How do you define fully continent?

Not needing any pads or other continence related devices. Many men and women, have minor squirts or leaks, as part of the aging process, not uncommon at all.

In my personal case, I can't pretend to fool myself. With the Urostomy that was created for me in 2010, I am 100% incontinent 100% of the time, if I did not have an Urostomy device/appliance stuck to me. I have zero sensation of urinating, which is weird, as the conduit that was made out of my insides, has no nerve endings, so there is no sensation, not even from the heat of the urine.

If my bag didn't' need emptying out many times a day, I would completely be able to forget that I ever needed to urinate.

I would trade a pad or two a day, or that slight dribble, for what I have to live with for the rest of my life. I still mostly only week black pants, even 5 years later, due to a constant fear of having my device blow out in public. Fortunately, most blow outs have happened at home, I know I would feel totally humiliated if it happened in public wetting myself.

I try not to define it by comparing it to pre-surgery me. I need no pads, but I continue to do kegels three years post surgery and still have to think about every fart. I'm dry 99.9% of the time and I figure that's better than many guys my age whether they've had surgery or not.

Tom

I'd say I was fully continent. Only an occasional drip if I have to go really bad and can't make it to a bathroom.

I think my input was clear on the Wasserman thread. I will not question anyones word on the subject of continent, but can disagree with it. Inconsistent but continent. Hey I didn't invent the universe, but have learned to live with the inconsistency thereof.

My husband says that he is fully (99%) continent. No drips. Maybe a rare drip with a sneeze. The only time he has complained about leaking is if he is sick and coughing a lot, however, that does not happen often. He went for biofeedback to learn how to do kegels properly. He still does kegels every day. He became continent at 3 and 1/2 months after his surgery.

Continence to me is lack of urine drips other than those that are stress-related.

My husband was the lucky one that felt absolutely no difference in continance before and after surgery. Not a single drop since his catheter came off - none when he sneezes or has a few drinks.

When he was taught how to do Kegals before his surgery he realised that for some strange reason it was an excercise that he had taught himself as a boy and had been doing every day all his life. I think that was what made all the difference.

I know he has been one of the lucky ones in this regard.

An

While I realize I am in good shape relative to some, (so please understand I am in no way complaining) , I would be happier if I could at least eliminate the occasional non stress drips. So I am going to up the Kegels from 4x a day to 5. If it gets worse I'll back off. But I'll see what it's like in a week. I think it was helpful to me to have been doing Kegels for a month before the surgery

@logos - thanks, good comments - and your comment "your a better man for your diagnosis" was a great one. That's a goal. Iand it relates to a YouTube video that I'm going to post in a new thread.

@An, congrats to your husband that's terrific. And btw, his pathology was pretty much exactly as mine was. Glad to see the PSA is behaving. And congrats on your 1000th post. LOL.

@halbert, that's good progress.

Mpac, I understand your frustration. Still that's not a lot, it's less than .2 ounces. Do you feel like you are still making progress month to month? Have you asked your Dr? Has he mentioned biofeedback? I'm no expert, but I think you can see improvement up to a year out.
Do your Kegels, find the right balance because if you don't do Kegels emougj, or if you Kegel too much, it cqn hurt your progress either way.

I considered myself 99.99% continent, and then I got sick and pee'd the bed.