Re: new mwmber

[Guest guest]

Matt: I agree with Bill, it takes time. I am now 8 months, erections are there slowly, some urinary problems, but they are really not a problem. Take time, don't rush it, I dont' think that would be wise. Brad

> >Reply-To: ProstateCancerSupport >To: <ProstateCancerSupport > >Subject: Re: new mwmber >Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 07:33:41 -0400 > > >BILL GAMMON INC >Computer updated and scanned every 24 hrs >E-Mails scanned in and out > new mwmber > > > Hello, my name is Matt, I am 48 years old and currently 4 weeks post-op. I had two large tumors and my prostate was removed. Per my Dr. all is proceeding as should be. I on the other hand am not convinced, I have taken Cialis and the side effects, headaches, muscle aches, upset stomach were enough for me to stop taking the drug, Along with this and most concerning to me is the loss of bladder control. I have been without the catheter for two weeks now and I still have little to no control. As long as I stay off my feet my bladder fills and I can usually make it to the bathroom as long as I'm close. When I am up and around though forget it, I have no control at all. I really need to know from those of you who have been through this, how long can I expect this to continue and will I ever get the control back again. I know I am a new member and I probably shouldn't have gotten to the point right off the bat however I am not one to squirt around the issue. My DR. tells me with each visit that by the next visit I should see improvement but I am not. Can someone out there please tell me their experience with this part of rehab and just what if anything I can do to hasten the process and most important will I ever get control back and if so How long did other like me suffer with this problem. > Looking forward to your responses > > > Matt > Give it some time I had the same problems that you are having. My Dr told me it takes anywhere from a month at the best case scenario to a year and sometimes, (in rare cases) never. I had mine under control in about six weeks. You will never get full control, sometimes you will pick up a heavy object or get startled and get a couple of drops nothing to worry about. New members need to get to the point, that is the purpose of this list. We are here to help. I found, (for me) the best time to do your Kegal exercises was when you went to the bathroom to drain, so to speak, try stopping the flow with the Kegal. I kept doing that and it worked. Best of luck. > Bill Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!

[Guest guest]

HI Matt! Good to see you here and your questions are very valid.

From what you have said, you are coming along like most of the rest

of us here. You should be around 90% dry at the 2 month point and I

do believe it is too early for Cialis and Viagra. I had to wait two

months to even try which was fine with me. I didn't want to undo any

of the progress I had made so far. I used pads up until a little

over my 3 month point and haven't used one since. I have a little

problem when I cough or sneeze but it is getting better all the

time. I started getting erections again, somewhat, at the three

month point and found that Cialis work better for me. But if you use

that and get a headache or stuffy nose, just take something for

that. It does work.

Don't push too hard too fast. You're doing well and your muscles and

nerves need time to heal and get back in shape. I'm almost at my 7

month point and am doing pretty well. The most important thing is

that my PSA tests have come back undetectable. That makes me happy.

Take care and be careful for a while. You're doing great!

Tom

> Hello, my name is Matt, I am 48 years old and currently 4 weeks

post-op. I had two large tumors and my prostate was removed. Per my

Dr. all is proceeding as should be. I on the other hand am not

convinced, I have taken Cialis and the side effects, headaches,

muscle aches, upset stomach were enough for me to stop taking the

drug, Along with this and most concerning to me is the loss of

bladder control. I have been without the catheter for two weeks now

and I still have little to no control. As long as I stay off my feet

my bladder fills and I can usually make it to the bathroom as long

as I'm close. When I am up and around though forget it, I have no

control at all. I really need to know from those of you who have

been through this, how long can I expect this to continue and will I

ever get the control back again. I know I am a new member and I

probably shouldn't have gotten to the point right off the bat

however I am not one to squirt around the issue. My DR. tells me

with each visit that by the next visit I should see improvement but

I am not. Can someone out there please tell me their experience with

this part of rehab and just what if anything I can do to hasten the

process and most important will I ever get control back and if so

How long did other like me suffer with this problem.

> Looking

forward to your responses

[Guest guest]

Matt,

Although I

don’t personally have the problem to which you refer, you might like to read

the piece Lenny wrote on the subject which is on my website at http://www.yananow.net/Catheter.htm

 There is also what seems to me to be a

well written piece on erectile dysfunction at http://www.yananow.net/Sex.html

All the best

Terry Herbert

in sunny Kalk

Bay, South Africa

Diagnosed ‘96:

Age 54: Stage T2b: PSA 7.2: Gleason 3+3=6: No treatment. June '04: TURP. Sep

'04 PSA 7.45 fPSA 42%

My site is at

www.prostatecancerwatchfulwaiting.co.za

It is a tragedy of the world that no one knows what he

doesn’t know, and the less a man knows, the more sure he is that he knows

everything.   Joyce Carey

[Guest guest]

Hello Matt and Tom,

I have been watching your messages for the past several days. I think I will add another idea here. I had my prostate removed six months ago at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. As I understand it there are two nerves in the prostate area, one on each side of the prostate gland. Fortunately they were able to save both of the nerves for me and that may have contributed to my good results. Since about 2 to 3 months after the surgery I have been able to attain about 99.99% bladder control.

When I went in for the catheter removal and first checkup after the surgery they had a nurse or technician give me a little educational session on bladder control.

One thing that he mentioned that I have never run across anywhere else is this.

He said that we can become psychologically dependent on the pads etc. He recommended that as soon as possible after the surgery that I try going with no pad when I was going to be spending time around the home. I tried that but was still having more leakage than I was comfortable with going into just my under shorts. So I tried doubling up with two pairs of shorts. I still had too much leak through. Then I came up with the idea of putting the pad in the outer pair of shorts so that I would just have a regular pair of shorts against my skin. I also cut the pad in half so it was just in front with nothing going down between my legs. After doing that for a few weeks I had very much improved bladder control. I went back to just the two pair of shorts with no pad for a few more weeks, and have now have had no bladder control problems for several months. I do not know if this will work for others but it worked for

me and I was very skeptical that it would work.

Larry Tom wrote:

Hey Matt! No problem. Just continue to take it easy and don't do any heavy lifting or strain your abdomen at all. As far as the bladder control goes, you are very normal there for your stage of recovery. I was the same way. Try this tho, when you are sitting or laying down and want to empty your baldder, do a kegel exercise once or twice befor you get up, then hold that muscle as you get up, and slowly get to the bathroom. After a while you'll find that you are doing it without thinking about it. It worked for me and I still do that. When you are sitting or laying down, gravity is taking over and keeps your dry. But as soon as you get up try and clench that muscle and hold it till you get to the bathroom. It is tough, I know and not easy to hold for that long, but it does work but does take time too. I am doing it all the time

and even if I feel a sneeze coming on, I hold it then sneeze, it works for that too. Let me know if you have any more questions, I will be more than happy to answer all of them any time. Catch ya later and think dry! Tom > > Hello, my name is Matt, I am 48 years old and currently 4 weeks > post-op. I had two large tumors and my prostate was removed. Per my > Dr. all is proceeding as should be. I on the other hand am not > convinced, I have taken Cialis and the side

effects, headaches, > muscle aches, upset stomach were enough for me to stop taking the > drug, Along with this and most concerning to me is the loss of > bladder control. I have been without the catheter for two weeks now > and I still have little to no control. As long as I stay off my feet > my bladder fills and I can usually make it to the bathroom as long > as I'm close. When I am up and around though forget it, I have no > control at all. I really need to know from those of you who have > been through this, how long can I expect this to continue and will I > ever get the control back again. I know I am a new member and I > probably shouldn't have gotten to the point right off the bat > however I am not one to squirt around the

issue. My DR. tells me > with each visit that by the next visit I should see improvement but > I am not. Can someone out there please tell me their experience with > this part of rehab and just what if anything I can do to hasten the > process and most important will I ever get control back and if so > How long did other like me suffer with this problem.> > Looking > forward to your responses> > >

[Guest guest]

HI Larry! Good to see you again and thanks for writing. I'm at about

the same time frame you are in and when you wrote about how you are

and what you did, it made me write. I did the same thing. On June

1st, I stopped using pads for that very same reason. Nobody

mentioned it, I just thought it was a good idea. I forgot about

that. It worked too. I still have the pads I bought back in May and

they will sit there too maybe as a reminder, but I'm done with them.

I'm at the same level of dryness as well and it is so great. Thanks

again......Tom

> > > Hello, my name is Matt, I am 48 years old and currently 4

> weeks

> > post-op. I had two large tumors and my prostate was removed.

Per

> my

> > Dr. all is proceeding as should be. I on the other hand am not

> > convinced, I have taken Cialis and the side effects,

headaches,

> > muscle aches, upset stomach were enough for me to stop taking

> the

> > drug, Along with this and most concerning to me is the loss of

> > bladder control. I have been without the catheter for two

weeks

> now

> > and I still have little to no control. As long as I stay off

my

> feet

> > my bladder fills and I can usually make it to the bathroom as

> long

> > as I'm close. When I am up and around though forget it, I have

> no

> > control at all. I really need to know from those of you who

> have

> > been through this, how long can I expect this to continue and

> will I

> > ever get the control back again. I know I am a new member and

I

> > probably shouldn't have gotten to the point right off the bat

> > however I am not one to squirt around the issue. My DR. tells

me

> > with each visit that by the next visit I should see

improvement

> but

> > I am not. Can someone out there please tell me their

experience

> with

> > this part of rehab and just what if anything I can do to

hasten

> the

> > process and most important will I ever get control back and if

> so

> > How long did other like me suffer with this problem.

> > >

Looking

> > forward to your responses

> >

> >

> >