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Re: Post-prostatectomy bladder problems

Robin,

Sorry no one has answered you here.

I can't answer your question directly as I did not have surgery - as a matter of interest the potential for stricture developing was among the reasons I decided against that. I have a skin type that develops thick scars and that gave me and eight times normal chance of developing stricture.

If you go the the SITE Search Engine - click on the Return to Website link above - and enter stricture i the search engine, you will find a number of men who list their experieces. you can read those stories and mail the men for more detail if you need it.

Good luck

Terry in Australia

Re: Post-prostatectomy bladder problems

Robin, sorry to hear you are having difficulties.

Prefaced with "I am not a doctor", your symptoms seem pretty normal to me 4 months post surgery. I had robotic RP in June 2009. I was very fortunate with my return to continence, but even now have an occassional dribble (teaspoon or so). I generally do not have problems starting to pee. However, what I have found is that without a prostate, I pee very "robustly", sort of like when 16 years old (full and fast). But if I feel the urge to pee shortly thereafter (say with 2 hours), its a bit hard to start.

So... my only thought would be to give it a bit of time before going for operation.

Of course run this by your doctor.

Happy to offer more info if needed.

Paul

Re: Post-prostatectomy bladder problems

Robin,

I think it is still early days after your op, but I had my prostatectomy in May 2006 and had similar problems some while after my operation. However mine was that it took me an age to empty my bladder, as the urine flow was very slow, restricted. You don’t say if you pee normally once you start. I brought this to my urologist attention and he recommended an Ecografia (Italian) Echo-graph. Basically an ultrasound test around the bladder area (similar to an examination on pregnant women). Anyway they discovered that I had a bladder stone about the size of a golf ball. I’ve now had two operations to have it removed, as it keeps reoccurring, yearly. It’s a straight forward op and I’m now due for a third. My urine flow is just great after the op for about two months, but then slows right off. During my last operation the surgeon used a laser to cut away the scar tissue around the neck of the urethra (tubes) resulting from my prostatectomy, as he though it was this scar tissue, which was giving the calcium of the stone something to grow on to.

Yours may be something complete different, but it’s so easy to get it checked out. It takes a few minutes and completely painless.

Stu

Re: Post-prostatectomy bladder problems

G'day,

I am / was in the same position you are in.

I had a RP in September 2009. I had the catheter removed a couple of weeks after surgery and the next day I blocked up (serious pain). My wife took me to hospital with me lying on the back seat of the car. I had a catheter inserted and later had it removed. Then once again I could feel myself blocking and took myself to the local hospital where another catheter was inserted.

A week or so later I a bladder neck incision. It seems that scarring restrict the the flow of urine from the bladder to the urethra and this procedure helps resolve it.

The upshot of this story is that I have now had four bladder neck incisions and so far the last one has worked a treat. Apparently I am a 'scarrer'.

It seems that the Doctor instead of making

"a 3/16" hole, this time made a 3/8" hole"

so that afer scarring I might go down to a hole that allows proper sphincter control but wont scar over. (the hole wasn't quie as big as that - I exaggerate to make the point),

Whilst all of this was happening, I initially had a urethral catheter, then a suprapubic catheter. I found this particularly annoying as it came out of my stomach at my belt line. Once it came out though everything (and I mean everything) changed - my bowel movements improved, I could walk properly and I could urinate like I did before surgery AND it didn't hurt. The Doctor said that I had a urine infection BUT as soon as the catheter came out (inside an hour) my life changed. Nothing hurts anymore. The whole process has taken about five months and was pretty frustrating I can tell you.

My Doctor said he had only known of one case like this and he spoke via the Urological forums with others for advice.

I still dribble a bit but by God I am a new man.

I know this is a pain in the ..... but with the right advice and a positive attitude it will get better.

Now I just have to lick the residual cancer. I am on hormone therapy and will start radiotherapy soon. I suffer from ED which is frustrating cos I think about sex more than I should and would like nothing better than to......

Cheers

Kym

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