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olift - resolution of symptoms

Posted , 7 users are following.

thomas1947
thomas1947

I have been watching this Forum for quite some time and have been seriously considering taking the leap.  My quandry is this:  Having been on Cialis and Rapaflo for a couple of years, my symptoms are limited to frequency and urgency.  I generally wake up only once each night to urinate, and I've never had any acute retention episodes.

So I'd be interested to know from those who HAVE had the procedure, which problems were resolved and which remain.  I do a lot of charity flying, and having to urinate every 1.5 to 2 hours during the day severely limits my effectiveness.  If I thought the Urolift would resolve, or at least improve, that symptom, I'd go for it.

Thanks for any advice.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • AZBill
    AZBill thomas1947

    Posted

    Thomas, a few thoughts...I'm going on 8+ months and still happy with the results. I sleep through the night and enjoy other things like the movies with little regard to thinking about the men's room and in Oct last year we went to Europe where we flew, rode trains and drove around, again with little concern with what used to consume half my time making sure the bases were covered.

    As far as making the choice, my recommendations always begin with the determination of candidacy. Not everyone is. Make sure your Urologist is experienced in the procedure and will be candid about the conditions he finds. Post void residual (PVR) measurements are important and a cystoscopy will reveal prostate size and configuration, both of which have manufacturer recommendations associated with them. As well, the interior of the bladder can be checked. There are bladder conditions taken into account.

    Best wishes

    • oldbuzzard
      oldbuzzard AZBill

      Posted

      Good advice - prostate size and growth patterns impact who is a candidate for what. If for some reason, you're not and ideal candidate for urolift, there are a couple of others that are comperably non-invasive that might work. Ideally, you want to consult a urologist who does them all and cand advise on best likely outcome, not someone who will push you to the one and only procedure they do.

    • thomas1947
      thomas1947 AZBill

      Posted

      Bill:

      Thanks for the quick response.  I agree with the screening/evaluation. The Doc I would use (here in Central California)says he turns lots of guys down so he can keep his success rate up.  So I guess I'll go that far at least.  He does say that frequency is caused by the prostate pushing up on the bladder and reducing its volume, so I'm concerned that Urolift may not improve that symptom.

  • j12080
    j12080 thomas1947

    Posted

    I studied the Urolift with Claus Roehrborn Chief for Urology at UT Southwestern last year. He was one of the Doctors who designed the procedure. My concern at the time was the continued growth of the gland after inserting the device. And the ordeal of the gland tissue growing over the clamps of the device thereby requiring significant surgery for later removal when needed. Also Roehrborn told me that large median lobe in the transitional would be an issue with Urolift. That is what I had. So I went on to FLA. I am now 2.5 months in and I am completely cured of my BPH symptoms I have dealt with for 8 years now. I am 66 with a 125 cc prostate gland pre surgery. Sex is fully back and started 4th week out. If you want any infor that might interest you please just Personal Message me or respond here and I will try to inform.

    Good luck, it is a difficult thing to investigate. I spent 20 months, 9 visits, seven trips and lot of investigation. But, I am now finsihed, totally pleased beyond 100% and willing to pass any thing on to anyone. I have lived in fear that this could not be corrected. Thank God I was wrong. 

    • stinger212
      stinger212 j12080

      Posted

      John,

      Greetings. Interested to learn more on your FLA experience. Had PAE last summer 2016 w/DrBagla and worked well for a while but have a large median module pressing on my bladder neck. Bagla says a 2nd PAE wii not solve the issue and w/time, prostate median lobe will shrink. Not sure is the case. My pee is thin,not clogged but at times hard to pee, catherize on /off and getting up 3-4 times@nite. Called Dr Karamanian per one of your posting but will have wait til Monday to speak with him - they were busy and return call late today. Taking lots of nettle root and betasistosterol which seems to help. But like you, want get this done band go on w/my life. Specifically, how long will this procedure keep in years, approximate cost of FLA ( know is not cheap) how long it took to complete and how long was your stay in

      Houston for the procedure. Lots of question but am deeply grateful and appreciative if you can make me smarter on FLA procedure.

      Thanks

      Raul

    • j12080
      j12080 stinger212

      Posted

      I am sure he will call you back. If you don't hear from them by noon on Monday, call them back and leave another message he will call you. I am not familiar with what they are doing currently as far as how busy they are but I do know the clinical trial he was getting approved is making them busy. I could not wait for the trial and told them I needed to move forward in mid December. I will try to answer to your questions and I will personal message you the the information to contact me directly so I can give you all the information to other questions you will have. 

      First, PAE is a random treatment for BPH tissue reduction. PAE results in the atrophy of the prostate gland and it is an overall reduction and cannot be targeted to specific areas that need redcution like your median lobe or the area of the tissue that is imposing directly on the urthera thereby blocking the urine flow. FLA is very precise. It is fully "eyes on" real time 3T MRI directed. Done exclusively by a specialized trained Interventional Radiologist like Dr. Karmanian.

      FLA like PAE does not touch or harm the urethra as many other procedrues like greenlight and REZUM do go up and back through the urethra. Also there are no sexual side effects with FLA. At least that was my demand and the absolute results I obtained. This was my number one goal in selection of a treatment.

      i cannot tell you how long the procedure will last in BPH relief. Nor can anyone yet tell us how long Greenlight, Urolift, PAE, Rezum, iTend or many other of the innovative new procedure last if successful in BPH results. The infamous TURP is claimed to last up to 10 years. But I would NEVER have one. I can only tell you the logic that I used in regard to this when I selected FLA. FLA is a coagulation of tissue with a laser. The coagulated tissue is removed after the procedure naturally by your white blood cells and it is passed out of the body as waste. Once the tissue is removed the prostate "reforms" in size, form and shape.  You must realize that none of the procedures for BPH actually stop the gland from growing. The interesting thing about FLA is that the removal of the tissue is not only in a specific area of releif, but it also developes a scar tissue coating of the area void by the laser. Like a burn scar and as it heals, BPH tissue will not grow back on the scar tissue but it is possibe for the BPH tissue to continue to grow in the area of the healthy remaining tissue areas of the prostate. I am not sure how to stop total BPH growth as noone knows why or how the prostate grows with the BPH condition. I can only tell you I am expecting 5 or more years of relief to the BPH and and hope to make ten years. I will continue to take natural herbs and treatments to hope I stem the growth of the gland.

      About 40% of my prostate was removed. I can send you a email of a picture of my prostate before and after the procedure on my prostate and you can see how much tissue they removed in three of the five areas. I will be happy to show you the MRI photo before and after. I too had the large median lobe and with the tissue removal at the base of the prostate, it opened up the flow out of my bladder. I had a large 125cc prostate. I had bad nocturia and got up about 6 to 8 times at night to urinate.

       I am not sure how Bagla can say with time, the tisse in this median lobe will shrink. That is a roll of the dice and cannot turly be predicted. Again, it is a random atrophy shrinkage. That is why he told you he can't make the specific median lobe shrink specifically with a second PAE. It is also not a even shrinkage through out the gland during the PAE.

      I was in Houston for 5 days and went home on the sixth day. I took the cath out myself on the next morning. Nothing to it. This procedure is 20  k. More with the other IR's out there. Well worth it to me. I am so pleased with my results and I am hoping I have many years of relief.  I know you have a lot of question and I am will to help you or anyone else with my experience. I will tonight PM you my contact info and you can call me, email me, or contact me with additional PM's. I know how curious your are to find an answer. I am sure you are disappointed with the PAE results but you tried and you cannot stop trying just because it did not work. I will support you all I can and give you full detail of my treatment. Good luck. Here I come on the personal message. 

      John. 

    • alan1951
      alan1951 j12080

      Posted

      Thanks, John.  That was one informative post.  Regarding the price, to your thinking, will it ever be covered under Medicare?
  • lester07305
    lester07305 thomas1947

    Posted

    Thomas,

    As I have mentioned in past posts I had the Urolift about a year and half ago. Absolutely 0 improvement with a couple of other issues as a result. Doc said he has done hundreds and I am the only one who had these issues. Really! In any event I am on medication and coping fairly well. Up one to three times a night but retired so can make up the sleep when needed. Quality of life motivates the decision. I have read some posts here with guys that have had good success with Urolift. For me a big disappointment as I could not even go off medication. You may be one of the success stories. Ask for refferals and talk to guys that used your doctor. I did one. Should have done more. My GP was scepitcal but I made the mistake of asking him after the proceedure. Good luck and I hope it all works out for you.  

  • alan1951
    alan1951 thomas1947

    Posted

    Take my opinion for what it's worth.  Your symptoms don't sound that bad.  If that is the case, then buy yourself as much time as possible.  In other words - procrastinate, procrastinate, PROCRASTINATE - that is - if you can stand it.  Over time, the technology can only improve.  Over time, the drawbacks of purportedly "flawless" procedures (of which there are none) will ultimately surface, thereby enabling you to make a better, more informed decision.

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