Biofeedback For Incontinence After Protatectomy
Biofeedback is a widely used technique that helps people understand how to control their body functions, including the urinary control. It has proved its efficiency in helping many men regain their urinary control.
Biofeedback therapy uses computer graphs and audios to make it easier for you to locate the muscles you a are working on. It is a teaching tool that instructes you how to strengthen your muscles.
How Long Does Incontinence Last
One thing you should know is that most men regain continence following prostate surgery. If youre between the ages of 40 and 60, and generally healthy, the outlook is particularly good. In such cases, most men are no longer experiencing incontinence after about three months.
For others, it takes closer to a year. In such cases, there are effective treatments.
Urinary Control Or Continence
Loss of continence is one of the most stress-producing potential side effects of radical prostatectomy because urinary functions are so frequent throughout the day and dysfunction brings into embarrassing highlight what was for most of a mans life an unconscious function requiring little attention.
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The Long Wet Road Back To Normal
Incontinence after radical prostatectomy sucks. But for nearly all men, it goes away. For the very small percentage in whom it doesnt, there is help.
JP Mac is an Emmy award-winning animation writer who worked for Warner Bros. and Disney, and a novelist. He is also very funny.
So, when he wrote a short ebook about his experience with prostate cancer including his diagnosis in 2014 at age 61, the rush to find the right treatment and get it done before his health insurance was going to expire, his laparoscopic-robotic prostatectomy and the complications afterward, and his five-month battle to recover urinary continence after the surgery he could legitimately have written a soap opera, or maybe even a tear-jerker but he didnt.
Instead, his ebook has a title that sounds like 1950s pulp fiction: They Took My Prostate: Cancer, Loss, Hope. Its not Prostate Cancer Lite, and it doesnt minimize what he or anyone else has gone through to get back to normal after radical prostatectomy. Far from it in fact, his short, hopeful essay is a testament to what it takes to recover from this difficult but life-saving surgery: a balanced perspective, a good sense of humor, a great support system, and plain old hard work and persistence.
Heres a message you hardly ever hear about prostate cancer, or any illness, for that matter: Its okay to laugh! That doesnt mean its not scary, and that it doesnt wear you down, or that youre not afraid you wont ever get back to normal.
What Happens Immediately After Surgery
Once your surgery has finished, you are taken to the recovery room where you will wake up.
There will be a catheter in your bladder and sometimes a small wound drain.
You will often feel a sense of needing to empty your bladder. This is normal and is due to the irritation and spasm of the bladder caused by the catheter. This sensation slowly resolves and medication can be given to help relax the bladder. The catheter is held in place with a 3cm inflatable balloon on the catheter tip so cannot fall out with normal activity. Your catheter will remain in for approximately ten days to allow the new join between your bladder and urethra to heal.
Typically, after one hour in the recovery room, you are taken back to the ward. You will be able to sit up in bed and eat dinner on the evening of surgery and walk about the ward that day or the following morning. Blood thinners and calf compressors are used to reduce the risk of blood clots forming within the veins. Post-operative pain is well controlled through the use of regular pain medication. Once you are comfortable and confident in caring for the catheter you can head home. Hospital stay is typically 1-2 nights for robotic surgery and 2-3 nights for open surgery.
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Practice Good Toilet Habits
Go to the toilet when your bladder feels full dont get into the habit of going just in case. After prostate surgery you may find that you do not experience the sensation of a full bladder. The sensation of a full bladder will gradually return as you are able to hold on longer. It is important to practice holding on to increase the amount of urine your bladder can hold.
Different Types Of Urinary Incontinence
There are several different types of urinary incontinence, but the most common in men who have had prostate surgery is called stress incontinence. When you cough or sneeze, or pick up something heavy, the muscles in your abdomen put extra pressure on your bladder and urine may leak out.
You may have just a few dribbles of urine, a medium amount, or even a heavy loss of urine. You may find that you have a higher degree of incontinence right after surgery, and that it gets better with time. If you continue to have issues, though, there are treatments.
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Managing Stress Urinary Incontinence
While your body is healing after the surgery, you will want to wear absorbent pads in order to prevent urine leakage onto your clothing or the bed. Patients who are overweight are encouraged to lose weight since excess weight can press on the bladder and worsen stress urinary incontinence.
Engaging in light physical activity is usually recommended by doctors. Diuretics such as coffee, tea, and alcohol should be reduced or avoided altogether. If your urinary incontinence also happens at night, it is recommended to avoid consuming liquids two hours before bedtime.
Special exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles, such as Kegel exercises, can also help with improving bladder control. Your doctor can explain how and how often to do these exercises.
What Happens During My Operation
A general anaesthetic will be used you will be asleep throughout the procedure. During surgery, you will be given antibiotics by injection.
Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
Robotic surgery is performed via keyhole incisions and uses sophisticated mini-instruments which are under the control of the surgeon. The robot mimics and assists the surgeons movements it does not do the operation. The technique is now widely used because of its high degree of surgical accuracy, and because your recovery is faster than it is for open surgery.
Six small incisions are made into the abdomen through which the robotic instruments are inserted. The robot is placed beside you in the operating theatre. The robot has four arms three for instruments and one for a high magnification 3-D camera to allow the surgeon to see inside your abdomen. The robotic instruments are small approximately 7mm in width. The surgeon sits in the same rooms but away from the patient and with the robotic technology is able to carry out more controlled and precise movements in a small space within the body.
The muscle fibres and nerves that control continence are preserved.
The skin is closed with absorbable sutures which are located under the skin and are not visible and the outside is sealed with skin glue.
Blood loss is usually less than 200mL and the risk of a blood transfusion is < 2%.
Open Prostatectomy
Blood loss is usually around 500mL. The risk of a blood transfusion in my hands is < 2%.
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A Patients Story: Overcoming Incontinence
Christopher Miller* is a real estate agent who is married and has two sons. About five years ago, at age 56, Mr. Miller was diagnosed with prostate cancer. After a great deal of research and consultations with five doctors, Mr. Miller decided to have a radical prostatectomy.
Although he considers the operation a success, in that it has apparently eradicated the cancer, Mr. Miller struggled for almost two years to overcome persistent urinary incontinence. For much of that time, he felt ill-served by the medical community. The story of how he eventually overcame this problem may be helpful to other men in the same situation.
What was going through your mind when you learned you had prostate cancer?
Like anyone else, I was surprised. You never think its going to happen to you. The biggest fear, of course, is that it might be life-threatening. Even though I knew this is generally a disease that takes a long time to grow, I still wondered how much longer I might have to live. So I thought of things like: Is my family provided for? Are my financial affairs in order? Will my children be secure? Will I ever meet my grandchildren?
Of course, I was very concerned about my wife. Wed been married 32 years at that point, and I worried about what impact this would have on her. Shes a very strong and good person, and she remained at my side every moment of the time. And that support proved to be invaluable.
How many physicians did you see before making a treatment decision?
Prostate Surgery Urinary Incontinence: How To Avoid It
If you are reading this, there is a good chance that you or someone close to you has had an issue with urinary incontinence.
Whether it be the result of prostate surgery or another condition, this can be an embarrassing and frustrating problem.
However, many people arent aware that there are things they can do to help alleviate the symptoms associated with urinary incontinence.
Disclaimer:
This article is written for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information should not be construed as offering medical opinions. Any of the recommended treatments presented here may cause side effects and complications of varying severity therefore one must always consult a medical professional before administering any treatment.
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Why Does Prostate Surgery Cause Urinary Incontinence
Understanding the issue of urinary incontinence after prostate surgery helps to understand the bladder and the job it performs. This hollow, muscular, balloon-shaped organ holds urine which the kidneys produce after filtering waste material in the blood. Urine will travel down the ureters, tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder. Once the bladder fills with urine, a person gets the urge to eliminate the urine, which happens through a tube called the urethra. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, but removing the prostate during surgery may disrupt the bladder that holds urine, resulting in urine leakage.
What Is The Main Cause Of Post
The main cause is a problem with the sphincter muscle. In most cases, this is injured during prostate surgery when the surgeon removes the prostate. When the sphincter becomes injured or does not work properly, it cannot hold urine in.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help yourself if you experience urinary incontinence after prostate surgery.
Urinating Several Times A Day
Drink plenty of water, eliminating as much as possible any liquids that are diuretic . Drinking fluids will keep your bladder full. If the muscle is unable to hold urine in because it is weak, this may help to relax the muscle enough that it can hold urine in.
Prostate supplement
One of the most recommended supplements for urinary incontinence is PX7 Primal Flow. It works by reducing the size of the prostate, helping to protect it from injury during sudden movements. It also helps strengthen the muscle that makes urination possible by going through a process called prostate apoptosis.
This supplement works for many different prostate conditions, including urinary incontinence. In fact, studies have shown this to be an effective way of treating urinary incontinence after prostate surgery.
In addition to these supplements, there are several other steps you can take to help your urinary incontinence:
Exercise regularly
This helps strengthen the sphincter muscle so it works properly. Pick an exercise routine that you will enjoy, and stick to it.
Kegel exercises
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Urinary Frequency And Urgency
Some men find they need to urinate more often after having radiotherapy , or get a sudden urge thats hard to ignore . You may also need to urinate more often at night . It usually only lasts for a few months after radiotherapy, but if it happens, it might help to drink less in the two hours before you go to bed, and to avoid drinks that irritate the bladder
A small number of men leak urine before they can reach the toilet . This happens when the bladder muscles twitch and squeeze without you controlling them. This pushes urine out before youre ready.
Managing Incontinence After Prostate Surgery
Incontinence is experienced by many men following prostate surgery. Men often find this to be a stressful challenge to manage during the recovery process. It is important to get professional advice to help cope with incontinence after Prostate Surgery.
Why is it common to develop incontinence after Prostate Surgery?
How long are you likely to be affected by incontinence?
It is estimated that the majority of men will begin to see an improvement one to six months after surgery. Other men leak urine for a year or more, while some men never fully recover. Larger studies, reported more recently, indicate that the problem of urinary incontinence often persists after surgery for prostate cancer. A study of the outcomes of 1,291 men who underwent radical prostatectomy, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that 8.4% remained incontinent 18 months or longer after surgery. Another study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute questioned 901 men who were treated with surgery and found that 14% to 16% were incontinent five years after treatment. Finally, a recent analysis of 11,522 men who underwent radical prostatectomy found that 18% to 24% of men continued to experience incontinence more than one year after surgery.
How can you reduce the risk of becoming heavily incontinent after surgery?
What should you ask your Doctor or Nurse if you are having Prostate Surgery?
> Will my urinary problems get better?
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Urinary Leakage Is Common After Prostate Removal
Do you leak urine after your surgery for prostate cancer? Did you know that Urinary Incontinence is common after radical prostatectomy ?
According to a study in 1998 by Moul, Stress urinary incontinence can affect up to:
- 54% of patients at three months after surgery
- 38% of patients at six months after surgery
- 35% of patients at 12 months after surgery
If you are experiencing urinary leakage after prostate removal, you are not alone! Also, rest assured that this is a treatable problem.
What Is The Prostates Role In Urination
When urine is emptied into the bladder from the kidneys, its kept inside the body by a couple of valves that stay closed until your body tells them to open when you urinate.
If youve had your prostate completely removed, youve had a surgery called radical prostatectomy. Along with the prostate gland, the surgeon has to remove one of the valves outside the prostate that open and close to let urine out or keep it in. Usually having one working valve is enough, but there might also be also be some effect on the nerves and muscles in the area from the surgery that allows urine to leak. Approximately 6% to 8% of men whove had surgery to remove their prostates will develop urinary incontinence.
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How Long Does Urinary Incontinence After Prostate Surgery Last
It’s impossible to say exactly how long it lasts. The chances of you having urinary problems may be influenced by your age, weight and the physical characteristics of your urethra .
However, a majority of men are eventually continent after a radical prostatectomy. In many cases, men are able to go safely without any kind of incontinence product after about three months. This is especially true of men who are healthy overall and fall into the age range of 40 to 60 years. If you are having persistent problems, its important to know that there are ways to treat urinary incontinence after prostate surgery.
Post Prostatectomy Urinary Incontinence: How Its Treated
Despite improvements in surgical techniques, and robotic assisted prostatectomy in particular, there is still a risk of urinary incontinence following prostate cancer surgery. This type of incontinence is known as Post Prostatectomy Incontinence .
PPI can affect daily life from how able you are to work, to how confident you feel in social situations. It can feel embarrassing, stressful to manage, and incredibly isolating.
King Edward VIIs Hospital consultant urologist Mr Jeremy Ockrim takes some time out to discuss how treatment for prostate cancer can lead to urinary incontinence, and what the treatment options are.
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What Treatments Are Available To Me If My Incontinence Doesnt Go Away After A Year
While kegels and behavioral therapy work well for most men with mild to moderate leaking, they may not be completely effective for some. Luckily, there are still some options for treating bladder leakage after prostate surgery.
Another surgery is sometimes needed when bladder leaks persist for more than a year after surgery. This may consist of having a urethral sling procedure, or an artificial urinary sphincter.
With a urethral sling procedure, a synthetic mesh tape is implanted to support the urethra. Up to an 80% improvement has been seen with this procedure and some men stop leaking completely.
An artificial urinary sphincter is used in patients who have more severe urinary incontinence that is not improving, or for those patients who may have had a lot of damage to the sphincter muscle after prostate surgery. An artificial urinary sphincter is a mechanical ring that helps close the exit from the bladder.
As will all surgeries, these come with pros and cons and potential complications. Be sure to discuss these options with your doctor.