Prostate BPH Shrinkage - Alpha 5 Blockers
Posted , 13 users are following.
I've just read an article concerning the drugs that can help reduce BPH and/or the symptoms of BPH....Per the article, there's primarily Two Types of Drugs used, ie. Alpha 1 Blockers and Alpha 5 reductase inhibitor...Alpha 1 Blockers, ie. Flomax, Tamsulosin, etc. helps the urinary muscles to relax so it's easier for the bladder to expel the urine through the urethra. ...Thus, they may help with AUR, acute urinary retention...The Alpha 5 Drugs, ie. avodart, finasteride, and dutasteride, etc. reduces the size of the prostate and is used primarily for prostates larger than 30mg...Both drug types can be taken at the same time and, one or both might prevent the need of an prostate operation and/or non-invasive procedure....My URO DOCs, 3, did not tell me about the Alpha 5 Drugs, but they prescribed Flomax....Flomax hasn't helped me and has caused unwanted side affects, ie. dizziness, feeling faint, insomnia, light headiness, drowsiness, etc....In addition, All 3 URO DOCS wanted to do a TURP which I rejected. ..Instead, I did a REZUM which removed the overgrown prostate tissue which had caused my BPH...I wonder if the Alpha 5 Drugs could have reduced the size of the prostate and, thus BPH, so the REZUM or other operation was not necessary....Has Anyone had experience with the Alpha 5 Drugs and can comment on their success and side affects?....Please Comment...
0 likes, 25 replies
rogcal randy_85492
Posted
Hi Randy
I spent approx 6 years on Tamsulosin then a year on Dutasteride as well which had no effect on my 100mg prostate.
Having suffered the consequences of progessively worsening BPH i.e. severe retention, bladder stone formation and frequent UTIs, I opted for the HoLEP procedure which one year on I can safely say has me peeing like a horse, comfortable nights of unbroken sleep and no more discomfort from infections.
How the Alpha 5 drugs work for other chaps I wouldn't wish to comment but for me the most it may have acheived was a slight slowing of the enlargement process.
I hope the REZUM procedure provides a long term resolution for you but for me I needed the assurance that sufficient tissue was removed to ensure that I shan't need another procedure for at least a decade or more.
Jezzaman rogcal
Posted
I am interested to know if any downside for you with the Holep?
For example Retrograde Ejacluation is apparently almost a certainty with this. Did you escape this?
Was there a long recovery period?
thanks
jeremy
robert25492 randy_85492
Posted
I was on both these drugs for a while, but the side effects were really bad, i.e. irritating my asthma, swelling of nasal passages causing difficulty in breathing etc. I opted for watchful waiting and two years later I'm in the same place and thinking about PAE sometime in the future.
Robert.
kenneth1955 randy_85492
Posted
alan1951 kenneth1955
Posted
I appreciate your reply, kenneth1955. You might be abe to answer a few questions for me; that is, if you're comfortable enough to answer them, and it isn't too much of an imposition. I ask, because I am giving serious consideration to a urolift. I am making an (erroneous?) assumption that even WITH a urolift, the prostate may continue to grow especially given the fact that, as you've already said, drugs may no longer be necessary. Finally, as I understand it, and I could very well be wrong, the useful life of a urolift is two to three years, and it's designed as a stopgap measure to buy time. Is that right? Your comments would be VERY much appreciated on these questions. Thanks in advance for attempting to answer them.
jimjames randy_85492
Posted
Depending on the size of your prostate, and your reaction to the drugs, the Alpha 5 drugs could possibly have shrunk your prostate and therefore put off the need for an operation. However, these drugs come with side effects that are not always spelled out by your doc. And, if you're unlucky, my understanding is that some of these sexual side effects can be permanent.
Personally, I have taken Flomax and the like but never tried the the Alpha 5 drugs although at one time I thought I would try them. Looking back with knowlege gained, glad I passed on them.
Jim
randy_85492 jimjames
Posted
Can I stop the Flomax now? I don't see the need to take it anymore and I don't like its side effects....
don30615 randy_85492
Posted
I'm surprised that your uro didn't tell you about Finasteride--it's been used for many years. I've been on it for nearly 10 years, and it has shrunk my prostate by about 30%. I've also been taking Cialis, which is now FDA-approved for BPH. The two together have relieved most of my BPH symptoms. There are, however, side effects to these drugs. Two fairly common side effects to Finasteride are loss of libido and reduction in sperm amount. I've tolerated the drugs pretty well, but I'm tired of taking them and worry about longterm side effects (which don't seem to be well-known), so I've been thinking about undergoing one of the less invasive procedures. I've heard a little about REZUM, but don't know much about it. Are you happy with the results of the procedure?
randy_85492 don30615
Posted
My REZUM procedure appears to be a success! ....And from my rsearch and experience, there was very little pain and normally there's a quick recovery. ...I had my REZUM in mid-August, but different than most patients, it took me 2 months before I could pass a TRIAL VOID and get off the Foley Catheter...I passed a Trial Void last week, the Foley was removed, I've been able to pee close to normal since, and I seem to have very little Retention...I suffer a few dribbles now and then and, at times, I have All of a Sudden too much Urgency and I have barely enough time to make it to the bathroom...I hope those issues will pass soon and I can live life normally again...FYI - The REZUM uses "steam" to kill the overgrown prostate cells that are causing your BPH...It takes 6-8 weeks to fully recover...Old Buzzerd can fill you in on All the Details...He is a lot more knowledgeable than me....You might want to correspond with him. He's always been eager to help...Good Luck!....
richp21 randy_85492
Posted
I tried finasteride for 6 months, and it really didn't affect my BPH symptoms. Lowered my PSA some. Tamsulosin does help me, but the nasal congestion side effects are pretty bad at times.
surfman012 randy_85492
Posted
Howard31850 randy_85492
Posted
Hi Randy,
I've been on alpha blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for 11years. The best alpha blocker is alfuzosin with no side effects. But the DHT blockers are bad. Both proscar and avodart helped for a few years to reduce my psa and improve flow but have been useless for the past 5 years. I am trying to ween myself off avodart by self-cathing but my life energy was reduced by half. My good friend tried stoped avodart for 6 months and his prostate doubled in size. My own figure looks like a woman! But alfuzosin is in my opinion a good drug both for the bladder and the prostate. I did have a PAE but with no benefit. Good luck. Neil
lester07305 randy_85492
Posted
oldbuzzard randy_85492
Posted
For the most part, the drugs are not all that helpful. Alfusozin is the best of the alpha blockers as it rarely includes side effects, but most likely it will only help a little, if at all. I'd avoid the alpha 5 drugs like the plague. They take a long time to work (if at all), rarely make a really major difference, often cause sexual side effects (reduced libido and sometimes impotence) and sometimes those side effects don't go away even after you stop using the drug.
I don't think I've ever heard of someone saying, "wow, I took Avordart, it solved my issues and I never looked back." Now that there are some effective, non invasive procedures with a low side effect profile, there really isn't any reason to take Alpha 5 drugs. I think the risk of permanent side effects is probably greater with them than with Rezum, PAE or Urolift.
randy_85492 oldbuzzard
Posted
don30615 oldbuzzard
Posted
I've heard a lot about REZUM lately. Is it preferable, in your opinion, to TURP and GL? If so, how? Less liklihood of permanent side effects?
kenneth1955 don30615
Posted
Saw your post. Yes REZUM is less invasive. Rezum does not take anything away to help you. The other ones have permanent side effect That I don't think you want to deal with for the rest of you life Ken
oldbuzzard don30615
Posted
Yes, in my opinion it is WAY preferable to TURP or GL. In fact, I don't think there is a good reason to ever consider either of those precedures. If you have standard BPH, I would try one (and then the other two if the one you chose doesn't do the job) of either REzum, PAE or Urolift. All three seem to work at least 80% of the time and none of them will leave you with any sexual side effects (actually Rezum has a 2.5% incidence of RE).
If after trying all three and you still can't pee well enough, if you have to get a surgery, go with Holep. It will leave you with RE and there can be some post op incontinence, it should work and otherwise leave you functional, other than ejaculations. But most men can get enough improvement from one of the three I mentioned.
IF you go with Rezum, don't use a doctor that is opposed to self cathing. Most men can pee enough to function within a week, but some can't and you don't want to spend months with one of those things. Also, it can really hurt, so ask if they will twilight you. My life was not improved by the pain of the procedure....
kenneth1955 oldbuzzard
Posted