises correctly.

Scroll down to (hints and tips) thread where I share some of my experiences.

On_A_Journey

Hi there @Zoli,

You're only a month out of surgery so I wouldn't be worried about not being dry yet. It takes time. Keep doing your exercises and look after your body. You will improve.

Marlon

I am 10 months past surgery, and still get occasional drips and drabs. I expect to be using shields and pads indefinitely even if only just for confidence. I too went to a PT and there are more exercises to do than just keels.

Zoli

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1722668#Comment_1722668

Hi Kitty, thank you for your input. I couldn't find hints and tips as you suggested. Where would I find them. thanks

KittySlayer

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1722689#Comment_1722689

See if this link works or scroll down in the other topics in the Prostate discussion board.

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/329097/the-little-stuff-hints-and-tips-life-after-surgery#latest

KittySlayer

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/329097/the-little-stuff-hints-and-tips-life-after-surgery

Try this link. Apparently removing my prostate took away my coding skills.

Old Salt

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1722692#Comment_1722692

A lesser known side effect…😀

Clevelandguy

Hi,

As others have said your only about a month out, you still have a lot of healing to do. Nerve damage take months and months to heal. Keep doing the Kegals plus other pelvic floor exercises and hopefully month after month you will start to see minor improvements. It took me about 1-1.5 yrs. to plateau.

Dave 3+4

LuckyKYGuy

It gets better…it's just a day by day, week by week, month by month process.

I'll be at seven months post op as of May 22nd and I've finally gotten to where I typically only use one shield during the day and I put a fresh one on at night (although I'm almost always dry at night and have been from the surgery). I used the full pull up Depends for about six weeks…then moved to pads until about a month ago when I transitioned to the shields. Still, every time I cough or sneeze there's more leakage than I'd like but it's manageable now and I'm hoping continues to improve over the next 6-12 months.

For me, it's been right when I'd start to get the most frustrated thinking it would never improve that I started to see improvements both times.

Now if only erections would come back…but that's another topic.

JackWest

Leakage is new for me, as my time away from radiation continues. Now 3 plus years out and I notice times when I could wet a bit or more by surprise. Usually not in public, but I have to prepare in case this pee thing frequency increases.

PSA is holding, so that is at least good news. And I am still here… yahoooo!

Steve1961

i had my surgery done at ucla myself 1 year ago by dr robert reiter ..who did you have ..btw still cancer free thank god

Paul_Cancer_Survivor

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/329359/incontinence

Talk this over with your doctors at UCLA. They are terrific. (I know this firsthand.)

Incontinence can take a while to resolve. I am a Stage 4 prostate cancer survivor, Gleason Score 9, with the BRCA 1 Gene. I am still dealing with incontinence more than seven years after my prostatectomy at Sharp Hospital in San Diego. Incontinence has been an unwelcome part of my world, one of those nuisances you learn to live with, a price paid, gladly paid.

That said, you might ask your doctors about Oxybutynin.

Best wishes and keep in mind, your healing is, in spite of all the cliches, indeed a journey. Stay mentally strong.

lesjanes

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/329359/incontinence

Zoli, its a month past your post. How are doing now? I am 69 and thought that I would never stop leaking. But I did. I was totally continent at about 2 1/2 months.

I did pelvic exercises pre and post op. I think it helped. But you said you had muscle and nerves removed. That may impact your recovery.