light at the end of the tunnel??

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I haven't seen a situation like mine, so I'm hoping someone on the site can give me some insight. I am a 66 year-old male in good overall health. I have a history of prostate problems - multiple infections as a 20-40 year old; a TURP at age 50 for enlarged prostate; prostate cancer at age 61 (I had successful high dose rate brachytherapy). Last Fall I started to have persistent bleeding when I urinated. Shortly afterwards I developed symptoms of a prostate infection, so I went to a Urologist (I recently moved so I had to find a new doctor). In addition to having prostatitis, a cystoscopy confirmed that I had developed several large calcium stones in the prostatic urethra and bladder neck. In early January the doctor recommended, and performed, another cystoscopy where a Holmium laser was used to break-up the stones, and then he did a TURP to "clean-up" the necrotic tissue left over from my prior cancer radiation treatment.

While the doctor did say that my healing would be slow due to the elongated healing time for previously radiated tissue, he said the procedure was a success, and I should have a complete recovery. Well...here I am a little over 4 months later, and while most of the immediate symptoms (bleeding, passing blood clots, pain upon urinating, etc) have cleared up, I am still experiencing very persistent incontinence issues. At night I sleep in Depends Fit-Flex diapers, but I don't have any problems at all while sleeping. During the day, however, I go thru 2 Depend Maximum Guard inserts. Mostly it seems I have a constant dripping of urine, which goes undetected by me until I look at my pad during the day. By the end of the day the dripping seems to pick up significantly. The incontinence is better than the days immediately following my procedure, but I told my doctor at this pace it'll be another 10 years before things are normal. After a few recent discussions he has been careful not to predict any specific outcome, only to say if things are not better by mid-June he will do another cystoscopy to see what is actually going on.

I have read online where some doctors suggest the recovery time for someone with a prior TURP and also dealing with prior radiation may be upwards to a year. At this point I am not so much concerned about the timeline, but that I will have a 100% recovery. BTW, I have never had any issues with incontinence during any of my prior problems (ie. infections, TURP, cancer treatment), nor at any other time in my life.

Sorry for the long post, but if anyone has some insight I would greatly appreciate hearing it. Also, please point me to any online resources that might address my situation. Thanks!

 

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Hi, I just finished reading your post! Man you sure have been through an awful lot!

I'm female but I've had procedures and severe urinary infections. I find that after any kind of infection or having a catheter that it often takes a Very long time for the incontinence to subside. Sometimes it takes a year!

I often find that if I have the sensation that I need to urinate then it's too late! Sometimes I think it's psychological because if I see my bathroom before I even feel any sensation that I need to go I barely make it!

Anyhow, I don't know if any of this is relevant to you or not but I just would like a little warning! I hope that some of the men will respond, I just hate seeing someone write in and not receive any kind of response at all! Good luck, Susan

 

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Thanks Susan! I DO feel like things are getting better, however slow it may be. It's interesting to read your comments. When I do get the urge to urinate I seem to be able to "hold on" reasonably well until I can get to the restroom. It's the constant dripping that I have no conscious awareness of that is frustrating me at this point. It must be primarily related to gravity. When I'm lying flat (ie. sleeping or in my La-Z-Boy recliner) I have virtually no leakage. But if I'm standing up or walking, then here come the drips!

I do hope there are other men on the site who have been down a similar road and can share their experience & outcome. And best of luck to you!