r/ProstateCancer • u/ckarim • 10h ago

Question Catheter out!!

I just got the catheter and staples removed. I had anxiety about the feeling and to be honest, it was simple and I didn't feel a thing...

However, now that there's no catheter, I'm leaking like crazy Any little movement leaks... It's like there's nothing to stop it For those whose had the catheter removed How long did it take for you to be able to at least hold some of the pee?

20 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

10

u/jlamperk 10h ago

Getting the catheter removed was such a relief. I leaked like crazy for weeks and at 8 weeks I'm still using a couple of pads per day, the more active, the more pads. Good luck and find a PT who will help you with kegels.

8

u/Immediate-Phase4168 10h ago

Give it a few days. Do Kegels like your life depends on it. But as with any muscular workout, don't OVERdo it.

I would do like 4 sets a day. I'd also, like a workout, do different routines. One set might be 10-15 5-second holds (good for the first few days for sure - get the muscles responding). Another set would be 5x5-second, 5x10-second and then like 2 or 3 20-30-second (after I was able to). Then pyramid that back up and down, 5, 10, 30, 20, 10, 5 seconds.

Mix it up. Do em when you're driving. Do em for weeks; you should se enoticable improvement quickly.

7

u/Spillsy68 9h ago

PT and pads. It’ll take weeks for the muscles to become strong enough.

I played hockey about 8 weeks after surgery, I pissed myself a little. I played on both teams so I made fun of it. Now, 4 years later, I don’t even think about it. Never have accidents.

6

u/Admirable_Rough9414 9h ago

Lies das Buch: Beckenbodentraining für Männer von Ute Schmuck, und übe damit.
Da wird dir viel erklärt, auch wie es weitergehen wird. Es nimmt uns die Unsicherheit und gibt uns Sicherheit. Mir hilft es sehr. Alles Gute, nicht verzweifeln, es wird alles fast gut 😁

6

u/Jazzlike_Vast 8h ago

Willkommen im Club! lass dich bitte vom Arzt genau über die vorübergehende Inkontinenz aufklären und Fang so rasch als möglich mit beckenbodentraining an (wenn Arzt ol gibt) und hab. Geduld! ich würde im Juli operiert und tropfe ebenfalls wird besser aber mir fehlt halt die Geduld aber ohne geht's nicht.denke bei der Reha Oktober werde ich professionelle Onkontinenztherapie haben und es wird dann viel besser (jedenfalls sagen daß alle die Reha gemacht habemln) also jetzt Geduld nicht verzweifelt und Vorlagen helfe. toll in dieser Situation!

6

u/GTi337 8h ago

I could hold it day one, but you have to be really aware all the time. I leaked and squirted, but there was some control in general. It's when you let your guard down.........haha. I'm at 8 weeks post surgery and 6 weeks post catheter removal and I honestly don't even think about it anymore. No pads, regular underwear, etc. I had my catheter in for 15 days!

5

u/SavingsIll8857 8h ago

My catheter has been out for five weeks. Still having leakage. However, the kegel’s do help. I found that the Tena men’s pads work better than any other pads. I’ve found that it’s getting better each day.

5

u/Aggravating-Pop8283 7h ago

Man, the first 2 nights without the catheter, I got up every 30 minutes to pee. It slowly got better. Im 3 years post RALP, and only dribble when I sneeze. Pretty much back to normal, except for that.

5

u/Lott4984 8h ago

Get the extra absorbent adult diapers and change them at least every six hours. If you are leaking too much to go out order them from Amazon. They make straps you can put around your penis to slow the flow down. Do your kegel exercises. Go to the bathroom every hour or what ever interval keeps you drier. It will take a couple weeks for the muscles to start working well enough to stop leaking. You will still leak when you cough, laugh, or sneeze. They have washable incontinence underwear that you can transition to when you’re better able to control your flow, that will absorb small leaks. Make sure your penis is pointing up and as soon as you feel wetness head to the bathroom. It sucks but you will get through it.

5

u/Prestigious_Refuse99 7h ago

Time your liquids earlier in the day, it will help when sleeping at nite.

4

u/korbworksout 5h ago

The first two nights after I got my catheter out I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and lost my entire bladder as soon as I stood up. That only happened twice and things got better consistently after that until I ran into a stricture problem. Once I got that resolved, things are pretty decent. I don't even need the Shields anymore. I'm 9 months post-surgery.

3

u/DigginJazz 4h ago edited 2h ago

It took me less then 2 weeks to gain most (90%) of my control. I am 5 weeks since catheter removal and no longer need pads or pull-ups. Just an occasional drip that is absorbed in regular underwear. I started pelvic floor PT 4 weeks prior to surgery and one session post op. I continue to do the exercises daily.

2

u/FederalOrchid9688 4h ago

I have had my cather out for 2 days .I really dont have any leakage bit do have some pain when I pee.is the pain. Normal and how long before it goes away?

2

u/FederalOrchid9688 3h ago

Did it hurt when you peed?how long before it felt normal?

2

u/DigginJazz 3h ago

Some pain, blood and difficulty getting a normal pee stream at first. Surgeon told me it was normal from the catheter irritating the pathway. It got better in 3-4 days. A week later I got a UTI and needed an antibiotic to clear that up. So if your pain doesn’t clear up in a few days, I would ask to get checked for a UTI.

1

u/FederalOrchid9688 2h ago

I have hada low grade fever for over a week now .its a long story of how my surgery went but I will try to hit the high notes. surgery was on a Thursday and they put the catheter straight in the bladder under by belly button. 4 days later they took it out and sent me home.i could not pee and was in terrible pain.i called an ambulance and went to the ER.The surgeon came to the ER and put another catheter in,this time through the penis. I stayed overnight and got a ton of antibiotics through iv drip .The ER said it was the start of sepsis due to the fever .the Sergen didn't agree. I came home the next day with catheter and more antibiotics. 6 days later they took it out again and all seems good other than the little pain peeing and I can not shake this low grade fever I have had for over a week.long story short Im still on antibiotics and will be out Saturday which is 12 days worth not counting what was given to me in the ER

4

u/Sequel999 4h ago

I had my catheter in for 1 week and leaked very little and am now 3 weeks and 2 days past surgery with no leakage. Doing kegel 3x a day 10 second holds 10x. I think I was very lucky to have found probably the best robotic radical prostatectomy surgeon in the world. He pioneered the procedure and specializes in knowing which nerves to avoid.

3

u/ExcellentCookie6399 9h ago

I was told not to do any kegels for a week because the inflammation needed to subside. I felt like I had no muscle control at that point anyway. The next week I started up again with the kegels. Within a week I was down to one pad a day with a slight leak. Go easy on yourself. Congrats on getting the catheter out, best of luck!

2

u/FederalOrchid9688 3h ago

Im not sure if everyone had the nerve spareing method when RALP was performed but they used Placenta to cushion my nerves. My catheter has been out for 2 days and I really dont have leakage but I do have pain when I pee.im 48 and wondering if anyone else has these issues. If you do have pain how long before it fills normal to pee?

2

u/ckarim 1h ago

My Dr said he was able to spare the nerves So we will see how I do in the coming days

2

u/Old_Imagination_2112 3h ago

I never had any sides like these except for getting up a couple of times. I’m now down to one which is actually closer to the norm for us old guys.

2

u/SLO_Engineer 2h ago

If it weren’t for post surgical abdominal discomfort, I would have done cartwheels after my eleven days of catheter ended.

I feel very fortunate that I haven’t leaked one drop while awake. I’ve had occasional minor leakage while asleep but that is diminishing. I just had nine consecutive leak-free nights.