Leakage at 6 months
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Archives1
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I leaked at 6 month as much as 11the1 beginning, then started to1 get 1better month to month and now 16 months post surgery no leaks except with a sneeze. No pads as of 3 months ago. I'm just 73 and had half my nerve bundle removed. First 3 psa's were <.1, then one month ago it was.4 and last week it was up to .6. Going in for the new pet scan in two week to see if anything got loose.
Archives1
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Congratulations on reaching the 6-month mark! Hope you are seeing some improvement. Many people are impatient and think they should be "back to normal" by 2 or 3 months. Usually not. But things do get better.... How are you now? Any improvement yet?
Everyone is different, of course, but my own experience was radical prostatectomy last April (at age 70). First two months after removal of the Foley catheter I was very wet all day, every day, but not at night. (Have never had a problem overnight, thank goodness, and after the first month I have never even needed to get up during the night). At 4 months post-surgery, almost overnight, my control improved dramatically. I continued to use absorbent pull-ups and a pad but I could use only one pad all day, without having to change it. By 6 months I could use regular underwear and a pad, no pullups. Gradual improvement continued with much less dripping so that now, at 11 months, I use a pad and have almost no leakage from morning until dinnertime; after dinner, I have an occasional leak until bedtime and then I'm dry all night.
At one point I thought "this is never going to get better, I will always be a wet mess" but starting at that 4-month point I mentioned above, there has been continual improvement. I am about to transition from a large pad during the day to a light shield, just for the little drips. With luck, I might get to the point where I don't even need a shield, but if I stay as I am now, I can live with it. Glad to be cancer-free.
Repeating: Everyone is different, but most men (90% or so) are at least "socially continent" by 1 year. Be patient but do Kegels and anything else your doctor recommends. How are you doing?
Everyone is different, of course, but my own experience was radical prostatectomy last April (at age 70). First two months after removal of the Foley catheter I was very wet all day, every day, but not at night. (Have never had a problem overnight, thank goodness, and after the first month I have never even needed to get up during the night). At 4 months post-surgery, almost overnight, my control improved dramatically. I continued to use absorbent pull-ups and a pad but I could use only one pad all day, without having to change it. By 6 months I could use regular underwear and a pad, no pullups. Gradual improvement continued with much less dripping so that now, at 11 months, I use a pad and have almost no leakage from morning until dinnertime; after dinner, I have an occasional leak until bedtime and then I'm dry all night.
At one point I thought "this is never going to get better, I will always be a wet mess" but starting at that 4-month point I mentioned above, there has been continual improvement. I am about to transition from a large pad during the day to a light shield, just for the little drips. With luck, I might get to the point where I don't even need a shield, but if I stay as I am now, I can live with it. Glad to be cancer-free.
Repeating: Everyone is different, but most men (90% or so) are at least "socially continent" by 1 year. Be patient but do Kegels and anything else your doctor recommends. How are you doing?
Archives1
Staff member
At night I get up once or twice, no leakage. I use pull-ups all the time, pads only last a couple hours. Usually, 2 pull ups a day. Maybe a third if I’m really active. I am inpatient, I admit it. I do Kegels. My first PSA after surgery was 0.08. Have another one next month. Physically doing okay, mentally, sometimes it’s rough. Thanks to all for your input! Yes cancer free is the most important thing, less leaking is a bonus.
Archives1
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My surgery was 18 August 2021, so now at 6 1/2 months post surgery. I started seeing a specialist pelvic physiotherapist 6 weeks post surgery and then 3 weekly until just before last Xmas. My improvement was steady and noticeable weekly from around 3 months post surgery. Improvement has now slowed but is still steady although not as noticeble.
I currently don't leak at all or wear a pad at night, I do get up once or twice a night to empty my bladder which is back to my pre surgery routine ~ our dog sleeps in our bedroom and needs to be let out once a night herself and that fits in with my needs. My daytime leakage now is only due to stress incontinence and the amount depends on how physically active my day is ~ I get through the days with only one pad and have recently switched from medium to light pads. Even spending a day in my vegetable garden with lots of digging, lifting, bending etc the one light pad is enough. I start every day with a 3 kilometre walk with my dog during which I complete my kegels while walking and I do another set of kegels every afternoon while sitting.
I am 67yo and nerves on left side were spared. My first PSA test at 3 months post surgery came back as "undetectable". I am due to see my Urologist again in 2 weeks time for a followup and to discuss options for treating ED now I am reasonably dry and will have another PSA test also.
Seeing the variance in progress from other forum members I feel blessed that my recovery so far seems to be going quite smoothly ~ I credit my progress with the incontinence largely with the personalised work I did with the pelvic physio where she monitored and adjusted my kegel program every 3 weeks to keep challenging me with more repetitions and advanced exercises.
I currently don't leak at all or wear a pad at night, I do get up once or twice a night to empty my bladder which is back to my pre surgery routine ~ our dog sleeps in our bedroom and needs to be let out once a night herself and that fits in with my needs. My daytime leakage now is only due to stress incontinence and the amount depends on how physically active my day is ~ I get through the days with only one pad and have recently switched from medium to light pads. Even spending a day in my vegetable garden with lots of digging, lifting, bending etc the one light pad is enough. I start every day with a 3 kilometre walk with my dog during which I complete my kegels while walking and I do another set of kegels every afternoon while sitting.
I am 67yo and nerves on left side were spared. My first PSA test at 3 months post surgery came back as "undetectable". I am due to see my Urologist again in 2 weeks time for a followup and to discuss options for treating ED now I am reasonably dry and will have another PSA test also.
Seeing the variance in progress from other forum members I feel blessed that my recovery so far seems to be going quite smoothly ~ I credit my progress with the incontinence largely with the personalised work I did with the pelvic physio where she monitored and adjusted my kegel program every 3 weeks to keep challenging me with more repetitions and advanced exercises.
Archives1
Staff member
@Ekimretlaw - I am almost 4 months since surgery and generally don't wear pads any more. If I take a vacation from Kegels for a few days, then I start leaking enough to require a change of underwear. Then I need to start wearing a pad for a few days. If I drink several cups of coffee, that will also cause me to start leaking. So the message to me is to limit coffee to two cups in the morning and do Kegel exercises daily. I hike 6 miles/day and rarely leak on the hike but as soon as I get home I will occasionally start to leak. I suspect that is general fatigue causing it. I start radiation in 2 weeks so I really want to be sure I am continent prior to radiation. These are stressful times but at least we are safe in our own home!
Archives1
Staff member
I’m 5 months and 2 days today. Still leaking but it’s getting better, starting at 3 months. Yesterday I wore a pull-up for 24 hours, then weighed it, I leaked 1.5 ounces which I was pretty happy about. Just wearing a pull-up at night to get rid of them, but since they’re 99% dry I’ll wear it to work too. Today I helped my mom paint her house and leaked a couple ounces for sure in 6 hours. When I squat/cough/sneeze/lift I definitely leak a little. Hope the progress continues. Good luck.
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