An update, on my progress - Post RARP 2024-20-11

[joe64]

Thank you to everyone who has sharing their experience and progress. You made me realize I was not alone on this journey.

I'm just over 2 months post surgery. It is the members of this forum, who kept me positive. In terms of incontinence, I'm seeing improvement every week. To be honest, this only because someone posted about weighing their pull-ups and guards, to determine leakage.

All I can say is what a difference it is to move from subjective measurement, basically what I perceived was happening, to fact-based measurements because I now know for sure, that my leakage is trending in the right direction.

The recovery process has been an emotionally and psychologically difficult journey due to the incontinence and not being able to hike, bike and go to the gym. I'm now starting to get brave, I go for walks outside, food shopping, and this past week, trips to the gym.

I also took my first PSA test last week, which I was stressing about. The result was 0.006. Yahoo!

There were times when I struggled, and I thought, "this whole Kegels thing is BS, they tell us to do this stuff to keep idle hands busy", but it really does help, that and all the PT workouts. It takes time for the body to heal, and the exercise helps the healing by increasing blood flow.


A happy and healthy 2025 to all.

 

[darbas]

Hi joe64 how is your journey going now a few more weeks down the track. I am now 3 weeks since catheter was removed and still doing my exercises and like you at this stage doesn't feel any improvements but don't think I am as bad as you were then. Sitting no problems just don't fart or I leak. Walking no problems as long as I don't stop. Standing feels like a slow drip tap. If I rock slightly side to side when standing seems to help. Completely dry through the night. Can manage about 3-4hrs at night before going for pee. My biggest problem is when I have been sitting or lying and go to stand up. It will have a leak or a couple of squirts before I can get to the loo, or it open the flood gates which I have trying to control it. I was wondering how much further down the track like you have gone before showing better control when standing back up.

 

[joe64]

Hi joe64 how is your journey going now a few more weeks down the track. I am now 3 weeks since catheter was removed and still doing my exercises and like you at this stage doesn't feel any improvements but don't think I am as bad as you were then. Sitting no problems just don't fart or I leak. Walking no problems as long as I don't stop. Standing feels like a slow drip tap. If I rock slightly side to side when standing seems to help. Completely dry through the night. Can manage about 3-4hrs at night before going for pee. My biggest problem is when I have been sitting or lying and go to stand up. It will have a leak or a couple of squirts before I can get to the loo, or it open the flood gates which I have trying to control it. I was wondering how much further down the track like you have gone before showing better control when standing back up.

Hi Darbas, I hope you are doing well.

This Wednesday will 4 months post op. Overall, I'm doing much better. I'm leaking a bit, about 1/2 an ounce a day. For comparison, a month post op, I was leaking about 7 ounces a day and had very little control. By the end of two months post op, I was leaking about 2.5 ounces and was starting to have control. By the end of the third month, I was leaking less than an ounce a day, feeling pretty confident. Now, at 4 months, I'm thinking I bought too many of the Depends Guards, and I'll need to sell the unopened packs on E-Bay.

Definitely a big improvement from January. I'm not at 100%, Although, I'm starting to feel like I might get close to 90+ in another few months. I'm still doing kegels, but I'm also doing bladder training. I'm trying as often as possible to push past the 2-hour mark between bathroom trips. Most of the time, I can wait past that 120-minute mark.

I have the same with farting. If I fart, I leak. I guess it's the relaxation of the muscles to pass the gas.

About two weeks ago, every night around 10PM, I've started having slight, spontaneous erections. It's pretty odd. This week, I've noticed a few times in the middle of the night, the beginnings of an erection. Not a full, "Hey, honey look what I got", but I'll take it as a good sign, considering I lost the nerves on the left side.

I've had another odd thing happening, if a sexually arousing thought crosses my mind, or my wife touches me, I get a sudden squirt of pee. I will see my surgeon tomorrow as part of the follow-up, I'll ask him about it and find out what's next.

 

[darbas]

Its good to see its all coming together for you That gives me hope then. Although last night I did manage to go 4 hrs without having to get up for a pee and been able to get up after sitting and able to get to the toilet with holding myself like a little kid so hoping its a turning point. Just need the dribble to stop while standing. My sexual function doesn't bother me as I am 69 and divorced and now all my kids who are in there mid 30 are no longer live at home. I live by myself. Never repartnered after divorce 30 years ago as I will never trust a woman again. Did not have time too busy raising 4 kids as a single parent anyway. Now just need all this rain to stop after the cyclone that hit Brisbane. The sound off running water makes me want to pee more often. Take care you will be your old self soon by the sound of it. By the way when you are sexually active again you will find a dry orgasm feels very strange and to me not satisfying. I found that out 15 years ago after my TURP.