Posted , 12 users are following.
Maybe I missed them, but haven't seen too many updates lately. I think I counted seven to nine folks here who have had FLA. Should be more by now. What about the Dr. K. Study? Any data out yet? Please let us know how things are going.
Jim
0 likes, 23 replies
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ben27324 jimjames
Posted
Are you still not convinced of any procdure yet?
If you have to do any of them next month which one will you choose?
I appreciate your answer.
Ben
jimjames ben27324
Posted
Good question. I'm still looking for more feedback on FLA, which is why I started this thread. And then there's the 20-30K out of pocket. Fortunately, with CIC, I really never have to make that choice. But if a gun were put to my head, I'd probably try Urolift first only because close to zero per cent retro. That said, urolift only works if you have pretty good bladder tone and no median lobe. If that didn't work out, I'd probably try and find a doctor, maybe Europe, who is able to perform an ep (ejaculating preserving) TURP or GL. And then there's FLA, but again, I'd like some more feedback and durability data.
Jim
j12080 jimjames
Posted
Jim, this is John. I have some updating for you. First, where have I been? Well you know my Dad had both knees replaced. Recovered in 3 weeks and was once again a happy UBER driver in the new market of Tyler TX. But now he does not limp! He had a remarkable recovery for binary knee surgery. Because of his new knees and gained mobility, he realized that his heart valve issue had to now be dealt with. So, he had a heart valve replacement of the aortic valve. The procedure goes through the femoral vein and carotid artery instead of cutting your chest open. He did it and was out in 3 days with no issues. Then developed pulmonary edema and checked himself back into the hospital which was brilliant as in 4 days it turned into pneumonia which will kill most 85 year old rather quickly. His was caught early and six days of three 24 antibiotic drips cure that issue. But, I have been way too busy with him to get back on the thread. He is back now and working out in a gym six days a week and if I can keep him out issues for a while I am feeling great relief.
I can report that I am fully recovered and now looking back I see how long it takes to be completely over the FLA treatment but I can say it is wonderful and I am very pleased. I also know Peter in Hong Kong is very happy and well. Ross in NY is doing better than anyone and he had full retention before the procedure. Victor is very very happy with his results. And there are others who have all been very pleased with the FLA. You know how and have the personal messaging ability to contact them all and they would give you a first hand report if you ask them.
I know the reason now why we all did so well. It is because of Dr. Karamanian. He is one of a kind. And is too much to explain to you here as people just thing we are selling him but we are not doing that we are all just so amazed at the type of Doctor he is and the way he practices medicine. I have called him to see if Harvey kick him in the tail and he has been working hard to support the Houston victims of Harvey while still trying to fully open his practice again and do the procedure. All is back to almost normal now in Houston. You know how I feel about him and so does each and every man who has dealt with him.
It is wonderful not to pee on myself any more. The urges are gone and I don't get up but maybe once or twice at night. The retention is also gone. I just got back from Vail tonight for the last four days from a Golf Pro AM that is the oldest in the US. I played with Gary McCord and some other great golfers and we drank a lot. I got up twice to pee at night but we put away a lot of very fine wine each night including 4 bottles of Screaming Eagle Wine.
You know I have retired in July but I am still discussing help my old company as a consultant. I am so happy to not think about urination anymore as it was my constant worry in life. It takes a while to stop doing that as it does not just happen. It takes a while to get over the fear that FLA may not work or the symptoms are going to come back. My life is back and it is wonderful. Anyone who would like a phone discussion with any of the men I mentioned above can PM me and I will get you phone numbers. Including mine. They all have said they would talk to anyone who needs first hand information. We all agree it is much easier talking on the phone with someone who need facts and information than it is typing on this blog and have our motives and procedure choices and decisions question to the point of our intent.
So, we are as "the good Unckle" says, going about our lives again but we are all very very happy with the outcome. I do try to stay in touch with most of the guys.
Again, we want to help so just ask and we will tell you. Dr. K is still doing a few more men in the trial. That does help the cost. I did not get that but you I also got a buy one get two with my procedure.
Dr. K has had many more cases now that I am not aware of but the results is the same and he is the most honest and accessible Doctor I know of. I would give my number out here but this thread thinks that is a bad thing for some reason.
He is much more polished now on the procedure and as I have said before this is as much or more an Art as it is a Science. That is why the choice of doctor is the most important component of the treatment.
Hope you are still doing well with the direction you picked and if I can be of any assistance, let me know. I also heard that Neil is still pursuing Gat Goren now in Canada. I hope to follow his success.
john
uncklefester jimjames
Posted
I think a lot of the fellas that had FLA are going about their lives not thinking about their prostates. In the end only time will tel. j12080 is about 10 months post FLA. We don't hear from him much I assume ( hope ) nhe is doing well. Mikeskier is maybe 6 or 7 months post FLA I haven't seem him post much either.
j12080 uncklefester
Posted
Hope you have got that business back up on going again. And, I hope all is well. You know how to reach me and I am willing to talk and catch up anytime.
John
uncklefester j12080
Posted
Good to hear bfrom you john. I've spent most of the Summer getting the OK from the town to build my shop. I'm blessed in the sence my BPH symptoms are mild compared to most men here. I haven't had a bleeding episode since the end of 2016 which was my big concern. I assume the fernasteride has shrunk my prostate enough to stop the bleeding. I will probably have a procedure of some sort within the next year so I can get off the drugs. Well maybe I'll try to stay on the daily cialis
Hopefully FLA since it sounds like insurance is paying for some of the procedure. I know it will be too late to get into Dr K's trial. No big deal, at some of the guys that really needed to do something soon got relief.
Talk to you later
j12080 uncklefester
Posted
Hey Unckle, really glad to here you are getting the company back up and going. And, also very happy your symptoms are not really bad yet. I never took any of the drugs the Uros were pushing at me.
Yes, i did receive back about 4000 plus from medicare in payments. Not sure what the progress is on all that but it is in the codes you use and Dr. K has had some private provides help out I believe. This is even though the urological group is trying hard to stop it. If insurance ever picks this up it will be huge as the evidence looks like it is highly successful at least with Dr. K. I am not sure about Sperling as he would never prove or provide evidence or testimonial from any patient on BPH. Only on PCa.
Yes I am one of those guys who's back was against the wall had had to do something. Very glad I got the FLA and don't care about the money.The three credit cards I used are all paid off now. My plan was to do it in six months and I did it. Well worth it for me. Please stay in touch as I love hearing your input.
I will tell you that I cannot get Patient emails notifying me of a PM of a thread response that I am following any more. I can just sign in and look and I can see the messages send but I do not get an email notification any more. I don't know why? So it is very hard to keep up and use this site now.
Oh yea, you ask about increased erection, YES I believe that there are some who say that is the case and i know that ejaculation has increased for some. I did increase at one point and it was enough that it scared me and shocked my wife at the time but that has gone down and is normal now at least normal for a guy 65 who has sex about two times a week. I am happy with that. So, things are good. You might ask Dr. K about it as I know he would not mind you asking and he will tell you the truth. If there is anyone who doubts that then they have never spoken to him.
Good Luck Buddy. and if anyone knows what is wrong with the email notifications please tell me. I will scan the pages for an answer. I have not found a help location on this site yet but will keep looking.
mike588 jimjames
Posted
If you've never had surgery Dr K's study price is 14k if I am not mistaken.
Jim you know my story, things going well at the moment, I'm experimenting taking Flomax every other day and skipping CIC when I feel natural voids were very high. When I take Flomax PVRs go under 100 while after a day without Flomax it was 160 last time.
I haven't heard of a single case of RE resulting from FLA.
uncklefester mike588
Posted
mike588 uncklefester
Posted
jimjames mike588
Posted
Hi Mike,
My understanding is that 14K is the trial price limited to maybe 15 people, but the normal price is 20K. It has nothing to do if you've had surgery before, other than that probably would be a trial exclusion.
I'm glad you're still doing OK, just curious about some of the others. As you know, FLA is a new procedure and durability is an important issue for any procedure. So hopefully, you, John, and the other pioneers will report back periodically so we can better know if the results stick, which hopefully they will.
Jim
joe34587 mike588
Posted
Hi Mike,
?Thanks for posting about your experiences in working through BPH. Searched the forums but could not tell whether you actually did the second PAE with Dr. S? And if so whether it helped?
?I am scheduled to go for a PAE procedure with Dr S in a couple of weeks so any insights would be appreciated.
?All the best mate thanks.
?Joe
steve45288 jimjames
Posted
I had my FLA done on 6-7-17. My prostate size was over 180CC with a large median lobe and a protein cyst that was protruding into my bladder. I had gone to three urologists over the last five years and the answer was always the same, my prostate was to large for any treatment except TURP. After researching TURP, especially the you tube video I decided to do more research and came across the FLA discussion that I am now responding to. I contacted Dr. K in Houston and had a very lengthy conversation concerning my issues and he suggested I have a 3T MRI scan. Dr. K sent me an imaging office that specialized in prostate scans. The imaging office sent the results to Dr. K and he called me approx. a week later. This phone call lasted over 45 minutes as he explained the different areas that were causing obstructions that didn't allow my bladder to empty completely. He then asked me what my expectations were if I was to have the procedure. I told him I would like to go off the prostate medications and be able to empty my bladder. He said there would be a 70% chance that this could happen. I decided to schedule the procedure primarily because of the confidence I had that Dr. K was giving me a honest assessment and deep down I felt my chances were better than the 70% of success he gave me. As you get to know Dr. K you realize he is very conservative in his responses. The day before the procedure Dr. K explained in his office the different areas of the prostate he was going to eliminate. Dr. K is a radiologist, MRI scans are his field of study. The procedure was done the following morning and was a piece of cake. I was on a catheter for 8 days and a couple of medications for two weeks. Dr. K called me twice a week to explain to me what to expect over the next six weeks. He was right on the money. I noticed improvement in flow and urgency after 4 weeks and each week it got better and better. The Dr. said after two months I should see huge improvement and he was right. I went off the medications at six weeks and had very little trouble with the transition. I now sleep 6 to 7 hours at night without having to get up. I have no urgency during the day and my sexual part is normal. This procedure cost me $20,000 plus airfare and hotel. I was spending approx. $130.00 a month on medications. This procedure has given me my life back. I would say my urology state is what I had in my 20's. I have been successful in business and I was taught by my dad to make the customer always feels special. Dr. K has that gift, he genuinely takes pride in each procedure he does. I truly believe he would not do a procedure if he did not think it would be a success. I hope and pray that insurance will pay for this procedure in the future. This truly an unbelievable experience and result!!
uncklefester steve45288
Posted
glad to hear you're doing well.
jimjames steve45288
Posted
Hi Steve,
Very happy to hear how satisfied you are. Been very busy lately, so forgive if I've asked this before, but could you detail what your condition was prior to having FLA. For example, did you have frequency, urgency, nocturia, UTIs, etc. Also, what was your PVR (post void residual)? I assume your ejaculatory function was left intact, but did you notice any improvement since FLA. Some have reported that with other prostate reduction procedures. Thanks.
Jim
j12080 steve45288
Posted
Good luck and really glad to hear how you have been. Ross has mentioned you from time to time. Victor is also very very good. So is Mike Skier and Peter.
uncklefester j12080
Posted
john, I'm curious, have any of the fellas mentioned an improvement in erections since FLA? I had ED prior to these problems , my uro said my large prostate was at least partly to blame.