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Post GreenLight Laser Surgery Recovery

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jim0601
jim0601

I had GL surgery four days ago and would appreciate feedback regarding the recovery process from those that have also undergone this procedure. I currently void every 30 to 60 minutes at night and every 30 to 60 minutes during the day. My flow is a stream for a few seconds then dribbles for maybe 30 seconds. Is this pretty typical? After the surgery I was drinking 1 1/2 liters of water per day but I may reduce this because I am not convinced my bladder is emptying fully. What do you think about this? When I void, it really burns at first and often I will get bladder spasms as well. Do you think the pain is radiated pain from where the prostate was vaporized? Do you think I will see improvement with these symptoms on a daily basis or weekly basis over the next month or so?

3 likes, 165 replies

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  • oftenjohn
    oftenjohn jim0601

    Posted

    Having had a PVP (GL) two weeks ago I was expecting a faster recovery than what i am experiencing. After taking Dutasteride for about 3 years my PSA was still high and flow rate was low.

    I went home after the PVP the same day without a catheter. Was peeing OK for two days, with some blood, until the morning of the third day when everything stopped and I had to go into A&E. That catheter remained in for four days. 

    Since then flow has been good but with blood at the start of urination and a little at the end. getting up a couple of times in the night, but I was doing that before.

    Suddenly today I'm peeing every 45 minutes and flow has reduced. As you can imagine, I'm worried that I might block up again.

    I think the doctors misrepresent laser treatment as being quick and easy... I guess it is for them. Recovery is taking a good deal longer than I was led to expect.

    Reading al your posts has been helpful to readjust my expectations.

    • glenn77
      glenn77 oftenjohn

      Posted

      Are you having soreness/swelling in the perineum that causes some pain while sitting?  I did after my GL and it caused an acute retention event with a trip to the ER (ED these days).  They put me back on a Foley for 6 more days.  I then got a supply of CIC cathethers, and they came in handy as I had additional retention events where I needed them.

      I think for some patients, GL is not a piece of cake.  I'm pretty sure it's related to the level of skill the doctor has with the GL.

    • oftenjohn
      oftenjohn glenn77

      Posted

      Hi Glen,

      nope, no swelling or soreness there. Glad to say had no more retention events. Still peeing blood but got good flow back.

       

  • cliff04829
    cliff04829 jim0601

    Edited

    I had GL Laser 21 days ago, and I would like share how it all turned out.The procedure took about an hour.All went well and I was home the same day. I wore a Cather for two day, and removed it with no side effects I passed a few cloths of blood and continued with a blood show for about  7 days, when everything totally cleared up .I never ever experienced any problems to pass urn  ,and after 12 days I started with a steady stream and it has remained to this day.I'm now at day 21 and all is well except a couple of times in the last 2 days I dripped a bit ,but that has totally settled down.

    i guess I 'm one of the lucky ones because I had a biopsy on my prostate,and got plugged up immediately ,they catherized me and remained that way for 62 days until the GL was done .

    I see my urologist on Thursday for the fist time sense my GL .,and I'm sure he will be pleased with my results.

    must admit I was nervous to have it done ,but now that's it's over I would strongly recommend the procedure .Its a hoot 

    • bob120
      bob120 cliff04829

      Posted

      Hi Cliff,

      Congratulations on your great outcome. Reading through all the posts I think there is a correlation between prostate size and outcome on the GL. The larger the prostate, the longer the recovery time as more tissue is burned away. Do you know what your prostate size was before and after the GL? Thanks for posting.

    • cliff04829
      cliff04829 bob120

      Posted

      Eurogolist told me today that my prostate was the size of a normal orange , and that a normal prostate would be the size of a manderan orange .I guess that would tell us something ?

      cliff

  • cliff04829
    cliff04829 jim0601

    Edited

    I have to agree with prostate size as it does make a difference. When GL was completed the oncologist told my wife that I had a very large prostate .I visit the oncologist in the am so I will ask him if GE can tell me the actual ,and I will inform you .

    Day 22 for me today and I can say that systems are a go with no drips.

    will return tomorrow .

    cliff

    • cliff04829
      cliff04829

      Edited

      Visited my eurologist this am and he is totally happy with my recovery I was on Flomax and Avodart and he has recommend that I stop taken them now.Told me that my prostate was about the size of a regular orange (Large ) that he normally uses 200,000 jewels when doing GL and for my procedure he used 350,000 jewels to do the procedure properly .Im not sure what those figures mean, but it sure got the job done.

      Thus is day 22 for me and I,m doing great ,no pain,no spasms,good flow, however a mere small drip now and again which the eurologist said would leave me in time 

      Hopefully I have answered your questions.

      cliff

  • cliff04829
    cliff04829 jim0601

    Posted

    Should read actual size
    • bob120
      bob120 cliff04829

      Posted

      Thanks Cliff. The size before and after the GL would be useful information.
    • cliff04829
      cliff04829 bob120

      Posted

      I mentioned the size before on a previous text,however my prostate was the size of an orange and when  the GL was completed it was reduced considerably ,but I was not told the size.Suffice to say it took the pressure off because after three day I was flowing good for the first time in 10 years.

      i never ever had any burning sensations or spasms after the fact,but did pass a very small amount of blood show for about a week and that stopped.

      i did experience urgency for a spell,but that to was gone in a matter of a couple of weeks.

      Back to the prostate when I would get the finger wave test it was always very uncomfortable however after the GL and my visit to the doctor the same test was done and i was surprised when he was finished because there was no uncomfortable feeling .I guess that speaks volumes about prostate size

      hopefull this helps.

      cliff

    • cliff04829
      cliff04829

      Posted

      My last text to you reference the size of my prostate after GL should have read Mandren orange just remembered

      cliff

    • bob120
      bob120 cliff04829

      Posted

      Hi Cliff,

      Glad to hear you are doing so well. 

  • henselt
    henselt jim0601

    Edited

    I had my Greenlight surgery about a year ago. Pre-surgery, my prostate was about 85 gm. I asked the surgeon to lase away as much as possible and during my follow-up, he told me that he had vaporized about 60% of the tissue. I'm pretty sure the rest may have been in more sensitive areas. Both urologists I saw in the year before told me that it's not only the size of the prostate that is the problem, but also its precise location.

    I have also had problems with overactive bladder and that, of course, is not solved by lasing the tissue. These days, I pee pretty well and have a very strong stream when the  bladder is full ... probably a max output at a time is 300-400 cc. For overactive bladder, I take myrberiq (mornings) and ditropab XL at bedtime. I also go for an acupuncture-like treatment once a month.

    Overall, I'm pretty happy with the results and would have done the greenlight again. True, I, like many others have retrograde ejaculation but I cannot say that it bothers me much.

  • cliff04829
    cliff04829 jim0601

    Posted

    Hi

    i guess were we all have different systoms after GL ,because I never ever had any pain before or after urination.I felt that my bladder was not emoting completly ,but measure my output and it was 300/ 400 ML so that was ok ,but improved regularly until today which is 22 days sense my GL.

    i never had burning before or after passing urn ,never experienced bladder spasms 

    i believe that you will notice things improving daily ,I drink plenty of water/juice daily,as I find that the more intake the better the system works .

    Good luck and do keep drinking water/Juice because you have to get syphinster and bladder going again 

    cliff

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