Greenlight method for Prostate

Every situation is different and size matters. Personally, I would try Rezum, Urolift or PAE (Possibly all of them) before ever considering a surgery - and if that was my only remaining option, I might go right to Holep. I'm glad your situation worked out well, there are some real greenlight horror stories on this blog

There are good and bad in all procedures.  There have been men on here that had the GL but month's later end up with  a turp to clean the mess the GL did.  I don't think any man want to have 2 or 3 procedures to fix the problem.  Most doctor do not look at all the mentel out comes of the patient ( They just tell you all will be the same.  That is want they learn in scohool ) 9 out of 10 surgery they will cause retro and more.  Don't let a doctor tell you this will fix the problem.  In truth they never know until they do a surgery.  It may or may not help.  Have a less evasive procedure that will help you first.  Also make sure it is the prostate that is causeing you the problem not the bladder  Take care  Ken

Good Luck  Ken

I'm very happy for you that all worked out but what if it didn't like so many other men on this site.  What made you decide on a GL when there are so many less evasive procedure.  Like you I'm 61 and not looking to have anymore kids but I still will not give up anything to just pee a little better.  Let's hope all stays good for you.  There are men on here that have had the GL procedure but ending up 3 months later having to have a TURP to clean up the mess of the GL.  Stay well  Ken 

Well, it's about 6 months out and everything is good. Perhaps others who have had GL did not have a surgeon so experienced with the procedure as my doctor was. He did other types of procedures also, but this was the one he felt best for me considering prostate size, location, etc. 

As to the peeing, it is a LOT better than before, often coming out as if I were 25  again. Now I feel free to go out and not need to constantly know the location of the nearest bathroom. 

While this site is useful, it is not a random sample of all those who have undergone GL. I suspect that the majority of men who come here have had problems or concerns.

Glad your experience was a good one. THere is no doubt that most people coming to this site do so because they want to investigate a problem, so you're right, nothing like a random sample at all and not really valid for statistical purposes.

I think with Greenlight that surgical skill is important, but also, the more precise a procedure is the less potential for bad, irreversable outcomes. There are more precise treatments out there now, so the times that Greenlight is ideal are less than they were a couple of years ago. THere are plenty of fabulous TURP outcomes, but that doesn't mean that it should be performed much anymore, simpley because there are more precise procedures that carry much less risk with fewer side effects and shorter recovery. Greenlight, to a lesser extent probably falls into that category now.

Did you end up with retro ejaculation? But it sounds as though your outcome was ideal - that's great!

Yes, I do have retro, but I knew going into GL that this was a distinct possibility (or probability). That is not a deal breaker for me, especially in light of the quick recovery time, minimal and short discomfort, and, most of all, the ease with which I pee. Having needed to be catheterized in the ER, that is not something I looked forward to experiencing again.

Ok I know what you are saying and many feel like you. So I had the greenlight and now my doc took blood metabolic panel on me and I have high liver enzymes ALT, AST , when it was always normal before. Do not know what to do , what it is from, I do not know and never does my physician.

Happy for you. But there are also alot of men that do not want to have retro ejaculation just to pee a little better that is why they look at the newer procedures. You had a a good outcome with your GL and many men have had good results with TURP but there are also alot of men that have had bad out comes and retro is the lease of there worry when your leaking and have to wear a diaper for the rest of your life.  You can have any procedure you like because you are the one that HAS TO DEAL WITH THE OUT COME Not the doctor.  He just moves on to the next patient. .A doctor can only suggest a procedure and tell you it may work.  But in true they don't know if it will until it done.  Have a good day  Ken    

I'm happy for you also, Kenneth, that you get to ejaculate since that seems to be the most important thing to you. In my case, at least, I do not merely pee "a little better" --- I pee as if I were 25 again. It made a major improvement in how I function and live my daily life.

You obviously have an axe to grind and that's your prerogative. Every procedure has its drawbacks and possible problems, as does every single medication. One decides what's best for himself and gambles. Life is a gamble. Most doctors are not so callous as you imply. 

I doubt the GL procedure had any impact on your metabolic panel numbers, but it is always a good idea to get a second opinion in such cases. It's not an insult to your original doctor (unless you yell at him - LOL ). 

I wish you good luck in getting to the root of this new problem.

To me and alot of men it is.  That is why alot of men put off going to the doctor and sometimes it to late.  When I have surgery I do not give total control to my doctors.  They do what they say and nothing else.  I have had my ups and down in the past year and been in the hospital 9 times QA-fib 5 times a urolift repair  My prostate got smaller. and they had to replace one and tighten the other 3 Total shut down and retention  was bleeding and had to have emegency surgery because they did not know where I was bleeding from.  I would not sign the papers till he sign that my prostate was not to be touched. He did.  I had 3 blood clots on the prostate which he burned had a 24 hour flush.  It was cause by my blood thinners  Also I had a 9 hour heart ablation for my A-fib.  Now I am fine  Going to the gym every day and having a great time.  We have to pic the procedure that we want.    Why should we have to give up anything to just pee.  That is why they have new procedure so we don't have to 9 out of 10 surgery cause retro and alot of men do not want to have it taking from them they can't live without it.  They end up depressed and willing to take there own life.     We have to give up enough in our lives why should that be one of them.  We can have something else and still live a better life You say your peeing like a 25 year old that great  Im peeing great for 61 year old. and my urologist told me that I have a prostate of a 40 year old and going to keep it in tac.  My urolift worked great.  I have a very good urologist that cares enough to help you and make you happy. He can only tell you what he think will fix the problem and you have to decide.  Pills or surgery  To many men are rushed into surgery by there doctors.  That is the mans fault for not getting a second opinion and asking question and getting more information.  Well that's enough on this.  I wish you will and contiune good health  Ken  

If being able to shoot is your highest priority, then bully for you ! Being able to pee easily and not to have to self-cath or have anyone cath me was MY highest priority. One chooses what one wants. In any cas, you seem to have lots of other medical issues. You are fortunate that your urologist was willing to give you what you want. So was mine who, incidentally, is an excellent urologist at one of the highest-ranked hospitals in the country. He certainly did not rush me into surgery and I took plenty of time to investigate. 

I am happy that you were not bully and you did get your information.  on the procedure.  All that matter is your happy with want you decided.  So many men are mislead and are not told all that will happen.  Doctor sometime side step some of the side effect and when they get it They never heard of it.  Enjoy your life and have fun because you never know what is around the corner When I had my problem with my prostate. I have a stricture that I have check.  The stricture was fine but my prostate  was pushed together and he cold not get into it to check the bladder.  I know if he was not a good doctor another one would tell me I needed a turp he told me about the urolift and after looking it up I did it.  Catheters are a pain  and don't like them but I had my first one then.  I am thankful I found him  His only 38 and is up on all the new procedure.  He also told me that a turp or GL is a last resort.   He will do anything else first.  He also told me that he has had a 50% down play on turp and GL. men from 40 to 60 are not having them because of the retro that they cause.  I wish you well and Im glad your happy with what you had done because you are the only one that has to live with it..  Ken  Ps  When I first saw him he put me on a couple of pills did not care for them  Cause me retro and I did not care for it The orgasm was not the same and did not feel right.  No feeling at all  Got off them quick and went back to normal

I'm glad you're happy with your Urolift and that you can shoot since that is what seems most important to you.

My doctor is also rather young and definitely up on the most recent procedures since he works at NYU medical center, one of the top hospitals in the country. 

I know you are happy with your urolift, but you are a crusader here for that procedure, one which is hardly the best option for everyone with prostate issues. I know that many men are quite content GL and TURP, particularly since they have much-improved urinary function. One cal live without ejeculating, but not without being able to urinate.

If someone has real issues with RE, then he should not go with GL or TURP. Apparently that was the case with you.

I agree with you to a point. Performing TURP in most cases probably amounts to malpractice. The risks, recovery time and incidence of irreversible side effects render it obsolete IMO. Calling it the gold standard is fake news.

As for greenlight, all things being equal, from a generic standpoint, there are anesthesia free procedures available now that have comparable success rates that don't preclude anything more invasive if they don't work.

My doc told me I might need to wear a diaper for up to a month (due to uncontrollable urgency) if I had greenlight so I opted to wait. And as you say, most people come here with problems and there are many more with greenlight (and the problems are more serious and permanent) than the newer procedure.

There are many successful outcomes with all of the procedures - it really comes down to risk and odds. All things being equal (and your situation may have pointed to GL as the best option) there are less risky procedures with similar success rates to GL now

Thank you Oldbuzzard.  Henselt seam to think I'm a crusader for urolift.  In a way I am because that is what I picked,  I did not want any of the side effect of any of the other procedures.  But a man can pick any procedure that he wants because he is the one that has to deal with the side effect.  Why should we have to pick one over the other.  This is our life and we need to live it to the fullest.  If a man pick a surgery that causes retro I think the doctor should give him something that will cause retro to see iff he can deal with it.  Sometime the orgasm changes and does not feel good.  Why do it if it does not feel right  Some men have turps and GL and they get retro and sex is not the same if you can have it. Some doctor down play that part because they do not see that has a sexual function.   Sometime they give it up all together. With newer procedures we have a choise now to pic something that will help use without alot of the side effect.  I had retro with flomax and rapaflo.  It sucked the built up was there and then flat  That is not for me.  Yes at 61 I still enjoy sex. but I what it all. It's like your not having any kids so cut them off  I will enjoy life till the day I die and I'm keeping what I have.  If you pick and procedure that your happy with the side effect I'm happy for you. That is all that matter. All men are diferent and we all heal different .Life goes on  Have a good sunday  Ken 

Wait!  What!??  Ken!  Ken has an axe to grind?  Whatever gave you that idea?  

Gmoney.  Good morning.  I have no axe to grind.  It's just there have been men on here that have been talked into surgerys and when they get retro the first time thay have sex they want to know why because there doctor did not tell them alot on it.  What procedure anyone has.  Get all the information you can on it before you have it.  I do not feel we should give anything up if we don't have to.  If your happy with whatever procedure you pick thats all that matters  Ken

Everyone here has a perspective (including me) and we all tend to reinforce what we believe. Ken thinks RE is under-considered and disclosed by urologists and he's right - it is. So is the pain and unnecessary disruption of foley catheters. So is the need for a real diagnosis before rushing into surgery to confirm whether that surgery can even solve a problem. The "TURP as gold standard" line that is repeated so much is borderline malpractice, as is performing any procedure without a diagnosis. Many of the the possible side effects of procedures (long and short term) are under disclosed and minimized. You had a good result with GL - tha's great and I'm happy for you. You probably didn't, but did your urologist tell you that you might need a diaper for as much as a month after the procedure? Mine did, so I decided to wait for something else.

Here are my axes, which i will continue to grind:

1) Get a real diagnosis before considering any procedure. You can't pee well so you should get at TURP/GL/PAE/Urolift/Rezum/holep is not a diagnosis.

2) Unless there is some overriding reason, people should try the non invasive/anesthesia free procedures before going under. All allow for more invasive options if they don't work and all work (when performed with a proper diagnosis) most of the time.

3) No one should be stuck on a foley unless they are too uncomfortable with self cathing - especially if removal requires passing that barbaric voiding test.

4) Unless there is a fast growing cancer involved, there is no rush to do anything. Even full retention can be dealt with indefinitely with self cathing if one choses to. There are always new things coming out - the landscape is very different than it was 3 years ago and will probably be much better in another 3 years.

5) You have to take charge of your own condition. Many urologists are skilled and honest (mine is) but many aren't and will rush men into TURP surgery without anything more than a proclamation that its tough to pee.  Taking any doctor at their word is dangerous and many will perform procedures they have very little expeience doing. I wouldn't let anyone do anything to me that hasn't done it at least 100 times before.

Those are my axes and I will continue to apply them to people's questions.

Good Morning Oldbuzzaed.  Thanks you.  You are saying a lot of things that I try to say.  I have a very good doctor and I trust him But I still have him sign a paper that he is to do only what he tells me that he is going to do.  To many men have gone for one surgery and end up having another.  There was one man on here that did not want a Turp and he kept telling his doctor no.  He wanted to try the TUNA.  The doctor told Im that would not work and I'm the doctor and I know best.  After 8 weeks of back and fort The doctor told him ok he would do it.  Well when he work up the doctor told him that he had a problem and he had to do the turp anyway.  The man was pist.  The patient over heard the doctor when he was leaving he heard him tell his nurse.  I told him I would get my way.  That was not right.  That is also why I have it in writing.  I do not give total control to my doctors. Because when you sign that consent form they can do anything they want.  Research is the key to any procedure.  Take care all  Ken