Member Blogs

Don,

Have you discussed the incontinence with your surgeon or your primary physician?  There are Continence Clinics in most major medical centers these days and they have numerous choices when it comes to types of solutions, and one of those is most definately kegels.  You've admitted that you didn't give them a lengthy try, and that may be part of the reason.  Pelvic Floor Muscle exercises work to help you gain strength in those muscles that rarely ever get exercised to maintain their strength, and so when we need them to work they're already in trouble because of the stress of the surgery.  Think of it this way, a person who wants to be Mr Universe but has never exercised those muscles has a lot of work to do and it takes a long time to build up those muscles.  With regard to the muscles we need to strengthen for continence there are just a few, and although it won't take as long as the person who wants the Mr. U title it does still take time.  Maybe even several months, and if you're doing them correctly you might possibly see results in four to six weeks.
It may seem odd my suggesting you read my story on the Storyboard (I think I'm on the second page) section of this WebSite because I'm female and there are factors in my continence that don't relate to your problem, but there is a part of my story where I describe my efforts with kegels and my frustrations because I saw little real progress.  I kept questioning and pushing for answers and I did find that my previous instructions were not accurate and so I was doing them incorrectly.  The Continence Clinic at Kirklin Clinic in Birmingham Alabama is where I was obtaining my care and was also where I found the solution to my problem.  This clinic and their care givers are very well known (Nationally and perhaps beyond that, too) for the work they do in this area, you can visit their web site www.health.uab.edu and once the home page comes up go to Clinical Services and when a list comes up go to the very bottom of that list and choose Urology Services.  When that page opens choose UAB Programs and Centers for Urology and the next list choose UAB Continence Clinic, then on the right side of the next page choose Urinary Incontinence.  There is a fair amount of information regarding incontinence and the different types of treatments available from this clinic, but don't think this is the only place you can get this care it's not.  As I mentioned previously there are many clinics of this nature in major medical centers, just talk to your physician about it and he or she should be able to refer you to one of them.  There are other sites at UAB's Web Site that may have information for you regarding questions you may have with regard to your medical issues, however this information is not an absolute it can be a guide for you and others.
Do not be discouraged, you can still find an answer that will work for you as long as you ask for help and then work at what your doctor or practitioner suggests.  I wish you good luck in your quest for continence as I know all too well how frustrating this problem is from my own personal experience.

Lou