self cathetarisation for enlarged prostate

I suggest you just ask him/her directly. It is not a big deal although my internist does not see it as a solution to the problem. I asked my Uro for directions and samples and was provided same.

Anthony,  I had Urolift done two months ago.  Severely-distended bladder leaves me with ca. 400 also, at day's end.  I cath then and then only.  My hope is to allow some shrinkage of the bladder while I sleep.  At the very least, I get 7 or 8 hours of sleep, straight through, every night!  :-)  This, after self-cathing for 15 months until the Urolift..

Sounds like you have been dealing with BPH for a long while as I have.

     My doc prescribed Bethanachol,  3 time a day, he says that this helps the bladder to be compressed,   I am not so sure about all that.

   I set an apt with another dr for another opinion and coincedintly it happens to be in the same week that I have an apt with the doc who did my Urolift.

    I guess what I want to know is holding 400cc after feeling like I have completly voided too much?  

Well, "too much" is the question, isn't it?  In my case, the bladder was stretched out so much, for so long, that it no longer returns to "normal."  Something like what happens to some women who have several pregnancies.  As I understand it, there is no problem without completely voiding.  And in my case, I only cath at night for the reasons mentioned above.  I've never used Bethanachol, but what I just read about it tells me that it deals with nerve-response, and perhaps you have a similar structural issue: stretched-out bladder muscles that won't return to their old "normal," regardless of what you do to them!  I just read the side-effects of that drug, and hope you're not having any of them!!   I spoke with my Uro-doc just yesterday, 2 months post-op, and he agreed with what I'd chosen to do, including going off my meds and night cathing. Looking to re-create the old "normal" with the bladder muscles is a loooong shot, though: the bladder muscles are not like the long, sinewy muscles of the biceps: they are small, compartmentalized box-like structures, that once stretched out for too long, remain stretched out.  Which may be what you have. "I'm not a doctor; I don't even play one on TV," but it sounds to me like taking Bethanachol, with its possible side-effects of dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps/pain, diarrhea, increased saliva/urination, sweating, flushing, watery eyes... may be barking up the wrong tree!   Good luck with BOTH visits!  :-)

It would be an idea for you to ask your dr. for the self catheter that you could use, as and when you feel it is needed.  My partner did not get on with the self catheter as he was having to use it all through the night and it got too much, so he's gone back to the catheter with a bag.  Thanks for replying

I've just looked up 'urolift' and this sounds like the answer.  My partner hasn't seen a urologist yet - his appointment is on 25th February, so he doesn't know if his enlarged prostate is benign, or cancer.  So until then, I suppose he will just have to put up with the catheter with bag.  He couldn't get on with the self catheterisation, it was happening too many times throughout the night, whereas with a bag he can sleep through.  thanks for your reply.

So sad to read your brief comments!  The Bag approach was a holy horror show for me!  I put up with it for ONE LONG WEEK.  I'm 66, and used to be up often.  From my experience (15 months of self-catheterizing!), cathing before bed COMPLETELY emptied my bladder, and I slept through the night ALMOST EVERY NIGHT!  Please show him this!  I used "Speedi-caths," pre-lubed silicon devices (NOT RUBBER CATHS!!!!!), which worked and still work well for me.  I can't help but wonder if he was doing the cathing correctly, as I am able to completely drain the bladder before sleep, and don't get ANY "urges" before waking in the morning.  And sometimes not until I've had my coffee!

Yes, there are caveats re UROLIFT: non-cancerous, prostate between 40-80 grams, no median lobe.  In my case, my prostate was only 39 g, small, but still swollen.  And a note:  My original urologist said No median lobe, but then the radiologist, a year later, said there was one.  The expert surgeon I chose (Dr. Steve Ganges, Salt Lake City (I'm in PA) said he thought there wasn't one, and there wasn't.  Please have your guy get second opinions!!!!  I can't stress it more.  My uro wanted to give me a TURP in Aug 2014; I said no, and went searching.  It paid off, big time.  And now... my original uro is doing the UROLIFT too--- but as a "newbie."  He's now a convert, but I went with Dr, Ganges (Google him), as he did the original FDA trials before the procedure was accepted in the US.  Most experience, and I'm glad I did.

The urolift worked great for me I have 4 implants.  Good luck to your friend Ken 

...and I had six implants, the max allowed for this procedure.  And so far, two months post-op, all is very, very good.  Btw, the change was immediate:  I gingerly climbed out of the stirrups(first ones for me!  :-)  ), and asked for a bowl, and peed right there, first time doing it "naturally" in 15 months.  True story, and even the doc was surprised!  

Please keep us apprised, and ask questions; there's a lot of experience on this thread! And we want the best for your guy.

And if I didn;'t mention earlier, I had the UROLIFT on a Tuesday, flew back to PA on Thursday, and was stacking firewood on Friday.  Truly different from the old standby, TURP....

That turp need to go away.  With all the new procedures out there I don't know why the doctors still tell a patient a turp is the way to go but they don't tell them the truth about the side effects.  Just read a artical on a turp the dr told him that retro only happen once in ten.  So he had it.  He got it and the dr told him I guess your the 1.  That's grap.  To the men that have had a turp and would like to try to get there ejaculation back I read a artical about decongestion pill treatment to get it back.  ( pseudoephdrine and sudafed )  One you take every 6 hours and the other is 30 to 60 mintues before.  I guess it's worth a try..  Ken  

Yes, sad to know more than most do on the subject, isn't it?  My urologist said, Well, those things happen to only 2 or 3% of the patients!  And I asked, Would YOU want to be one those 2%???  He just smiled.  ANd the URO-doc I went to said the numbers are much higher.  I think it's important to spread the word about UROLIFT...  Facebook, anyone?!  :-D

 

Yes I think it is important.  Some dr don't care I think most just look at the money. They don't look at the full picture.  Your dr never gave you a answer just a smile. He don't what to think anout it.  I know they do try to give us the best treatment but why to you have to pick one or the other ( sex or peeing )  I want it all Life is to short to not live life to the highest you can.  They will never take that away from me without a fight.  Ken  

Well said, Ken!  And yes, at 66, newly-remarried, with my family's history of long lives, I look forward to another likely 30 years.  And yes, quality of life is a big part of the future!!  I'm glad we can offer our experiences to others...

I am very happy for you.  Good luck to and the new Mrs. 

Hear, hear, Ken, and I think the Urolift does seem to be a safe and effective appproach!

The trouble is that I mistook it for something associated with the Euro currency so passed it by. Mia culpa!

In closing I would like to join in congratulating Cartoonman and Mrs and wish you both much hapiness ahead. As my Urology Nurse says, "Use it or lose it!"

Urolift=€uro currency???  Good one! There's the situation in Greece and Spain, requiring "€urolift surgery" from the economies of Germany and France... My inner former-political-cartoonist loves it!  :-D

 

I hope you didn't have another procedure done.  Just relax and get some information..  Take care  Ken

Hi, Cartoonman,

Sorry if my replies are a little erratic; still having some computer problems here.

Glad your inner-former-cartoonist loves it. Why not go ahead and use it? I'm all for a little humor just so long as we laugh with each other rather than at each other. Have fun!

 

:-)   It would, of course, be a cartoon understood by a select, small group!  My cartooning days are somewhat behind me (although still making me a bit of a living), and since discovering Thomas Girtin and John Cottman et al, 25  years ago, I have been an explorer in the world of watercolouring.  FInest experience: sitting in the Drawing Collection of the British Museum, holding pieces by those masters in my hands and learning, learning, learning!  One day, maybe on my next trip over, to Blighty I will get to the museum in Norwich, where much of it all took place, 200 years ago...

Hi, Ken,

Many thanks for your kind thoughts. Yes, I did undergo the procedure but it was cardiac (triple bypass and aortic valve), but it included the customary (mandatory?) urinary catheterization, and this was the bit that concrned me.

When I re-started self-catheterization a year or so ago I discovered that my urethra was about 1 to 2 inches longer than allowed by the "standard" catheter length currently offered. Please refer to my post to ollie64 about 12 days ago. This is the subject I want to present in an article, once I figure out how best to go about it. The subject is the trend by catheter manufacturers to standardize on a single catheter length.

And once I learn how to navigate this superb web site. Ken, I was in the middle of editing this post when it got away fom me prematurely; please disregard  "stray unattached meanderings"!

All the best, Ken!

 

Alan, I don't know whether this would be of use, but...   I self-cathed every time for 15 months before my Urolift surgery in December (over 2000 times!).  I used and HIGHLY recommend the "Speedicath," which is manufactured in Hungary (!).  The one I use boasts an actual barrel length of 14 inches.  (My supplier is here in the States.)  I would read your referenced  earlier post about this if I had any idea, how so to do!  :-)   But I tried a few different ones and that one came up as reliable and most convenient to use in a variety of circumstance.  What is the length of the one that's insufficient for your case?

Hi, Cartoonman,

I think we are talking about two different types of catheter here. The Foley is the one that can injure me. The "Standard" insertable length for the indwelling catheter (Foley and the like) is 12 1/2 inches, actually measured by a Bard techie. Insertable length is defined as the distance measured from the base of the 'Y' to the inner surface of the inflated retention balloon. And I am measuring my urethra at 14 + inches.

Thus, if one of these catheters is inserted as far as it will go, i.e. the 'Y' butted up against the meatus, the retention balloon would not be in the bladder as expected, and inflation of the balloon could cause serious injury.

Since this condition is likely to result from an emergent gene in either of my parents then interest in the matter extends far beyond self to the other male family members of mine tracing their heritage back to our two progentitors.

There is a growing collection of published litrerature on the subject of standardized urinary catheters, so I'm hoping to bring about some form of collective action.

Warm regards. Alam.

 

Yes, indeed we are!  I am been fortunate enough to only use intermitent catherters, which serve me fine.  Apologies for missing the Foley part... And good luck, re the battle for "Extra-Long!"