Just had TURP my story so far

6/11/20

If this just helps one man suffering from BPH who is considering a TURP procedure I will be happy. I’m no writer so my grammar could be choppy

Its up to you if you want to read all of this, but I just wanted to be as comprehensive, accurate, and transparent as possible.

My name is Scott (Live in South Florida) I am 57 years old, retired firefighter, and consider myself in pretty good shape 6’2, 220 lbs, with no real medical history. i.e. diabetes, heart problems, stroke, immune disorders etc.

My journey/story into having a TURP procedure is based on the following:

I’ve had problems peeing for probably over 10 plus years

Weak flow,

Pee coming out in a split stream

Having to push hard often when I pee.

Getting up multiple times on certain nights, not every night but enough to make me fatigued and frustrated.

So, before I retired (11/19) my fire department brought in a medical company and offered us full body scans. They sonogram you from your carotid arteries down to your testicles. Mine went well accept for some clouding around a part of my bladder. Ok this information concerned me, scared me the whole bit. I didn’t really know what to do so I brought the information to my primary care doctor who recommend I see a urologist (I might have some bladder damage). Well yes all those dreaded thoughts come into my mind about everything bad.

Now by coincidence a few guys who I smoke a cigar with twice a month were talking, and told me a close friend of theirs, who I know, just went through a bad prostate problem. Maybe, I should talk with him a little about this stuff and maybe he can recommend a good urologist.

OK, so I call this gentleman (he knows me) and ask him if I can talk to him about his prostate issue because I feel I may have one also. Now I just want to note this guy is well educated, successful in good shape and extremely capable of making good decisions. He is also very nice and has an incredible heart for others…. In short… I trust him… His age is 59.

He describes to me that he had BPH was taking medicine for a while and all of a sudden one day the medicine apparently stopped working and his urine started filling his bladder to a level that was almost 2 litres??. So, how did he find this out. He was traveling in another state, had dinner with friends (my cigar buddies) and as they were driving down the road he didn’t feel good, so he asked if they could stop the van so he could use the restroom. He advised as he exited the van he had severe abdominal pain and he completely past out and slammed his head against the side walk. He was helped up and taken to the hospital (Said if he was alone he would be dead). The hospital determined his bladder was filled with urine as he hadn’t pee’d in two days almost 2 litres.. So, he finally gets home to south Florida and finds out his situation has gotten so bad that he cant get a TURP or other procedures that he has to have a full prostectomy. He had to travel from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando to get iprocedure done. The doctor he initially saw in Fort Lauderdale was booked up for a month. He was referred to another doctor in Orlando by a trusted friend. So, after a lot of pain and suffering he gets the procedure done, and I’m happy to say my dear friend is ok happy and healthy. However, he told me Scott get the TURP procedure done don’t wait don’t put yourself through the massive suffering and pain he went through. One thing he did say that stuck in my head. He said he thought he was managing the BPH situation with meds, until the situation quickly changed course and managed him almost killing him.. I know lots of guys get blocked up with advanced stages of BPH, but you really never know when or where you will be when the blockage starts. So with that long term med usage is concerning.

So, I thank my dear friend for his time and the humble sharing of his story.

From here I scout out a good urologist in my area. I go in to the appointment have a cystoscopy which wasn’t a lot of fun but it was do-able had a sonogram, a CT scan and a rectal exam. He said yep you have BPH and do show some bladder damage from forcing myself to pee over the years. He prescribes me alfuzosin and mentions TURP procedure if I’m interested.

I decide to take the meds from January to May with no real improvement noted. He said there are other meds but they can have some negative side effects. I start thinking I probably need some type of procedure possibly that TURP thing. Here I start researching all of the available procedures and it just seemed that most people that get other procedures end up finally getting a TURP (Hence its referred the Gold Standard) Read and studied REZUM, Greenlight, Uro lift, etc. One of my biggest concerns is that Im very active I ride road bikes and mountain bikes and I put a lot of pressure in the prostate area, so I did not want and mechanical contraptions down there that I could accidentally loosen up because of my excessive biking.

So, I make the TURP decision and again research the crap out of it. I meet my doctor and tell him this is my choice lets get this done. He advises that with the slight bladder damage and pretty extensive blockage that this is a good choice for the long run. He’s actually a pretty nice guy I like his demeanor bedside manner and professionalism.

Two weeks before:

Pre surgical physical tests and chest x-ray at primary care doctor passed

Covid19 test done passed.. Hospital requirement

Surgical date set for 6-8-2020

Day before surgery nervous anxious but not too bad “It is what it is”

Watched a bunch of positive video stories on YouTube “Sunrise Urology” Turp patient testimonies (made me feel a little more at ease).

Really praying for good outcome. I feel young for this at 57, but Dr did see some bladder damage and retention with blockage present

Wife going with me. She’s been great I’m very lucky… 33 years married.

Lots of thoughts funny how our minds worry more than they stay positive…

Slept ok last night woke up early 4:30am little nervous praying for the best.

Just got to hospital ...South Florida Plantation

West Side Regional Hospital 10:30 am

Paper work signed sitting …. waiting to get called in….

Going in now….

Everyone at hospital was very nice and professional “That helps”

Anesthesia went really well woke up in no pain, no nausea but groggy… Normal ….. Good job Anesthesia Guy.. 

Yep, there's that catheter funny as “I reached down there to check”

A small very slight pain at penis tip... scale 1 out of 10 told nurse she gave me liquid tylenol it helped pretty quickly. I didn't want to ignore any pain and have it get bad.

The slight pain went away never worsened

They were gonna keep me overnight but since I was young 57 and procedure went well with little bleeding they are sending me home...

Going through discharge process IV out, catheter a little uncomfortable 2 out of 10 more uncomfortable than painful. Penis tip a little sensitive.

Ok going home still groggy a little hungry hoping things at home go well

Have two prescriptions

Phenazopyrudine 200 mg tab every 8 hours for any burning in penis

Nitro furantoin mono mcr 100 mg twice a day Antibiotic

Tylenol for pain every 4 hours

Ok catheter info:

Tube coming out of penis positioned off to my right side so I changed to right side of my bed. Looks a little weird but you get used to it.

Blood in Urine in catheter bag this is normal don’t freak out.

Some blood at penis tip too. Normal don’t freak out.

I had my wife stick a clothes hangar between box spring and mattress to hand catheter bag on. It worked pretty good. You gotta keep it lower than your bladder or it will not drain. A little uncomfortable but it's ok

Wipe blood at penis tip away gently with damp tissue paper so it doesn't dry up and make my penis stick to my leg.

Again no need to freak out… Really no need….

No real pain just penis tip sensitive at this point it's been 9 hours (8pm) since surgery 11am

Food:

Chicken soup

Ritz crackers

Good amount of water keep bladder irrigated

Pee is slightly pink and orange from Phenazopyrudine it's normal.

Watching TV trying to stay still don't wanna move catheter around too much. Dr. said don’t worry too much catheter is in place.

Only surgical procedure I've ever had is colonoscopy so it isn't like I Have a lot of experience with this stuff.

I was able to lie in bed and relax actually napped for about an hour my body is relaxing a bit more. Situation is understandably stressful in the mind it's normal, it's ok. This is do-able.

First night leaving hospital catheter is difficult to adjust to didn't sleep very well. Finally got some rest around 1am (Just more emotionally tired lots of wasted emotion and energy worrying way too much…..)

Second day still no pain from surgery and my body is adjusting to catheter a little better. Haven't had bowel movement yet. A little nervous pushing down there mostly eating chicken soup and toast.

Ok second night my body feels a little more relaxed and I'm going to have a small amount of spaghetti and salad for dinner it's Tuesday night I had TURP on Monday morning at 11 am. I am going back to doctors on Wednesday at noon for catheter removal. Yes of course I'm a little nervous about that. Again normal…

I slept pretty well Tuesday night woke up a couple of times with just the awkward catheter arrangement. I am hanging catheter bag next to bed from the hanger a placed between box spring and mattress. Ok Wednesday morning got up and did my walk through my house just “house laps” I call them to keep my body moving. Keep blood flowing

After about 5 laps I felt I had to go number 2. Oh boy a little scared to push. Number 2 not so bad but I did have a bladder spasm for about 20 seconds it is like a pain where you feel like your pushing to pee but it goes away when you focus on relaxing. It's ok it's not a sharp pain just a pushing sensation in penis. Don’t freak

Now it's 10:30 and I'm trying to figure out how to use leg strapping catheter bag so I can go to doctor. I don't want to walk into waiting room carrying big catheter bag. Although it may be funny seeing peoples reactions. They'll definitely give me my space. Bunch of red pee in bag from medicine and light blood. Ok I have leg bag figured out off to doctor with wife. Man, I'm nervous and I'm scared about my stuff working after catheter removed. This s**t is definitely a head game, but you can do it stay positive.  So as I'm sitting in waiting room it's 1230 and the food delivery guy comes in Dr. office with a bunch of food bags from Cheesecake Factory. So I think great I gotta sit and wait while they eat or their gonna rush me through catheter removal so they can chow down. My name is called and I go in to room number 3. Now I'm getting more nervous and the office nurse who's very nice says welcome sir pull down your pants, put this cloth around you doctor will be in in a minute. Dr. comes in he's very nice and says man are you ok you look nervous. I said I am nervous if course. He smiled. He said no worries taking out catheter is really no big deal. He said my procedure went great and I am going to feel like a million bucks. He said I needed procedure lots of blockage and some suspected minor bladder damage previously seen but not bad.

Ok here’s the catheter technique he used. I’m lying on my back he holds the tube and my penis and says take a deep breath and exhale slowly. He did this twice and removed ¾ of catheter the third breath the catheter just rubs against the sphincter muscle a minor pressure feeling for literally one second and I’m done. Really a lot less than I thought, again a lot of needless worry. He said go home drink lots of water. Take it easy. No lifting weights or riding my bike for 6 to 8 weeks, I will see some blood in urine its normal. Peeing will burn a little but he gave me a medication for that which really works pretty good. He did go over retrograde ejaculation with me and I understood it. However, the meds I was taking was causing a lot of that anyway. So, I’m hoping for the best sexually.

So, Day three I’m going home in car catheter free and now hoping I can pee normal and my biopsy comes back negative for cancer. I’ll take any prayers if you have them

Ok I’m home and I feel a pee coming on. No incontinence. I go to pee and no real pain maybe a real slight burn 1 on scale from 1 to 10.

I slept very well third night got up to pee around three times still no real bad burning or stinging. Medicine I believe helps with this (Phenazopyrudine 200 mg tab every 8 hours).

Day four Thursday. Feeling better eating better, peeing normal, very slight spasm at end of pee (I’m able to control this. No big deal) a pushing sensation.

Fellas, I know this is gonna take weeks for me to fully heal, but I hope and pray for the best. I intend to take care of my body best I can and drink a lot of water…. No Beer fellas… for a little while at least. I hope my story helps someone. Listen Its normal to be nervous and confused, but like my friend said BPH can go from you managing it, to it managing you in a bad and painful way. If you are a candidate for this procedure strongly consider it after you find a solid Dr. Check all Dr. ratings and use good trusted references if you have them. If your in this BPH boat I feel all your thoughts and worries, but its treatable don’t ignore it. Make your life as long and as great as you can, and don’t worry about stuff as much as I did You can do this

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