Incontinence, continued

I may have mentioned this in an earlier posting, but I have had incontinence three times due to prostate related treatments. 

The first time was 6 years ago after my original prostate surgery. I was catheterized for 3 weeks due to swelling, but after that subsided I learned how to do Kegel exercises and regained continence on my own. I don't remember how long it took. I continued to have a strong urge to pee but at least I wasn't leaking. I used the med Oxybutynin for quite a while but I gradually learned when and where not to drink lots of liquids, and only used Oxybutynin when we were on trips. 

The second time was January of 2017. I had a procedure called a cystoscopy (no fun) where they stick a tube up your penis to have a look at your bladder. You're awake and it is rather unpleasant. That night I couldn't pee on my own so we went to the emergency room and they catheterized me; I had the catheter in for a week, during which I had a UTI.  

We left for a month in South Carolina shortly after and I was incontinent while we were down there. I thought I could regain continence on my own but I was leaking the whole time we were in S.C. (no fun!). When we got back I found out that there is physical therapy for incontinence; by the time I started it was April, and continued it until June. I think it took long because: 1) I was 6 years older 2) I had the UTI complication. 

The third time was after my spine surgery on July 25th. The entire month of August was spent getting a catheter put in, having spasms where I couldn't pee, and going to the ER to get catheterized again. I got another UTI. At one point my pee looked like coca cola. After three trips to the ER, the catheter was finally removed. They taught me to self catheterize just in case. 

While I was healing from the surgery, my surgeon just wanted me to walk. I did the Kegels on my own. He finally agreed (at my prodding) to physical therapy for my back which helped my back a lot. I continued the Kegels. Finally I started PT for incontinence again in November. That was four months after my surgery, but I am counting three months since they stopped having to catheterize me.

My original therapist, a woman, retired. My new therapist is a guy. I liked/like them both. I was a little concerned that because of my spinal surgery, PT may not work as well now. My new therapist says that if you can control the defecation muscles, you can train the muscles that control urination. 

He also says that continence is regained in the following order: 1) sleeping, 2) sitting 3) standing 4) walking 5) lifting. I'm getting closer to controlling sleeping and sitting. I'm hoping that these will be in good shape by the time we leave for S.C in late January. I'll continue to work on it while we're in SC and most likely get another course of physical therapy in March. Hopefully I'll be squared away by spring!