Prostate surgery

[Archives1]

Well I had my prostate removed 9 days ago. My catheter removed 2 days ago. I am now wearing diapers and wondering how long I have to put up with this. My Google searching led me to this site. I know I'm only a couple days in but this isn't how I imagined it. I am only 52 years old.

 

[Archives1]

Rich2020, yea, docs just kind of ignore this little prostatectomy prize don't they? I'm 60, surgery Oct. 28th. Started walking day after Cath out working up to 5 miles a day, kagals daily. 11 weeks tomorrow and I'm am "mostly dry" some days dry all day. Only wear shields when I'm at work. Started to see progress at about 4 weeks, accelerated at 6. It's dicourrgaging at times, progress on day, backward the next. Avoid carbonated drinks and cafene. Good luck brother and keep your head up!

 

[Archives1]

@Rich2020 good luck with your recovery, cheers Phil

 

[Archives1]

Hi Rich2020, I had the prostatectomy August 29, 2017 and I am 72 years old. My incontinence has worsened over the past two years and I am unfortunately using more pads and diapers. The one recommendation I will offer you is to stay away from coffee and other caffeine products. I was scheduled for the Artificial Urinary Sphincter (AUS) a few times but canceled out and now considering it again in near future. Also, hopeful that one day stem cell technology will be effective and available for urinary incontinence. Good luck to you and best wishes.

 

[Archives1]

You are only 9 days post surgery. It will take a few months for your body to readjust...keep positive...it is a journey...read and gather all the information you can...talk to your doctors and people who have had prostatectomies. You will improve. Go to the library and check out books by Patrick Walsh, "Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer," Peter Scardino's "Prostate Book," and Arnold Melman/ Rosemary Newnham's "After Prostate Cancer." All are guides and can help you maneuver the road to recovery.

 

[Archives1]

Rich, I am also 72 years old. I had a combined prostatectomy with a bladder diverticulectomy in April of 2017. I was told that since I had control issues before my prostatectomy, and was wearing diapers my incontinence would most likely not get any better; possibly worse. So, it's getting close to three years since my surgery, and I'm still wearing diapers. I try, at times, to go unprotected, but most often end up wishing I didn't. It was a struggle at first accepting my new normal, but I have gotten pretty used to diapers. However,Rich, you are young. If you did not have incontinence issues before your surgery, you should see continence happen. It could take some time, but I would be surprised if you did not become totally dry in time. Keep doing the exercises, and stay positive.

 

[Archives1]

Recovery is all over the map. I'm a little over 5 months. Much better but not 100%. Still use a pad daily. Some days I could get by without one. I was in a bad mental state most of the first month. Finding this site and posting occasionally helped me a lot. Along with time to allow the healing process to take place. Getting my head in a better place was a big improvement. I was not prepared before surgery for this process. After surgery it seemed like "all" my mental energy was needed to keep my bladder from leaking. I hated that. All I can say is it got better...and, hopefully, you will follow a similar path and get better.

 

[Archives1]

@Rich2020 Hey Rich, I too, am 52 years old and am approaching the 4 month mark in a few days. Like you, I had a catheter in for a week and started my “recovery” to continence on Day 9. The first 2-3 weeks will suck. Lots of leaking. I saw improvement at Week 4 and continued to see gradual improvement through week 8. I started physical therapy sessions and kegels at about Week 3. I wish the doc had me doing kegels before surgery but made no mention beforehand nor did I have the insight to ask. However, they help in your recovery. At week 10 through week 12 I seemed to be advanced to where I was leaking less and less. At Week 13 til today it’s improved dramatically and I’m wearing regular underwear with no pad on some days. You will notice stretches of good days and then have a bad day or two throughout your recovery. Seems like it’s normal from what I’ve experienced and others here have expressed. Bottom line, do the exercises, pay attention to what you drink (the caffeine and some alcohol seem to cause more leakage), get out and walk and stay positive. It takes time and you will be frustrated but this forum has been an immense help with others sharing their journeys. Best of luck in your recovery.

 

[Archives1]

I'm 57 and I had my prostatectomy on Dec. 23rd and my catheter removed 8 days later. I wasn't prepared for the aftermath. It's one thing for the docs to say you have a 90% chance of having incontinence issues and another thing to say, we've stretched your urethra more than it's ever been stretched for a week with this huge catheter and when we take it out, most likely, the pee is going to just run out of you and you will have no control. The nurse who pulled the catheter said nothing about putting in the pad right afterward. My wife who is a nurse and was with me was flabbergasted. The first days are the hardest.

Fortunately, my recovery from the surgical pain was really fast and I went back to work 2 weeks after the surgery. Also fortunately, my job is mainly sitting at my computer and when I'm sitting or laying down, there is no leakage. After the first week, if I concentrate, I can make it from my desk to the bathroom with little or no leakage. That is my small accomplishment for the week.

I have gotten my head around the fact that this will probably take months to get better and right now, it's all about managing the issue. I have also tried to get my head around the fact that this may never get better. It's like when I had my bone scan, I of course was hoping for the best but trying to prepare myself for the worst outcome.

(Making an assumption here that you had prostate cancer). So try to stay positive! You've had a string of bad news as you found out you had cancer and that you had to have surgery and now you have urinary incontinence, so it's not easy. But there is a high likelihood that it will get better for you. Being younger is an advantage here. Accept your condition, be thankful that the cancerous organ has been removed and that you are on the road to recovery. Hang in there!

 

[Archives1]

Hi - Had my prostate removed in 2005. I'm almost 79, still wearing diapers/shields, and work constantly in front of the public, conducting symphonies, playing piano. I've learned to live with it. Tried a portable catheter once, and it leaked. Diapers are much better for me. I've learned little tricks. Bought a very expensive briefcase (Buffalo brand), and carry a supply of items, plus my iPad. In the winter, I put a diaper and shield in each coat I'll be wearing, making the briefcase a mute point, depending on the situation. I'm lucky because I can wake up at night with a need to void, grab my penis and head to the bathroom. Have had a few leaks now and then in public, but one learns to cope. I can play an entire 3-4 hour piano bar without going to the bathroom, something others find amazing. Of course they don't know my condition. I just say that, if I get up for a break, everyone will leave. Kind of funny. Oh, and I hate taking my shoes off in restrooms, so I make sure I can take off my pants without doing that; wider legs, certain shoes, etc. Like I said, one learns and adapts. All the best...

Bo

 

[Archives1]

55 had surgery 2013. Use one pad a day. My biggest problem is night wet the bed a few times a week.

 

[Archives1]

The thing is my bladder doesn’t even fill. My depends is soaked so I try and pee every half hour and nothing. I can’t cause it just keeps dripping out. Night time is a different story. My bladder fills and I get up and go to the bathroom and I can pee just fine. But during the day it’s just drip drip drip.

 

[Archives1]

Rich, I experienced same thing very early on. You will get better each day and train your bladder to fill and space voiding times out as time goes by. It’s simply so soon after your surgery. Your whole urinary system has been thrown off by surgery. It gets better.

 

[Archives1]

Rich, I researched that a little.bladder is a muscle, with the catheter in it shrinks, also traumatized from surgery. I had the same issue for the first 4-5 weeks. I didn't mean sitting down, so on weeke. I drank 2 24oz bottles if water Nd Sat for as long as I could stand it. Finally went to tye bathroom and peed like I was 20 again. Even at week 6-7 I perd every 30-40 minutes. Start week 11 tomorrow, and this week I was going about every 2 to 2.5 hours. So it is normal, Time, patients, and perseverance are the keys to dealing with this, we've all been there done that so keep asking questions and encourage the poor guy that post next week saying he's 9 or 10 day behind you. It really does help you keep going, doing the Labels, and I recommend walking, even though you'll be soaked the first week or four.

 

[Archives1]

The thing is my bladder doesn’t even fill. My depends is soaked so I try and pee every half hour and nothing. I can’t cause it just keeps dripping out. Night time is a different story. My bladder fills and I get up and go to the bathroom and I can pee just fine. But during the day it’s just drip drip drip.

If I'm standing or walking, it just drips out. I can hold it with a kegel for 30-40 seconds while walking to get to the bathroom. Gets worse later in the day. Give it time.

 

[Archives1]

Well I had my prostate removed 9 days ago. My catheter removed 2 days ago. I am now wearing diapers and wondering how long I have to put up with this. My Google searching led me to this site. I know I'm only a couple days in but this isn't how I imagined it. I am only 52 years old.

 

[Archives1]

My prostate was removed 6 weeks ago. Still VERY LITTLE bladder control. Piss just constantly drips out.
Whatever bladder control you'll "get back" will happen within 6 months. An additional slight improvement might happen from 6 months to 1 year.
The only implant I would even consider is the ATOMS device. Youtube Video's explain it all.

In the meantime, condom catheters are your alternative to diapers and pads.
The best one is called 'Conveen' made by a company called Coloplast. Here are some tips:
Your Urologist may measure the diameter of your cock with a plastic sizing template.
Or, you will be allowed to try them on. They come in Small, Medium, and Large.
Fit is very important. Too large and it can come off, too small and it stops the blood flow to your Dick.
Personally, unless you have a teeny tiny Pecker, I would suggest starting off with size Large.

Here's why. The damn thing is held in place on your cock-shaft by a special surgical glue.
When you remove it, it tries to take a layer of skin off with it. They will tell you to wrap a wet, hot, washcloth around it to help softer the glue prior to removal. Didn't work for me. I had to get in the shower and let water as hot as I could stand blast on it and it FINALLY peeled off.

Here's what you can do: The condom part that fits over the head of your dick does not have any glue in it. Just the part that fits on the shaft of your dick. Right where the head of the dick ends, and the shaft begins, VERY CAREFULLY USING A VERY THIN LAYER apply with a q-tip a very thin layer of johnson's baby oil to the front half of your dick shaft. Don't apply any to the back half of your dick shaft. The area where the dick shaft joins your body. The condom needs SOME glue to hold it in place.
They over do the glue thing.

Piss drains out the head of your dick into a hose that runs to a bag you attach to your ankle.
The bottom of the bag has a valve. When the bag is 2/3rds full, stand over a toilet and open the drain valve.
This is WAY better than changing diapers. You can't wear the device 24/7 because your dick needs to breathe. Wear this in the daytime, and wear diapers at night.

Bladder control comes back very s l o w l y. The first control that comes back is when you're laying down. Before you stand up, reach inside your diaper and put a choke hold on your dick. Then hobble into the restroom. The instant you release the choke hold, piss will pour out.
After a week or two of this you're ready for the next step.

Before you stand up, clamp down hard on your pelvic floor muscle using the Kegel exercise thing.
You must hold this Kegel exercise thing TIGHT and HARD until you make it into the bathroom.
Relax even for 1 second and piss will pour out before you make it into the bathroom.
Over time, it gets easier to do.
Do Not, repeat DO NOT wear the leg bag and condom catheter to bed at night. First of all, your dick skin needs time to breathe. More important, this thing works by gravity. Laying down, there's not enough gravity for the piss to drain into the bag. Piss then backs up into your bladder which can cause an Urinary Tract Infection. ----- Hope this helps you. --- Let me know how this works for you. -----

 

[Archives1]

WilliamMartin, Appreciate your detailed description of the use of condom catheters. I have considered them but have not tried. More involved than I thought.

 

[Archives1]

Here's another one for ya:
Now with the constant dripping, my penis is getting sore and hurts.
I can't exactly dry it out cause it just doesn't stop.
What have you guys done for that ? It's actually really hurting today.
-Rich

 

[Archives1]

Here's another one for ya:
Now with the constant dripping, my penis is getting sore and hurts.
I can't exactly dry it out cause it just doesn't stop.
What have you guys done for that ? It's actually really hurting today.
-Rich

Does it continue leaking when you are sitting or laying down? If not, I would try to give yourself a break from the irritation by doing either one of those. I don't experience pain, but it sometimes stings a little and the sensation of leakage is unpleasant.