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Four weeks post op.

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User
Posted 29 Aug 2025 at 15:07

Hi. As above, I'm four weeks post op, two weeks post catheter removal. Scars are healing nicely, walking well and sleeping well and over the initial shock of incontinence which is better but far from over.

I just wanted to ask what my expectations should be? I read of months, even years. I suppose I'm seeking reassurance as everyone is different, but given my weight, fitness and the fact I did regular pelvic floor exercise I was, or at least I am hoping for a fairly swift return to dryness. I don't get a steam when I stand up any more, just a drop or two I can anticipate and control on quite a few occasions. I wear the pant version at night which isn't dry but not too bad from 9pm to 9am, a pad from 9am to 2pm which gets pretty full, then a pant again from 2pm until bedtime which is getting dryer having been the worst period of the day until recently. The quick squeeze exercises have to be done over the loo as they produce a squirt or two after three or four squeezes. 

Any comments, shared experiences or observations from what I've said would be appreciated.

Thank you.

User
Posted 29 Aug 2025 at 21:40

Hi Grecophile

we are all different ,6 weeks post op I was on 5 pads per day ,although I had been almost dry at night from the start.My surgeon felt I was worse than average as in his experience at this point I should have been on 2 pads per day ,having read a lot of posts on here I am not sure I agree with him .At this point he advised me to increase from 3 to 5 sets of pelvic floor exercises.These exercises done correctly and frequent enough are our best means of regaining continence.In my case my real breakthrough came after about 5 months when I felt confident enough to sit around a swimming pool in speedo,s with no pad (not a pretty sight).Now at 7 months I have stopped wearing pads for normal daily use and most times do not need one when playing golf.

There will be some of use who unfortunately will never regain full continence ,but for most of us who do the Pelvic floor exercises frequently and correctly we will get there .

I hope you make good progress 👍

User
Posted 30 Aug 2025 at 11:56
I never leaked more than a few drops once the catheter was removed so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

Although I continued to wear a pad it was more for insurance purposes and four months on I have no need at all.

Did the exercises before the operation but never did bother after and my surgeon was happy with this.

User
Posted 31 Aug 2025 at 09:30

Did you have retzius sparing RARP? With that I found I leaked a little up to week 5 when the dissolvable stitches around the bladder neck started to soften thus releasing the sphincter a little more enhancing its ability to close. After that point I just had the old leak and drip which slowly got better. My professor set my expectations and said some people can be continent straight away whereas it can take the initial five weeks for the stitches to soften if the surgery was more involved. In the first six months are significant in terms of healing progress and then there is slower healing progress up to ~12 months and then things kinda even out.

if you didn’t have retzius sparing RARP surgery it can take around 12 months to see the same results.

I think a lot of it is based on the surgeons skill reflected in volume of surgery plus technical ability.

Edited by member 31 Aug 2025 at 09:31  | Reason: Not specified

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User
Posted 29 Aug 2025 at 21:40

Hi Grecophile

we are all different ,6 weeks post op I was on 5 pads per day ,although I had been almost dry at night from the start.My surgeon felt I was worse than average as in his experience at this point I should have been on 2 pads per day ,having read a lot of posts on here I am not sure I agree with him .At this point he advised me to increase from 3 to 5 sets of pelvic floor exercises.These exercises done correctly and frequent enough are our best means of regaining continence.In my case my real breakthrough came after about 5 months when I felt confident enough to sit around a swimming pool in speedo,s with no pad (not a pretty sight).Now at 7 months I have stopped wearing pads for normal daily use and most times do not need one when playing golf.

There will be some of use who unfortunately will never regain full continence ,but for most of us who do the Pelvic floor exercises frequently and correctly we will get there .

I hope you make good progress 👍

User
Posted 30 Aug 2025 at 11:56
I never leaked more than a few drops once the catheter was removed so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

Although I continued to wear a pad it was more for insurance purposes and four months on I have no need at all.

Did the exercises before the operation but never did bother after and my surgeon was happy with this.

User
Posted 31 Aug 2025 at 09:30

Did you have retzius sparing RARP? With that I found I leaked a little up to week 5 when the dissolvable stitches around the bladder neck started to soften thus releasing the sphincter a little more enhancing its ability to close. After that point I just had the old leak and drip which slowly got better. My professor set my expectations and said some people can be continent straight away whereas it can take the initial five weeks for the stitches to soften if the surgery was more involved. In the first six months are significant in terms of healing progress and then there is slower healing progress up to ~12 months and then things kinda even out.

if you didn’t have retzius sparing RARP surgery it can take around 12 months to see the same results.

I think a lot of it is based on the surgeons skill reflected in volume of surgery plus technical ability.

Edited by member 31 Aug 2025 at 09:31  | Reason: Not specified

 
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