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Efficacy of physical therapy post TURP to regain continence?

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glenn77
glenn77

I've had a green laser, and then a gyrus Turp procedure over last 3+ months.  The latter was cleanup to the first, and it was a month ago.  After both procedures, I was sent to PTthat is supposed to help me regain continence. As of yet, nothing has helped as I still need 4-6 Depends each day, and they are all very wet when I change.  I spend hours doing Kegel and other exercises each day at home.

I read of one review of Kegel, etc.effectiveness studies, that concluded that they are effective for women with incontinence, but the results were "ambigious" for men.   Has anyone here done Kegel and other PT and found them helpful?  And how long did it take you to regain/improve your incontinence problem?    I'm trying to see if there might be some light in this dark tunnel I've been in for the last three months.

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4 Replies

  • matt06533
    matt06533 glenn77

    Posted

    Glenn,  I had HOLEP surgery last August. As I understand it, it's sort of green laser on steroids. After 6 days with an internal catheter, I found myself completely incontinent. I did daily Kegels and my incontinence gradually resolved over 4 months. I have no way of knowing how much the Kegels contributed to the improvement but they couldn't have hurt any. Stick with it, and good luck.
    • glenn77
      glenn77 matt06533

      Posted

      Thank you, Matt.  I will endeavor to stay the course.  It's helpful to hear that someone else was totally incontinent, and recovered finally.

      May I detail my current situation and see how it compares to your experience?  First, I recently had my 77th birthday and I think very fit for my age.  I've exercised, walked, biked, etc and am close to the weight I was when I graduated from high school.  So I am very fortunate in those respects.

      Here's a description of the level of my incontinence: (1)  in walking about or standing doing thinks in the shop, kitchen or cutting grass, my bladder constantly drains, and will continue to do until it's empty, or essentially so.  I find it really distracting to feel those periodic "surges" of urine being passed, especially if I'm talking to someone or standing to sing in the choir at church.  They are not painful spasms, just little surges that I have a hard time controlling.  I assume the surges are from the bladder contracting.

      If, however, I am seated, I can accumulate a fair amount of urine in the bladder.  (Maybe the pressure on the perinium from the padded chair?)  If I sit long enough, I might even  keep 150 or 200 ml in.   If I sit in the recliner, one that brings feet horizontal with back going "way back", I might be able to keep in 400 to 450 ml before the urge says "get thee to the toilet forthwith!"  (I keep graduated urinals in two bathrooms at home.)

      I sleep on my back at night, and am now getting up only once or twice.  Last night, I slept soundly, and when the bladder woke me, I had a full 500 ml (16 oz)   I went back to sleep, and after a couple of hours when I got up for the day, there was another 200 ml or so.

      So looking on the bright side, there are some situations when I can avoid constant draining into the Depends pull on diapers.  Being someone who likes to be up and about (when constant drainage to the point of an empty bladder occurs), that's what is giving me the most angst.

      So I wonder how my situation compares to what you experienced.  Thanks so much for your taking the time to reply.

      Glenn

  • ss3234
    ss3234 glenn77

    Posted

    Wish you well, hang in there brother. Hanging in there is something we sometimes, have been forced to do. You're in my prayers.
    • glenn77
      glenn77 ss3234

      Posted

      Thank you, I really appreciate your reply and prayers.
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