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Does Saw Palmetto really work

Posted , 9 users are following.

james87669
james87669

There are so many pros and cons relating to this product. I am curious to know if anyone has had bonafied results with it.

1 like, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • caringbah
    caringbah james87669

    Posted

    James, for me saw palmetto actually made things worse. I tried a few supplements with limited success notably stinging nettle root. If you have BPH it will only get worse. 

    I had a PAE 5 weeks ago and it was like a miracle cure. I know get up only once a night and pee like a horse. Should have done it ages ago and not bothered with supplements. 

  • Casper2015
    Casper2015 james87669

    Posted

    Hi i have never heard about this. By the way check pubmed.com and search for palmetto. Maybe you are able to find some info. Br Casper
    • derek76
      derek76 Casper2015

      Posted

      It is probably the most taken hebal remedy for BPH often withother items added to it. Widely taken in the USA and Europe and sold in pharmacies, supermarkets and herbalists. In Germany doctors actually precribe it.
  • derek76
    derek76 james87669

    Posted

    I took Saw Palmetto in the form of a tincture from a herbalist probably for about eight years. It did ease my urgency symptoms and helped with the flow. During that time my prostate grew from 35 grms to 75 grms and I had a PVP in 2005.

    From then until 2013 my prostate grew to 130grms during that time I took saw palmetto only for about a year. At other times I had Finasteride and Tamsulosin that I stopped due to side effects.

     

  • bill80656
    bill80656 james87669

    Posted

    I took it for years and in the end I had to have TURP which was worse than 3 months of water boarding with no success. Three weeks ago I had a PAE at Inova hospital in Virgina with Dr Bagla and that procwedure was a breeze and I am already peeing a little better. 

     

    • caringbah
      caringbah bill80656

      Posted

      I am hoping that soon you will be able to report a lot better than a little better Bill.

      The point that I would like to make in hindsight is that all the supplements and and herbs and even Flomax only a made a minor improvement. It was tinkering around the edges. I can honestly say that I don't even think about urinating anymore ....all my getting up at night, the hesitancy, the little pathetic dribbles, the bladder half full feeling...that's all like a distant bad dream now. I have been restored to peeing like I do when I was in my twenties. 

      I would encourage those of you with BPH and urinary problems to go check out PAE. It doesn't work for everyone but it work for more people than it doesn't. If it doesn't work you can always try the second best method which is Holep. Avoid at all costs a TURP. 

      It just seems logical to try the best method first and if it doesn't work try the second best. 

      I don't have any axe to grind. I'm not getting a spotters fee by the PAE guy. I'm just so delighted with where I am now I just want to let others who are suffering as I did that there is a solution that involves no cutting, no impotence, no incontinence and no retrograde ejaculation. I'm also one of the lucky 30% of PAE patients who report improved sexual performance namely a fuller flaccid penis and much stronger erections with greater girth. 

      All in all I'm a very happy camper. 

    • bill80656
      bill80656 caringbah

      Posted

      Yes I totally agree with everything that you wrote above. I'm peeing better only 3 weeks out. I know that is unusual but it is true.
  • pete25515
    pete25515 james87669

    Posted

    If you follow the pubmed link below, S Bent authored a randomized trial in the New England Journal of Medicine 2006 that showed no difference between saw palmetto and placebo. That's not to say that some people don't respond, some may well do, but overall there was no difference at the dose tested.

    If buying "herbal" remedies, do make sure they are from a reputable source- some may contain pharmaceutical ingredients (eg steroids, finasteride) which defeats the object anyway and may interfere with accurate PSA interpretation.

    • derek76
      derek76 pete25515

      Posted

      With saw palmetto II always stopped it for a week before a PSA test.
    • ben_87928
      ben_87928 derek76

      Posted

      Hi Derek and anyone else for that matter,  I'm wondering does taking Saw Palmetto cause the PSA to go higher than what otherwise would be the case when tested for the PSA level?

      As regards using Saw Palmetto, I've been taking it for over two years and the benefit for me I think is best described as only marginal.

    • derek76
      derek76 ben_87928

      Posted

      It is said to avoid sex, riding a bike and saw palmetto for a few days before a PSA test.

       By the way my PSA was 5.1 when I was diagnosed with BPH in 1995.

      Biopsies in 1995 and 1999 were negative. I did also have the Free PSA test that did not give any bad indications 

      By the time my prostate was 75 grms in 2005 it was 9.8. Big prostate = high PSA. After my PVP my PSA dropped back to 5.0.

       

    • ben_87928
      ben_87928 derek76

      Posted

      Interesting info Derek, thanks.

      I had previously heard/read about avoiding sex and a few other different things several days before having a PSA check, but not previously heard about avoiding saw palmetto.  So I'm wondering if maybe that's why when last checked I was 5.5.  By coincidence six days ago I did actually quit taking saw palmetto just to see how I went on and to date I've not found any difference one way or the other .  Currently needing to get up 2 or 3 times with the same urgency during the day! I should also add I stopped taking tamsulosin about a week ago too, and currently not really found any difference!

    • ben_87928
      ben_87928 derek76

      Posted

      Actually no, I haven't.  I've recently noticed Cialis being mentioned seemingly more often in dispatches, so I'll look into that. Thanks for reminding me about that possibly helpful alternative.
    • derek76
      derek76 ben_87928

      Posted

      I've not taken the daily dose but when taking the normal dose my urine flow was always better for the next two days. It seems to be the preffered drug at the moment.

      I can't take it at the moment as I have a heart rhythm problem.

    • Guest
      Guest ben_87928

      Posted

      I've been taking saw palmetto for 18 months and had a PSA done in May this year, it was 2.1.  Before I started taking it my PSA was 6.5.  My urologists confirmed saw neither palmetto raises or lowers PSA.   I've found it to be reasonably effective but not as much as Flomax, that was better for the output flow.
    • james87669
      james87669 derek76

      Posted

      Now in my second half of a thirty day sample (5mg) and very pleased. Had been taking tamsulosin for about 10 months at the 40mg and 80mg strength. Was not doing well with side effects. 
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