How long does it take to to see evidence of toughening of the bladder wall with moderate retention ?

You really need to speak with your doctor about this and not rely on responses in this forum about your concern. Your doctor will be able to assess your risk factors. If he feels you are close to complete shutdown, he will probably encourage you to remove that blockage sooner rather than later.

I was told that I was lucky my straining/weak stream for years had not done permanent damage and that bladder shutdown could have happened at any point. I then chose what I thought was my best option and got the blockage removed (ie Median lobe) with Aquablation. See my discussion about about Aquablation. You may prefer another procedure, but go see your urologist soon to address your concern. Waiting for the most perfect cure for BPH can be ill advised for some.

When you do talk to a Urologist ask about PAE. This is an early intervention option that is the least invasive and could buy you some time. At the very least it will help the bladder by not subjecting it to the "strains" of BPH which can lead to rehabilitation problems later on.

It doesn't sound as though you've had severe enough problems for long enough to cause significant bladder problems. But things will probably get worse - I'd get a full work up and see what is going on.

Agree with the others. You need to consult a urologist. With ultrasound, they can determine how much is retained in your bladder. A cystoscopy will allow the uro to examine the condition of your bladder, and if appropriate, you may be referred for a urodynamics procedure to check bladder function.

I have had to self cath for the last 2+ years due to an enlarged bladder. Like you, I did not strain or push to empty my bladder. However, my condition got worse over a period of years. Finally, after experiencing frequent urination and a very weak stream where I would void about half a urine sample cup, I was referred to a urologist. Turns out I was retaining 1.5 liters of urine, after my minimal void.

Johnny,

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You really need to see a urologist about that and not rely on this forum for answers. A cystoscopy will show the extent of bladder wall trabeculation (thickening/toughening). A urodynamics test will show the extent of detrusor muscle damage. Make sure that you chose a urologist who lets you see the cystoscopy and explains everything to you clearly. If not, then find another urologist.

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After years of worsening BPH, I went into acute urinary retention (AUR) and they took 2 liters of pee out of me. 6 months later, I flunked my urodynamics test. 10 months later, my cystoscopy showed moderate trabeculation. I had a Rezum which cleared the blockage. At 3 months post-Rezum, my post void residuals (PVR's) were at 150 ml. At 10 months post-Rezum my PVR's finally dropped below 100 ml.

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You do not want to damage your bladder!

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Steve

Hi. Yes, don't damage the bladder. Mine was twice normal size when my BPH was fully investigated. I passed my Urodynamics test surprisingly well but a scan showed my bladder wall was beginning to fail. I had a HoLep three years ago and hopefully there is no significant further bladder damage