Should I go for the artificial sphincter?
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Hi. I am a 71-year-old male living in Thailand. In 2005, in Canada, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was treated with brachytherapy. Twelve years later, I had problems with my bladder and my urinary tract, problems that the doctors think were side effects of the radiation I received in 2005. My problems turned into urinary incontinence. I wear diapers 24/7. I also have some fecal incontinence. I've had it for at least six months. So far, it appears limited to urgency –– i.e., when I feel that I have to go to the toilet, I have only about 90 seconds to get there. I am wearing diapers anyhow, for the urinary incontinence. But so far, I haven't had any "leakage" of stools into the diapers. I have always managed to get to a toilet in time. And the urge seems to happen only when I am at home. I have been thinking about having an artificial (urinary) sphincter implanted. But one of the main reasons for doing so is so that I don't have to wear diapers all of the time. But if I have the procedure, I wonder whether I will have to wear diapers anyhow because of my other problem. If my fecal urgency does not get any worse, I could wear a diaper, for safety, but not have to be changing diapers all day and all night. Does anyone here have experience with this? Is my fecal urgency problem likely to get worse? Am I likely to have other problems associated with fecal incontinence? Am I better off just sticking with the diapers? Thanks.
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scott6749 david78180
Posted
I can't speak to all of your situation but I can relay my experience. I'm 53 and had my Prostate robotically removed about 3 years ago and experienced moderate urinary incontinence ever since. A few months ago I had an AUS, Artificial Urinary Sphincter, put in and it's been life changing. It wasn't so much the overall leakage but the unpredictability of it. My debate was to go through surgery, even though it was out-patient, and deal with the risk, discomfort, and recovery or be satisfied with how things were. After researching it I decided to go for it and have the AUS put in, and it's been fantastic. I attended a Craft Beer festival recently and to not hove to worry about changing pads or the location of the nearest bathroom was liberating. Anyway, I can't speak to your situation exactly but for a urinary incontinence problem the AUS has been a huge difference make. Hope this helps and if I can offer up anymore info./details let me know.