Are there any options besides prostate surgery to reduce prostate size?

You are correct to do some research before you jump into any treatment (medicine or surgery).  This is a good site to read about others' experiences.  That way you will know what to questions to ask, particularly to your urologist.  I have had two surgeries.  First about 10 years ago (needle ablation) that worked for awhile to reduce night time bathroom visits.  My prostate kept growing.  Once I reached 67, the urologist tried flomax (generic tamsulosin).  I tried it for almost a year.  It works with some guys, not me.  I am a recreational runner.  I don't know if it is my physiology or the combination with my blood pressure medicine.  Some have no problems with Flomax (or the other meds).  When taking Flomax, I couldn't run (or exercise).  Also, for some like me there was the issue of retrograde ejaculation.  I made a decision with the urologist to try a Urolift surgery. I am 7 months post surgery and it has worked fairly well.  I am running again.  I get up about 1 time a night (improvement from 3) and some nights I can sleep through.  There are other surgical options and medical ones. Do the research, ask questions.  

Myself I do not know of any I would not suggest a turp or a dilation of the urethra I had them both done I can now PEE now  but there is definitely no sex I'm not happy with the results at all   Most of the time my dick inside my body 

If the meds caused the retention it doesn't sound like enlarged prostate. More s bladder issue. Most docs try finasteride for enlarged prostate before jumping to surgery.

I had focal laser ablation with a bph procedure to let me pee.  Had it done by Dr Walser at UTMB in Galveston.  They do this as an outpatient.  Ins dont cover.  But I am peeing great. If I drink coffee at might will still get up to pee but do pee great. Am 3 mos post op.  They burn the area of prostate that is pinching urethra. Anyway u can research this

When I was close to your age I was put on Proscar 5 mg 1 x daily.   It is slow acting but since I was on blood thinner he wanted to avoid surgery if at all possible.   It did the job for 20 to 25 years and then time ran out..   The stream was very weak and the urgency was frequent altho each time the bladder emptied.   That was not the case for many on this discussion.   My urologist was not enthusiastic about it and asked me plainly if I could live with my condition.  I told him it was controlling my life and very inconvenient.   Later he asked if I was sure I wanted to have laser surgery.  I told him 'Yes".   The rest is history.   Last night (3 weeks post op) I got up only twice and the 'urgency' issue has abated considerably.   When I read other stores I feel blessed.   May God give you wisdom as you weigh the possibilities.

Hi Brett,

             I would be cautious about finasteride to try to shrink your prostate as it can cause permanent impotence, you may be wise to get the latest high quality MRI to discover the real cause, but if you do it may not be necessary to employ contrast dye as they have recently discovered some of it stays in your brain and throughout your body. keep reading this forum as its helped me a lot all the best .

 

Beware of scams such as TV infomercials and other ads for useless products that will take advantage of sufferers and deduct money from your credit card every month. There are a lot of them out there.

Hi Brett,

I went in to acute urinary retention in July 2014 after taking antihistamines and am still having to use a catheter.

I have an enlarged median lobe (find out if you do as some procedures are much less successful if you do).  I had a PAE procedure in September '15 which was unsuccessful.  It is complicated but minimally invasive (no cutting) w/ very few after effects.

Now I'm self-catheterizing as needed and trying to pee naturally in between.  If you must be on a catheter, this is the way to go.  I made a big mistake in being squeamish about self-catheterizing and having the indwelling Foley for 2 1/2 months.  You can learn to self-catheterize ("CIC" in 5 minutes and it is much more healthy, natural and less cumbersome than the indwelling.  It is also much less painful as you are determining how fast or slowly it goes in and out.  I strongly recommend changing from the indwelling to CIC as soon as possible.  I've found the coloplast speedicath male compact to be the best.

With regard to what we really want - which is to get off catheters completely and pee naturally, I'm following this forum to glean information about other procedures.  I'm probably a few years away from trying another procedure but the FLA performed by a Dr. Karamanian in Houston looks promising at present.  Many on this forum have extolled it (and his) virtues.

Best of luck to you!