John's Story
62-year-old Patient with Post-prostatectomy Stress Urinary Incontinence
In this profile, one patient describes his experience with Uromedica’s ProACT Adjustable Continence Therapy for Men. Please keep in mind that results vary; not every patient has the same experience.
“After my prostatectomy in 2005, I began experiencing urinary incontinence. Typically, I needed 5-7 pads per day. I am a teacher and school administrator, so I had to keep pads in my desk at school, in my briefcase and car, and at home. I also kept a change of clothes with me, because sometimes I leaked through the pads.
I had more difficulty when teaching—perhaps because I was standing for more than an hour, but also because I’m a little more excited when lecturing. Often by the end of the day, when I was tired, I had less control. However, as an administrator, I have to attend school functions several nights a week. It might have been easier to manage my incontinence if I could have stayed home, but that wasn’t an option.
My doctor suggested an over-the-counter cold medication and a prescription medication, but they had no effect. We discussed implanting an artificial sphincter, but that sounded like a major procedure. Having to control the device sounded awkward and did not appeal to me. Plus, the potential side effects associated with the artificial sphincter concerned me.
I researched the transobturator male sling, because I was interested in pursuing that option. I contacted a urologist who was experienced with the procedure, scheduled a visit, and flew to see him. He did several diagnostic tests, and the next day I had the surgery, which took approximately three hours. I stayed in the hospital overnight, since I was from out of town. I felt fine the next day, so I returned home. Unfortunately, the sling procedure had no impact on my symptoms. Six months after the surgery, I was still leaking as much as I had before the surgery, so it was clear it wasn’t going to work.
When I learned about ProACT Adjustable Continence Therapy for Men, I was very interested. It has been used in Europe, Canada, Asia, South America and Australia for several years. The therapy made sense to me, since it’s two simple devices that exert passive control. I discovered that I could have the procedure done in Milan, Italy. Since I had lived near Milan for several years and my daughter still lives there, I decided to have the procedure there and recuperate at my daughter’s home.
In November 2007, I flew to Italy and had the implant procedure done. The whole process lasted about 40 minutes. Although I could have had a general anesthetic, I preferred a local anesthetic, so that was what the doctor used. I stayed at the hospital overnight, since I’d traveled so far and they wanted to be sure I was all right. After the procedure, it took 3-4 days for the two small incisions to heal. Fortunately, my wife is a nurse, so she was able to monitor my progress. After our visit, we flew home.
Six weeks after the implant, my urologist performed my first adjustment, which consists of adding a very small amount (0.5cc) of fluid to the balloons—something that can be done in the doctor’s office. I felt achy for about half an hour after the first adjustment, but then I was fine. I had two more adjustments at 4-week intervals. The second and third adjustments did not bother me at all. Currently, each balloon has 3cc of fluid, and a total of 8cc can be added. At my current fluid levels, I have been able to reduce my pad usage to 1-2 per day. I expect to continue improving as more fluid is added.
I feel totally different now. Previously, leaking was a constant worry and managing the leaks was always on my mind. I had to have pads and a change of clothes with me wherever I went. Traveling was a lot more difficult. For a weeklong trip, I’d need 70 pads—that’s a whole suitcase full! Those days are over. I can do all my normal activities, including running 6-7 miles every morning and playing basketball. My sex life has also improved because I’m no longer concerned about leaking. I feel that ProACT works with my body better— I wouldn’t go back!”
—This page last modified Thursday October 9, 2008