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AMS 800 Sphincter

Posted , 4 users are following.

ken41731
ken41731

Has anyone on here had one of these installed?  I have had mine now for about 7 months.  When I do any kind of lifting or strenous activity I get blood in my urine one or two times and then it clears up.  I don't go back to my  urologist again until next February and I would like to keep it that way.  The last two years have really sucked!  Thanks for any info anyone might have on this subject.

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • kenneth1955
    kenneth1955 ken41731

    Posted

    Hey Ken  you should be able to call and ask him anything you need help with.  He may want to know how your doing  Call please  Ken 
  • robert02169
    robert02169 ken41731

    Posted

    KEN I SHARE UR FRUSTRATION I HAVE AN SPC FOR TWO MONTHS NOW ANY TIME I EXERCISE I SEE BLOOD HOWEVER THE FACT THAT I HAVE HAD RADIATION FOR CANCER SEVERAL YRS AGO DOESNT HELP MATTERS I CAN GO SEVERAL DAYS WITH NO SIGN OF BLOOD THEN OUT OF THE BLUE IT SHOWS UP---HAVE AN APPT THIS COMING FRI TO FOLLOW UP ON SPC SURGERY IF I CAN STOP THE BLOOD ISSUE I WOULD CONSIDER THE WHOLE PROCESS TO BE A SUCCESS--WE WILL BE DISCUSSING OPTIONS ---I WILL KEEP U POSTED BOB J
    • ken41731
      ken41731 robert02169

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply.  I have had radiation for cancer too, about 8 years ago which caused the restriction in my urethra and I had surgery back in July last year to remove the portion of the urethra that had scar tissue damage and then the sphincter put in in December.  Yes please keep me posted.

      Thanks

      Ken

  • glenn77
    glenn77 ken41731

    Posted

    No, but I am scheduled to finally have one implanted two days from now on Monday morning.  I've talked to two gentlement who have had theirs for a while, and they were very happy with the outcome.  One was done at the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville, FL and the other at Wake Baptist hosptial in Winston-Salem where I will have mine done.   I learned from the doctor who will do my surgery that the sizing of the cuff is crucial to the outcome.  I know there is no guarantee that I will be absolutely dry, but after 16 months of no bladder control (Greenlight laser procedure for BPH) I will settle for any improvement.  My doctor ha done many AMS 800 implants, so I'm optimistic.

    • ken41731
      ken41731 glenn77

      Posted

      Hey Glenn,  Are you the guy that was supposed to have this done back in December that I had talked with before?  Anyway good luck sir.  As far a leakage and control I have been doing great with mine so far.
    • glenn77
      glenn77 ken41731

      Posted

      Yep... I'm the same ole fart.  Thanks for remembering.  I'm looking forward to about 6 weeks from Monday when the device is finally activated.   I'm expecting to be in the hospital overnight...I'm 78 now.   Did you come home with a Foley?  If so, how for how long.   I've been surviving with external condom catheters during the day and Depends at night.  I assume that will be OK post surgery.

    • ken41731
      ken41731 glenn77

      Posted

      The foley was taken out before I left the hospital.  I still used the condom catheters until the device was activated.
    • glenn77
      glenn77 ken41731

      Posted

      Thanks... really useful informantion.  A few more questions come to mind. First, did you stay overnight?   I believe there will be two incision sites, a small one at the pubic bone where the small resevoir will be located, and the major one is longitudinal along the perineum. I assume most of the post surgical discomfort will be at the major incision.  Did you also have any discomfort from the placement of the pump in the scrotum?   And what was your pain level post surgery?   I don't do well with most pain killers, so I hope I can get by with Tylenot, or a low dose of tramedol.

    • ken41731
      ken41731 glenn77

      Posted

      Yes I spent one night in the hospital and went home by noon the next day.  My pain was in the scrotum and is still a little soar after 6 months but OK.  I have a little discomfort with the line that goes to the pump.  My doctor tells me that most times the line goes up  but a lot of mine has stayed in the scrotum.  I try and answer any questions you might have.  Good luck Monday and let me know how you are doing.
  • glenn77
    glenn77 ken41731

    Posted

    The surgery scheduled for the AMS 800 artificial sphincter yesterday didn't happen; a stricture has come back, so we were faced with the option of (1) first doing a surgical to remove/repair the stricture or two (2) doing the implant and facing a life of constantly dealing with the stricture(s) with periodic dilation.

    I will have the radiology studies this Friday to determine the exact location and length of the stricture, and whether there is more that one.  I will meet with the surgeon and his fellow afterwards on Friday to talk about the surgery, which is scheduled for July 3.   If there is just a short stricture, it can be cut out and the urethra reconnected.  If it's longer, muceous membrane will be harvested from the inside of my cheek for the repalr.

    Little did I know when I decided to have a GL procedure to deal with my BPH and nocturia in March of 2016 that it would lead to all this (total incontinence and never ending doctor and hosptial adventures.)   A mountain of wet Depends and used condom catheters may be my monumentfrown

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 glenn77

      Posted

      That is some of the side effect from surgery.  Please be careful you are going through to much right now.  I will keep you in my prayers  Ken
    • robert02169
      robert02169 glenn77

      Posted

      GLENN I GET IT--I WAS FACING THE SAME PROBLEM AS A RESULT OF RADIATION TEN YRS AGO WHICH RESULTED IN THE SAME ISSUES U R FACING INCLUDING TRIPS TO THE ER---I WAS GIVEN THREE OPTIONS ONE TO SELF CATH USE DEPENDS AND DEPENDING ON THE STRICTUER HAVING THEM GO IN ONCE A YEAR TO OPEN IT UP AGAIN WHICH CARRIES ITS OWN SET OF PROBLEMS-STAY AS IT WAS UNTIL IT CLOSED DOWN AGAIN AT WHICH HAVING SURGERY AGAIN TO OPEN THE HIGHWAY AGAIN--THIRD GO FOR AN SPC-WHICH IS THE PATH I ELECTED TO GO DOWN -PROCEEDUER WAS PREFORMED TWO MONTHS AGO --LIKE ALL THESE PROCEEDUERS THERE R NO GURANTEES I AM GETTING QUIET AND EDUCATION IN WHAT I DONT KNOW BUT I AM SLOWILY GETTING MY ARMS AROUND IT-MEET WITH MY DOC THIS FRI TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS--DONT LET THE SITUATION GET. U DOWN U WILL FIND A WAY THRU-BE KIND TO UR SELF AND DONT PROJECT BE IN THE MOMENT IM SURE IT WILL ALL WORK OUT U HAVE OPTIONS WISH U WELL WILL KEEP U IN MY PRAYERS😇

    • glenn77
      glenn77 robert02169

      Posted

      Thanks Robert, 

      I recognize that there are others dealing with more severe problems than I have, and am fortunate to have a recognized expert in urethra only 30 miles away from where I live.  My main survial strategy is a condom catheter and leg bag during the day and Depends overnight.   I find the Depends horrible as they get wet immediately when I'm up and about.  On top of that, they are more costly at $0.52 each when you're using 8 to 10 a day, and insurance and medicare don't cover that.  So a condom per day at $1.50 and a Depends is close to $2 per day, opposed to $4 or $5.  And it feels much better to me, and I save the time and energy of 8 or so Depend changes each day.

      Glenn

    • robert02169
      robert02169 glenn77

      Posted

      GLENN GRT ATTITUDE AND APPROACH-TAKE EACH DAY AS IT COMES AND FIND JOY WHEREVER U CAN -MY APPROACH IS BASED ON THREE THINGS (1)ACCEPTANCE IS NOT RESIGNATION (2) BE HERE NOW-NO POINT IN SPENDING TIME IN WHAT IF (3) IT IS WHAT IT IS-ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND LET IT GO-AT THE END OF THE DAY MY APOROACH IS TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD TO ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION AND NEVER GIVE IN OR GIVE UP-EVERY MOMENT IS PRECIOUS AND SHOULD NOT BE WASTED ON FEELING THAT OUR SITUATIONS R NOT FAIR- EVERY DAY IS A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO OUR SITUATIONS -ONLY EXPECT THE BEST OUTCOME DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK AND QUESTION EVERYTHING ITS UR LIFE AND U MUST FIGHT AND DEFEND UR RIGHT TO KNOW --GOD BLESS UR FELLOW TRAVELER -REMEMBER WE R NEVER ALONE😇

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