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CIC (sel-cathing) Reshaped My Prostate!

Posted , 6 users are following.

Howard31850
Howard31850

Prior to starting CIC 30 months ago I had an mp3T-MRI of my prostate. The radiologist fits a 3-D ellipsoid of revolution to the prostate ( football shape) using dimensions from the MRI and then computes a volume. My volume then was 180 cc and my prostate was oriented with the short axis along the urethra.

A few weeks ago I had another MRI at the same location and the same radiologist. My prostate volume had not changed much (197cc) BUT the orientation of the long axis was now along or parallel to the urethra!!

I've also noticed that during the 30 months of CIC ( 4 times a day) I use up more and more of the catheter. The catheter is 16 in long and when I first started I would have a couple of inches left at the top upon full insertion. But now the catheter goes almost right to the tip.

So it does seem that daily CICing has reformed my malleable prostate from an oblate spheroid to a prolate spheroid with the long axis aligned with my urethra! Interesting!! Happy Holidays! Howard

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • kenneth1955
    kenneth1955 Howard31850

    Posted

    Good Evening Howard.

    That does seam very interesting.

    I wonder how that was done maybe by the pushing of the catheter in all these months. Did you ask the doctor and what did he say.

    With you still doing CIC has it helped you at all. Does it make it easier What I was trying to understand is your prostate went from being round to a longer size. Not as much pressure on the urethra.

    Hope all goes well.....Happy Holiday's...........Ken

    • Howard31850
      Howard31850 kenneth1955

      Posted

      Hello Ken and Happy Holidays to you and a healthy prosperous 2019!! I hope Santa is good to you!

      I could not get any feedback from any doctors other than to speak with the radiologist and confirm that it was for real.

      I was thinking along lines because when I started CIC back then my natural void was very small and now it is about 200 to 250 cc ( my cath void is also about that value). I had attributed my better natural voids to my bladder muscle gaining strength as jimjames often talked about. But maybe it is also due to aligning the prostate mass with the urethra so there is not as much prostate mass surrounding the urethra and compressing it. I don't know and the doctors I wrote just dismiss it.

      It is funny that a few months ago I had an abdominal ultrasound which said my prostate was 300 cc but the radiologist said that ultrasounds only see the prostate in 2D so they are inaccurate.

      Interesting though and I was lucky to be able to compare images 30 months apart.

      All the best to you my good friend! Howard

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 Howard31850

      Posted

      Howard

      Thank you for you kind words

      You would think that the doctor would what to answer your questions why this has happen. I know I would like to know and I'm not a doctor.

      I guess they figure that there is not a problem so they do not worry about it. I'm going try to see if I can come up with a reason. I may e-mail my doctor and ask him or I do have some other doctor e-mail here in the US and in the UK. Maybe they can give me a reason or answer to it

      Going to wait till the end of the week. I feel this would be good information to help men that are doing CIC to see what is going on with there prostate. We all need information on everything that has to deal with our prostate. There has to be a reason for it.

      Have a Merry Christmas to you and your Family..............Ken

  • Motto
    Motto Howard31850

    Posted

    Thanks for the report. Very interesting. I'm getting up 5 times a night. First Uro offered a TURP, saying it was the "gold standard" and nothing works better. I got a new Uro.

    Should I ask for CIC? I mentioned it and she immediately shot it down. Can it help to rebuild your bladder? Do you at least sleep longer since you've emptied your bladder before bed? I'm getting tired of this but don't want to rush into surgery either.

    • kenneth1955
      kenneth1955 Motto

      Posted

      Motto

      You should never be pushed into a surgery. If you want to try CIC you should be able to. If your new doctor will not let you try get another doctor.

      Jim James was in the same boat. Was offered a Turp he said no. Did CIC and he was able to rebuild his bladder.

      If that is what you want that is what you should do. It is up to you.

      Have a good New Years.........Ken

      PS....Have not heard for JimJames in a while. Going to email him again.

    • Howard31850
      Howard31850 Motto

      Posted

      Hi Motto - My uros (I've had 6 now and counting!) all tried to push me into various surgeries but I refused. I too used to get up every hour to pee what I called "off the top of my bladder" since I could never empty my bladder properly.

      I learned CIC and yes it has helped a great deal. I CIC just before bed and at most I get up once during the night if my nocturia is acting up and I CIC again. Then I go back to sleep for the rest of the night. Usually if I remember to eat my potato chips (salted) before bed then I do not get up at all though I do CIC first thing in the morning. CIC is great and you should not let anyone talk you out of it.

      I think you mentioned your prostate was 49 cc. That is fairly normal so before you do anything at all you need to understand why you are having peeing problems. One possibility is a median lobe that a cystoscopy will show so you should insist on one. Make sure it is a FLEXIBLE cystoscope and not a rigid one. Also this will show if you have any strictures in your urethra and if you have any bladder neck obstructions like bladder stones.

      If that all looks ok then your problem might not be your prostate but rather your bladder muscle is weak or your bladder could be neurogenic. This needs to be determined before any actio is taken. The fact that your bladder wall shows trabeculation means that you have lost some bladder function due to fibrosis of the detrusor muscles. I also had that when I started CIC but after 2 years it is almost all gone thanks to CIC allowing my bladder muscles to strengthen - thanks to jimjames helping me. Good luck to you. Howard

  • Motto
    Motto Howard31850

    Posted

    thank's that's my plan. CIC. at least it's not surgery.

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