cystoscopy outcome advice

I don't have answers to most of your questions. Looks like your last cystoscopy was 28 years ago. I can tell that its not too bad. Not painful just uncomfortable.

I had 2 cystoscopys last year. Was awake for both. Was not painful just uncomfortable. BUT I didn't have structures just enlarged prostate. I would feel the same as you do about procedures. Sounds like you had a couple docs didn't care about your problem the way they should. Do some investigating about your situation and look for docs who can help you. I did have TURP but my doc cares about his patients. No RE or other complications. I was one of the lucky ones.

If I were in your postion I would "DO NOTHING".  My situation is much worse (I'm in AUR) and I had a PAE that really didn't help (probably partly because it doesn't really work if you have an enlarged median lobe).  If it gets significantly worse and you don't have an enlarged median lobe, then I would consider the PAE.

I had urethrotomy for a thin stricture this past Monday afternoon, went home with a Foley which I removed this morning as directed at discharge.  My strictures developed last year during some procedure for my BPH. (I had GreenLaser, an emergency Foley insertion when I went into acutre retention 2 days later. Then I had another scope, then Gyrus TURP.  Became fully incontinent after the GL, did months of PT to address the incontinence, and the PT didn't help.

Lost faith in the first urology practice, had my records send to another urologist in another city.  I was unaware of any stricture as none were mentioned in my records.  The second doctor found two thin strictures close to the external sphincter, and did a ballon dilation.  One came back after a month or so, and he did a cystoscopy with a thin instrument.  The experience was night and day better than at the first urologists.  This office had two large overhead screens so I could see exactly what the doctor was seeing, a thin white stricture.  And best of all, I felt absolutley nothing during the procedure.  The numbing gel and the thinner flexible scope and a high skilled doctor made a difference.  (He did not try to pass beyond the stricture to avoid more injury.)

By this time, I had read about strictures and knew that the success rate for urethrotomies wasn't great.  So I asked, and he said that was true for longer strictures, but he thought the thinness of mine gave it a better chance of succeeding.   So now, I will be waiting for about 10 weeks, and if the stricture repair works, I will have an artificial sphincter implanted.  If the stictures come back, I'm not sure what will happen.  According to my doctor, their location right next to the sphincter makes urethroplasty difficult, and the repaired urethra wouldn't have good blood supply.  Because of that, there's a much greater chance that an artifical sphincter could could have problems such as erosion of the urethra.

So it's clear that my strictures were caused by one of the many invasive procedures I've had in the last year while under the care of the first urologist (cystoscopies, GL, Gyrus Turp, and several Foley catheters).  It could very well have been from the insertion of the Foley by two young nurses in the ER at 2 a.m. on a Sat night/Sunday morning while I was in agony from a bladder that felt it would burst.

The size of your prostate should be determinable from imaging.  But, if you are to have another cystoscopy, ask for the smallest scope available.  (I think the most recent one I had was with an 18Fr flexible scope.)

Scraggs.  Where are you and who are these people telling you this stuff.  Let me tell you a story.  I got very sick in 2014.  Ended up going to the hospital.  Long story but they asked for a sample.  They already took my blood and told me I had sepsis.  I told the doctor that I don't pee on demand and I did not need to go.  Within 10 minutes I had 2 nurses come in to my room and never said a word to me. Took my pants off and forced a catheter in me.  I did ask many time what is going on.  He pulled out the first one and forced another one in. Never got it in the bladder.  Well I ended up going to see a urologist after.  After some test and then a cystoscopy he found out that I have a stricture right before the prostate just like you.  I have it checked ever 3 months to make sure it good.  Had a urolift done in 2015 all is fine.  My doctor has talked about dialateion it last about a year he said but he told me he would never put a stent in because it will grow into the urethra and if there is a problem they would have to cut it out.  If you are planning to have the cystoscopy done make sure you have in writing that you only want to have it dialated and no stent and no turp.  Why am I telling you this is for your own good.  Once you are out and you sign for the procedure the doctor can do anything he want and say it was for your own good.  I trust my doctor but I alway have him sign a paper that he only has my permission to do what he told me nothing else.  Also if I do have to have a catheter they only can use a coude catheter 14fr or smaller.  It's easier to get in the bladder.  Last year I went into bladder spasm and was peeing blood.  Had to be flushed out after they did it I was still peeing blood.  Within 10 minute of having them do that I was told I had to have emergency surgery to see where the blood was coming from. This was not my urologist  I would not sign for surgery until he sign a paper that my prostate was not to me touch in anyway no matter what the problem was. I told him that I would not sign it and I will lay here an die.  It took him 30 minutes to agree.  It turned out to be 3 bllod clogs around the prostate from my blood thinners.  You have to put things in writing before you have anything done.  It is for your own good.  Take care and stand up for your prostate.  Take care  If you like to talk PM me anytime  Ken        

A Sonagram of the prostate & associated area is one of the best pieces of data that you can have..It show an image of the affected area ...the SIZE of the prostate and configuration...and any surrounding images of possible strictures etc..Is your prostate 30gms...130gms ...230 gms?? This is important info.  Holep has been shown to be the best lonjg term (gold) standard procedure to take care of a prostate problem) New procedures PAE etc are good but depend on certain configurations of the prostate. Also, once the gland causes very bad problems ..some go to CIC cath methods...but finasteride, beta sitosterol, flomax, diet etc may help symptoms, but reversing the damage that exists can not be done by supplements . Gat Goren Method for Treatment of Enlarged Prostate is also a very interesting new procedure that may be investigated.

Good Luck & God Bless

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Some real horror stories.

My prostate was 28ml last time I had an ultrasound, which was last year, so after 25 or so years it hasn't grown much.

I have decided that I will be having the cystoscopy whilst awake and if they need to dilate to check things thats ok, but no slicing.

I can then go from there.

The urethroplasty consultant I saw said the previous cystoscopy could have been so painful due to my age, apparently the younger you are the harder it is to get past the sphinter.