My HOLEP Experience

Thanks Hank. The list time it was measured it was about 65cc, but that was a while ago. My prostate was blocking my bladder neck almost completely. Philip.

I will let people know how I get on with the recovery. But this is the first day after surgery and feeling great. 

Hi David,

Good to hear you are doing well. I have leakage but I was expecting it. They didn't tell the amount removed yesterday. I will ask Mr Aho in 3 months. Great news the tissue was benign. I will find out shortly about mine. 

Best wishes and I hope you continue to improve.

Philip.

Hi, Thanks for sharing. He is very skilled and a nice guy. Feeling confident. Philip.

Hi, I will let you know how it goes. I can pee like never before.

Wow, just reading this Philip makes me want to schedule a HoLEP. 

Also, I can't sit for 5 minutes.  I pass up on going to baseball games.  I can't handle road trips.

I stand all day at work with a variable-height keyboard-monitor arrangement.  My life has changed because of a big prostate.

And, of course, it would be nice to pee like an 18 year old......or like I did at 40 even.

I know RE stinks but, heck, if I go back on Proscar (Finasteride) I'll have RE with that.  Even Flomax produces RE sometimes.

Did you consider Focused Laser Ablation?  I think you said PAE failed, correct?  I suppose a good thing about PAE is if that's the first procedure done, others can follow.

Did your doctor tell you if the prostate is going to grow back in time and you'll need to do another HoLEP or two down the road?

I wonder, if with BPH, anything short of radical prostatectomy is really a permanent fix.

But, in the meantime, you're peeing great and I am happy for you!

Michael

 

Good morning Michael.  Phil is having a good way with his Holep.  Very happy for him.  But you also have to remember that all men are different and we all healing in different way.  There are some men on this site who had to have 2 or 3 procedures in a 10 year span.  Some men's prostate grow faster then others.  Like I told you on the phone do your research on what ever you do.  I hope all goes well with whatever you decide.  Good Luck Ken 

Thanks Ken,

That's what makes this so extremely frustrating - the multiple variables and the range of responses by each individual to a given treatment method.  There's no "one size fits all" when it comes to the prostate.

I guess, at the end of the day, the best we can do is pick the option with the best benefit-to-risk analysis and then seek out the best possible practitioner of that method.

I have access to one of the world's top prostate surgeons - but for BPH, do I want to undergo a procedure that I would not hesitate to undergo if, God forbid, I had a Gleason 9 cancer within the prostatic capsule?  Probably not.  Not with possibly PAE available, and maybe (in time) FLA won't be 22K to 30K cash out-of-pocket, but insurance will pick up most of it.

Life is hard, for sure, but I thank God I got up after midnight and voided 500 cc.  For a large prostate, I'm grateful I can do that.

I'll research EP HoLEP and other procedures per our talk the other day.  Have been very busy but wanted to jump on this thread.

I really appreciate you and the other men here who share their stories and encourage all of us.

Talk to you soon, my friend.

Michael

 

Michael,

Thanks for the post. HoLEP was right for me, but you need to make sure you find the right procedure for you. I am in no way promoting HoLEP as for me it was a long road of trying and finding the right procedure, but the main thing is the most experienced surgeon who I trust, it was a huge decision for me. Take your time.

Mr Aho said I wouldn't need another procedure based on his progressional opinion after the surgery.

I didn't consider a FLA.

I did have a PAE, it was a very long procedure with no positive results, and as I have a bad back, laying on a tiny metal table for 4 - 5 hours and then laying still in bed for 5 hours, impacted on my back to the point I was in constant pain for 3 months after the PAE.

Thank you for your good wishes, I wish you all the best with your decision.

Philip.

Yes Michael we are on here to try to help everyone with there problems.  Like you said It is not a one size fit all.  if it was we would not have these sites.  Like you told me you are going to start slow.  Go and talk with your doctor and do what we talked about.  I think that will help you and give you some time to pick out something.  I hope all goes well.  Remember do not give up.    Ken     

I spent  lot of time doing research  on  EP using different technologies. For HoLEP, there was a Korean trial on EP HoLEP in 2016. With EP technique , the EP success rate was about 40% as oppose to 20% without it.  But this is not the best achievable because the surgeons were not using the True EP technique. I suspect that the enucleation technique makes it difficult to use the true EP technique.

in green light laser 90% EP success was reported. 

I did did sent out a detailed post if interested

Thanks Philip,

No, I don't see you as trying to sell HoLEP, but it is great to see your results. I'm sure guys who are planning HoLEP are reassured by your good experience.

I talked to a couple of guys from another forum who had FLA.   They could not be happier.

I didn't realize with PAE you'd be on your back 10 hours. 

If $$ were no object, I'd probably fly to Houston and see Dr K for FLA.  I like the non-invasive aspects of PAE, but I simply am not confident it will work.  I saw a good YT video on PAE - a doctor from Oxford, IIRC, presented.  He trained w/ Dr Pisco in Portugal.  Made me want to fly to England. 

I look forward to reading more good reports from you!

Michael