Will the sensation of needing to pee die down?

User

Posted 29 Apr 2017 at 15:22

I have been doing a bit of research and I understand that when you have the prostate out the internal unconscious mechanism for holding your urine is taken with it. This leaves the conscious mechanism, the external sphincter. Does this mean you are left consciously holding your urine the whole time?

Can anyone who has had this done tell me what it's like? Are you conscious that you are holding your pee all the time or does that sensation disappear?

User

Posted 29 Apr 2017 at 19:03

Have you had your prostate out Wazzily. If so when?

I'm sure those who have experience will be along to advise you but I think it's a case of your body has to relearn how to hold urine, much like when you are first toilet trained.

The body undergoes a lot of trauma with an operation so everything has to heal and it all takes time.

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 29 Apr 2017 at 19:56

I had a prostatectomy on 17th March, and I have been fairly fortunate. If you spend any time on this forum, you will find members have had a wide range of experiences. I don't know how much is related to one's urinary problems prior to the operation, but I didn't experience any issues beforehand.

In preparation for the operation you are encouraged to practice pelvic floor exercises, which help your control post-op. I certainly don't consciously think about stopping myself urinating. I still wear a thin pad in the day for any potential emergencies - typically when I'm tired from physical exercise - but I don't wear one at night. If you feel like you are suddenly going to urinate, you obviously consciously try to stop it, but it's not a constant feeling.

Hope that helps.

Chris

User

Posted 29 Apr 2017 at 20:07

Hi Wazzilly

There are loads of us on here who have had the op and some are dry straight after the op, some never regain full continence and others are somewhere between the two.

In my case I had urinary incontinence following the op but mostly during the day and I was fine at night. Bit by bit you find ways of controlling this in small increments until you realise that you only have a problem when standing, lifting and walking medium distances. As the weeks passed I found that I could control it when getting up and lifting things as well as walking long distances.

I still have some stress incontinence some 20 months post op but this is only when coughing or sneezing.

I have to admit that I couldn't be asked to go into the ins and outs of why it happens but just accepted that it does and then took advice about how to try to deal with it. Currently I wear the smallest pad in case of a sudden sneeze or cough but in my eyes I don't have a problem and this is just normal.

We are all different but I hope this might help a bit.

All the best

Kevan

User

Posted 29 Apr 2017 at 21:38

Hi Wazzily

Have you had rp ? or soon to have ?

The whole mechanism as you may know is a complex control system. .

To answer your specific question. Is doesn't show in that way at all.

Ie I can choose to empty bladder when I like. Ie as you when toilet trained.

The issue of incontinence is that members on here either have severe nerve damage or external sphincter damage.

Most probably stress incontinence although unfortunately some may be leaking constantly.

I was very very fortunate. See my profile. Dry immediately. Again I don't know if surgeon saved some of my internal sphincter and nerves or I have only the external. I was taught to 'nip the door shut' after my catheter came out after voiding. Ie kegels obviously help to pull the muscles shut in the early days. Nowadays it's no different than before rp. Ie I'm not having to constantly keep the external sphincter closed. Nothing can be predicted and luck may play a part. Obviously a lot of trauma in that area that takes ages to fully heal and the parasympathetic nervous system to reconfigure. My encrucaiting pain weeks later was never explained. Bladder can get cramps and spasms. Hope this helps

Gordon

Edited by member 29 Apr 2017 at 21:48 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 30 Apr 2017 at 00:30

I had the operation 2 and a half years ago, I too worried about this but what happened was that when the catheter came out I found I had no control and used pads. However over the next 6-7 weeks the outflow lessened to zero and my body automatically adjusted to the new world without a prostrate

It's fine still, but I wouldn't worry about pelvic floor exercises or conscious control- the body takes care of itself

User

Posted 30 Apr 2017 at 00:30

It's fine still, but I wouldn't worry about pelvic floor exercises or conscious control- the body takes care of itself

User

Posted 30 Apr 2017 at 05:45

As Kevan says 'we're all different", I wear NHS pads all the time to catch dribbles, but hey ho I'm still here, 12 years come November.

Chris.

User

Posted 30 Apr 2017 at 22:31

I'd like to know the answer to your question? I am now 3 months post op and I have pretty much total control during the day and for the most part of that day it is without thought or thoughtful need to control. At night it's a different matter. Both day and night, the feeling of need is subtle i.e. there is very little feeling which during the day is controllable but at night the degree of control is down to the degree of consciousness i.e. I can go into a 'deep' sleep (after a few night caps) and dribble or I can doze and stay dry.

User

Posted 01 May 2017 at 11:20

Are you drinking plenty?

It's much easier to get true sensations with a genuinely filling bladder, plus concentrated urine is an irritant to the sphincters.

If you are, back to the previous answers!

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