My mom is experiencing incontenience after surgery for a prolapsed bladder. She has been one week without the catheter and 2 weeks after surgery. She has no control during the day - will this get better? She had no incontenience problems before surgery. She is 79 years old.
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Q: My mom is experiencing incontenience after bladder surgery.
Answers (1)
11/12/09 9:05am
Quite often after surgery the communication between our muscles and our nerves can be slow to recover. We can help this by activating our muscles regularly. This will increase blood flow to the area and help to wake things up. It is like adding oil to the machine to help it start working on its own. You can refer to my blog for some instruction on a 2 step kegel exercise your mom can start with. If you see no improvement within the next 1-2 weeks, I would follow up with your physician for further assessment.
1/13/10 8:35am
Dianne, following any surgery, you have to work to get muscles firing again. It is the bodies protective mechanism to shut down these muscles when there is a major change or trauma occurring within our bodies. Sometimes our neuromuscular communication comes back spontaneously, but sometimes we have to "jump start" those electrical connections again. I would highly recommend that you visit www.apta.org site and go to "find a physical therapist" to locate a women's health physical therapist in your local area. You would expect the therapist to do an internal evaluation and possibe some electric stim to the muscles of your pelvic floor to get them firing again. The goal is to get you independent with contracting the correct muscles of your pelvic floor and surrounding musculature. I would also recommend a home program that can supplement your clinical treatment and aide your recovery. Read more at www.hab-it.com to see if this program is something you can commit to.
Best of luck, Diane. These are muscles and you can regain control!
1/13/10 8:35am
Dianne, following any surgery, you have to work to get muscles firing again. It is the bodies protective mechanism to shut down these muscles when there is a major change or trauma occurring within our bodies. Sometimes our neuromuscular communication comes back spontaneously, but sometimes we have to "jump start" those electrical connections again. I would highly recommend that you visit www.apta.org site and go to "find a physical therapist" to locate a women's health physical therapist in your local area. You would expect the therapist to do an internal evaluation and possibe some electric stim to the muscles of your pelvic floor to get them firing again. The goal is to get you independent with contracting the correct muscles of your pelvic floor and surrounding musculature. I would also recommend a home program that can supplement your clinical treatment and aide your recovery. Read more at www.hab-it.com to see if this program is something you can commit to.
Best of luck, Diane. These are muscles and you can regain control!
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I had bladder lift surgery 1 yr ago, I am still leaking just as much as prior the surgery, the post op was challenging , excessive bleeding, complications from the anesthetic, after all that and to still be leaking like a open faucet! ugh. The meds did not make any difference, the doctor did not know what to say after my many returns. there is no infection to cause the continuous flow, so why?? I get no answers just keep changing the pad!!
Dianne 47 Yr