AMS 800 Sphincter
Posted , 4 users are following.
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
kenneth1955 ken41731
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robert02169 ken41731
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ken41731 robert02169
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Thanks
Ken
robert02169 ken41731
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WILL DO😊
glenn77 ken41731
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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 glenn77
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glenn77 ken41731
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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 glenn77
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glenn77 ken41731
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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 glenn77
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glenn77 ken41731
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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 monument
kenneth1955 glenn77
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robert02169 glenn77
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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 robert02169
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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 glenn77
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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😇