11 days isn't very long. I am at 6-1/2 weeks right now and still get some twinges and twangs down there.

I started the Kegels after day 7 when the catheter came out. Generally there is no discomfort when doing them but it's like any other workout, if you feel pain, back off.

Boston221,

You know, I'd run that by my health care provider if i were you. Or at least his nurse. And I'd make sure I wasn't overdoing them. If I remember right, my uro's instruction sheet said just do the recommended number, as doing more "is not helpful". You may be causing some over-tightening in that region. More may not be better in this instance.

I did not have kegel pain at first, but by my first year out of RALP, I was having some kegel pain and discussed this with uro at next scheduled meet. He didn't say what was the problem, but said I could stop the kegels (was at one year), as I had probably already gotten most the payback from my kegels by that time. I also had sciatic/piriformis issues going on at the time. If you don't know, those can be real s.o.b.s as far as discomfort. All in the same body region, but never got a clear diagnosis from any doc.

The following exercise is probably not going to help you. Just to make you aware there are a lot of nerves and "wires" in that vicinity. Yours have been beaten up a little by the RALP. So no telling for sure -- thus, talk to doc.

But it sure did the trick for me, and I'm not a big believer in chiropractic. Fixed my shooting pains down glutes and hammies, esp after weight-lifting, esp. back squats. As you can see from the other commenters on his video, it is like a miracle exercise, when it does work for a particular case. I just found this recently, so didn't have it available when I was trying to debug my pelvic pain when I was doing regular kegels.

/www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qZ517Rw7ME

Robert

call the doc/nurse. Make sure you're doing them correctly or at the right time. Likely it's nothing and will clear up as you heal, but better safe than sorry.

Andrew

Every time you go to take a pee, try and stop the flow mid-stream. When you can do that you KNOW the correct muscles are getting exercised. Then do it periodically through out the day whenever you think about it. But don't overtax them or they will become fatigued and you will leak more...

I didn't have any memorable pain from kegels.

I would suggest you check with your surgeon as to the availability of a physical therapy nurse or PA to help be sure you are doing them correctly. I met a few times with a specialist, and I was doing them wrong. Didn't cause pain, just didn't accomplish anything until I made some changes.

If it hurts, ask your medical team - there could always be an unknown issue.

I started kegels before surgery, waited while the catheter was in and then have done them for every one of the 1,400+ days since. All with no pain. I always stop my pee mid stream......does it help, who knows, but I'll keep doing it as I have been lucky (or do you make your own luck) on that front.