prostatitis
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi everyone,
Can anyone give me some advice for my dad. I'm really worried about him because he is getting no sleep due to an enlarged prostate. I am writing this on his behalf as he does not know how to use a computer.
He is 76 years old and has ben diagnosed with an enlarged prostate. They sent him for an MRI scan and he has also had 5-6 biopies. There is no sign of prostate cancer but his blood numbers(PSA) are around 32-34.
The water flow test was low. He has no pain but a discomfort and sensation of needing to urinate. He is up 5-6 times a night and each time it takes 20-30 minutes before he can pass water. He says he found pouring water on his genitals encouraged him to urinate. If he didn't do this he could be up all night. He is exhausted and the lack of sleep for the past year is getting worse.
The doctor has offered the TURP procedure but he wants to seek other options. I have him on vitamin D3 10000IU a day for the last 2 months but it has made no difference.
If anyone can provide additional advice I would be very grateful
Thanks
Shane
0 likes, 19 replies
cartoonman shane73
Posted
Hi Shane, thanks for joining us. Others will offer thoughts on non-TURP options, for sure. I want to recommend a first step for your dad: Have him learn how to do intermittant catheterizing! It brought me instant peace and restful nights, when my prostate shut down my bladder two years ago. If he doesn't drink fluids late at night, and caths just before bedtime, chances are good, he will sleep through the night! Also, I would STRONGLY recommend he ask for SpeediCath brand, or "Magic 3," as a second. SpeediCath is made of silicon, self-lubricated, easy-to-use. He should NOT accept the old-fashioned rubber catheters, which must have "lube" put on them, and can irritate the insides, going in and coming out. Mdeicare will pay for them.
shane73 cartoonman
Posted
cartoonman shane73
Posted
Also, Shane... IF your dad does go for the "midnight/late-night cathing," and DOES get SpeediCaths of Magic-3s, please get back to us for detailed methodology for easy use, that a couple of us have found works even better that what the nurse is liable to show him!
kenneth1955 shane73
Posted
Thank you for thinking about your father. He was right to not give in the the doctor for a turp. Have him try if the doctor can give him something to relax his bladder and prostate.If the doctor does not there are product that may help by AZO you can get them at stores like Walmart's or Wallgreen's Or any other drug store Ken
shane73 kenneth1955
Posted
I will pass on your message and advice kenneth1955. Thank you for taking the time to respond
kenneth1955 shane73
Posted
kenneth1955 shane73
Posted
kenneth1955 shane73
Posted
ChuckP shane73
Posted
Hi Shane; This kind of post breaks my heart. Here's my advice coming from a man that has the same problems as your dad. I did a "PAE" 2 years ago. Save your money and forget that one. Now last year I did a procedure called "UROLIFT". I still got up to pee quite a bit afterwards so I found a new urologist and he did an endo on me and said I still have blockage. So he recommended a "SECOND UROLIFT". I did that about 6 weeks back and what he found was I still had some blockage so he went in and put in an "additional 4 more implants" which gave me a total of "8 Implants". I use to pee and it would take around 4 minutes to empty my bladder. Now it takes me 25 seconds. Now for the bigger issue. Getting up 3 to 4 times a night. I still do that as my brain and bladder need to be retrained. I went to a bladder PT and she has me doing "Kegels". Like the gals do that have leakage problems. I also control my liquids after 4pm. I try to do my drinking of coffee and water from 6:30AM to around 4PM. I also take a drug called "Oxy Butin Chloride" 10mg. which helps the body produce less urine at night so you don't get up so much. It helps "somewhat". If you are looking for an easy answer there is NONE. If there was there wouldn't be thousands of men on this site. Good Luck to Your Dad and may the GOOD LORD throw you down a special blessing. PS Iam now going to look into "Botox" but Iam just beginning that investigation.
cartoonman ChuckP
Posted
Sometimes after many years of bladders being stretched out, they do not/cannot return to "normal," when 300cc is the amount that triggers the urge to release. Jimjames, who posts here, has his own take on re-sizing the bladder; you may want to check with him about that...
paul20443 shane73
Posted
Shane.... I’ve been following this blog for about 7 months and have heard a lot about cathing, drugs, and the various BPH procedures. All useful info. Bottom line: drugs may work for a while (for me it was about 2 years), but the answer imho is surgery, specifically HoLEP. I did the research on all the procedures (except PAE….had not heard of it), and chose HoLEP. It is the best surgical procedure because; 1) less time in the hospital and a on catheter (less than 24 hours), 2) less bleeding, 3) very small chance of needing a repeat procedure, and 4) they remove prostate tissue (instead of burning it), so they can biopsy it for cancer. You do need to find an experienced doc to do this. I’ve heard too many horror stories on this blog about TURP & GL. I was retaining close to 800ml, and my prostate was 85 grams, PSA 3.8. After it was 46 grams, PSA 0.2. I had my surgery in January, and now have no problems at all.
If I had it to do over, I think I’d try PAE as it is relatively non-invasive and there have been very good results reported in this blog. Also be aware that the bladder can be damaged by doing nothing. Best of luck!
ChuckP shane73
Posted
Shane; Just a little followup. I did the "PAE" (Prostatic Artery Embolization) in 2014. Flew all the way from my home town of Omaha to Alexandria, Virginia and even paid the whole thing out of my pocket. I probably with the procedure, hotel for 2 days, rental car, airplane tickets for my wife and myself spent around 7K. I would tell you to "save your money" because it certainly did not help me at all. I do swear by the "Urolift" because if nothing else your dad will be Peeing like a Russian Race Horse and it will only take him 20 to 25 seconds. The first thing you need to do is find a very qualified urologist and schedule a "Endo" as they need to get in there and see "whats going on".
Bayliner shane73
Posted
Hi Shane,
After having bph for 20 years I felt that the more advise the better.
Paul20443 HolEP suggestion is well worth looking into. Negative
biops are wonderful news having ruled out cancer.
However immediate self cathing would be advisable until HoLEP.
When lots of urine remain in the bladder after going...it is A PRIME
place for UTI's to breed. This may be why the PSA # is so high.
Another factor is the size of this prostate..Even though HoLEP can
handle any size ..a larger prostate 100+ could require a longer
recovery time. Get a "good urologist" who does HoLEP ...Also
pills for a very large prostate may not work very well..and they
have sides...For instance Proscar claims 6mo - 1year before size
reduction would be even noticed..even then it may not work.
So get the size of this prostate...hopefully a good urologist who
understands what is going on here. Boy your Dad has had a lot
of Biops...which may have not been necessary. Get a good sonoagram
to get the size of this puppy if you don't have it...then proceed while self cathing like cartooman recommends here, then get surgical help.
Residue urine +150cc is almost like having a Foley Cath in 24/7 .It breeds UTI's. Take charge of this and don't let it take charge of you..
Good Luck to You
shane73
Posted
Hi Everyone
I am overwhelmed by all your kindness and time and effort to help. I am going to print everything you guys have advised so he can read over it.
He is to see the doctor this Thursday and at the very least he will be able to bring up your suggestions instead of being in the dark regarding all this.
Again, thank you very much. I will add a follow up once he has had his appointment
kenneth1955 shane73
Posted
Shane....... Please don't let the doctor talk him into any surgery. Try the meds first. The doctor should do what the patient wants first. He is 76 year old and if he does not have to have any surgery first that would be great. Turp laser and holep are the worst. Have him watch a video of want they are going to do to his prostate coring and burning it away alot of blood God bless Ken
Bayliner kenneth1955
Posted
I had surgery HoLEP back in 2005..but even with medication
it grew back to 175 gms..Thru all that time I tried a lot of
different avenues to alleviate the symptoms. A lot of sleepless
nights (like all here) many bloody night trips to the ER. The last
time I spent 3 days in Intensive care. Something more than
Flomax, Proscar, avadart..beta sito sterol. nettle...pygeum ...etc
would be needed to eventually to open it up. I did not like the
fact that I needed surgery but even though I used self cathing as a
necessary road.. I had to get the current 7 mo Foley out or UTI's & antibiotics would be the name of the game for the rest of my life. Thats why he needs to find the size of this guy...and hopefully get it taken
care of. ONCE & FOR ALL...or it will drain all your energy..and the
pills will have side efffects also.(big time). UTI's will cause you to
change eating habits and weaken you also. I am not saying to go
TURP...but Holep is really a homium laser turp. If Urolift will
work on a smaller gland go with it..But if this gland is large
it must be taken care of surgically. Sorry for the bluntness but
I have been thru it..and I am free for the first time in 12 years.I
do not know how strong a 76 year old he is..or if their are any
other health issues but a "good urologist" will hopefully take this
all into account.