Catheters,Drugs and Operation times

Hi John, 

I'm so sorry to hear about your issues. What doctors have you seen? What is their diagnosis? What are their recommendations?

I toltal understand the depression side. It's quite depressing to suddenly have a catheter attached to you. Not only is it very uncomfortable, but it's tough to live that way.

It also sounds like you may have a bladder or urinary infection. Have they checked your urine and cultured it to see if you have an infection? That could explain the burning sensation.

Also you may wish to look into Self catheterization until you figure out what's going on. Just search this forum for that. The doctor can teach you how to do it easily. At the very least you'll be able to empty your bladder whenever you wish, and it should not interfere with your relationship with your girlfriend. You'll have nothing to wear, and you can esume all of your normal activities.

Once you have a diagnosis, you may wish to get a second opinion. If the issue is  a large prostate, you should look into PAE, not prostate surgery. Do some research on PAE. Again check through this forum.  Do not do Prostate surgery until all other alternatives have been reseached. Unfortunately, urologists earn their money by surgery, but that's never the best alternative, esecially for someone at your age.  

Hang in there. Do lots of research. But really look into self catherization. 

Hi. You have my sympathy. I had a HoLep done 3 years ago which was a total success. This procedure was matched to my very large prostate. Before that my excellent urologist found I had a large lobe protruding into the bladder which was part of the cause for my slow stream. He found this very quickly using a TRUS probe on the couch 'While-I-Waited'. He started me on SIC (Self Insert Catheters) which weren't painful but I realy disliked. One day neither my excllent uro nurse nor myself could get the SIC in due to the protruding lobe so panic ensued and my urologist inserted a supra public catheter (in the lower stomach) there and then. That went well and I had it for 3 months and it was removed at my Holep. In many ways I preferred the SPC to the SIC ones as it doesn't interfer with sex life and you can pee either way if the old way still works. You just have a tap taped to the thigh during the day and attach this to a bag on a stand during the night. My uro found my bladder was twice normal size due to retention but much to our surprise my urodynamic tests showed it had excellent muscle force still so the prostate op was worth doing and went ahead. I had all of this carried out privately with two superb uro consultants. I've no idea what the NHS wait is. If you live near Cambridge Tevita Aho also does his stuff on the NHS at Addenbrookes and he did mention Green Light as well as HoLep for smaller prostates and I susoect he does that technique as well?

John,  doing intermittent self cathering is not painful in my opinion.  I learned to do it on my own after TURP surgery caused a lot of swelling and an acute retention episode that took me to the ER.   Next to a bout with dengue fever in Vietnam, that was the worst pain I've experienced.

I used the intermittent catheter only 6 or so times, and having one always with me for some months gave me real peace of mind, knowing that I would not end up in the ER again, waiting for over an hour for relief.

Hello John, I'm sorry to hear of your problems. I was 68 when a sudden case of acute urine retention send me to the emergency room. It came on without warning and without any other symptoms. It was a painful drive to the hospital.

A brutal and untrained nurse inserted a catheter which was an extremely painful and bloody affair. 

My doctor took a wild guess that it was an enlarged prostate (BPH) and started me on Tamsulosin. After the catheter was removed, things seemed to return to normal. I have no idea if the Tansulosin is helping or not.

I started reading all I could find on the internet and thanks to what I read, I discovered intermittent self catherization. For me, that seemed like a good defense just in case this retention thing ever happened again. And it did. Inserting the catheter is completely pain free. And once I perfected the technique, there was no blood involved at all. A little blood is considered normal, but with care, can be eliminated. At least in my case.

I bought the Coloplast Speedicath hydrophilic catheters which I find outstanding. In the nine months since the first attack I've had to use self catherization 6 or 7 more times. I've also done it to check for urine retention quite a few times. (I have very little)

My urologist has told me that if I am happy with the way things are, I do not need to have any surgery at this time. And compared to surgery, I am very happy to insert a catheter when I need to.

Having the indwelling catheter with a bag was not fun at all. Self cathing when needed seems much better to me.

I hope this helps. If you have questions, please ask. Everyone is different of course and so is everyone's particular problem.

John

Sorry, about your condition.  I know what you mean about the anxiety, fear and depression.  I was there not too long ago, myself.  I had to wear a catheter for around 3 months, and it's an uncomfortable feeling.  EVery time I moved, I could feel the catheter inside of my body.  I couldn't sit in a chair, without feeling the catheter.  I would eventually sit on the chair, with just the edge of my butt, to lesson the uncomfortable feeling.

 I went to see my uro, yesterday, and he sent me home with catheters.  I must now self cath, because I can't urinate on my own. Actually, it's pretty good. I feel a lot better now that I can void using the catheters.  It's better than having the uncomfortable feeling of not emptying the bladder, and always, worried about where and when the next restroom visit will be.  Eventually,you'll be fine...just hang in there, your uro's will figure it out.  In the mean time, I suggest you read Larry Clapp's book: "Curing Prostate Cancer in 90 Days."  I am pretty sure about the title of the book.

May i ask everyone while on the subject did anyone ever feel like their bladder was burning at times especially at night?It is strange as i have had that but yet the urinating does not burn and only the odd occasion have i had burning after ejaculation.