After nearly two years, my Artificial Urinary Sphincter is doing its job!

As I've posted elsewhere, I had surgery (Greenlight Laser) for BPH in March of 2016, and I was left highly incontinent.  The urologist who did the GL, I believe, concealed the cause of the incontinence, complex strictures in the membranous urethra area.   (Prior to the GL procedure, I never had a UTI or STD;  just slow flow and nocturia.   I am convinced the GL procedure, or perhaps an emergency room visit two days after the GL (when I was in acute retention and had another Foley cath inserted by some young nurses) was the cause of the strictures.

My leakage was extreme.  I tried Depends, and I could easily soak 8 or 10 in a day.  I finally resorted to condom catheters and a bag during the day, and Depends at night, as being on my back allowed me to hold enough so that one or two Depends and trips to the toilet allowed me to get through the night.

After a number of surgeries to try to resolve the strictures for long enough to have an AUS implant, I had a procedure that enabled me to have an AUS implant in mid November of 2017.  The AUS was activated the first week of 2018, and I am very happy with the outcome.  I do use a light pad, as a strong cough can cause a drop or two.  At the end of the day, there is no obvious evidence of leakage, as it's so trivial (compared to the last two years) that I don't notice it.  At night, I don't use a pad.

The one thing I have to be careful about is this:  To empty the bladder, I have to depress a small pump, located in the scrotum,  2 or 3 times.  That removes pressure on the AUS cuff around the urethra, allowing the bladder to empty.   After peeing, I have to wait a minute or so until the pressure on the cuff is restored, and leakage is prevented..  If I don't wait, then some dribbles could dampen my PJs at night.

As I am nearly 79, I recognize that I need to be thankful for what I have, and try to forget the things no longer possible.  I am definitely thankful for the outcome with my AUS implant, as it has made my life so much better than what the previous two years were.

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