Incontinence 1 year on after a radical prostatectomy

He also tried the bladder retraining thing. He tends to do this when he's driving. One more service station is the post prostatectomy version of Russian Roulette

I was dry 4 days post catheter after RARP but lost my continence following a series of ops that finished early Nov 2015, I was leaking between 40 and 200 ml a day. I went onto the sheath system for a few weeks and this seemed to help with bladder training. The leaks gradually dropped to about 10 ml at which point I decided enough was enough and I would no longer be incontinent. I am now at about 3 ml a day,at 40ml a day my consultant offered sling or AUS. I see him again this week four weeks from last seeing him. This week I got his report following cystoscopy saying the sphincter was inoperative so not sure how I can manage to stop urinating, has it just recovered ?Someone on here mentioned mind traing for bladder control so I guess that is what I have been doing.

Hope all goes well whichever route you take.

Thanks Chris

It sounds like you might benefit from bladder retraining. Some men find that the message from their bladder to their brain gets messed up after PCa treatment so that the brain believes the bladder is full when it isn't. Alternatively, you are suffering urinary retention and not emptying properly, or you could have an over-active bladder as a result of RT. There could even be a bit of infection lingering. Ask for a referral to your local incontinence service or - if there isn't one in your area - back to urology. They may put you through some urodynamics tests and scan you to see how much you are retaining in your bladder after weeing and can then advise you from there.

Edited by member 26 Sep 2017 at 21:58  | Reason: Not specified

Hi Colin

Have you questioned why you are taking  Oxybutinin ? Are you dry at night completely ?

I agree with Lynn, ask for uriflow tests.   Are you actually emptying ? - ie easy to do yourself, flow etc .. just time flow into container.

Just looking at what you have posted.  Every half hour ? > 20 times a day ?  (20 x 100ml = 2 litres) Are you drinking a lot of caffeine ?

I have been lucky, full control (better flow than before op)

Average day will be : dry at night (8hrs ish)     5 - 7 times a day (I empty about 300 ml max in about 20 seconds)

Flow rate is around 10 ml per sec as you age over 60+,  bladder 250 - 350 ml ish - you can do the maths to empty

 (probably >20ml per sec as a teenager !).  I've never measured total volume in 24 hrs, it should I understand be around 1500 - 2000ml.

I have noticed I do however get the the urge to go (and still do) a lot earlier than I used to (which I ignore). 

I hope you are sorted ...    some simple tests should give you an idea on how much your urethra is passing, it should help to diagnose what exactly may be happening.  ie in my opinion , get some metrics.      

Regards

Gordon

Hi Guys and Gals,

Firstly may I say how much relief and help I have found from the posts on this topic, in particular knowing that I am not the only sufferer trying to understand all possible healing options, whilst getting on and enjoying life.

I am 72 and had a RP in June 2017, only four months ago, and I'm hopeful that my aggressive cancer has been stopped in its tracks. Time will of course tell. I am however suffering from incontinence - a constant flow during the day but thankfully dry overnight. I am doing my Kegel exercises and several times a day am trying to hold tight my bladder for as long as possible. But the moment I relax the flow starts. I wear incontinence pants, and use a DribbleStop clamp whilst out and about. I can live with this inconvenience (if you'll pardon the pun), but would really like to find a way of solving the problem on a permanent basis, perhaps in time an AS?

What I fail to understand is why when flat on my back or indeed sitting my bladder fills and I can eventually feel the urge the moment I stand up the flow begins and the bladder fails to fill. Gravity? At least with the clamp the bladder does fill and the urge eventually comes.

Any suggestions would be extremely gratefully received.

Jim

Hi Tony,

Thank you so much for your comments and suggestions. I will follow up on the Conveen sheath and bag. I will also try to be patient and continue with the exercises, whilst researching an AUS. Thank you also for the link to your AUS Experiences.

Wishing you well.

Jim

I’m waiting to see the Consultant urologist again to discuss further surgery eg. An AUS, as something has to happen.

Without a doubt, before a protastectomy, no way are you REALLY told how incontinent you could become and for how long.And im only 49.

I still wear one pad per day and leak around a teaspoon on a good day if I have not been very active to 4 to 8 teaspoon fulls if I am active doing DIY or cutting the grass etc. I have tried going without a pad, but it catches me out unexpectedly so need to wear one just in case as it is usually wet by the end of the day. It’s fine without a pad overnight. I have got into the habit of recording the weight of yesterday’s pad each morning to keep tabs on the amount I’m leaking.

I now have undetectable PSA, long may that continue, and can cope with wearing a pad each day, but my concern is that when I get older, I am now 70, general muscle weakness will make it worse. I have just completed a urodynamics study and am awaiting the results, but the nurse said it was normal and she advised I should stop taking over-active bladder medication. I was advised by my urologist to take Betmiga over a year ago and it was making no difference at all. As you say it is purely down to walking and being active that causes the leakage. I might ask for a camera inspection of the bladder/urethra junction, but not sure if I want surgery to implant any mechanical device that could fail in time.