Urinary Incontinence

[E2-Guy]

I have been able to totally stop my incontinence by doing Kegel Exercises! I occasionally still do them if I happen to think about it. I highly recommend this exercise since it is effective, and takes absolutely no energy and can be done anywhere at anytime.

[Teufelshunde]

UChicago PT had me start on those a month before my surgery. 7 years later still doing 3x a day most days. App on my phone reminds me. They could actually measure progress in muscle.

[KocoPr in reply to Teufelshunde]

I also used an app on my phone before and after surgery and i am sure it helped a lot especially after surgery.

[Survivor1965 in reply to KocoPr]

Hey, what is that app called?

[Teufelshunde in reply to Survivor1965]

Alarmed. Good for vitamins, etc also.

[KocoPr in reply to Survivor1965]

I will look for it but it has been 9 years since surgery. Ahh i just searched on iphone App Store and i can’t remember which one but there seems to be a lot of 5 star ones now.

[j-o-h-n]

Good News for you............ keep on keeping on...........Me gone keeping gone.......Life sucks and then you discover pacifiers......

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[E2-Guy in reply to j-o-h-n]

Thanks j-o-h-n

[Tommyj2]

wish they worked for me…..

[E2-Guy in reply to Tommyj2]

How long have you been doing them?

[London441]

Congratulations! I did them faithfully for months after my initial treatment, but never regained continence at all. I have now had a AUS for 3 1/2 years and it works very well. Obviously it was not a choice I wanted to make.

[E2-Guy in reply to London441]

I'm happy to hear that your AUS surgery is working well for you!

[Survivor1965 in reply to London441]

Sorry what is AUS?

[London441 in reply to Survivor1965]

Artificial Urinary Sphincter.

[Break60 in reply to London441]

my AUS completely failed and had to be removed after six months. Caused major sepsis and three weeks hospitalization.

So I’ve been using Foley catheter ever since which unfortunately leaks through penis. So I must wear briefs and pads again. Pads need to be changed every couple hours.

Urologist tells me my urethra is badly scarred due to radiation after SRT so foley doesn’t fit snugly against urethra wall causing leakage. Urinary incontinence started about six years after SRT.

[London441 in reply to Break60]

Sorry to hear that! Six years seems a long time to develop such an issue, but the more I learn about side effects and treatment consequences in general the less surprised I am by any of it.

Although mine works well, I have had numerous problems with periodic infection in the groin area, specifically orchitis and epididymitis. Infrequent but vexing symptoms of rash and high fever. Infections from AUS always present as yours did-fast onset, acute and unrelenting-or so I’m told. Several urologists, including the one who installed the AUS, say my problems are definitively unrelated to the surgery itself. I have my doubts.

Acute late effects of scarring, cellulitis etc from radiation are said to be rare, but then I read or hear about someone like yourself.

All in all, I’m grateful to not be dying of metastatic disease at this point, but the treatments for it may kill me yet.

[E2-Guy in reply to Break60]

I'm sorry to hear what you have gone through! I hope your condition improves with more time.

[Alicat1]

Well done Ron! I'm super stoked for you mate. Perseverance paid off.

[E2-Guy in reply to Alicat1]

Thank you for your reply Alicat1.

[Survivor1965]

I need to quit being lazy and do these. I drip and flow so easy these days. Thanks for this info.

[Jazzman2023]

Thanks, any links/descriptions to what Kegel exersices you do ?

[E2-Guy in reply to Jazzman2023]

To do Kegels, imagine you are sitting on a marble and tighten your pelvic muscles as if you're lifting the marble. Try it for three seconds at a time, then relax for a count of three. Maintain your focus. For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles.

[Teufelshunde in reply to Jazzman2023]

Here is some info from internet. My PT at UChicago had us do 30 seconds (or build up to 30) x10, three times a day. One key is when you release muscle hold, make it a complete purposeful release. Just be careful in case you leak it could do that upon a release. Also, I know this is too late for most here, but super important getting that muscle in shape before treatment.

[Mgtd]

Amazing what exercise will do! Good job.

[Wahoo_]

I started mine after surgery, after about 6 mos was almost totally continent. For whatever reason, I quit. Will they work if I start doing them again?

[E2-Guy in reply to Wahoo_]

I assume that they will.