Not Sure Which Type of Pouch to Get ??

If you got a great surgeon talk it over with him. You only got three picks the neobladder, the indiana pouch, or the outside bag. I was going for the neobladder but there were too many cancer cells near my ureatha when they opened me up so my surgeon took my 2nd choice. So I went with the Indiana Pouch I have no complaints and never had any leakage what so ever. So you live with what you have too, and I am also cancer free as of last August 2 months after my surgery. Good Luck My Friend, Joe

Hi Dan: I am now 5 weeks post op. Done on Dec 21, I have the neo bladder, done by 2 surgens one running a da vinci robot, the other doing the neo bladder by hand, I was out of hospital 3 days after surgery. I am now holding 400 CC and get up 2 times at night. I drink so much fluid now I seem to crave water and juice. So I am drinking a lot. In the day I wont leak as long as I go pea every 2 to 3 hours about 350 CC. I do wear a depends or pad just in case, But not when I am home. At night I sleep on a pad but as long as I get up every 3 hours im good. I feel like so good about my choice. I havenet tried the erection thing yet that would just be a nice bonas if it happens. they did do the nerve sparing. I had the bag for drainige for kidney stints for almost 3 weeks I did not like it. But if need be would have gotin used to that. I do think they have to take some intestine for all the pouches. If you need someone to talk to you can PM me and I will call you. ;)Don

i had my neo on oct 19th 2006 and am way way happier than I expected. there are days I marvel at how normal it feels. nights are slightly damp but im lazy with the kegals and careless with my drinking habits. im sure id be able to nail it if i was more conscientious. i think where a neo benefits over other diversions is that, if it's done well and works properly, then the dependence on apparatus can be minimal. that's certainly been my experience. although it can vary as you wil read. i angsted over my diversion choice and just couldn't see how the neo would work. it's hard to imagine when you still have a regular bladder. but it does and pretty well.

cheers

tim

I'm having my surgery done at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, and he was recommended because of his skill at doing the neobladder.

Thanks to everyone for posting!

Dan...where are you having your surgery done and who is your surgeon?...Whats his particular expertise? That could make a difference in how happy you are with your decision. Pat

Hey Dan,
I've had my neobladder for 2 1/2 years, and if faced with the same decision today, I would make the same decision without hesitation. Done properly by an expert, a neobladder can provide excellent quality of life. I'm continent day and night (unless I have one too many beers too close to bedtime). I hike and play tennis and lift weights (and never wear a pad). I'm one of the fortunate ones who has near-normal erections without pills or shots (my bi-lateral nerve sparing surgery worked pretty darn well). Certainly there can be complications with neobladders (intestinal blockages - which I had), but that would not change my mind.

That said, others urinary diversions can be entirely satisfactory. Your choice of pouch will be limited by the repetoire of your surgeon and may be dictated by what he encounters during surgery. Frankly, if I had ended up with another type of diversion, I would have been pretty satisfied.

Keep in mind that one of the criteria docs check before moving forward with a neobladder is the patient's ability to comply. For example, patients need to be able to void often enough so that they don't end up with a floppy or ruptured neobladder (most void by the clock during the day every 3 hours or so, and at night one needs to be able to get up once to void). Plus there is effort required early on to gradually 'train' your bladder to increase in volume. All very doable, assuming one is not frail and elderly or has other limitations.

Good luck on your upcoming surgery.

Check out the Trench Tales, lots of experience recorded there.

blcwebcafe.org/stories.asp

Dan