I had my prostate removed on Sept. 21, (I am writing this on Nov. 21), so it has been 2 months. My catheter did not want to come out at first, so it was in for just under 4 weeks. I was wondering how long it takes for bladder control to cease being a problem.
Right now I am getting by using Depends guards, (maximum), and I think I am coming along, but I still can't go out to a store and walk around without leaking. The surgeon sait everything went well and he was able to save the nerves, so I'm hoping that, in time, things will get back to normal, but it is frustrating to be always worried about a leak in public.
I would love to here about some other patient's recovery times.
Rick, mines was removed on the 16th of September ..... I am doing much better, don't need my depends unless I drink alcohol before I got to bed...
Did you do any exercises to help that along. My pads are not soaked like at the start, and I do see some improvement, but there is no way I would leave the house without one on and a spare in my pocket.
Nope, didn't do any excercises just with the help of Father Time ..... I still minimize my intake of fluid when I know I'm gonna be out of the house. Overall , I only get a little nervous when it's bed time!! I'm confident soon that will be my least worry!!!
Hi
I am over 12 months now as had mine removed 30th Oct 2015. Nerves were spared and I would say three to four months for my bladder to settle down. I hardly used the pads or lets say I didn't wet them as I didn't go to far from home!. I used a daily sheath catheter which was very good until I got my control back. I am however on a drug for over-sensitive bladder (Solifenacin Succinate) and do Kegal exercises once a day (PFEI app on android phone-free download) I found over than once and my bladder gets 'tired' and I cannot hold much. I may be OK off the drug but ran out and tried for a week, it was back to square one in a way as couldn't hold much urine 
Maybe time is the best cure as said
Hope this helps
hi rick,
i can relate. Let me put your mind at rest ... or give you my story. I was a good 8 weeks before things began to normalise after catheter removed. I wore pads to stop leaking. A discomfort but essential. do your kegel exercises. I think it helps control things. Your prostate was key in controlling your bladder and what is left has to learn to take over the control. When you pee hold it for a few seconds mid flush. this strengthens things. Incontinence will go. I'm 16 months on from my surgery. I'm 55 years old. Sex and erections still a problem however. Now use a pump to give me an erection. The pills (all of 'em) don't work. Nerves spared on one side I'm told. Dead down there otherwise. Would love to hear from anone if erections come back after the much acclaimed 18-24 months from anyone out there. Have an understanding partner otherwise mahor depression ensues. Never been ill or ever been in hospital until diagnosed with prostate cancer. UK NHS is amazing and i get good (free) service on all products that I've persevered with - In Scotland we don't pay for prescriptions. Feel for you Rick. Strange new world. I used to think that God (when I believed he existed) was male plumber now I'm not so sure.
take care friend
I had surgery a month before yours. I used Teena pads level 3 for some time (at least two pads a day) and then level 2 pads (again at least two pads a day).
For the last couple of weeks I use one pad a day and it's a level 1. The pad is never soaked, but I leak when I don't expect it and would never leave home without wearing a pad.
it is known that some men can take up to twelve months to be rid of pads with most men getting rid of them by six months.
Don't worry about leaking. Just make sure you're wearing a pad for the next few months. It's quite normal for recovery to take many months.
I had a catheter for about 11 days after surgery. The extended period of wearing the catheter may suggest other issues for you. In any case ,I did pre surgery Kagel exersizes etc. After 3 months ,I only wear a light shield pad ,some times my fault as I hurry to finish urinating. Approx 95% of normal.. I wish you speedy improvement with the bladder,,,
Further to my posting, I forgot to say that my progress should be seen in the light of someone who does no pelvic floor exercises. Pre op I saw a physiotherapist which I did not like. He made his job sound fancier than it is and considers it an industry, where he is a captain.
i never returned for more pelvic floor instructions.
perhaps with such instructions I would have healed quicker. Who knows?
i suggest you view such exercises with an open mind and make your own conclusion.
as for me, I am happy that I leak occasionally and that 8/10 times I get to the toilet in time :-)
Hello Rick i had prostatectomy on the 10/8/16.Its nearly 3 and a half months,since op i wear one pad a day.Mainly leaks happen when i lift or cough or sneeze.I can now go for long walks without leaks.I dont know how long i will keep using a pad.At first i would leak when out for a walk,but it as got better.I pee about every 2 hours.I can do so much more when the bladder is empty.But that is my story,everyone is different.Good luck.
Ok, So are any of you still working on this, or...are you back to normal now?
I am behind you all in timeline. Radical Robotic Prostateectomy, one nerve spared. Surgery on 02/28/17. PSA at 5 wks(.007)looks like Cancer was gotten. Shout out to the doc and team at SCCA (Seattle). Cathater was out on day 8, Now, 5/17/17 (10 wks) after Cathater out, night time pretty dry, I get up once a night usually. Daytime still struggling. Returned to work, so now standing and sitting about equal time for 4hrs, I am wearing the "disposable underwear" as a choice over the pads, had pads get dislocated a little and so clothes got leaked on...Question, What has gotten you the best results for incontenance. Kegel exercises done in the morning seam to wear me out and make it worse.
I am getting enough on a "pad" that I feel I need to change at noon. I may only go through that next pad until bed time, but often I will change in the evening after work. I read about a guy that was doing standing Bicycling every day?
Looking for suggestions to improve this first. Then I will worry about sexual function. thank you all, for sharing your experience
I had a couple of set backs in my recovery. Just before Christmas, my urethra tube completely closed off and I was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. The stretched it but by late Feb., it was closing again and I had more sugery on March 1st. This seems to have taken care of that problem but it did set back my recovery.
Since then, I have gained back almost full control of my bladder and I could probably go without a pad if I didn't do anything too strenuous, but I don't find them all that bad and my coverage pays for them so I still wear one most times. I'll put a fresh one on at night even though the one I wear all day is still dry.
I never did any Kegal exercises at all. I just let time do it's thing.
The doctor said he saved both nerve bundles, but I tried a 20mg Cialis about a month ago with no luck. Still keeping my fingers crossed on that one. Good luck with your recovery.
Forgot to mention that PSA was 0 so it looks like I am cancer free!
Rough road but it looks like I'll be around for a while.
I don't regret having it removed.
Hay Rick, when did you get yours removed?? Got mines removed last year Sep 16th
Have the been in activity down there yet??? My doctor said it might take several years before I can have sex naturally?? That's a hard pilll to swallow .....😩😩😩😩
Nothing yet, but I'm hoping. I tried a 20mg Cialis about a month ago without any luck and I'm probably going to try another one soon.
Difficult to wait, but it took my older brother about a year before anything happened so I'm not going to stress about it just yet.
I'm trying not to stress either, my doctor told me that i would problely see some action in about 2 years.
20 mg just once?
How often do you take cialis?
some three months after my surgery I was placed in 5mg Cialis daily and it works.
I only tried the one pill one time. Maybe I will look into the daily dose and see if that does something for me. I'll will talk to my doctor about it for sure.