Dr Stephen Allen
Retired Anaesthesiologist, Prostate Cancer Patient
After prostate surgery to treat his cancer, Steve became incontinent. Life became increasingly difficult, until an implant procedure helped him take back control.
When Dr Steve Allen, a 59-year-old retired anaesthetist, underwent prostate surgery after a cancer diagnosis, he was told he might have “some incontinence for a while.” What followed was far worse than he could ever have imagined.
“I remember the day I realised I’d become totally incontinent,” says Steve. “I was shaving, looked down and saw a pool of urine on the floor. My first thought was: ‘Am I going to be in nappies for the rest of my life?’”
Devastating impact of incontinence
Throughout his cancer diagnosis and surgery, Steve hadn’t shed a tear. However, after his surgery, the reality of incontinence broke him. “I fell apart,” he says. “Incontinence is not life-threatening, but it affects everything. I felt hopeless, isolated, confused. All I wanted to do was feel normal again.”
Initially, Steve managed his incontinence with pads, but his condition was so severe that he had to change them around six times a day. Finally, when his situation didn’t improve, he underwent another operation a year and a half after his prostate surgery. He made the decision to move forward with a procedure to implant an artificial urinary sphincter, a device that helps control urine flow. It was, he says, a life-changing decision.
I’d gone from being 96%
incontinent to 96% continent.
A treatment option that can change lives
The result was transformational. Six weeks after the operation, at his follow-up appointment, the device was activated. On the journey home from the clinic, Steve realised the pad he was wearing was completely dry for the first time since his prostate cancer surgery. “People talk about life-changing moments,” he says. “That was mine.”
That was 16 years ago, but Steve still remembers that feeling clearly. “I’d gone from being 96% incontinent to 96% continent,” he says. “I felt I had a future. Importantly, it allowed me to have an intimate and close relationship with my wife again, without fear of leaking urine.
Importance of reliable and accessible health information
Steve insists on the importance of relying on reliable, trustworthy, easy-to-understand information about health issues, to be able to act sooner. For example, he notes that while the sphincter implant operation is available on the NHS, few people seem to know about it.
“Join a patient support group and talk to your GP because this procedure made a meaningful difference to me,” he encourages. “It certainly changed mine.”
Movember is a time to spotlight men’s health and encourage conversations that too often remain unspoken. Conditions like prostate cancer, benign prostatic enlargement, erectile dysfunction and male incontinence affect millions — yet stigma and misinformation often delay care.
To support this awareness effort, the urologymatters.com hub provides comprehensive, easy-to-use resources including clear explanations of urological symptoms, causes and treatment options, a doctor finder, FAQs and other patient stories. Better-informed patients may feel more prepared for focused consultations, earlier detection and stronger outcomes in their healthcare. Learn more at urologymatters.com
Disclaimer
This material is for informational purposes only and not meant for medical diagnosis. This information does not constitute medical or legal advice, and Boston Scientific makes no representation regarding the medical benefits included in this information. Boston Scientific strongly recommends that you consult with your physician on all matters pertaining to your health. These materials are intended to describe common clinical considerations and procedural steps for the use of referenced technologies but may not be appropriate for every patient or case. Decisions surrounding patient care depend on the physician’s professional judgment in consideration of all available information for the individual case.
Boston Scientific (BSC) does not promote or encourage the use of its devices outside their approved labelling. Case studies are not necessarily representative of clinical outcomes in all cases, as individual results may vary.
Testimonials and statements presented are the opinion of the individual depicted and are not indicative of future performance or success.
Steve Allen has not been compensated for his time and participation in the writing of this article.
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