What is normal "flow" after surgery

[Dr_WHO]

It has been a week since the catheter was removed after DaVinchi surgery.  My surgeon is doing a study where I have to weigh my pads dally to record leakage.  They are trying different techniques to optimize nerve recovery and want to know what works.  I am averaging 300 grams a day or two very full pads.  I know that everyone leaks a lot for the first couple of months.  Since I have to record my results I was just wondering what other people experienced.  Not critical information, just courious. 

[bobbywizz]

I had my catheter moved one week ago and I am using one pad per day.I have only had one that was very wet. I was given a series of pelvic floor exercises to do including done with am exercise ball. I hope this helps. 

[Dr_WHO in reply to bobbywizz]

Thanks.  I was told to look up the exercises on the internet.  Do not know if I am doing it right or not.

[BrentW]

I had brachytherapy in 2004, which failed, followed by a laparoscopic RP in 2010, which also failed.  The result was utter and complete incontinence. 

[Dr_WHO]

Sorry for the result.  Please hang in there!!

[rudolph10021]

It is 6 1/2 weeks since my prostatectomy, 5 1/2 weeks  since the catheter was removed. I have been going through four or five pads a day, and regrettably I have not seen any improvement.  I do not have a problem when I am seated or lying down (I wear pads plus Depends, because I wear boxer shorts and also as a double precaution and generally change the Depends slightly more frequently than once a day). There may be some leakage when sitting  or lying down, but it is not noticeable. I have been doing the kegel exercises, but I guess not enough. When I am walking around I JUST LEAK; it is very frustrating. If I try to clench when walking it has no good effect, may even "pump" more out. Somebody mentioned other exercises beyond the basic clenching: what are they?

[Dr_WHO]

Sound a bit like me.  If I am not moving I am ok.  Walking, getting up, even talking and I find that I am leaking.  I am going through two depends + pads a day, but I let them get really full b/f I change.  Otherwise I would need to change every three hours.

If anyone knows good instructions for k exercise could you send the link?  They just gave me a pamphlet and told me to look it up on the Internet.  I do not know if I am doing it correct or not.

[jimreilly]

there's a huge variety--from people who are almost totally continent soon afterwards to people who are pretty much totally incontinent; recovery can continue, I was told, for up to a year and a half; what the averages are, I don't know, but maybe that study will find that out!

[Dr_WHO in reply to jimreilly]

I was told the same.  Since I am not getting any useful advice on how to do the exercises from the hospital I am going to try a personal trainer at the "Y".  

[rudolph10021]

I think that part of my frustration is that I have a friend who had a radical prostatectomy a while ago and he said that he "cured" the incontinence in three weeks, said his doctor told him to just do hundreds of KEGELS a day. And the tech who did part of my pre-surgery testing (although 15 +/- years younger) said it was natural to do the KEGELS, incontinence wasn't any problem.  On visit to urologist this week he said that it often takes three months or more, so that's probably more typical. I just wish it were over!

[Dr_WHO]

It is true that everyone is going to be different.  Hang in there.  My frustration is that I was told to do the exercises with no real guidance on how to do them.   

[JoelT]

To answer the question bout how do you know if you are doing the Kegels correctly.  Stand at the toilet and start the flow of urine, then quickly stop.  Keep doing this, stopping and starting the flow of urine at take note of how it feels.  Replicating that feeling is how to do a Kegel.

I don't agree with the advise to do 100's of Kegels a day.  Kegels are like working out with weights and you want to tire the muscles, but not exhaust them so that you then lose even more control.  Do a number of repetions a few times a day and like any other weight training you should increase the number of repetions as you grow stronger.

Joel

[Dr_WHO]

Thank you.  That is what I have been trying to do.  I did not know if there are other techniques.  I am a bit worried about some of the approaches I have read on the Internet. For example, there is one technique that is a weight that you put up your rear end and "lift".

[keepinon]

Hey Dr Who,

I know this post is from quite awhile ago, but I was wondering how your "flow" issues turned out? I am going through what you went through with no control when standing.

It has only been a week, but I am looking for encouragement in that it WILL get better eventually. Saw a PT person today to work on pelvic exercises. Thanks for any reply.

Hope you are doing well overall!