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This peeing thing

User
Posted 18 Oct 2023 at 17:35

Hello folks I'm new. I had my Prostatectomy 3 weeks ago and I'm at the end of my tether with constantly wetting myself . I don't think I took on just how heavy the incontinence would be. Can I ask how long it takes to get the muscles working or can this last for ever... Sorry to ask a basic question but I'm struggling with this today. It's getting me down.

Pete

Edited by member 19 Oct 2023 at 09:01  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 08:54

Hi Pete,

I had my surgery end January and was in same position as you find yourself I couldn't see the daylight but things slowly change and overall the journey will improve , posting on this site helped me come to terms with things and always someone here to offer support.

Take one day at a time and you will come out the other side.

All the best to you.

 

Vern.

User
Posted 18 Oct 2023 at 17:35

Hello folks I'm new. I had my Prostatectomy 3 weeks ago and I'm at the end of my tether with constantly wetting myself . I don't think I took on just how heavy the incontinence would be. Can I ask how long it takes to get the muscles working or can this last for ever... Sorry to ask a basic question but I'm struggling with this today. It's getting me down.

Pete

Edited by member 19 Oct 2023 at 09:01  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 18 Oct 2023 at 21:28
My sympathy Pete, that stage did seem dire. I remember my entire life revolving around being able to find place to change pads.

However it did improve! We are all different, but in my case the psychological breakthrough was about 6 weeks after the operation. I was still using a lot of pads, but my wife encouraged me to try to manage the holiday we had booked before diagnosis (our daughter was at school and this was for summer half term). I found I managed quite a lot of the activities without disaster (those involving the sea had the benefit that no one could tell why my trunks were wet!) and got a huge boost.

Slowly the number of pads I needed each day came down, and the next big breakthrough was around 6 months when I found I never needed more than two pads a day. It then became easy, I had the confidence that with a spare pad in my back pocket I knew I was able to manage.

Hold on there, and good luck!

User
Posted 18 Oct 2023 at 22:15

Hi Pete

It is very early days. Don't panic. It feels it will never stop and in the small hours of the morning you will feel awful. I have been there 12 years ago when I had my prostatectomy.

Start doing your pelvic floor exercises, if you are not doing them already. Easiest way to do is to sit on the toilet and in your case the urine will flow freely. Now imagine you are trying to stop the flow. This is an intuitive thing one does. You will probably will not notice any difference but count to ten and let go. Then count to ten and start squeezing to stop the flow, count to ten and let go. Repeat ten times. Do this three times a day. You may not notice any difference for a few days or even a couple if weeks. What you are trying to do is to remind your bladder/sphincter/pelvic floor/your brain that they have a serious job to do. I started noticing improvement after a week and gradually after three weeks I was 99.9% continent and that is where I am at after 12 years. I can give you more tips about rehabilitation and ED if you like.

Most important thing to do is to be patient and optimistic, difficult to do! Let us know how you are getting on.

Pratap

 

 'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.'                    Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

 

 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 19:46

Hi Pete,

I'm more than 2 years on from my op now but I still remember how grim the initial incontinence was. I had a turning point at about 5-6 weeks post op when all of a sudden I passed a load of clot debris. After that it really was a step change in continence. Coffee I could cope with (strangely not tea, so on decaff now). Even alcohol is fine unless I over egg it 😬

The early weeks can be a bit soul destroying but persevere - give it a chance for the sutures in your urethra to dissolve and see how things improve.

My local NHS continence service gave me what seemed like a lifetime supply of Tena pads (based on my initial incontinence) and I ended up gifting most of them to Ukranian refugees!  I might wear one these days if on a 20 mile hike.

Patience.

Cheers
"Upkeep"

User
Posted 18 Oct 2023 at 22:58

Hi Pete.

I had a prostatectomy 7 months ago.

  Like you,  3 weeks afterwards, I had very little control of my urination and felt very despondent.

Gradually things improved and now I wear a pad during the day but only as a safety precaution.

Things will get better mate.

 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 04:22

Thank You for your response. I just needed to reach out. I realised that I'd not taken on the enormity of incontinence. I didn't see it as what it actually is.

I will keep in touch if you don't mind

Thanks 🙏

Pete and Faith 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 04:23

Thanks for your kind words. I'll keep working on it. 🙏🙏

Pete 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 17:49

Pete

i had my surgery at Easter this year and went through the same experiences. After the catheter was removed I could not hold water as they say and was using 9/10 pads a day and sometimes wetting through. However things improved in steps. When I went back to work after 7 weeks (desk job) I had 2 spare pads with me and used both. Now some 6 months on I am not dry by any stretch but only normally require 1 pad every 24 hours and occasionally 2 if for instance I want to freshen up for going out in the evening. Alcohol and de caff tea impacts me so I’m trying to avoid them but for some strange reason hot chocolate and water are OK - go figure! Just remember everyone is different, be patient and most of all keep squeezing - things will invariably improve. Good luck. 

User
Posted 20 Oct 2023 at 08:57
Pete

When standing at the toilet, start the flow and then try and stop it mid flow - those are the muscles that you need to strengthen. Don't do it more than a couple of times but I found it really helped.

User
Posted 11 Aug 2024 at 14:53

Hi everyone. Last week I had my catheter removed after 12 weeks. Things took much longer to heal after RALP. I passed the TWOC without problem. I am now leaking to the extent of using 4 pads by day and another at night. I am not getting any urge to urinate during the day (is it because so much is leaking away) but at least 3 times during the night I wake up needing the toilet. Is this unique to me and is there any reason to be concerned. Any thoughts gratefully received.

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User
Posted 18 Oct 2023 at 21:28
My sympathy Pete, that stage did seem dire. I remember my entire life revolving around being able to find place to change pads.

However it did improve! We are all different, but in my case the psychological breakthrough was about 6 weeks after the operation. I was still using a lot of pads, but my wife encouraged me to try to manage the holiday we had booked before diagnosis (our daughter was at school and this was for summer half term). I found I managed quite a lot of the activities without disaster (those involving the sea had the benefit that no one could tell why my trunks were wet!) and got a huge boost.

Slowly the number of pads I needed each day came down, and the next big breakthrough was around 6 months when I found I never needed more than two pads a day. It then became easy, I had the confidence that with a spare pad in my back pocket I knew I was able to manage.

Hold on there, and good luck!

User
Posted 18 Oct 2023 at 22:15

Hi Pete

It is very early days. Don't panic. It feels it will never stop and in the small hours of the morning you will feel awful. I have been there 12 years ago when I had my prostatectomy.

Start doing your pelvic floor exercises, if you are not doing them already. Easiest way to do is to sit on the toilet and in your case the urine will flow freely. Now imagine you are trying to stop the flow. This is an intuitive thing one does. You will probably will not notice any difference but count to ten and let go. Then count to ten and start squeezing to stop the flow, count to ten and let go. Repeat ten times. Do this three times a day. You may not notice any difference for a few days or even a couple if weeks. What you are trying to do is to remind your bladder/sphincter/pelvic floor/your brain that they have a serious job to do. I started noticing improvement after a week and gradually after three weeks I was 99.9% continent and that is where I am at after 12 years. I can give you more tips about rehabilitation and ED if you like.

Most important thing to do is to be patient and optimistic, difficult to do! Let us know how you are getting on.

Pratap

 

 'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.'                    Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

 

 

User
Posted 18 Oct 2023 at 22:58

Hi Pete.

I had a prostatectomy 7 months ago.

  Like you,  3 weeks afterwards, I had very little control of my urination and felt very despondent.

Gradually things improved and now I wear a pad during the day but only as a safety precaution.

Things will get better mate.

 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 04:19

Thanks JB that's much appreciated.

Pete 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 04:22

Thank You for your response. I just needed to reach out. I realised that I'd not taken on the enormity of incontinence. I didn't see it as what it actually is.

I will keep in touch if you don't mind

Thanks 🙏

Pete and Faith 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 04:23

Thanks for your kind words. I'll keep working on it. 🙏🙏

Pete 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 08:54

Hi Pete,

I had my surgery end January and was in same position as you find yourself I couldn't see the daylight but things slowly change and overall the journey will improve , posting on this site helped me come to terms with things and always someone here to offer support.

Take one day at a time and you will come out the other side.

All the best to you.

 

Vern.

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 08:59

Thank you 🙏

Edited by member 19 Oct 2023 at 09:03  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 17:49

Pete

i had my surgery at Easter this year and went through the same experiences. After the catheter was removed I could not hold water as they say and was using 9/10 pads a day and sometimes wetting through. However things improved in steps. When I went back to work after 7 weeks (desk job) I had 2 spare pads with me and used both. Now some 6 months on I am not dry by any stretch but only normally require 1 pad every 24 hours and occasionally 2 if for instance I want to freshen up for going out in the evening. Alcohol and de caff tea impacts me so I’m trying to avoid them but for some strange reason hot chocolate and water are OK - go figure! Just remember everyone is different, be patient and most of all keep squeezing - things will invariably improve. Good luck. 

User
Posted 19 Oct 2023 at 19:46

Hi Pete,

I'm more than 2 years on from my op now but I still remember how grim the initial incontinence was. I had a turning point at about 5-6 weeks post op when all of a sudden I passed a load of clot debris. After that it really was a step change in continence. Coffee I could cope with (strangely not tea, so on decaff now). Even alcohol is fine unless I over egg it 😬

The early weeks can be a bit soul destroying but persevere - give it a chance for the sutures in your urethra to dissolve and see how things improve.

My local NHS continence service gave me what seemed like a lifetime supply of Tena pads (based on my initial incontinence) and I ended up gifting most of them to Ukranian refugees!  I might wear one these days if on a 20 mile hike.

Patience.

Cheers
"Upkeep"

User
Posted 20 Oct 2023 at 08:57
Pete

When standing at the toilet, start the flow and then try and stop it mid flow - those are the muscles that you need to strengthen. Don't do it more than a couple of times but I found it really helped.

User
Posted 11 Aug 2024 at 14:53

Hi everyone. Last week I had my catheter removed after 12 weeks. Things took much longer to heal after RALP. I passed the TWOC without problem. I am now leaking to the extent of using 4 pads by day and another at night. I am not getting any urge to urinate during the day (is it because so much is leaking away) but at least 3 times during the night I wake up needing the toilet. Is this unique to me and is there any reason to be concerned. Any thoughts gratefully received.

User
Posted 11 Aug 2024 at 18:58

Hi Carrow,

I had a similar experience after catheter was removed: during the day, I had no signals that my bladder needed emptying,  but would notice that my incontinence pad felt heavy, and when I checked, it would be soaking wet.  But when lying down at night, my bladder would fill and I was alerted to the need to empty my bladder.  Keep doing your Kegel / lower pelvic floor exercises.  Eventually it got better for me, but I still wear a pad every day some 2 years after surgery.

Best wishes,

JedSee.

User
Posted 11 Aug 2024 at 21:25

Many thanks, JedSee. I feel re-assured knowing that I am not the only one to experience this situation. 

User
Posted 04 Sep 2024 at 12:58

Hi Pete

Hearing the experiences here I think I'm one of the lucky ones when it comes to incontinence.

Had my TWOC 12th August  and took a supply of Molicare MEN pads as advised. No probs on the short journey home.

Got home to find that when I had the urge to pee and when I pulled down my undies and pad I was already peeing, not a dribble actually peeing. This went on for a few hours and I overreacted and ordered a shed load of new pads.

I was not looking forward to going to bed on the first night thinking maybe I should have bought an incontinence blanket but to my surprise I got through the night with a bone dry pad. Only problem was waking up every hour or so for a pee.  The surgeon said this will improve as the bladder gets used to the fact the prostate is no longer there.

Over the next couple of days the incontinence subsided to a few dribbles especially when getting up from a chair (a quick squeeze of the pelvis floor muscle helps this) or if something made me laugh or I sneezed or coughed. 

I'm now using maybe 2 pads a day with no real problems. They are not really wet just changing for hygiene reasons. 

Next test  is navigating the golf course!!

Hope this helps

Cheers

Len

 
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