Prostatic Artery Embolization procedure

Mark, this is not medical advice; I will share what I would likely do in your situation: you have a PVR of 500. I assume that you had a CT scan with contrast done by the urologist to ensure that there was no retrograde flow to the kidneys.

Assuming that is the case, that is no retrograde isues: it would be highly unlikely that I would allow them to do a TURP.

Kaiser, unknown to many because the urologists at Kaiser are not in the habit of telling patients about PAE, has an interventional radiologist at Oakland that has been approved by Kaiser to do PAES.

He has been doing them at the Kaiser facility in Oakland for two years, and getting research-level results. His name is Jeffrey Hastings.

In your shoes, which I am not, and can't tell you what to do, unless you have an urgent, can't wait a few weeks need to have a procedure (I had much higher PVR level than you and no retrograde flow), I would STRONGLY consider POSTPONING the surgery until you get a referral to Dr. Hastings in Oakland and see what he thinks.

The urologists will not be happy about it. But doctors where unhappy back when patients started not allowing routine tonsillectomies with appendix removal thrown in for good measure, or when a number of them started saying no to routine antibiotic use for colds.

You are about to do permanent, irreversible changes to your prostate with a TURP, and you have been told you will likely need another.

PAE changes are usually seen, including decreased post void residual, 4 weeks after the procedure. Often less. Why not consider it, and if you meet the parameters, do one? If it does not work out doing a very conservative approach, then you can always do the TURP.

My two cents. Hope it helps. Hastings has a very good reputation. It's the resistance from your urologists that may be a challenge. Ask your primary treating physician, not your urologist, for a referral to the interventional radiology dept. in Oakland. You dont need the urologist to do so.

Once you have it, you can call that dept and ask for an appt with Dr. Hastings. Since it is Kaiser, he will have access to all your records, urologists' notes, and imaging.

Good luck whatever you choose.

Actually, I have already consulted with Dr Hastings and he feels that I would be a good candidate.

The complication that I have is bladder stones, about 25 of them up to 9mm.  Also, a ureter stone stuck at the ureter/bladder junction.  I am scheduled for combination stone removal and bipolar TURP surgery on Monday.

Last Thursday, my PVR spiked to 670 and I gave in to the urging of the urologist to have a foley installed until surgery, to protect my bladder from further damage and a rest.

Dr Bagla suggested doing PAE, try removing the catheter in 4 weeks, and then wait for the stones to pass naturely.

Or, I could have surgery to remove the stones, followed by PAE.

In either case, I would need a foley for a long time.

Do you work at Kaiser?  Mark

I attempted a self-cath on Thursday with the San Jose Kaiser uro-nurse assisting/teaching.  It was not succcessful.  The catheter would not go in all  the way and was removed with a lot of blood.  I then asked for a foley, but it was lunch time and everyone left for an hour.  I was left with a foley and instructions to go to ER for instllation, or wait an hour for them to return from lunch.

I decided to go to the urology dept in Santa Clara to have the foley installed.  There a uro-nurse unsuccessfully tried a 14fr which did not go in and was removed.  Then a 16fr.  Then a urologist tried a 18fr, all unsuccessful.  Finally, the urologist successfully installed a 18fr via cystoscopy.  I was given no ABs.

I was told that I had jammed the self-cath through my urethra and into my prostate (false passage).  This caused the next 3 attempts to likewise follow.

The foley bag was bloody and I felt a constant urge to pee, so much that I could not sleep.  I finally decided to go to ER Sunday morning, where they confirmed via US that the foley was functional.  The ER doctor recommended a urine culture test.  This came back positive for UTI on Tuesday night and I was started on ABs.  By Wenesday afternoon, the urge to pee was gone and no more blood.

On Monday, my surgeon sent me an email saying that catheters are not as bad as I described (unable to sleep) ending with "see you for the procedure".  It is a good thing that the ER doctor ordered the urine culture test, otherwise it seems that I would be going to surgery on Monday with an active UTI.  Scary.  Don't know what to do.  Mark

Dr. Bagla is a pioneer regarding PAE in this country. If he and Dr. Hastings opine that PAE is good for you, even with stones, I would strongly consider it. I had a diverticulum with stones prior to the PAE, but unlike you, they did not cause obstruction, so I see why the foley is a good idea.

I consulted a second urologist who said the stones can be taken out as needed after the PAE. If it were me, I would very strongly consider to have the PAE, leave the foley for a few weeks, as Dr. Bagla suggested, then take it out and see what happens.

You can monitor PVR closely after taking out the PAE and see how it goes. You said your largest stone was 9 mm. People  pass kidney stones that are 10 mm or more fairly often. Some can't. Most of yours are smaller.

Maybe consider giving nature a chance first before they drill your prostate - twice. Maybe TURP is your best choice, I don't know, but remember that urinary retention issues respond very well to PAE according to research. It's one of the most dramatic changes that PAE has to offer, statistically.

Have you gotten a second opinion from other urologists? I would do that before any surgical procedure, especially if it will forever change sexual dynamics, and possibly other side effects. 

I would not get a second opinon from the same organization that gave you the first one. 

The urologists at UNC in Chapel Hill that work with Dr. Isaacson have a lot of experience with PAE and different presenting conditions, in part because they joined forces while doing research. Dr. Borasky is one of them, and is excellent.

No,I don't work for Kaiser, I see a lot of patients in my clinic that have HMOs and are looking for other options, and many of them are from Kaiser.

Nothing against Kaiser, there are a lot of wonderful folks there, just that no one organization can best help everyone.

No that you have the foley, and I assume PVR numbers have dropped dramatically, I would think it means you have time to look around, and make sure your next step is the best step.

Let us know what you decide and how it goes, we are rooting for you!

Mark, I received your last email about the catheter fiasco after I sent you my last reply.

So sorry to hear that. Catherization can give you an UTI, especially if you have stones, because the stones can serve as a hidding place/nest for the organisms, even if you take ABs. So can a cystoscopy. I never had a UTI until my cysto. The culture showed multi-organ colonization, typically indicative of infection while getting the cysto.

I'd be scared too. And if I inferr correctly that you would like some feedback, I sure as heck would not get that procedure, or if I had to, would likely not do it with that surgeon.

Your foley, after much anguish, is functional. You are draining well. You have time, it seems - I can't say for sure since I cannot give you medical advice, and cannot tell you for sure you should not have the TURP, but, man, if were me, I surely would be looking around for as long as clinically feasible for other options that made sense.

 

Mark.  What are you going to do.  If both Doctors tell you that your a good candidate.  Cancel the surgery and have the PAE first and then worry about the stones.  I think you have a better chance with the PAE they the Turp.  There going to core out the whole prostate and then get the stones what happens if the shell of the prostate collapses your going to be screwed  You will be in bad shape   Cancel now before it to late  Ken

Thanks.

I do not know, actually, if the stones are causing obstruction.  The stones may be only the result of obstruction.  The foley is to prevent my bladder from 'dying' from the high PVR.

What did you do about your bladder stones?

Dr Hastings suggested larposcopic bladder stone removal followed by PAE.

The surgeon said that there was an "unlikely" chance that 2 TURPs would be needed.  Probably, just 1, followed by 1 week of catheterization.  With any PAE alternative, I am looking at 5-6 weeks of catheterization, and PAE does not always work.  I do not like the idea of a foley long-term, with recurrent UTIs.

And, I am not sure if I might need a very strong disobstruction improvement in order for my distended bladder to recover. I believe that TURP more reliably gives faster/better disobstruction.

But Kaiser, the surgeon, and TURP all make me uncomfortable.  The surgeon is the only one locally that would accept my challenging procedure, but he seems too busy to pay much attention to my case.

I would be very interested to know how high was your PVR and how quickly did it change post-PAE?

Thanks.  Mark

 

My PVR was not a short term crisis, no need for a foley, my urologist said I could wait months before having to do a TURP.

TURP does have more of an effect with obstructive issues, at least initially, and the catheter would come out quicker. PAE could give you, as it has me, more than enough clearance to go easily and drain. But you might be waiting a month or so.

Or have the stones taken out then the PAE. That could be done close to each other.

In answer to your other question, within a week of the PAE i was urinating as much as 400 ml at night in one urination. By the 9th day, I was off the tamsulosin because my daytime urine flow was now reaching close to 200 ml each time, enough to drain most of my bladder by going a couple of times to the bathroom.

Cost/benefit short-term versus long term, you have to figure that out.

Thanks Ken - They would first remove the stones and then do the TURP, in the same procedure.  I should then be catheter-free about 1 week later.  Mark

 

How high was your PVR when the urologist said that you could wait months?  At 500-670ml, they were saying that my bladder could die any day and then I would be permanently catheterized.

If only I did not have the catheter put in.  Now, I do not know how severe the false passage is.  I wonder if it went through the capsule.  

half of yours. If you did not have the catheter put in, you may have had a crisis with your bladder in these days, who knows? You now have a catheter that drains, it's functional;  you can take ABs to prevent possible recurrences of UTIs, you can use D-Mannose as well, which has good research for it, and can decide without hurry whether you want the TURP or a PAE.

I think that taking a strong look down the road, at long-term possible issues, as Ken mentioned, is wise.

 

Ken - Do you have reason to believe that they will core the prostate first and then get the stones?  Mark

What are the sizes of your bladder stones?  Have you passed any yet?  Are you worried about AUR if a stone(s) gets stuck in your urethra (I have heard of that happenning after PAE)?

Do you have Dr. Borasky's phone number?

Thanks.  Mark

 

Mark - please know that PAE does not always help. I had my PAE over 5 weeks ago at Chapel Hill with Dr. Isaacson and it has left me worst off now than before the PAE. I have to self-cath 4 times a day now and cannot get off any drugs. I will go to Dr. Bagla for a second opinion.  I am praying for you buddy. Neil

I hope this question is not too much off-topic.  Could a single AUR event damage the bladder?   Could it cause permanent incontinence?  After my Green Laser procedure in March, (with a Gyrus TURP to clean up a couple of months later), I had one AUR event that sent me to emergency care, where I had a Foley installed, and 600 ml was removed at firts, and then about 200 more not much later.  Since all of this, I have had extreme incontinence.  Unless I sit or lie down, the bladder empties totally as far as I can tell.  

At night, the horizontal position allows some urine to accumulate.  Last night, I actually slept for 3-4 blessed hours and i deposted 400 ml in the plastic urinal in the bathroom when I woke the first of three times.  My urologist will not even talk about an artificial sphincter implant at this point.

The way my urologist explained it was think of the prostate as a orange.  There going to take all the flesh out of the prostate and they leave the shell. To get rid of the blockage.   He is not doing a turp he is doing a simple prostatectomy. He is only going to leave the shell   Did he explain that to you.  I don't thing this guy has a enough time to talk with the patient.  He will do it the way he want and the hell with want you want.  Like I said before what happend if your shell collapses. You will be worst off they you are now.  Cancel before it to late.  You have other options Have the PAE and they have the stones removed laparoscopicly  Whats 2 weeks of having a catheter in to maybe the rest of your life.   Ken   

Glenn  I feel sorry for you but I hate to say this maybe the green light was not the best thing for you.  You had to have 2 procedure and your worst off they you were.I hope you get better  Ken 

I think that it's obvious but that toothpaste can't be put back in the tube.  Of course I would prefer to return to natural continence, but this is taken away a large portion of my life right now: travel, activities, restricted or eliminated social activities.  And sex of course.  The bad thing is no one can or will tell be what chance I have of recovering in another 2 or 4 or 6 months.  At age 77, most of my family 3000 miles away, not being able to travel is a real loss for me.

Good luck gless life has it's ups and downs.  Enjoy what you can  Ken

I think that there is a lot of wisdom in what you wrote, Ken.

 

I was scheduled for a robotic (da Vinci) Simple Prostatectomy the end of June but learned about PAE so decided to give it a try which I did 5 weeks ago. So far my pvr has gone up from about 300 to 400ml and my self-cathign has gone up from once a day to 4 times a day. Maybe it will work yet. I'll have an MRI soon to see what happened and get a second opinio from Dr. Bagla but after a few more months with no improvement I will have the SP done the end of the year. I studied the robotic SP carefully. It does ream out the prostate but leaves the shell which over time reduces in size. The nerve bundles are spared and the inner sphincter is preserved so there is no incontinece and no ED issues. The hospital stay is just over night with a catheter removed the next day and travel home after a week.

This is how I look at it. Things could much worse at 67 - just look at the prostate cancer thread on this forum. So I'm lucky to have access to all the great technology for BPH. My choice is try and return to the sex life of my youth or be on dialysis. The choice is clear and the options are there. I am not going to play russian roulette with my bladder/kidneys to try and avoid RE. This is just my own personal story. I haven't slept through the night for years- cannot go to a movie or event-cannot travel. I believe the robotic SP will restore all that for me and more. We have a finite window of time to find a solution for our disease and then the solution will be forced upon us and it wouldn't be a good one. G-d Bless everyone and good luck. Neil

What's an SP?...GOOD LUCK!....I'm sorry the PAE hasn't worked for you...You might condsider the REZUM if your doctors agree and/or an experienced and successful urologist agrees...

Thanks Randy - an SP is a simple prostatectomy where the surgeon reams out the inside of the prostate but leaves the rigid shell (capsule) and most of the associated plumbing. It is in contrast to a radical prostatectomy usually performed on cancer patients.

You raise an important point I forgot to mention above. It is critical for each one of us to determine the cause of our retention. In my case over the years I've had trans rectal ultrasounds, MRIs, transperineum ultrasounds (to look at the bladder/kidneys), cystoscopies and various fluid/blood tests to rule out cancer and vitamin deficiencies like vitamin D3. I've also been checked for varicoceles as there is a theory (Gat/Goren) that varicoceles are caused by failed intraspermatic valves (ISVs) that cause the prostate to be flooded with Free testosterone at levels 300 times normal thus causing BPH. I've also been checked for various STD diseases and prostatitis.

Anyway, you get the point. Only by knowing the cause of our retention can we adequately choose from the myriad of treatments. Knowledge is power for us. In my case I ruled out a median lobe and bladder neck obstructions like stones and other issues as my obstruction. It is just due to one big 300gm honking transitional zone hyperplasia. So I knew that all the transurethral procedures like TURP, Holep, Rezum, Urolift, GLL and so on are not available to me because they are only practical for prostates under 150gm or so. And this was despite 3 urologists trying to sell me their specialities (turp,gll,holep). PAE also would have been a no-go had I had a large median lobe or a small prostate.

So my point is that you must understand the cause(s) of your retention first and then see what is available and then do your due diligence on forums like this one to find out the truth about their effectiveness and side effects. And of course - never ever believe the salesman. It is amazing how often they say "give it more time" or just "go to the emergency" when guys call them afterwards when things didn't go as advertised. But we are the ones that have to live with the consequences while they just go on to the next patient.

Take care

Neil

I hope you are making the right choise Most of the time the doctors do a turp to check for cancer but if there is not cancer are they going to put it back.  I will never have them touch my prostate I'm 61 and still enjoy sex and all of it function.  I don't care if I'm not having kids they are not going to take my ejaculation away just to check for cancer.  I can have it done another way.  Let say you have this done and you are no better and then schell of the prostate collapses then what.  Your going to be worst off then you are now.  Give the PAE some time.  It may still work  Ken

That's interesting.  I did not do any of the tests to find out the cause of my retention symptoms.  Just assumed that a 100g prostate must be the cause.  Now, I am catheterized and am scheduled for a TURP with stone removal on Monday morning.  Mark

Thanks Ken - I agree with you. My uro also wanted to do a tur on me to check for cancer. He said that even though my needle biopsies were always negative there still was "cancer lurking in there somewhere". Nice guy! So I had two liquid biopsies done: one was urine test and the other a blood test that look at the molecular level for signs of prostate cancer. I can write more about them if you wish. Anyway my tests were very good.

Regarding the prostate shell collapsing after a SP or even Holep, it doesn't do that but rather it shrinks down over time but still retains its integrity. However, I have heard that the hollow shell can retian urine after peeing and that this pee then dribbles out afterwards unless the outer sphincter muscle is in good shape which require doing Kegel exercises to strengthen it. But you are right - I need to give the PAE more time so I will just self-cathing to protect my bladder/kidneys from more damage and pray it kicks in. Thanks for your advise. Good luck to you. Neil

Good luck Mark - I am praying for you pal. Neil

Neil thank you for writing back.  You do need time to heal and for everything get back to normal  This is what my doctor told me to tell Mark. What my doctor was telling me about if you have a simple prostatectomy where they core out the prostate and only leave the schell.  My urologist said if the prostate is very large the schell can calaspe and you have to have more surgery to repair it.  To me it seam they need to fix it all at once so you don't have to have more done a month or so later  The other surgery are total removel of the prostate and a bladder neck repair.  Well if you have the prostate remove they cut everything out and attach the urethra to the bladder.  I will never have any thing done to my prostate it is staying were it is.  I have been telling Mark that he need to cancel the surgery on Monday  I think he will be sorry.  This doctor treated him like a A...  He has a attitude he has no concern about his patients.  He has another doctor that told him that he  can have the PAE and then he can do a laparoscopic to remove the stones.  I think that would be the best for him.  But he will do what you wants.  Life is to short to have anything taking away from you.  Take care  Ken  Heal well

Thanks Ken - I pray for you and Mark. We can't afford to make even one  mistake in our decisions but the doctors make them every day and have no consequences. I lost both my parents to doctor's errors and my wife lost both hers the same way. There is another thread on this forum about self-cathing (CIC) lead by a guy named jimjames. He was in total bladder failure and severe kidney disease and on a foley. They wanted to take out his bladder! But he said no and started to self-cath 6 times a a day to keep his bladder empty. That was 2 years ago and now his bladder and kidneys are fully restored to health and he only needs to self cath occasionally as needed. I can give you the link to his thread - his story is very inspirational and he has helped a lot of guys avoid terrible surgeries. I admire him more than all the doctors I have ever known. I try to follow his example but have not made the committiment yet mentally. I self cath every day now but not religiously as I still hope the PAE will kick in. Before doing the SP with all its issues I may try to follow jimjames for a year. My uro (and IR ) doctors have been terrible to me. They like positive feedback about their procedures but are incapable of engaging in respectful discussions when their procedures are questioned or fail. Self-cathing gives us back control over our bodies and removes us from the downward spiral of endless humiliations and physical incapacitations by the doctors. All the best to you and Mark. Neil

I agree with that Ken about avoiding TURP if at all possible.

 It occurred to me that there is a fundamental problem with the term, benign prostatic hyperplasia.   Is it really benign since it leads to so many significant problems for men.? At age 77, over six months of total incontinence has put most of my life on hold.  The urologist gave me the pitch for TURP that he thought my health was so good that I might live another 25 years, but bad things could happen if I neglected BPH.   I feel that the last six months have talken 5 years off my life it's so wearing.

Certainly, BPH is a cash cow for urologists and lots of medical supply companies.

Thanks buddy, appreciate the prayers.  Praying that you have success.  Mark

I spoke to the surgeon yesterday.  He said that he plans to completely remove both lobes of my 100g prostate.  I was surprised.  Sounds like complete enucleation similar to HoLEP, but bipolar TURP.  Has anyone heard of that before.

In a way it is good, durable longevity and good disobstruction helping my very distended bladder.  I am worried about increased risks, recovery time, and side effects.  The surgery order shows a surgey time of 3 hours for TURP, ureter stone removal, and bladder stone removal.  Mark

I hope whatever you choose goes very well for you, Mark, let us know.

Hi Mark - Both Turp and Holep go through the urethra but turp just tries to remove the excess tissue associated with the tumour in the transitional region adjacent to the urethra. It uses a lot of heat to burn off and seal the tissue which is why it is limited to smaller BPH-tumors (adenomas or tumors made up of uncontrolled tissue growth which fortunately in our cases is benign though as Ken says there is nothing benign about the effects of BPH). Holep is much more aggressive and takes out large parts of the transitional zone and the surrounding middle region of the prostate out to the peripheral region. The laser shreds the tissue and then the debirs is forced into the bladder and ground up and removed through the urethra. The inner sphincter muscle is usually a casualty of this procedure which accounts for possible incontinence. So your prostate should be left fairly intact with your Turp. It sounds like your doctor has a complete solution for you. My prayers are with you. Neil

I forgot to respond to your question about bipolar turp. This just refers to the way that the electrical heating is applied to the tissue to be ablated and sealed. Bipolar turp heaters are like soldering irons where there is a horseshoe-shaped heating element for the current to follow. The older turps had to 2 separate electrodes with one in the tissue and the other on the surgeon's instrument. The bipolar one gives more precise control of the heating and has other advanatges. A variation of the bipolar turp is the button turp which uses a button-shaped tip at the end of the instrument. So it allows a greater surface of the tissue to be heated up upon contact by spreading the heat out more. This allows the surgeon to work faster over greater areas so the size of prostate treated can be increased from about 60gm to around 100gm. I would think your doctor is using this type of scope for you. So it is a very different animal from Holep. All the best. Neil

I agree glenn. Men's health as regards B.P.H. is in the stone ages when you consider the incredible advances with breast cancer.

Thanks Neil - I believe that button TURP vaporizes the tissue, while bipolar and monopolar cut and cauterize the tissue, but I am not sure.  A surgeon here told me that bipolar TURP is faster and, therefore, better for large prostates than button TURP.  I would be interested if you have anything documented that says that button TURP is better for large prostates.  Thanks.  Mark

Just a few minutes ago I read about a guy having a hGL and there was so much stuff left he had to have a turp to clean it up.  That is bull.  The doctor most likely did it that way for the money.   I have a lady friend she had been doing CIC for 20 years and a buddy of mine had bladder cancer.  When the doctor told him that they would have to take out his bladder and prostate and lym nodes he told him to go to hell.  Went to another doctoe and he did somekind of bladder keymo and he is fine and no cancer.  Men need not take the first thing that they throw at them  Look at all the option  Ken 

Hi Mark - I hope the moderator allows this link to a good article on this subject. The button-shaped tip is just attached to the bipolar electrode so they call it a bipolar button TURP amd it does vaporize the tissue as you say but allows mid-size prostates up to about 100gm to be treated. So bipolar just refers to the fact that a single instrument containing the electrical heating element can be used and the button term refers to the shape of the end of the instrument. Also more energy is used as well.

Here's the link:

urologytimes.modernmedicine.com/urology-times/content/tags/bipolar-plasma-vaporization-prostate/plasma-vaporization-found-superior-t?page=full

I still say you made the wrong choice but you have the live with it.  Ken

I guess they wouldn't let me send you the link to a good article about this topic. Anyway it just says that the newest method combines the bipolar heating element with a button-shaped tip for better surface coverage. Also higher power levels vapourize the tissue as you say but the principle is the same where the electrical heating ablates tissue and seals the capillaries. It can treat prostates of "medium size" to 100gm apprximately with less bleeding and other issues. The article was in urology times journal 2013 if you can search it. Take care. Neil

Google:  Bipolar vaporization: Do benefits outweigh risks?

Looks the surgeons here were right:  bipolar TURP is better for larger prostates than bipolar button TURP.  Thanks Neil for directing me to the research.  Mark

Mark I just hope all goes well but I do feel sorry for you and I still think you made the wrong choise.  I would never let him touch.  Your just a number to him  Ken

Ken - Long-term, you are probably right.  But short-term, I can not bear to endure multiple procedures, over several months time, catheterized, traveling across many geographical areas.  I am tired and need to get it over with and back to living something of a half-way normal life.  I pray that God will give me one of the better outcomes to my struggle.  Thank you for your help and prayers.  Mark

I hope so to.  I will be thinking of you on Monday..Ken

You're in my prayers Mark. 

Good point Ken regarding second/third opinions. Seems greed drives a lot of people

Thanks Neil - Like you, I am also an engineer (EE).  Like you, I like to spend time researching and anlyzing the technology options carefully before proceeding.  That has advantage, I think, but I also believe that I spent too much time studying before taking action.  Hope that everything works out well for you soon.  My surgery is Monday morning.  Mark

Mark you know hoe I feel.  But I have to say to many men have been rushed into procedure because they don't want to deal with the problem  Nothing is a quick fix.  You still have time to cancel and go with the other procedure.  You keep on saying that your tied of procedure but you are going to half to go through more after this surgery.  This will not be the last and your doctor told you that.  Your going to end up having a turp anyway.  I feel sorry for you  Ken.   . 

Hi Ken - I appreciate your concern.  The surgeon said that there was a chance that 2 procedures might be needed, but that most likely only 1 would be required.  And most of the other urologists that I have consulted with have opined that 1 surgery should be doable for a 100g prostate.  So a quick fix is likely, I am told, and I should most likely be catheter free in 1 week.  Mark

That is what he told you when he said you were wasting his time.  Your in for a few.  My urologist said that what your having is very blooded and they will distroy your bladder neck and with him cuting and pushing you prostate away you better hope he does not damage your bladder.  All I'm saying your going to have problems I hope for your sake But he is going to do a number on your body.  I hope you can handle the out come.  You should wait.  But do what you want.  He treated you like S..T  Im done

YOUR GIVING UP YOUR PROSTATE WITHOUT A FIGHT.  YOU DON;T KNOW HOW MANY MEN WOULD LIKE YOUR CHANCE TO SAVE THERE PROSTATE.  SEX IS NEVER THE SAME AFTER.  YOUR JUST THROWING IT AWAY

I am having a TURP done, same as any other.  Mark

From another EE, prayers for you tomorrow that you will have a successful outcome and recovery that goes according to plan.  Glenn

Thanks Glen, much appreciated.  Mark

My God way????Ken

Mark,

how are you doing, we all prey for good outcome,

Andrew

Thanks Andrew - Had bipolar TURP on Monday.  Was sent home with catheter on Tuesday.  Surgeon said that the surgery went well and that a second should not be needed.  Bladder stones also removed.

Had mild pain Tuesday night.  Was tired and slept all day today.  The catheter is probably the biggest discomfort, so far.

Big test on Monday; catheter removal and voiding trial.

I and many people that I know have been praying for me.  Still need prayers for a successful voiding trial, good recovery, no cancer and minimal side effects.

Thank you for your prayers.  Mark

I still say you made the wrong decision.  You had a chance to have a diffrent procedure and you let your fear get the best of you.  Life is to short to give up anything.  You have to deal with the outcome.  I hope you can handle it. Had stones and BPH and had them taking care of 14 years ago.  No doctor is going to distroy my prostate and my ejaculation just so I can pee better.  I think they forget they are men and what they are doing to other man.  We just end up being a number in the operating room and who care how much they distroy us they don't have to deal with the out come.  They still get paid  

I have a Voiding Trial today!....Please tell me the details of your Trial Void procedure...Let's pray for each other!...

I hope your TURP procedure was a success and you can regain your normal life....

Mark, since the Foley is already in place, the voiding trial should go well.  Make sure you discuss this possibility with whoever does the voiding test:  Assuming the voiding goes well (and I would assume it will), they will remove the Foley and send you home. (Make sure you have some heavy duty Depends pull up with you.  (At my urologists office, they only had some lightweight pad that will an open mesh "panty" that held it in place for me to wear home when the Foley came out.)   Talk to them about the possibility of acute retention from swelling.  If it happens, whom will you call?  The ER/ED?   Also, what should you try to get things flowing in that event before going for help.

Hopefully, it won't happen to you.  But, since it happened to me and I had to get my wife up at 12:30 a.m. for a drive to the hospital, it was an awful excrutiating experience for me.  The worst pain since a bout of dengue fever in 1966.

Only time will tell I think he made the wrong choice.  He gave up a one function to try to pee better.  A Turp should be use only if everthing else has failed.  He had another way. Never try anything else.  Had a doctor that could have cared less.  He was just a number.  Some turp work but others go hay wired and you end up having more surgerys or end up having a catheter for life.  That is no life.  Also it can take your sex life away Some men do not even have sex after because it does not feel the same. I have a friend that  that after surgery.  He just wishes he was died.  I will never have a doctor distroy my prostate and take away my sex life and my ejaculation it is part of my orgasm which is intence and I will kept it that way no matter what  All men have a choice to live life to the fullish and to take this away is not living.  It's giving up the enjoyment I wish up the best but He made the wrong choice  Ken

My first Trial Void today after my REZUM on 8/16/16 wasn't successful...Now, I have to wait another 30 days and try again...That Sucks!....

I'm Scared of the TURP...I've read too many horror stories...The TURP will  be my Last Option for treatment...

Randy sorry that the voiding did not work but it has only been a month.  Give it some time.  What about a uro-lift to pull the prostate apart.  That is what I had it worked fine.  Remember that all men heal in diffrent ways and time.  Just relax and let it happen.  I have a voiding trail when I first time I sayw my doctor. I have alway had a problem peeing on demand Could not pee the first time.  Drank 8 bottles of water.  All I could do was 2 teaspoon full.  The second time they did it in the morning.  I did not pee for almost 12 hours because I was afraid I could not pee.  I went into the office and I was ready.  Got in the room and it took me 15 minutes to start I had to force myself.  But when I did I fill up the whole container.  Try to relax when you do it again.  I think your just worried  Ken  If you need to chat I'm hear  Ken