Prostate Enlargement BPH

Posted , 12 users are following.

What I do not understand is why the medical doctors do not really understand why the prostate reacts to something in the body whether it is testosterone or DHT and just grows out of control after a certain age. What is the cascade; what starts it all off? Any in the know? It happens to guys who are thin, fat, in shape , out of shape, athletic, couch potatoes; what is it?

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  • Posted

    I think there are 2 growth spurts.  The first one in puberty and then one beginning sometime after 40.
  • Posted

    Mark I just looked it up there are 4 growth spurts.  One is at birth. 2 is at puberty 3 is in the mid 20's and by 50 is the last.  At birth it is 1.3 grams and a 50 it should be 31 grams.  They have some ideas but they do not know for sure.  That is why when they take out the prostate.  They tell you 2 years to get your sex life back if you can.  Most of the time it never comes back. It a hit or miss  Ken  
    • Posted

      But they do not know if it is auto immune reaction, aging process, effect of testosterone or DHT on prostate cells, infection, etc. They should be able to figure something out. That new guy says the veins have bad valves and the testosterone get stuck. The treatment appears archaic; they just burn out the prostate with heat or cold, or laser, or whatever. I do not trust them.
    • Posted

      Mark  I am going to read up on it I only read the one artical.  I had a uro-lift done last april and very happy with it.  No side effects and I pee great.  Anytime they start cutting burning or coring out the prostate you have alot of side effect. The doctors only tell you the worst thing to deal with is get use to dry orgasm.  They tell you it will feel the same.  Believe me there not.  And I felt like I was broken.  The first thing the doctors do if you have a problem is lets get rid of the prostate.  All that does is cause a another problem  I will get back to you..Ken   
    • Posted

      Still looking.  They don't know much. The doctors just knows it happens with age.   Did read a artical that said the some factors that influence enlargement is age, male hormones, dietary and lifestyle factors.  Which means they don't know.  You would think that with all the research they would know something.    I will keep by eye out  Ken
  • Posted

    One aspect is that evolution didn't design us to live so long. As things (eg cars) and bodies get older they (we) do just deteriorate naturally. That said, I agree there does need to be more research.
  • Posted

    I am 47 years old and I have some degree of BPH, but I will not let a doctor touch me. I am not concerend unless I can't urinate. It happens to most and like someone else said I don't trust doctors to make the right call. If you mess with it your sex life will change for the worse in most cases. If you have cancer that is aggressive then maybe the best thing is to remove it as medical science has few good alternatives but in BPH I don't want them doing anything to me. I can live with it for now.
    • Posted

      Your comments trouble me. Generalising so widely about doctors and not trusting any of them is not in my view a helpful way to go. The doctor patient relationship should be and, in my experience in the NHS in the UK, is, a joint enterprise. They can't do anything to you without your consent. Equally in a private care system they won't do anything that isn't paid for. I see the relationship as one of power balance, not a contest. I'm at the stage where I have had several instances of urinary retention. You imply that that would be the time when you ask for medical help, and I'm sure this will be the case. Once this happened to me I was extremely grateful for the doctors' intervention, and subsequent prescription of medication that has prevented recurrence, (until I started getting frequent infections, which they've also remedied). I once almost begged my urologist to just cut the whole prostate out. He advised against and we found acceptable remedies. He listened to my concerns about Erection problems and I've had free Cialis ever since, which has worked well for me. Individual doctors vary in their manner, skills and experience, but I recommend an approach that will enable us to get the best of what they have tto offer, and with the generally good information from this forum, checking with any doctor you come across what the options are and what the pros and cons might be of any recommended treatment, a mellow attitude is better than blanket polieis of hostility.

      End of preach! Best wishes, and long may you enjoy good health.

       

    • Posted

      should have written 'blanket policies' - sorry!

       

    • Posted

      I have 170ml time it was tested but after left the test I peed some more so does that count as true retention?
    • Posted

      I had a flow test where I was asked to wait 10 minutes after emptying and I voided some more. A scan was done and I was pased as not retaining.

      Ultimately not helpful, because it isn't always possible to 'go twice' (eg on a car journey and at night) and I often forgot. Result: repeated infections over the next year or so due to insufficient emptying. When I had a scan to explore if TURP might be needed, I had scan before and scan after emptying, but wasn't asked to try again after a short wait of 10 or so minutes. Result - insufficient emptying and recommendation for TURP.

    • Posted

      That is right but we have the final say for what procedure we pick.  If we have concerns about our sex life then we live with the problem because once they start cutting away at the prostate.  It is a hit and miss.  If you read up on prostate cancer the first thing they like to do is remove the prostate.  They try the vein spareing but they tell if it will take 2 years to get a sex life back if you can because they don't work all the time.  They tell you that because they do not know for sure.  There are other treatments that you can do so you save your sex life.  Please read a artical I want my prostate back.  He was 52 and was talked into having his prostate removed.  Now his alone and divorced.  The only thing the doctor say is Well you don't have cancer.  Take care and get as much information you can.  I do trust my urologist but he will never take my prostate  Ken   
    • Posted

      Ken, I haven't read 'I want my prostate back' but what I'm surmising about his situation when you tell me his relationship ended, is that there's an implication that because we can't have penetrative sex our relationship is at risk. Of course this may be true for many men. It isn't for me. My wife and I have our difficulties, but sex is a dispensable part that has usually been mutually pleasurable and bonding, but that we can actually both do without and still be together. You can call me a w*nker from now on, if you like!
    • Posted

      Good morning.  I know that there are other was of pleasing your partner. But sometimes a marriage if it's not strong can't handle it.  He was 52 and she was 48.  That is also why I say get a lot of information on anything your going to do.  They both enjoyed sex. And ED is a problem for some after the prostate is removed  Have a great day....Ken   I'm very happy for you
    • Posted

      No problem.  We men half to help each other  Have a good day  Ken
    • Posted

      I have a hard time trusting doctors because as a young man I was abused by a male doctor that I had trusted. I am not saying they are all bad but I have had as many bad doctors as good. This is a really poor ratio. I live in the USA not UK so maybe things are different there.
    • Posted

      Hi Pepasan, 

      I am encouraged to learn that the medication given to you helped. I recently has an accute retention problem and am wearing a urinary catheter and taking tamsulosin. Can you tell me more about the medication you are taking and how long it has helped you for, please? I am going back in hospital for a TWOC (Trial WithOut Catheter) in two days. Did you have this experience? If you did, please elaborate. I'm apprehensive about it. 

    • Posted

      Hi JohnPeeFree,

      I no longer need Tamsulosin, having taken my urologist's advice to cut out tea and coffee. Rather than needing a TURP, (as recommended rather hastily by a Locum while he was away), he refused to do surgery as my Prostate is not sufficiently enlarged and I wasn't retaining enough for him to feel it would do enough good weighed against the disadvantages. Seems my problem is more about bladder neck constriction. However, I view Tamsulosin as a potential welcome remedy if things deteriorate. TWOC was done after my last episode of retention three years ago and was successful. I have learned to self-catheterise, which is a reassurance as I wouldn't want another A & E (ER) visit like the first one I had after retention due to general anaesthetic, but since the change in caffeinated drink habits I've managed naturally for over a year now Good luck with the TWOC.

    • Posted

      Hi Pepasan,

      Thank you for your prompt reply.

      My TWOC is tomorrow, Wednesday. I hope to be catether free. 

      Regards

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