Can SRS cause incontinence?

[Rosa]

Is there much concern about developing urinary incontinence in MTF SRS, or is it nothing to worry about?

[katgirl74]

There is a risk, it is one of many many risks.

[Jessica.C]

Oh goodie I'll just ad it to the list

[Sandy]

Depending on how well you recover from SRS, there may be a period where your bladder sphincters do not have the same muscle tone so mild incontinence can occur (when you cough or sneeze).  But if you are in reasonable good health prior to surgery, then this should be temporary.

Practicing urinary control post operatively can help regain muscle tone.

-Sandy

[peggygee]

Oh goodie I'll just ad it to the list

Well now that y'all mention it, I don't seem to be able to hold my water
as well as I did pre operatively.

But I just thought that was due to getting older.

I also have had more UTIs post than pre.

[kyril]

THE increase in UTI susceptibility is just a consequence of the shorter urethra and the shape of female anatomy.

[sneakersjay]

Surgical risks are many.  Just ask my therapist, who made darn sure I was fully aware of ALL of them before she would write my letter for surgery.     Two I've had have been bleeding and bleeding!  Oh and a clogged urinary catheter.  OMG.  But yeah, lots of risks.  Only you can decide that they are worth it.

For me it was all worth it.

[FairyGirl]

The first couple times after my catheter was completely out, going felt like I was peeing in my pants because I wasn't used to the new configuration. But there was a period of a few days when I still had the catheter shunt but disconnected the bag, which helped in practicing bladder control as Sandy mentioned.

[Renate]

Just to illustrate the entire randomness of SRS,
I know of one case where SRS cured urinary incontinence.

[rejennyrated]

While it can happen it is thankfully very rare indeed. So not a good reason to shy away from SRS.

What is not so rare, and indeed I have found to my cost on a couple of highly embarrassing occasions , is the fact that as your urethra is now about 90% shorter than it was, you can find that if you do get caught without a loo and are really desperate, the leaks are more sudden and erm... well... rather more drastic!

Talk about feeling childish and silly...  I felt like I was back at school in first grade

As a result I now carry a discrete STP device in my bag whenever I'm out in real "bandit country".

[Jessica.C]

Seeings how were on the topic of urination. What are girls experience with the stream going straight down or spraying every which way.

Seems like with all the possible complications odds would be that you would end up with at least one or two 

[rejennyrated]

Seeings how were on the topic of urination. What are girls experience with the stream going straight down or spraying every which way.

Seems like with all the possible complications odds would be that you would end up with at least one or two 

Well I've had both... actually that was a large part of the reason why I had my recent rework.

The original result which I lived with for several decades needed careful management to avoid messy spraying... the upgraded mk 2.0 configuration (complete with new software ) doesnt!

I now have a lovely straight stream, well more of a river really

[K8]

I believe that incontinence from SRS is very rare.

As far as peeing, it goes everywhere at first - mostly dribbling all over.  I was assured by the surgeon's office that I would develop a stream.  Sure enough, it got better gradually and at about 2 months post-op there is almost no dribbling.

The surgeon's office also stressed the problems inherent with a much shorter urethra - the higher risk of a bladder infection and the greater need to keep everything clean.

As Jay said, you have to balance the risks against the possible results.  You have to accept the drawbacks along with the advantages.

- Kate

[Renate]

In the beginning, just peeing is a relief.
At first it will be like a leaky roof in a bad rainstorm with drips coming from everywhere.
You'll need a couple of square feet of toilet paper.
Eventually you will get to the point of being able to write your name in the snow if that's still your thing!

[Rosa]

While it can happen it is thankfully very rare indeed. So not a good reason to shy away from SRS.

What is not so rare, and indeed I have found to my cost on a couple of highly embarrassing occasions , is the fact that as your urethra is now about 90% shorter than it was, you can find that if you do get caught without a loo and are really desperate, the leaks are more sudden and erm... well... rather more drastic!

So, is this something that GG's normally deal with but just grow up with it?  Are we using the same muscles to stop the urine as a woman as we did when a man?  Men still shut off the stream back inside the body, right, or is there some shut off down the pipe, so to speak?  Seems men always have that dribble problem from what's left inside.

[peggygee]

While it can happen it is thankfully very rare indeed. So not a good reason to shy away from SRS.

What is not so rare, and indeed I have found to my cost on a couple of highly embarrassing occasions , is the fact that as your urethra is now about 90% shorter than it was, you can find that if you do get caught without a loo and are really desperate, the leaks are more sudden and erm... well... rather more drastic!

Talk about feeling childish and silly...  I felt like I was back at school in first grade

As a result I now carry a discrete STP device in my bag whenever I'm out in real "bandit country".

As kyril and you have pointed out, the uretha is much shorter, and when the need to void occurs I don't
have the same ability to stop it as I dis pre operatively.

[kyril]

So, is this something that GG's normally deal with but just grow up with it?  Are we using the same muscles to stop the urine as a woman as we did when a man?  Men still shut off the stream back inside the body, right, or is there some shut off down the pipe, so to speak?  Seems men always have that dribble problem from what's left inside.

Men and women use the same muscles to stop the flow, yes, but the male genital configuration has an extra several inches of tubing beyond the valve.

re: spraying, that can also just be a consequence of the shape of the anatomy 

[spacial]

So, is this something that GG's normally deal with but just grow up with it?  Are we using the same muscles to stop the urine as a woman as we did when a man?  Men still shut off the stream back inside the body, right, or is there some shut off down the pipe, so to speak?  Seems men always have that dribble problem from what's left inside.

The urethrial sphincter is located in essentially the same place in g-men as g-women.

The resons for the drips in men tend to be the length of their urethera.

Catheters are a known cause of incontinence. When I was nursing I always tried to train people, after they had their catheters removed, to deliberately hold their flow. Let it go then hold it again. By stopping and starting like this, continence can usually be restored.

There is an exception to this though, and one which is affecting me more and more. I don't doubt, it affects others. that is, I am no aware that my bladder is full until it begins to flow. My spincter is fine. There is a triangular shape in the bladder called the trigon. When the bladder is full, it is suppose to be stimulated to tell you to empty it. For some reason, some of us, this trigon loses sensitivity.

I do know that insensitivity in the trigon can be caused by bladder infections and as a result of surgery in that area. But I can't be certain why it happens to everyone.
Post Merge: July 13, 2010, 12:40:49 PM
Sorry kyril.

I was writing my missive while you were posting your response.

[Rosa]

I've never had a catheter - that's a big scary for me.  It sounds so painful.

[K8]

I've never had a catheter - that's a big scary for me.  It sounds so painful.

Don't worry.  You'll have enough pain from the surgery that you will hardly notice the catheter.  And I didn't find it at all painful - just awkward and a bit uncomfortable.

- Kate