Leak Volume vs. Pads

I have found that having a pad count is not definitive so, I have started weighing my leakage. I am currently using 1 pad/day w/15 gms. of urine. This can certainly increase with activity and hydration, but is beginning to be somewhat standard. I am interested if anyone else measures their leakage, this way, so that I can get an idea of where I stand. I am approximately 9 months out from DiVinci at MD Anderson.

I have no idea as far a weight or liquid volume. I just know I leaked all the time. If things do not improve in a few more months and the volume is still more than you can handle you might look at trying the "sling" or the AUS.

KW

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    43 at Dx and Surgery (RRP)

I don't understand what value there is in going through the trouble of weighing the pads - even if you could do that effectively (and if you're out and about and/or working it's not going to be easy to do).  When the leaking stops, you're better.  That's how I'm going to judge the incontenence issue.  My Urologist told me in a follow-up meeting this week that most of his patients leak for at least the first three months, after which most of them see a substantial improvement.  Some don't see the improvement until 6-months, he said.  At work yesterday - 8 hours (plus an hour each way in transit - for a total of 10) I used about 5 pads.  Today I took the day off and was running lots of errands - and in 3 hours I used 6 pads.  Some days are obviously better than others and activity level plays an important role in the number of pads used - from what I'm experiencing.

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Age:  59 (58 at diagnosis - June, 2008)

April '08 PSA 4.8 ("free PSA" 7.9), up from 3.5 year prior

June '08 had biopsy, 2 days later told results positive but in less than 1% of sample

Gleason's 3+3=6

Developed sepsis 2 days post-biopsy, seriously ill in hospital for 3 days

Dr. recommended robotic removal using da Vinci

Surgery 9/10/08

Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL

Dr. Robert Nadler, Urologist/Surgeon

Post-op Gleason's:  3+3, Tertiary 4

Margins:  Free

Bladder & Urethral:  Free

Seminal vesicles:  Not involved

Lymphatic/Vascular Invasion:  Not involved

Tumor:  T2c; Location:  Bilateral; Volume:  20%

Catheter:  Removed 12-days after surgery

Incontinent:  Yes (19 days post-op)

Combination of Cialis and MUSE (alprostadil) three times weekly started 9-27-08

Returned to work 9-29-08 (18-19 days post-op)

 

Here's my story and I'm sticking to it

Food for Thought - aka Mind over Matter

Last week, my surgeon asked me about my incontinence at my first quarter PSA results appointment.

Told him I used a new pad in the morning and another when I got home from work mainly for sanitary/freshness reasons. Told him I was sleeping without Anything to give little pee-wee some fresh air. 

He said he wanted me off pads by January for our next meeting. 

Thought it was strange the way he said it....Like I had a choice in the matter..

I woke up Saturday morning and decided to make it a no pad day. Haven’t worn one or needed one since. Have had one or two accident and a couple close calls but find it interesting that if I pay more attention, I can make it stop – aka not leak.

 

 

 

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Age 53   - 5'11"   205lbs

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Ed from Rochester, NY 66 years old

 hi guys lemon lime here i read on www.prostate cancer .com under coping with prostate cancer ,collagen injections for incontinence , that injections are not recomended for rp or radiation therapy. i wonder why so many are giving them to patients then .. wow i hope it s not just a experimental thing ... have a good weekend ..---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 yrs old davinci rochester ny  7 -08 , still 5 - 7 pads a day

My Doctor recommended weighing the pads too.  If nothing else it gives your Doctor a reference point of how you are doing.

Steve in Dallas, I wish I could have willed my away. But no matter how much I put my mind to it I could not get mine to stop. I truly hope yours continues to improve.
KW

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    43 at Dx and Surgery (RRP)

I was using 4-6 pads /day when I went to see Dr. Webster about fixing the incontinence. Part of the pre-visit routine was to keep a log of how much I was voiding for three days, and to save one day's worth of pads for them to weigh at the visit. Being of a computer geek technical background, and knowing that some days were perceptibly dryer than others, the idea of a single day's volume as a measure of my leakage was a bother to me.

I started logging the actual volume, since I could have a 'dry' 6 pad day, and a 'wet' 4 pad day. I kept the volume data in an spreadsheet, and used a statistical analysis program at work to run a locally weighted statistical smoothing to see what the moving average was.

I did improve from a high of over 400ml/day at about 3 months out, to about 100ml/day when I decided to go ahead with the AdVance Sling.

My experience with that has been (finally) good, with 0 pads, and only the occasional urge leak. No more stress leaks at all.

http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=1221982

15 grams/day? I would have killed for that this summer!

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51 yrs old at diagnosis & surgery
Biopsy 6/20/2007, 2 of 10 cores positive, 9%, Gleason 3+3, PSA 2.5, up from 2.0 previous year.
DaVinci robotic at Duke Univ. Medical Center 10/3/2007 both nerves spared
post surgical PSA tests all < 0.1
AdVance Male Sling 08/25/2008 at Duke Univ. Medical Center