Must I do kegels forever?

My da vinci surgery was May 31, so that makes this 10+ weeks post surgery. I've been pad-free for almost a week. A month ago I had worked up to 300 kegels a day, which was when my surgeon told me I'd be dry, and he was pretty much on target.

My question though is whether I need to keep up the kegels--I have been doing them--but not hitting them as hard as I used to. I notice no problems from not doing them, though when I did hit 'em again I felt pretty out of shape.

So, those of you who are now dry, are you still doing kegels? If so, how many? And do I have to keep doin' them forever?

Naimnut

PSA 3.76, Gleason 6, T1c, scans negative
Da vinci robotic surgery May 31, 2007, nerves spared
Clear margins, clean pathology report
Catheter out at 4 days
Down to one pad/day at 6 weeks.
Back to work at about 5.5 weeks and getting back to normal. AND I'm now a new grandfather and discovering more reasons to survive well than I ever could have thought of before...
Pad free at 10 weeks

Post edited to clear format on signature :)

Post Edited By Moderator (bluebird) : 9/23/2007 6:23:36 PM (GMT-6)

Quick answer..yes, forever "to some degree". Keeps a body in shape :>)

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Hey Naimnut,

I did Kegels for years before PCa - it was an ED exercise but didn't know what they were called. Did Kegels according to the docs orders for about 4 months after the catheter came out. Now I do a few each day just out of habit. I had no incontinence after surgery. Threw the pads away the day after the catheter came out. I never did do 300 a day...

Jim

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Age 73. Diagnosed 11/03/06. PSA 7.05. Stage T2C Gleason 3+3.

I had my surgery 10 days before yours, Naimnut, and I'm still doing Kegels, walking 100 flights of stairs three times a week and walking for an hour three times a week. I went without the pads after five weeks, but still have some stress incontinence issues that I can usually catch if I "Kegel" like when sneezing, stretching or standing after sitting. I'm in such a habit of doing them now that I'm going to keep on doing them, even when my stress incontinence issues go away.

Hello naimnut,

It has been about 18 months since my DaVinci procedure, and like you I was dry in the 10th week. Since that time I discontinued the daily Kegel routine. Now I'm jogging 4-5 days a week. Occassionally I'll do some Kegels, but it has not been that often.

Every individual will be different, and I suspect a few will require "Kegel Maintenancing". The next time you visit your doctor ask him/her. I am do for my PSA test on the 29th, and I will ask also.

Good luck,

Glen

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Diagnosed at age 60

Spinbiscuit, just wondering, did you ever have a problem with leaking while running after your surgery? I can walk and do the stairmasters without leaking but when I start to run I leak and will immediately stop. I was running 20-30 miles a week before surgery but haven't run since.