Still leaking

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Archives1

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My RP was successful in saving me from cancer about 1.5 years ago but the incontinentce and impotency is starting to take it's toll. I figured that I'd be able to make a speedy recovery but not this slowly.
I am not disciplined enough to practice kegels regularly and didn't think I'd have to continue forever. I am getting better at tightening up when I sneeze or do something that I know will cause a slip but when does it become natural?
I try to drink lots of water (at least 2 liters/day plus other beverages) to maintain a healthy output. Ensuring that I don't go too long before taking a leak, Avoid too much coffee or other diuretics.
What to do? More kegels? Is it lifetime of kegels?
 
These questions are the same ones I have. Sounds very similar to my experience. I am truly great full to have experienced a successful surgery but side effects are tough. The leaking is bad but the ED is more difficult to deal with and having not yet reached 58 when all of this started.

I realize there are others younger than myself and my sympathy is with you. It is difficult. Not necessarily depressing just irritating.

Although I will take life over the alternative regardless of the incontinence and ED.
 
I have no idea but I can tell you a great number of men on this forum who will will be very kind and helpful
 
I am 2 1/2 years post surgery, age 72, and I still leak. Pads are part of my life. I accept this as a result of having prostate cancer. I am grateful that my PSA is undetectable...more important than leakage. Like you, I did kegels in the beginning, but haven't in a long while. I do stationary cycle daily and will start weight lifting soon. My urologist says losing weight should help also with leakage. Time will tell. For now I live with it as best I can. Still kicking. You are not alone in this journey.
 
I am 75 and 10 months post surgery. I do my Kegels every morning and evening without exception. I sometimes forget to wear a thin pad and normally do not have any leakage if I stay ahead of things and never pass up a bathroom. Good luck and keep kegeling.
 
Kingryan1, you mentioned that you drink plenty of fluids to ensure that you don't go too long without taking a leak. Has anyone spoken to you about bladder training? I’m just trying that out now. Basically, it involves keeping track of how often you void, and trying to gradually extend the time between voidings to at least 3 or 4 hours. It typically takes a couple of months or so to achieve (as I understand it). Maybe others who are more knowledgeable can chime in on this.

Like you, I'm about 1 1/2 years post surgery. I currently have very little to no leaking, but it occurred to me that I'm probably making more than average bathroom trips. So…I'll give bladder training a try. By the way, I’m using a free app on my phone called UriTrack, that makes recored keeping a breeze.

One final thing. Kegals may need to be a lifelong thing for some. Personally, I do 30 a day, before I get out of bed. I mean to do others later in the day, but never get around to it. I figure 30 is better than nothing. Best of luck…God bless.
 
Keep on keeping on, with undetectable. I’m 4 years out from RP at 74 now without recurrence of cancer. Shouldn’t speak so soon because I have my next blood test in 2 weeks, but hopeful always. Anyone know what the 5-year survival is? As for side effects, leaking continues — pad/day — unless active. And very active so 1-2/day — weights 3/wk, walking long distances 2/wk, vinyasa yoga 3-4/wk (probably the most helpful for my ageing body), and landscaping in the desert regularly. So I keep my weight in check at 5’10”/165lbs, but that hasn’t changed/helped leaking. Have quit Kegels at the 5 million mark, but do stop during urination for 15” about 4 times/day drawing in penis as much as possible and breathing. ED persists but 6 months ago started the pump/ring, which improved blood flow tremendously after 3+years of atrophy. Actually still anticipating intimacy again with an encouraging, beautiful spouse. There was a post yesterday claiming the stimulation of thinking about sex or approaching mate urged leaking. Yes it happens to me, ergo the pump/ring. Frankly surprised that anyone over 60 actually stops leaking, so never give up.
 
From what I have found the 5 year survival rate is approximately 98% and almost 98% for the ten year survival rate. Keep on keeping on.
 
See a PT who specializes in incontinence training and who has experience with men who have had RP. They were a big help to me. I finally had the male sling operation after 3 years and it was 100% effective. I was a good candidate with 1 or 2 light pads per day and I had tried everything else. I also had a good urologist and surgeon. Still have some ED and loss of length, but getting dry was a huge step forward. I had RP in 2018 and radiation and hormone treatment in early 2020. Had sling surgery in Nov 2021. Good luck. Keep exploring all the options for incontinence and for ED.
 
@Chuck11 Chuck, I go to the bathroom a lot also. I never heard of the UriTrack app you mention in your post. That sounds like something I can use. Thanks!
 
When I had my catheter in after surgery, I was told to drink a lot of fluids to flush out my bladder. I continued this practice until about 6 months later at which time I was told to practice training my bladder to urinate about every 3-4 hours. I also read an article by a top urologist at John Hopkins University about incontinence and he stated that an incontinent person should not be drinking a large amount of fluids during the day and not to drink fluids after 8:00 pm at night. He stated that you should drink when your thirsty and your body will tell you when to drink. I stopped drinking an excess amount of fluids and began regulating my drinking level based on the color of my urine. I drink enough so my urine remained light in color and practiced bladder control at the same time. To me it makes sense and had helped me a lot. I don't know how you can practice bladder control when your drinking fluids all day. It's illogical.
 
Greafidea about UriTrack, I will try to log and see if I can improve my fluid intake/output.
I know that I need to drink a lot of fluids as I get leg cramps in my sleep if I get slightly dehydrated.
And PT is on my to do list.
Thank you everyone!!
 
@Kingryan1 Learning Kegels from a PT is truly worth the effort, made a big difference to me - it lengthened the time when I'm sitting in a movie theater and get that instant, intense urge, until I have to get to the bathroom. Before Kegels, forget it, I would all pee down my leg until I got to the bathroom. Now I have enough control to even watch two more minutes of the movie, and then to get to the bathroom without running. That's just one example. Same thing at the mall, say I'm in a store that's a few minutes walk to the closest bathroom. Formerly, I couldn't make the distance, but now thanks to Kegels and awareness, I can. I still have mistakes, but I have fewer.
 
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