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I had my cancerous prostate removed on July 12 and the catheter removed this past Tuesday. I also had a catheter in for nearly 3 months before my surgery.

I was told to expect leaks, but I have zero bladder control. That is, when I go from lying down to sitting or sitting to standing, it all just comes pouring out. At night that is 6-7 ounces at a time. I have taken to using a cup to catch it as I am getting up because I have no chance of making it to the bathroom.

Has anyone else experienced this level of incontinence, and if so, did it get better?

So discouraged.

 

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The first few weeks I was discouraged as well. It will get better. I have pretty good control unless I have alcohol. Then it is pretty discouraging. Had my surgery on 12/2/20. Life will get better.

 

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Welcome to the boards. I had my surgery at the end of June and found myself in the same situation. It was unexpected to say the least. It's 6 weeks from my surgery tomorrow. I have posted a similar thread about two weeks ago. Others will chime in, but recovery is slow for many, including myself. Nights are much better and I can run to the bathroom and get most in the John. Daytime used to leak even sitting but now sitting is better, like you, once I stand up, hello drainage. I can hold it to dribbles at times and stream but only about 15 feet from the bathroom. In physical therapy and doing kegels daily multiple times. Don't give up hope. Has your doctor mentioned PT or floor exercises or kegels? It's our first line of defense after surgery.

 

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Yes Dave, its kind of like that especially this early in the process. I was waking up soaking wet lots of times early on, so if you are sleeping thru the night before that happens you are ahead of the game already. I would sleep with a Depend guard at first which was always soaked and sometimes would wake me up but too late. I have talked myself silly here about my success with Prosta Genix tablets eliminating the overnight soaks and wake ups within two weeks post op. The first week I called the place that took the catheter out and told them I wanted them to put it back in. If your Dr has no problem with you taking the Prosta Genix, try it. it was a sanity saver for me, especially early on. Repeating..My Wife (a woman) was it unbeknownst to me and she had no prostate. SHE started me on it again after surgery against protestations about how it could possibly work for me now, but it did and does. If I am not stupid about how much I am drinking and making an insurance trip to the bathroom, I can explode, but for the most part 10 months out, I stay dry most of the time and get a warning signal when I have to go with enough time to make it to the Bthroom. Best of luck and stay positive. I am 75 and it still gets better as time goes on.

 

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DaveG,

Welcome to our forum.


I had my radical prostatectomy on March 8, 2021. I’ll share my experience as it is similar to others on this forum. Even then bear in mind that all of us are recovering at our own rate.

Like you I leaked like a sieve for the first month using 5 or more pads a day. I did my Kegel exercises daily and I attended by sessions with my pelvic floor physical therapist at least twice a week.

I found the I couldn’t measure progress in days but could look back on the past week and see where things were slowly improving.

The first signs of recovery was not during the day but finding less and less leakage while lying prone in bed at night. It seemed that the bladder needed to be retrained on when to send the “urge” message to get up and use the toilet. The minute I’d stand up the drain opened up and leakage proceeded. The good news was things were improving at least at night.

Then slowly I started to see the bladder starting to come back on-line and start retaining some fluid. At this point in the recovery any sneeze, cough or even trying to pass some gas resulted in a leak.

For me significant leakage started to abate three months after surgery. I kept up with the Kegel exercises but cut back on the visits to the physical therapist. Bladder control continued to improve and I was down to 2 or 3 pads a day.

By month 4 I was down to a single pad unless I was really physically active and then it was more than a single pad.

This is my recovery and as many have noted, your recovery will be different but the general sequence of recovery is the same.

Don’t get discouraged, you are among friends here.

 

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Don’t be too discouraged as everyone is telling you it takes time. Given that you had a catheter for such a long period it may take somewhat more time to regain continence. Just take the advice that some of the others are providing. Best of luck and stay positive.

 

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I barely leak at all when lying down and I do feel the urge to go several times a night. My problem is, as soon as I sit up, all of the urine comes flowing out. I have no chance of making it to the bathroom. That’s why I have taken to getting a cup in place while still lying down so it catches it when I sit up.

 

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Hang in there Dave. It absolutely will get better. I'm coming up on a year post surgery and am finally starting to have completely dry days. Maybe I'm a slow healer. In any event, patience is key. Let us know how you’re progressing. Look for little improvements and be grateful when they arrive.

 

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I did not have that issue . Why did you have the catheter 3 months prior? The 1st weeks after catheter was bad but I regained most control in 2 weeks. I still wear a pad though. Mine qas taken out april 26th.

 

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I had TURP surgery on April 27, primarily to biopsy my prostate, but it should have also improved a better channel through my very large prostate, but somehow it did the opposite and I couldn’t pee at all, thus the catheter until my RP surgery in July.

 

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Wow. Sorry to hear that . The minute they took my catheter out and i stood up i peed all over the floor . 0 control. But it got better. Every time i stood up or walked upstairs i peed a little but nothing like you are saying. I hope it gets better and quick. It is a terrible feeling having no control

 

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Dave:

I am 5 months out from prostate removal. I went through the same incontinence as you for the first couple of months. Physical therapy and Kegels help tremendously. I only leak on the golf course, and very little. Keep those Kegels going.

 

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they don't tell you that in the TV adverts

I have a friend who has had his prostate removed. He is a paramedic and his wife is nurse so having to wear pads was taken in a very adult way and he was very open about it.

as far as I know he no lounger ha after has to wear pads so it is true it does get better unlike my situation which after two strokes see's me in pads all the time. Kegals take time to work but it will happen.

all the best

Simon