Can't get rid of the last few dribbles

It has been almost 4 months since my catheter was removed. I have been dry at night from the get go. I started out at 2 pads per day for the first 6 weeks then 1 pad for the next 6 weeks. Now I'm using just a small liner because I'm not completely dry. If my bladder is full, and I cough, sneeze, or lift something I will dribble a little. I'm doing Kegels but that hasn't stopped those last few drops. How long should I expect this to go on? Any one with a similar situation? Thanks

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Age: 67
PSA 9/05 1.15; 8/06 1.45; 12/07 2.41; 8/08 3.9; 11/08 3.5 free PSA 11%
Dx 12/30/08
2 cores out of 12 were positive Gleason (4+4) and (4+5)
Negative CT scan and bone scan done on 1/16
Robotic surgery performed 2/9/09
Surgeon: Dr. Randy Fagin, Austin TX.
Pathology report:
Prostate weighed 57 grams size:5.2 x 5.0 x 4.9 cm
Bilateral 10-20% involved
Gleason 4+4
both nerve bundles removed,
pT3a Nx Mx
Negative margins
seminal vesicles clean
Lymph nodes: not dissected
1st PSA test 4/7/09 result <0.1

Hi Ed,
I'm approaching 6 months since surgery. Until about a month ago I was using at least 12 pads a day. I started using the Afex incontinence system in March which made the problem much more manageable. In the past month I've experienced a dramatic recovery where I would use only a single pad per day, if I wasn't using Afex.

Like you, I am completely dry at night. I'm hopeful that I will be free of the need for the Afex system or pads in the near future. As you can see, my incontinence was pretty bad, probably due to bladder damage caused by such a large prostate. I firmly believe that the problem will be history soon. It just takes time and patience.

A coworker of mine had surgery about 2 years ago. He had leakage for about 6 months and is completely dry now. Maybe we can both attain his recovery in the same time frame.

Good luck to you,
Bob

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Age 69, First ever PSA 7.8 taken June 2008, Biopsy July 2008, 10 of 12 cores positive, Gleason 3+3=6
da Vinci surgery December 10, 2008, catheter removed December 29 2008
St. Lukes Hospital, Bethlehem, Pa.
Dr. Frank Tamarkin

Prostate weight 73.0 grams, Gleason 3+3=6, stage pT3a
Tumor locations: right anterior apex, right posterior apex to mid
left anterior mid to base, left posterior apex to mid
extensive perineural invasion in right anterior apex, right and left posterior apex to mid
seminal vesicles negative

First post PSA < .1 Jan 16 2009
Second post PSA < .1 Apr 17 2009

Ed,
I am now just over 12 months out, and am very near dry and have been this way since about six months. I have some days where I don't leak at all, but also do occassionally get a squirt here and there so to be absolutely sanitary I continue to wear a very light liner. If I have a very physical day - recently did some serious landscaping and shoveling dirt all day, I will likely get a few more drips than usual. I am also affected by how many diet cokes I drink (I am trying to wean myself).

The minimal amount of dribble is so small that I don't think much of it, and have not done any kegels for months, but I did want you to know there are people like self out here. Hopefully, you will be more like those who have a completely tight faucet.

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RB
Age 62
Original data - pre-operation
PSA: 5.1
T1C clinical diagnosis, Needle biopsy - 10 cores, Gleason 7 = 3+4 in 1 core (40%), 7 cores Gleason 6 = 3+3 ranging from 5% to 12%
All scans negative
Lupron administered 4/9/2008 for 4 months (with idea I would undergo external beam radiation followed by seed implants - then I changed my mind).
Robotic DiVinci surgery - Dr. Fagin (Austin) 5/19/2008
Post operative - pathology
pT2c NX MX
Gleason 3+4
Margins - negative
Extraprostatic extension - negative
seminal vesicle invasion - uninvolved

PSA <.04 7/12/2008

PSA <.01 10/30/2008

PSA <.01 4/03/2009

 

Hey Ed,

I am right there along side you on the Post-RP journey (at 122 days post surgery now).

Been going pad free for a week -- mostly was just not wanting to give up the security of the pads for the last month or more even tho they were always dry at end of the work day.

about all that is left is some drips in the later evening when muscles are getting tired and I am exercising while standing.

I don't really do much kegels -- but do a LOT of running in place and walking (up 15-20000 steps a day). I suppose that is some form of exercise for the pelvic floor muscles.

Will let u know when the last drops are gone.

jim

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Age 58, 195lbs, 6'4", 57 at DX, PSA Aug2008 7 4 ... June2007 4.7 (BPH + LUTS)
Biopsy Nov2008 1 of 12 cores 5%, Gleason 3+3 - Sona showed 140+ cc (110 grams post op) prostate size.
02/03/09 open RRP surgery , Nerve sparing both sides, 1 day in hospital, Day 4 first BM,
Pathology Report: All margins clear - No Invasive spread - no change in Gleason score.
02/18/09 Cath out, passed a 1cm STONE within hours.
Using pump (Encore) daily since catheter out - working good with 2 rings.
04/01/09 Was Oxalate stone -- usually from kidneys -- X-ray Kidneys @ next PSA).
03/06/09 Started Levitra 20mg rehabbing -> no real effect yet (04/01/09) . (Same for Viagra @ 100mg)
04/01/09 PSA <0.1 (And starting Cialis daily @ 5-10mg) -- 04/19 nocturnals finally starting!

Post Edited (JimStars) : 6/5/2009 10:22:04 AM (GMT-6)

Ed C.

I don't want to depress you, but I am 13 months post op and still wearing one light pad a day. I'll just have a random squirt once or twice a day, or sometimes I'll be dry all day.

But - I've gone from 7 heavy pads a day to one light pad, so I can't complain. I've gone from soaking a heavy pad during soccer practice (I'm the coach) to sometimes not even having to change my light pad after practice. So, improvement all around, but I am beginning to believe that I will never get over that last little hump.

The type and intensity of activity has an impact, tiredness has an impact, too much caffeine has an impact, and for me - very curiously - wine has an almost instantaneous impact. Beer does not seem to bother me, but if I take just a sip of wine I squirt. Very weird. But this has NOT stopped my consumption of wine. That's what the pad is for, right?

Good luck,
kcragman

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Age: 53; 52 at DX
March 2006: PSA 2.5
Dec 2007: PSA taken for insurance application. I did not see the results until late
Jan '08 - after I was rejected. Their lab said PSA 4.5.
Feb 2008: PSA 3.7.
March 2008: Biopsy. Gleason 7 (4+3) 12 cores taken. 5 on the left side were
cancerous and the 6th was suspect.
May 5, 2008: Da Vinci robotic laparoscopy at GW Hospital, Washington DC.

Post op: Gleason 9 (4+5). 15% of prostate involved. Stage: pT3a. Negative margins. Lymph node and nerve samples taken, and appeared to be cancer free.

July 2008: PSA at 7 weeks was undetectable.
August 2008: PSA at 14 weeks (3 months) was undetectable.
Nov 2008: PSA at 6 months was undetectable.
Feb 2009: PSA at 9 months was undetectable.

Interesting comments. This is the first I have seen about wine. I have exactly the same reaction. I am almost completely dry at 8 month post op. I walk 5 miles a day and have no problem. When I have a glass of wine 'squirt squirt' What can I say. If I am going out to dinner I put a light pad to take care of that problem. I am not complaining. I think in time this may pass as well.

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Jeff T Age 57

I am in pretty much the same situation.  I qucikly shed the pads surgery in April and pads pretty much gone by July.  But here it is almost a year later and the dribbles are still a reality.

I'm about 2.5 yrs post surgery. I ask about the dribbles every 6 months at my checkups. This last time I spoke with an additional doctor and he told me that if you still leak after 6 months, you are not going to stop. He's also the guy who's going to install a sling for me next week :).

corvetteman3 - How weird is that with the wine? I wonder if anybody has studied that at all.

SebringR - Lifting and passing gas - yes, big issues. I worry about the sex issue, but what seems to work for me is to use the bathroom right before we get busy, and that seems to help. I try to be very alert to that issue before and after sex, but leaking heavily during orgasm has not been a problem.

dawgfan - The Walsh book says men continue to go dry up to one year post surgery. I can tell you from experience that I am MUCH better now (at 13 months) than I was at 6 months. It is slowly dawning on me that I might have to wear a light pad for the rest of my life, but that is not the end of the world. I mean - I HOPE I knock out the last dribbles, and I am still improving - especially during exercise. But I can happily complain now that the biggest issue with me getting back into the physical shape I want is the limitation of my knees - not my prostate.

Good luck to everybody -
kcragman

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Age: 53; 52 at DX
March 2006: PSA 2.5
Dec 2007: PSA taken for insurance application. I did not see the results until late
Jan '08 - after I was rejected. Their lab said PSA 4.5.
Feb 2008: PSA 3.7.
March 2008: Biopsy. Gleason 7 (4+3) 12 cores taken. 5 on the left side were
cancerous and the 6th was suspect.
May 5, 2008: Da Vinci robotic laparoscopy at GW Hospital, Washington DC.

Post op: Gleason 9 (4+5). 15% of prostate involved. Stage: pT3a. Negative margins. Lymph node and nerve samples taken, and appeared to be cancer free.

July 2008: PSA at 7 weeks was undetectable.
August 2008: PSA at 14 weeks (3 months) was undetectable.
Nov 2008: PSA at 6 months was undetectable.
Feb 2009: PSA at 9 months was undetectable.

Under the flag of "to each his own"...I've worn these light pads for over 2.5 years now. At first I was so glad to be rid the cancer that the pads didn't factor in as much. Now it's a quality of life thing for me. Choosing a surgical alternative again is not for everyone, but I am ready to try something to stop the leaking. My doc says that 90% of the patients are dry the next day - I'm very hopefull. If I'm in the 10%, then it's a gamble I am willing to take. Leaking is not the end of the world; however, it does grate on some people more than others.

 

Speaking of knees, I run 2 miles each day before work and I leak less during that time than I may if I stretch the wrong way. Spreading your legs like getting into a vehicle is a prime opportunity to leak for me.

I think that we are lucky that none of the women here have stepped in to flame this thread. My wife has worn light pads ever since our son was born. She is sympathetic to my situation but she also knows that some things are not so hard to live with.

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Age at diagnosis 66, PSA 5.5
Biopsy 12/08 12 cores, 8 positive
Gleason 3 + 4 = 7
CAT scan 1/09 negative, Bone scan 1/09 negative

Robotic surgery 03/03/09 Catheter Removed 03/08/09
Post surgical pathology report. Lymph nodes negative, Seminal vesicles negative
Surgical margins positive, Capsular penetration extensive Gleason 4 + 3 = 7
At 6 weeks: 1 pad/day, 1 pad/night -- mostly dry at night.

I had the surgery in Oct 2007 and I'm still wearing adult undergarments.  Heavy leakage is not that frequent but can happen unexpectedly.  I wear the undergarment also at night and, even with it, I have soaked the sheet even in recent months.  I am taking medication for this which I think is helping, but I also have Parkinsons and the doc says this is the problem.  Here's a problem which I have never seen mentioned in the forum and that could be because it's something that most men would not want to admit, even more so than sexual problems.  I frequently find it almost impossible to pee standing up and I have to sit down to do it.  I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this.