Bladder control set back after suffering my first Covid earlier this year

I had my prostatectomy in May 2020, so it is now 4 years. I did have issues at the time, but eventually I came to terms with my condition (non nerve sparing and quite a time to get good bladder control). In July 2024 I suffered my first Covid infection, it affected me fairly badly (flu like symptoms, fever for 3 days, etc) but like most folk I got over it. However, the coughing was very bad and deep and this affected my bladder control, it knocked me back to ground zero and I had to go back to wearing pads. Now, 3 months later, I am still having difficulty in getting back to where I was just before the covid infection, although I am now wearing standard underwear, I leak quite a lot. I don’t know if anyone else out there has had a similar reaction to mine, I sure given a few more months, I can get back to reasonable bladder control, but it is frustrating. I don’t have a long covid group in my region - I’m not even sure it would be a long covid condition, but it would be nice to have some level of support at the moment. Like quite a lot of people I haven’t been to see my doctor and as my support nurse signed me off, I don’t have that avenue open.

  • I'm really sorry to hear you caught covid in July 17eud350 and for how much it has affected your bladder.

    This must be very difficult, and upsetting, to live with but please try and get in touch with your GP as they will be in the best position to advise and give you information about support groups in your area.

    Hopefully some of our members who have experienced similar issues will share their experiences and advice with you soon, but if you'd like to discuss this further with one of our cancer nurses, they're available on 0808 800 4040, Monday - Friday between 9a.m - 5p.m. They're very insightful and will do all they can to support you and provide help on how to improve your bladder control. The NHS have some tips on improving urinary incontinence that you may find useful as well.

    Kind regards,

    Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Hi Steph, I apologise for this late response to your kind message, “things” and “stuff” have come along this last week. I appreciate your suggestion of contacting my GP, I am somewhat sceptical about the current arrangements for seeing the GP, I guess it’s just a matter of knuckling down to it. Most of all thank you for the contact with the cancer nurses, I feel something of a fraud as I am in remission and compared to others who are in chemo, radio therapy, etc, etc I have little to worry about. I think your suggestion of a local support group would be my best solution, as you say, hopefully someone there would have already experienced my situation or even are going through it too.

    Once again thank you for talking the time to give me reassurance and your kind words.

    Trevor