Prostate Surgery and Incontinence. What to Expect.

Incontinence following prostate surgery

If you are planning to have prostate surgery you may need to speak to your doctor about incontinence. It is fairly common for males to have incontinence problems after surgery as the prostate needs to heal since the muscles have been sliced and stretched. To help you prevent incontinence here are some things that you need to know about prostate surgery.

What are the risks?

When you are dealing with any type of surgery you need to be well-informed. What are the risks associated with prostate surgery? How much experience does your surgeon have with prostate surgery?  After prostate surgery it is normal for males to suffer from incontinence and there isn’t a lot you can do about preventing this besides purchasing incontinence supplies that can make managing incontinence easier. The good news is that not nearly as many men are suffering from incontinence as long thanks to advancements in the procedures that are preventing incontinence. Some men may need to take medications after and there are some differences with your sex life as you may have a decrease in your sex drive or may not be able to perform for a little while. Speak to your doctor about the risks as you could end up infertile after the surgery.

What to do before the surgery

Typically your doctor will give you some medications that you need to take before the procedure and after the procedure. Some medications will be for pain where others are used to help prevent constipation. It is common to have constipation after just about any type of surgery so stool softeners are a great idea to help prevent straining. You also need to consider buying some adult diapers and other incontinence products as bleeding is quite common after the procedure. Depending upon the extent of your surgery your doctor may also recommend that you go home with a catheter. Having incontinence supplies like wipes can prevent you from dealing with skin rashes and other issues like infections.

Watch this video.  How to choose the right incontinence product

Pelvic floor exercises

Since most men will take up to a month before they are healed from a prostate surgery you need to prepare yourself ahead of time by getting in shape. Studies indicate that doing pelvic floor exercises ahead of the surgery can help to make your muscles stronger so that you will not suffer from incontinence after the surgery. These Kegel exercises are simple to do. When you are urinating you will focus on stopping the flow of urine. Now that you have identified these muscles you need to focus on doing these exercises several times a day as it will help to give you more control over your ability to hold in urine. It is recommended that you practice your Kegel exercises about 30 times a day at least a month or longer before your surgery so you can recover faster. You also need to focus on doing the exercises after your surgery to aid in a speedy recovery.

Using incontinence products

Prepare yourself for incontinence after the surgery. It is a problem that you will likely deal with and hopefully you only deal with it for a few days. Having a nice supply of adult diapers and other incontinence supplies will allow you to manage your condition effectively and it will prevent you from feeling embarrassed. The right type of incontinence products will allow you to get back to work and to rally just live your life again without the embarrassment that is associated with incontinence. You need to make sure you are purchasing incontinence supplies for men as these supplies have different padding needs and fit differently from the supplies made for women.

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About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.

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