New Kid on the Block

MGUNS
MGUNS Member Posts: 14
in Prostate Cancer #1

 

Greetings from Georgia,

 

Had RP on 8/19/19, got picked off by my GP after my annual physical detected a PSA of a 4.2, had a biopsy 7/3/19 and 5/12 positive Gleason 7 (4+3). 3rd week post op and dealing with incontinence, up to about 6 pads per day, just getting use to my new way of life (TEMP). Doing my Kegels, other than that all is good:

 

 

 

Vital Stats:

 

63 years age

 

Very good health

 

Non smoker

 

like to exercise 

Back to work last week; I'm a school teacher not much lifting.

 

S/F

Comments

  • ufknkidding
    ufknkidding Member Posts: 48 Member
    edited September 2019 #2
    Oorah!

    Hey man, your 2 weeks ahead of me in my treatment.  I recently had my prostate removed (RIP), and just (an hour ago) had the catheter removed (OMG).  I'm beginning to try to gain urine control.  Kind of a different feeling having a pad down there but hopefully it won't be for too long. Guess we get to learn what women go through wearing pads. But we are guys and have military backgrounds so will just get on with it.  You got a war face?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj90khPuWv8

    Joking aside, you and I will soon be back to exercising and lifting weights again. Stay strong man, keep on keeping on and don't rush it but let your body heal thoroughly.

  • MGUNS
    MGUNS Member Posts: 14
    #3
     

     

    Greetings, and thanks for sharing, yea this PC sucks especially when you been in control of your life and body and now you got to adjust fire, but as you know we just got to suck it up and be as aggressive as this beast. They way that I look at this pad stuff, its better than being 6k miles away from the family and dealing with IED’s. Take care and I wish you the best, please keep me posted on your process.  Its kinda of funny that know I gage a good day by how many pads I use, still WE WILL succeed. Keep me posted.

     

     

     

    S/F

     

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #4
    Pads

    Hi there,

    I was counting pads at the beginning and there were the milestones when I moved from the heavy to the medium to the light and then the very light.
    Finally I was weighing the pads in the morning and evening and eventually I had a whole month where I was losing less than a gram or two per 24 hours and I called it quits, I even made a graph to show the doctors!
    You do need to feel that you are making progress with your recovery and returning to something close to normality and this is one way of doing it.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

  • MGUNS
    MGUNS Member Posts: 14
    edited September 2019 #5
    Georges Calvez said:

    Pads

    Hi there,

    I was counting pads at the beginning and there were the milestones when I moved from the heavy to the medium to the light and then the very light.
    Finally I was weighing the pads in the morning and evening and eventually I had a whole month where I was losing less than a gram or two per 24 hours and I called it quits, I even made a graph to show the doctors!
    You do need to feel that you are making progress with your recovery and returning to something close to normality and this is one way of doing it.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

     

     

    Hello Georges,

    Good insight, I’m starting to gain some control. I finally getting small chances on emptying the bladder its 1:05PM and I’m on my second pad. Been doing Kegels, I saw a video and the lady stated that for the best results on kegels , is to do them while your standing. Something about lifting the area will give you better control. Have you heard about this theory?

     

    S/F

  • ufknkidding
    ufknkidding Member Posts: 48 Member
    edited September 2019 #6
    And that's an order!

    I forgot to mention after my last comment, stay strong, keep on keeping on and don't rush it with And that's an order!  Bet you don't miss those days. LOL. I'll leave it at that and I agree some have gone through some pretty life threatening and crappy challenges before this cancer thing so that is a help to keep focused.  You might want to read the survivor's story about incontinence at https://csn.cancer.org/node/316214

    The suvivor had success going to a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist.  Whatever the heck that is... I've never heard of that type of specialist but will try to get a referral to one if I'm not able to gain control in a couple weeks.  I did ask my surgeon if I should go to a physical therapist and he offered a referral but I told him I'd wait to see if I get any or all control back over the next couple of days weeks (I'm day 1 post cath removal) since it's pretty early for me.

  • MGUNS
    MGUNS Member Posts: 14
    #7
    ufknkidding said:

    And that's an order!

    I forgot to mention after my last comment, stay strong, keep on keeping on and don't rush it with And that's an order!  Bet you don't miss those days. LOL. I'll leave it at that and I agree some have gone through some pretty life threatening and crappy challenges before this cancer thing so that is a help to keep focused.  You might want to read the survivor's story about incontinence at https://csn.cancer.org/node/316214

    The suvivor had success going to a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist.  Whatever the heck that is... I've never heard of that type of specialist but will try to get a referral to one if I'm not able to gain control in a couple weeks.  I did ask my surgeon if I should go to a physical therapist and he offered a referral but I told him I'd wait to see if I get any or all control back over the next couple of days weeks (I'm day 1 post cath removal) since it's pretty early for me.

    Yep, stay focus and just make

    Yep, stay focus and just make the best of the cards that we have been dealt, we have our families, health, and faith; stay strong. Keep me posted.

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #8
    Kegels

    Hi there,

    I do Kegels while lying in bed, sitting in the car at the lights, etc, etc.
    I used to do a lot, now I have dropped back to doing them when I feel like it.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

  • MGUNS
    MGUNS Member Posts: 14
    #9
    Yea, I think its going become

    Yea, I think its going to become a way of life for me. I try to do at least 50 a day, as I find that my muscles get weaker at this stage. But just like any other muscle group, you just got to continue to make them stronger as you mature in this venture, thank you Georges for your input.

     

    S/F

  • lighterwood67
    lighterwood67 Member Posts: 393 Member
    #10
    Aside from the kegels

    Some folks try starting and stopping their stream.  I tried that.  I think it helped .  I was pretty much dry around the 4 to 6 month post RARP.  Good luck on your journey.

     

    Robert

    Retired Chief Master Sergeant United States Air Force

  • MGUNS
    MGUNS Member Posts: 14
    #11
    Hey Chief thanks for your

    Hey Chief thanks for your input, every little bit helps. Thank you for your service.

  • JPnSD
    JPnSD Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2019 #12
    New to this pad stuff

    My first week on pads after radical prostatectomy and all tubes are finally out....and it is really depressing.  Sleeping...very little dripping...as soon as I start moving...the flow starts.  I can start and stop a urine flow...but no control in staying dry in between.  2-3 hrs on a pad in public spaces. I can't start Kegels until week 6 post-op per Urologist.  Reading that this process may/will take months to try to achieve control is disheartening.  Not the perspective I got from Urologist before surgery.  Someone recently mentioned that one will never be totally free of pads...as urine leakage can happen with any exertion (coughing, lifting, sneezing, etc.).  Can anyone give me a reality check here?  Thank you

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #13
    Hang in there

    Hi there,

    The first weeks are the worst, you should start to see a big improvement after a month or two, I spent several months on the Tena pants, then months more on lighter and lighter pads.
    I am now eighteen months down the line and I would say that I am close to normal.
    After eighteen months I wear a light pad during the day but that is only there as a safety, it is the same as it went in when I change my underwear.
    Sometimes if I lift a 25 kg bag or I cough violently when my bladder is full I will lose a drop or three.
    It is a long road but  in the case of 95% of men you will be dry after a year, even after three months you will see real improvement as the urethral sphincter recovers from the surgical hit and having a catheter shoved through it for a week or so.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

  • MGUNS
    MGUNS Member Posts: 14
    #14
    Georges Calvez said:

    Hang in there

    Hi there,

    The first weeks are the worst, you should start to see a big improvement after a month or two, I spent several months on the Tena pants, then months more on lighter and lighter pads.
    I am now eighteen months down the line and I would say that I am close to normal.
    After eighteen months I wear a light pad during the day but that is only there as a safety, it is the same as it went in when I change my underwear.
    Sometimes if I lift a 25 kg bag or I cough violently when my bladder is full I will lose a drop or three.
    It is a long road but  in the case of 95% of men you will be dry after a year, even after three months you will see real improvement as the urethral sphincter recovers from the surgical hit and having a catheter shoved through it for a week or so.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

    Hello George,

    Hello George,

    Hopefully you are doing well. As for today is week 6 of post op, doing much better with the incontinence situation; during sleep I'm 95% dry, and as of yesterday I'm down to using 2 pads, hopefully I will have better days ahead, thanks for your kind words.

    S/F

  • Josephg
    Josephg Member Posts: 455 Member
    #15
    Post-surgery Continence

    Hi JPnSD,

    Most folks return to 80+% continence in the months following a prostatectomy.  The number of months required to return to a good semblance of continence normalcy varies from a few months to well over a year, as no two cases are exactly the same.

    However, there are a small number of folks, ~5%, who do not return to continence following a prostatectomy.  I am one of those folks, and my solution for regaining my quality of life in the area of continence was to have an artificial sphincter implanted to give me back my control of my continence.  So, a quality of life solution option exists even for those folks who do not regain continence on their own following a prostatectomy.

    I wish you the best of outcomes in the area of regaining your continence following your surgery.

  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez Member Posts: 547 Member
    #16
    Winning

    Hi there,

    You always start winning lying down or sleeping at the beginning, then sitting quietly, then walking, etc.
    I had mine done at a regional centre in France and they get about 95% continency after a year.  All centres have a range of results, it is not only the surgeon and his technique but age, suitability as a surgical subject and maybe a little luck?
    I tried some Kegels when I had the catheter in and I could feel the urinary sphincter gripping the tube, it gave me hope that I was OK.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

  • Tarby
    Tarby Member Posts: 2
    #17
    15 week after RP

    I had my surgery on 8/5/19

    Catheter removed 11 days later. I never used anything other than ultra thin pads

    and usually only one or two a day. I never had to wear any at night to bed.

    I quit using pads all together after about 8 weeks. I am 99.5% in control.

    Now just wating on my little friend to come out and play. It has defintly been a life change for me.

    Im 57 and been single all my life. 

     

  • r656565
    r656565 Member Posts: 3
    #18
    Working Out

    Hey guys.  I had my surgery on 8/28/2019.  I did kegels furiously for weeks before surgery and I was pretty much where Tarby iwas/is.  Sex is getting there...

    But my question is about working out.  I'm 54 and exercise is everything, without it I don't feel like myself.  I did ninja warrior, among other things.  I'm still struggling a little with pain.  Obviously I am not back to 100% working out, but with weights I'm at about 70-80% of the weight I used before surgery.  Pull ups really hurt my stomach after about 5, so I don't go beynd that.

    Is this normal or should I not be feeling pain anymore?  Just curious what thers are doing, I see some comments about working out here.  Thanks.

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,180 Member
    #19
    Exercise?

    Hi R6,

    If you have pain during exercise you body is trying to tell you something.  If it was me I would take it slow and not get to the point of pain, you could be damaging muscles, insicions, ect.  You don't want to have more surgery to repair something you did with excessive exercising. Digging deep down in your groin with surgery to remove your Prostate takes time to heal.

    Dave 3+4

Discussion Boards