Artificial sphincter

[Jvmott]

After dealing with the effects of stage 3 PC , Incontinence etc. I'm thinking about having surgery for an artificial sphincter. Not thrilled with having more surgery but getting tired of dealing with Incontinence all day and the urine that accompanies having an ejaculation , hopefully that will go away as well

..I also have liver problems so my platelets are on the low side, so their will be a risk of bleeding..

Has anyone had this procedure? Any problems? Is it worth it?

Thanks in advance.

[bhammel]

I have no sex ability after colorectal surgery and PCA treatment later but I wear diaper during day and wear condom catheter with urine bag at night. This probably will only help when you can't have sex.

[YostConner]

I haven't had the surgery yet, but it's scheduled for next month. Like you, I got tired of dealing with things. The worst for me are pas overruns at work that soak my underwear and slacks. Good luck with the decision!

[Jvmott in reply to YostConner]

Thanks, and good luck with your surgery

..

[efsculpt]

Dear JVMott: I thought I read some guys opinions about their experience with artificial sphincters. Not sure were though so I did a search in our Malecare and there they were, written a year ago. I have new faith in my memory!

Here they are:

I am 74 with similar condition as yours. I highly recommend you check with your doctor about installing an artificial sphincter. It does involve surgery, but what a relief it will provide. I had my prostate surgery last Oct, and will have the artificial sphincter surgery this May. I have connected with several men who have had the surgery, and without exception, they all say it gave them their life and dignity back. Check it out.

Dcraw47

9 months agoDcraw47

I had a radical prostatectomy in 2002. I became incontenant and impotent. A year after surgery I had an artificial sphyncter inserted. I would advise you to look into having one inserted. It works really well and I don't need to wear diapers anymore. I have recommended it to a few other people and there happy they got one.

Check in the Search box upper right. I think there are a number of writings.

Best regards,

Craig

[Jvmott in reply to efsculpt]

Thanks for the info Craig, sounds encouraging. I'm going to talk to the surgeon about having it done in the spring..

[Hidden]

My RRP left me incontinent to the tune of 1-3 full pads per day (after a year of healing). My surgeon/oncologist was very disappointed, saying his continence rates are close to 99%. After months of Kegel exercises and another year or two of healing to ensure maximum recovery, he sent me to an oncologist who specializes in post-RRP incontinence. In fact, she lectures and trains surgeons all over the country on it. After extensive exams and tests, her conclusion was, "We don't know why you're incontinent, so we don't know whether surgery would help and doubt it justifies the risks. Besides, our goal with incontinence surgery is 1-3 pads a day. IOW, you already meet our sling/sphincter success criteria."

Upon hearing that, my original surgeon/oncologist/med school dept head/research director/all around great doc advised against incontinence surgery FOR ME. I had already reached that conclusion; I wasn't eager to risk surgery whose expected (by experts) outcome was my present status, and find pads an easily tolerated nuisance. I carry spares in every pair of pants (they make some nice-looking cargo pants with all-but-invisible pockets) and every coat, and check the one I’m wearing often if in doubt. HOWEVER, I am long retired, so I don’t have to be CERTAIN I never leak.

One pad (the ONLY pad I consider worth using is Tena's; I stock hundreds of them when on sale) may last me 24 hours, or I may soak 3 or 4 a day when out and about; I must be especially careful not to let them flood when not at home. OTOH, a two-hour, flat-out gym session leaves me dry. I can only guess the difference is that in the gym, even with unstructured activities like trapeze work and short sprints on the track or some piece of equipment are expected/anticipated by my body, whereas in the garden or the mall I don't subconsciously anticipate physical exertion. (The gym exception is the notorious trampoline, which I would flood within minutes. I cover my eyes when I walk past those Mortal Enemies of the Incontinent.) I and everyone around me is very glad my sport is a water sport; I'd be very unpopular on a basketball court, and wetsuits wash out easily.

I sorta couldda told these guys my problem isn't Kegel/pelvic floor muscle strength; it's perception; I don't perceive most leaks. I can flood a pad in an hour without ever feeling a squirt. Without such a trigger, my Kegel muscles do not react automatically. Several men in one online PC forum still suspect there's still some leak-sensor nerve surgeons have not found and/or accidentally damage; urologists deny that. Given today's microscopes, I doubt there are any undiscovered nerves.

So I'm stuck with the finest orgasms I've ever experienced. DAMN! As a young man my ejaculate was, what, an ounce? Now it's a pint to a quart, which must be experienced to be appreciated. Of course, that confines them to the shower, but that beats not having them.

[Jvmott]

Well, that gave me a lot to think about!

Thanks for all the info. I will have a long talk with the implant surgeon. Unfortunately my cancer had spread to the bladder neck and nerve bundles, so no erection but a soft orgasam but lots of urine streaming instead of the regular fluid. I do admit it feels great but like you said, limited to the shower or outside .. ha! I do use the tena pads which are the best.

Thanks again!