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Always get a second opinion

Posted , 8 users are following.

dcooperxyz
dcooperxyz

ken and others on this forum have always advised getting a second opinion and my experience backs this up.

For the previous 3 years i have had on and off problems urinating . A prostate biopsy in 2015 confirmed chronic prostatitis . This returned earlier in the year with a vengence causing multiple symptoms and i was pushed down the usual route of DRE, flow test, PSA test, ultrasound and finally a urudynamics test and was then diagnosed with " severe bladder blockage " which may be causing my prostatitis to recur. My uro recommended a bladder neck incision which would result in likely RE. I was very close to taking the surgery but it was cancelled at the last minute by the hospital . I then noticed a big improvement in my flow after changing meds from Flomax to Alphazusin .so put the surgery on hold.

After 6 months the flow rate got bad again and i ended up in hospital for 7 days with acute retention and infection. i was put on a permanent catheter for 3 weeks and when it was removed i still had severe retention so was given self catheterisation.

Anyway ,after about a month of CIC my natural flow improved massively. Today i had a cystoscopy and everything was normal . The URO., suggested that the catheter use was dilating my uretha allowing things to flow. He said that if im comfortable using the catheters 3 times a week then no surgery is needed and a bladder neck incision would not help in any case .

so my point is that i could so easily have had the BNI and the resulting side effects for no benefit as the problem is not at the bladder neck .

always get a second opinion before any invasive surgery !

Darren

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • richp21
    richp21 dcooperxyz

    Posted

    Oh absolutely. More than once I have been advised by a uro doc to do a procedure that, to put it mildly, would not have been in my best interests. Easiest one to describe is concerning a kidney stone. My current uro doc said "let's just go in and take it out... very easy procedure". Got a second opinion from a kidney specialist, who said that it "due to my enlarged prostate, it would be quite difficult, require two procedures, possible a third. Best to wait as long as possible to see if it passes on its own." It passed on its own.

    Rich

  • DaveCanPee
    DaveCanPee dcooperxyz

    Posted

    Hello Darren:

    I assume your prostate size was not a factor because you never mentioned it. Also, I am not too familiar with a catheter "dilating" a urethra (interesting). Whenever I was on an catheter, I found it irritating, and as for self-cathing, a disaster and not something I would want in my life at all.

    In regards to 2nd opinions, I would even go as far as changing urologists if need be. I went through three before I found the Dr. that I was comfortable with and who fully understood my problem and was competent enough to correct my problem (not treat my symptoms). Although he is an Oncology Urologist (my problem was not cancer, just enormity), I have asked him to be my permanent urologist and he said he would be glad to.

    The most interesting part of your experience is how you seemed to educate yourself along your journey. Regardless of doctors, this is the #1 task we all have to embrace and get good at. Doctors can help, as well as forums like this, but no one knows our bodies like we do. Anatomy parts and supporting functions (sphincters, nerve bundles, bladder neck, etc.) all need to paint a picture in our head that we clearly see and understand. Only then can we realize the "problem" that needs to be fixed.

    Dave

    • dcooperxyz
      dcooperxyz DaveCanPee

      Posted

      Hi Dave,

      Thanks for your reply.

      Apart from being inflamed due to prostatitis my prostate is normal and cystoscopy confirmed its not causing any issues .

  • kenneth1955
    kenneth1955 dcooperxyz

    Posted

    Good morning

    You were very lucky. It is good to try things before any surgery which worked out very well for you. Meds or dilation

    But like me ask you a a question. You said that the hospital cancel the surgery. WHY? And if they would not have cancel would you have gone and had it or would you have said no.

    I do now that if you would have said I was going in for it. I would have told you to think about it. Any type of of BNI had a rick of leaking and a 35% chance of retro I would have tried to talk you out of it.

    Now what the doctor told you about the catheter most likely did some type of dilation is what happy to me in a way.

    I have a stricture just before the bladder. They tried to catheter me in 2014 when I had sepsis. 3X they could not get it in. After all the test my doctor told me that no one could have gotten a catheter in unless it was under a 14 fr ( coude ) Over the years I have had catheter in and the Urolift procedure done. After the procedure they put in a 18 fr catheter because the Urolift instrument is bigger and this also made the stricture bigger.

    At one time I p****d off a doctor that wanted to do emergency surgery on me because I was having muscle spasms and all that was coming out was blood. He was not my doctor. I made him sign a paper that my prostate was not to be cut for any reason. It took me 30 minutes to get him to sign but he did. It turned out to be blood clogs on my prostate from my blood thinner.

    I had to have a catheter put in to be flushed out. He put in a 28 fr straight catheter. I was glad I was out when that one was put in. It was like a suction coming out. But I have not had any problem with my stricture in 4 years. I do not let any doctor have full control. You only do what you say nothing extra

    Glad all is doing good. Sorry this is so long but it had to be explained........................Ken

    • dcooperxyz
      dcooperxyz kenneth1955

      Posted

      Thanks Ken

      yes the hospital actually cancelled me twice , i cant remember why but its not unusual here on the NhS. After it was cancelled the second time the meds started working better and i also got advice from you back then , and yes you were dead against it . I was in a great deal of discomfort so was keen to get it sorted by surgery. Of course now im glad it was cancelled as it would have done me no good and the UrO at the time said to me and my wife( he insisted that she was there , which was good i thought) that RE WAS 100% certain

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 dcooperxyz

      Posted

      I'm happy that it worked out for you. That was good thing.

      Most of the time they say 35 % but it happen more and more.

      I know there had to be something before you can try instead of doing the surgery first. If that starts doing that again. Try the Urolift. They can clip the median lobe to the one side to open up the bladder neck. But please talk with me first.

      Have a great weekend.........Ken

  • Waffalobill
    Waffalobill dcooperxyz

    Posted

    Important to get a second opinion from a doc not affiliated with the first one. He will just go by the first docs assessment. He wont contradict a colleague.

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 Waffalobill

      Posted

      Buddy

      Thank you for that. I forgot to say the same thing. They would just side with the doctor.

      Have a good day.........Ken

  • keith42667
    keith42667 dcooperxyz

    Posted

    What size catheter were you using? So your urethra needed to be dilated? Did the doc say why?

    • dcooperxyz
      dcooperxyz keith42667

      Posted

      Hi keith , i had an indwelling cath for three weeks, this was fitted by the hospital so im not sure what size it was . i was then given Coloplast speedie compact caths CH 12-18 .and have been using for a few weeks now.

      apart from the use of caths i cant understand how my flow has improved so much. Best its been for three years .And the URO seemed to think that was the reason but i cant find anything on Google to support this .

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 dcooperxyz

      Posted

      Buddy.

      With reading some of your post I think what happen with them putting the catheter in for the 3 weeks . Helped relax you bladder and the blockage kind of re formed away from the bladder neck. Which is a good thing. Dilation does helps

      You would have had a surgery that you did not need and it may have not help. That is why you have to try anything before any procedure that cuts away at anything. Because once that is done it done and over.

      I hope it continues to go your way. Have fun. You should not have any side effects and some things can't be found on the internet or explained.

      Your a Lucky man.........Enjoy.....................Ken

  • steve07664
    steve07664 dcooperxyz

    Posted

    Get a second opinion, then a third opinion, then a fourth opinion... As bad as urologists are, even that might not be enough. I'm on my fourth urologist, and no two of them have agreed on anything, and I've had just about every test imaginable. They don't even agree on how to interpret test results.

    Urologists are just in it for the money, they don't care how many men they mutilate. The last guy seriously couldn't understand why I'd have a problem having retrograde ejaculation for the rest of my life.

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 steve07664

      Posted

      Steve

      That is a very good Idea. You should get as many as you need to make you feel it is right.

      It is your body and you are the one that has to deal with any side effect and anything going wrong

      Yes and most do not feel that retro ejaculation is a problem because they feeling peeing is worth any side effects that happens.

      There are a few good ones out there that care. It is up to you to find them.

      Ken

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