Pelvic Floor Exercises - How Long For?

[Archives1]

I’m now 12 weeks post op from RP. Dry at night and one pad during the day. I’ve been doing a regular series of PFEs 3 times a day and I’m thinking about scaling it back a bit. What’re other guys experiences of PFE frequency? I guess I’m probably going to have to keep doing some PFEs for the rest of my life but maybe less frequently and less intense.

 

[Archives1]

I was told I bc would have to do them forever. But I will see how things go!
I am be 6 months after surgery and need 1 or 2 pads in a day for small leaks and mostly when I cough, sneeze or do work around the house!
Hope it keeps getting better!

 

[Archives1]

I was exactly in the same situation like you Dewibach1.
My PT then told me stop the exercises and squeeze only when standing up or in motion.
She was right. After a while (~2weeks) you forget to squeeze and you realize your dry most of the time. But keep doing until you are completely dry.

 

[Archives1]

Forgot to say that I was dry seating and lying down. Only when I was moving I had few leaks.
PT told me that she you are dry it will last with no more exercise. It’s for life until something else happens.
It’s your brain which will learn to automatically squeeze for you. You are building the strength of the pelvic muscles but you also train your brain to build the control of your muscle for you.

 

[Archives1]

PT told me that if you are dried it will last…*

 

[Archives1]

@Dewibach1 @Jacques1553 @dbtechnics - I wonder how it works if you are in a wheelchair. - Pam

 

[Archives1]

Forever, even if your brain assumes control. But I believe that age of RP IS VERY significant for total drying. I’m 7 years post RP at 76 and still a pad or 2 per day. None at night or while seated at computer/tv. I’m convinced that few if anyone over 65 ever gains complete control. Just think of all the years your body never had to worry about the external sphincter, until it was gone. Don’t believe the stats on the subject. The more active you are the more leakage. I’m extremely active and prefer the leakage to being out of physical condition.

 

[Archives1]

You’re doing very well after 12 weeks. I found walking was better for me than kegals. I stopped doing them early as I didn’t find them helpful.

 

[Archives1]

I believe Stryder is absolutely correct. When my catheter was removed I had no bladder control except at night. Thankfully I regained full bladder control about 2 and 1/2 weeks later. I believe this occurred for several reasons … I am only 49 , have no other health conditions and I am not overweight. I also started doing kegels about six weeks before my surgery. I am 2 months post RP and I am still doing kegels to make sure the sphincter stays strong…. That being said I would sacrifice a little bit of bladder control to have another 10 -15 years of full sexual function.

 

[Archives1]

@Whatprostate318 - Interesting that you started doing kegels BEFORE surgery. It actually does sound very sensible if you think about it. - Just curious guys - Did your doc suggest doing kegels before YOUR surgery or not? - For any of the ladies reading this - how successful have keels been for you? - Makes me wonder if they work better for males, because they don't seem to make much of a difference for me. - Pam

 

[Archives1]

My doctor highly recommended doing kegels before the surgery to strengthen the pelvic floor as much as possible.

 

[Archives1]

I am now 2 1/2 years post RP. When asked I say that for me “some days are diamonds, some days are stone” (thanks John Denver). My surgeon said it was kedgels every day for life. My physio started me on a very tough exercise regime that he tapered off as I got dryer. he also said two days on 1 day off. On the day off only light kedgels and at least one day no exercises at all. He used an ultrasound machine to check I was doing the kedgels correctly.

I now exercise every morning and when I go to bed. My routine is 20 secs of fast kedgels, 10 sec rest, 100 slow kedgels, 10 secs rest, repeat 3 times. I am mostly dry all the time and need zero protection. If I am doing a lot of say lifting or sitting on hard seats I will use a shield or at least carry one with me, just in case.

I was sent to see the physio about 3 weeks prior to surgery and started doing kedgels right away. For me if I don’t do my daily exercise I regret it fairly soon afterwards.so I just do them.i might have a go at dbtechnics idea and see.

Everyone is on their own journey with rp. What works great for one may not work for others. I read a lot and experimented to get to my accepted solution.

 

[Archives1]

Dustmaker, congratulations on being dry. Got to ask how old you were at time of RP (you said 2&1/2 years ago) and how active you are now to be dry, because the latter is critical to total fitness. You mentioned difficulty with “lifting or sitting on hard seats” causing leakage.

In addition to long distance walking, I do lots of heavyweights & power yoga (not the yoga we see on TV commercials and miles from chair yoga). These gym sessions last 2-2/12 hours X 3/weekly. I also do intense xeriscaping on 2 acres of concrete-like desert soil with a jack hammer. Sure I leak, but it’s more important for me to keep in shape and go through 2-3 pads/shields daily. I’m also worried that the AUS or other continence interventions may not be successful enough, with my activity level at 76 years, to eliminate leakage. Now if I sit watching tv or with computers, no leakage whatsoever, even on a hard seat. Hopefully, you’re lucky enough to be physically active and not leak.

 

[Archives1]

Stryder, I have just turned 70 in April this year. I am quite active and walk my dog for 4-5 klm (2.5-3mls)per day every day over all kinds of terrain, uphill, downhill, bush, streets etc. I also work in my woodwork shed standing most of the time. I f I do a lot of lifting, as I get more tired I may leak a little, when I sit on hard surfaces I can feel the pressure and when I get up I get just a tiny leakage.. as you most likely know, a little can go a long way. I have no other leakage issues and live a normal life for most of the time. I seem to go through cycles, I can go for a long time with no change and then for no apparent reason I’ll leak just a bit more and it drives me crazy but I just live with it and it goes back to normal.

Whatever, it’s better than being dead.

 

[Archives1]

Has any of you had radiation therapy after the RP and how did it go with the incontinence?