REZUM--HAVE YOU HAD THIS DONE???????

Do you have a catheter in?  Pain?

Hi David did you have a medium lode pushing into the bladder?

I don't think so - it was just enlarged

You shouldn't need to stay in the hospital for 5 days. I drove myself home right after the procedure. Recovery is quicker than with any of the surgeries/more invasive procedures. I encourage you to insist on self cathing if you can't pee on your own after a week or so. Good luck, let us know how you do and remember, most of the results happen in weeks 6-12, but prior to that you should feel fine.

The place I'm going to have the REZUM treatment is doing this as a stationary treatment.

Also to see the first development.

That might be changed if they have done some more applications of it.

And maybe it will be less than five days.

So far I know right now in Germany there are only three or four places REZUM treatments are being done. All hospitals, mostly connected to a university.

In my case the hospital is 300km away from my home so I don't really mind to stay there for some days.

Regarding self cath if necessary I will definitely consider it and possible do it for all the reasons I have read here.

But before leaving hospital a test will be done to see if it would work without a cath.

Btw how are you doing? I hope you haven't to regret having done the REZUM treatment?

Thanks for sharing your experience...I had a REZUM in August, but am suffereing from Urinary Retention probably caused by the lack of the bladder muscle functioning as it should...

My suggestion is that you insist on being able to self cath if you leave before you can pee on your own - often doctors are relecutant to let you for reasons that don't make any sense.

I'm doing well and don't regret the procedure - I'm glad I had it done. My recovery was longer than most - it took over 2 weeks before I could pee at all and 6 or 7 before I was better than when I went in. But 7 months later, I'm peeing better than I have in at least 15 years. I have some issues with my bladder, but overall I'm way better than I was and even those are slowly improving, Fortunately, I had a great doctor who was cool with self cathing, accessible and helpful all the way.

Bottom line is most nights I only get up once (as compared with 2-4 times) and it takes me less than a minute to pee (vs. 5-15 minutes before the procedure). During the day I can go much longer between trips to the bathroom and before if I waited too long I would get locked up and it would take 3-4 trips to get empty, now its one and done.

Good luck - most people do even better with Rezum than I did - keep us up to date on your progress.

Did I get it right have you had 16 steam injections? Do you know the size of the prostate at that time. Btw have you also had an Urodynamic test to see that an enlarged prostate only is the root cause for the problems? So far I have understood it sometimes a neuropathy can cause problems to the lower urinal tract, a neuropathy caused by an injury of the spine e.g.. Anyhow, I wish you to get well soon.

A short update:

On Thursday I got into the hospital to got prepared for the REZUM treatment. On that day a Urodynamic test and some other preoperatively examinations had been done. The results didn't show any findings, no showstopper and REZUM could come.

On Friday morning at 08:15 local time REZUM started to get be done. I got in to a room supposed for doing surgeries in. A team of different experts were surround me. I got a local anesthesia and a Dormicum injection. The last one should provide a kind of slight twilight, to made me easily going through the procedure. I got also applied an infusion catheter to be ready in case other interventions were needed. After the procedure this catheter was used to apply antibiotics in a liquid form. I didn't feel any pain or other bad things during the procedure. At least I can't remember. To be honest right now I can't hardly remember at any details of the procedure at all.

In the afternoon I talked with the Doc about this, he told me that was some times a side effect of Dormicum, its called retrograde amnesia!

That's funny I have chosen REZUM to avoid a retrograde ejaculation and now I got a retrograde amnesia instead.

But the Doc told me, that I was awake during the whole procedure and I talked with him and others. He found that my Prostate wasn't as obstructive as it was thought to be and so just five steam injections were needed.

And on Sunday he wants to give it a trial, for removing the transurethral catheter to see if that already could work for me. He said there were indications for a successful trial. Anyway, right now I'm wearing a catheter with a bag. I can see there is blood in the Urin. There is also blood at the glans of the penis. It comes from the prostate of course.

As a liquid it finds its way beside the Catheter. But don't get me wrong it is not many more like a spotting.

That's it for now I don't feel bad and I don't feel any pain and right now I think REZUM was the right decision.

I'll will keep you updated if possible.

Who were the experts in the room  If I never saw them before I would want to know who they were and why were they there  Ken 

Those were medical professionals of the hospital an anesthetist for example some assistants and of course the urologist who did the procedure. They all were introduced to me.

That was good.  Before any surgery I make sure I meet everyone Thank you for the reply..  The way I read t it was like you did not meet anyone before hand  Ken

That's right. None of that team. The Doc who has done the treatment before hospital I knew him just by mail and phone and I knew a picture of him. I have read a lot about the REZUM procedure, I watched videos which were done by Dr Wagrell from Stockholm. And I have been very impressed how he had done it. And last but not least I read all the related posts here on patient.info.

And so I asked nxthera who was doing this treatment in Germany. At that time just two medical centers could provide a REZÜM treatment. And here I listen to my stomach and did my choice. So far I don't regret. Yesterday was the treatment, tomorrow there will be a test and on Monday I am going to leave the hospital. Fingers crossed.

If the procedure will be a success or not I will see later but I can't see any reasons why it shouldn't. Anyway, mid of August I was hit by a retention and very soon my former urologist recommended a surgery, a surgery done with a Thulep laser. He told me a side effect would be a retrograde ejaculation. He told me too that would be a side effect in any case regardless which kind of surgical treatment would be chosen. I asked him two times if that were really true. He confirmed and I agreed to go for a surgery and me made an appointment for it. Back at home I thought about it and I used the internet to understand the truth. I saw there were alternatives and so I cancelled the appointment and I started to do some investigations. I contacted a lot of people, medical professionals and suppliers.

And at the end I had two possible solutions on my short list. One treatment which was being done with a Thulep laser and a resectoscope for the bladder neck. The Prof who was doing this procedure was well known for protecting the ejaculation function and avoiding a retrograde ejaculation.

REZUM was the second treatment on my short list. This procedure was still closer to my wishes. And so I took the decision to go for it.

So, here I am.

Herman  I hope all work well for you.  That doctor was just trying to get you to have the surgery.  It is true that any procedure that they cut away at the procedure will cause retro.  Just very few do not.  It all depends on the procedure and the doctor if he care enough about what his patient saids. If the doctor stay away from the bladde neck and the ejaculatory duct you have a better change not to have retro.  But way take the chance .  Take it easy  Ken  

Hi there,

as I have reached a next important milestone in my journey of my BPH treatment I think I should briefly share some of my experiences.

I told you in a earlier post that mid August 2016 I was hit by an urinary retention and I got a permanent catheter with a valve to get it solved immediately. The reason for the retention was an infection of the bladder and a prostatitis so I was told.

Since 2012 I had been treated with Alfuzosin 10mg and since 2015 with Alfuzosin 5mg and Finasteride 5mg to get managed a BPH.

The size of my prostate in August was 77 ml. My age was 60 at that time. PSA was 6.38 most probably caused by the prostatitis as a later biopsy of my prostate didn't show any evidences of cancer.

My urologist at that time recommended a surgery to reduce the obstruction in the prostate. He wanted me to go for a ThuLEP based TURP. He told me a retrograde ejaculation and a negative impact for the internal urethral sphincter would be unavoidable side effects of that procedure but that would be the case with every surgical procedure he said. I was closed to accept this and to go for aTURP.

But back at home I used the internet to find out alternative treatments. I considered Urolift, REZUM but also variations of the so called Gold Standard procedure. After some discussions and after having watched YouTube videos and after having read several posts also at Patient.info I got decided to go for REZUM. It took me two month and many conversations by emails to get to that point.

In Germany there were only two locations(both hospitals) available which were doing the REZUM treatment. So I went for one of them, it was the UMG in Göttingen.

On the 28th of August I had my REZUM treatment and I stood at that hospital for 4 nights.

I was the 10th REZUM patient there, the first one who suffered on a retention.

I got 5 steam injections which didn't hurt because my prostate was blocked with a local anaesthetic being applied with injections in to the prostate via the rectum.

15 min and the operation was done.

I had a catheter with a bag after the operation and for the first 20 hours the urine was bloody. But then it got clearer and the blood disappeared. The operation was done on a Friday.

On Sunday I tried to be without a catheter but that trial failed. In the evening I needed a catheter again this time without a bag but with a valve.

On Monday I left the hospital wearing a transurethral catheter. Because of the retention I needed one. Even REZUM cannot do miracles.

I knew I would need a catheter for a longer time and so I decided to use a permanent catheter with a valve.

And so I did till last Thursday that day the last catheter had been removed.

On Friday morning a ultrasound scan of the bladder had been done to see the volume of remaining urine. The bladder was found to be empty and the doc said I wouldn't need the catheter anymore.

And so I can realize the retention has gone, REZUM has worked for me. Retrograde Ejaculation is avoided, urgencies are at a normal level. At night( 11:00 to 06:00) I have to stand up one to two times sometimes less. During the day I need a toilet every 2 to 3 hours, sometimes 1,5 hours.

I don't take Alfuzosin and Finasteride anymore since last December.

For me REZUM has worked but I don't know how sustained it will be. Because I suffered on a retention I might have to go for a second round. Without any doubts I would do it again.

During my journey over the last five months I had up and downs and I had to learn a lot.

Before REZUM I had a bloody episode at a weekend caused by the infections of the bladder and Prostate. And I had to learn to deal with that in the right manner don't get in panic because of blood I had to learn. After REZUM I had two times to deal with leakages not caused by the body but by minor issues with the Catheter. But it took me a while to understand that.

Maybe because of the catheter I didn't recognize any bigger side effects of the REZUM treatment during the healing phase.

Erections and ejaculations were possible, the color of the ejaculate changed from yellow over somewhat red to white. Yes, I did some tests but don't ask for details.

The first doctor I had was an old schooled one and he preferred the Gold Standard procedure but being done with a laser.

He told me if I wouldn't follow his advices I had to go for another doctor and so I did after Rezum.

But the after Rezum doctor was also an old schooled one and he told me I would never get rid of the catheter, I would have barked up the wrong tree he said. He mentioned also the Gold Standard. Btw which was developed somewhat in 30ieth of the last century if I'm not wrong.

But this doctor had to confirm on Friday that Rezum had worked for me! I will see him again in six weeks.

So that's it for now, I could talk about some more details I had to deal with during my journey but I think the most important ones I have noted here and in my older posts.

All the best for everyone and thank you for the information you have provided.

Have a good time.

Hermann   I am very happy that the procedure did work for you.  Every man heal at different time levels.  Thank you also for not giving in to the doctors that say that the gold standard was the only thing to help you.  You did your research and I wish more men would do the same.  Take care and happy healing  Ken  PS.  ........................................................ On me Took the sample to the office.  Monday Urine is clear but to be safe my doctor gave me Cisprofloxacin 1000 mg for 3 days just in case of a infection.  Doing good.  March 1, 2017 will have a scope done to check my stricture.  It may have gotten worse that is why I'm leaking some.  Dealing day by day not rushing into anything.  I trust my doctor and he know what is best for me.        

Hermman I'm glad to hear rezum worked well for you. Sounds like you had a bit of a go with it though. So you were on a catheter form August 2016 to January 2017? If so was just because of your retension problems? 

Yes, I was on a transurethral valve catheter(14 fr) for 5 months but of course catheter and valve had been changed every 4 to 5 weeks.

I suffered on a permanent urinary retention and as the REZUM procedure do not remove any tissue immediately I had to live with the catheter for a while. For me it was ok. Maybe the cat could have been removed earlier but I didn't want it.

Ken, thank you for your kind words.

The gold standard procedures seem still to be most Doctor's first choices when it comes to treat an obstruction in the prostate might it being done with lasers or electro snares or other new technologies like a water beam based procedure for example(look for WATER study BPH).

Often doctors are using the picture of a mandarin orange where the fruit flesh will get removed but the peel will remain without any damages.

But even this picture does not explain the whole truth as in reality the bladder neck function and with it the function of the internal urethral sphincter will be at least partly destroyed because part of those produces is an enlargement of that area. The mandarin orange peel will get a big hole at the bladder neck side. This will cause the retrograde ejaculation and also some leakages till the external urethral sphincter has learned to take over. And removing all the tissue in the prostate all the fruit flesh also means the volume of the ejaculate gets reduced.

Doctors want to create a funnel-shaped channel in the prostate to get to a very good flow.

But there are doctors out there who try to take care of retrograde ejaculations also when using gold standard procedures.

One of them got to be my second choice on my short list. That man uses HoLEP for reducing only parts of the tissue and an electro snare to slightly treat the bladder neck. He is doing this to avoid a retrograde ejaculation but at least a little impact for the internal urethral sphincter will still happen. That's why Rezum became my first choice.

But the outcomes of all produces depend on the experiences of the treating surgeons.

Only the bests for your body. Often there is only one shot and that should be done by the bests available.

In my case I was 10th Rezum Patient so the doctor seemed not to be very experienced but he was and is very experienced when it comes to do operations to the prostate. He also knows the anatomy of the prostate, of the urethral track very well. And he learned the Rezum procedure also by the most Rezum experienced doctor in Europe Dr Lennart Wagrell in Stockholm. You can find some videos on Vimeo showing him doing the Rezum procedure very impressive in my opinion.

Dr Wagrell had also been on my shot list.

But I got very convinced that the doctor in Göttingen would also do a very good job and so he did.

Anyway, please do not get me wrong I haven't study the prostate on a professional base. And so my understanding might totally be wrong. My words cannot claim to describe the whole truth.

It just my personal picture formed by my experiences and learnings and also by my misunderstandings of course.

Thank you again Ken and all the best for you!

Hermann,

I was on a foley catheter due to retention for four months from June to October, 2016..I passed a trial void in October and have been able to pee frequently since...But, I go too many times in 24 hours, ie. normally 4-5 times at night and 4-5 times during the day..I've been told that it takes the bladder/prostate ~ 2 months after being taken off the foley for the bladder/prostate to return to their normal urination patterns...So far, mine hasn't and it's been more than 2 months without frequency improvement..In addition, I suffer a little dribbling during the day which causes a terrible smell....I believe my urethra sphinter value was damaged by the Rezum procedure or foley which causes the dribbling..I hope to get better over time, because I do not want any further treatments, ie. another Rezum, at this time...

Hello Randy,

have you been on a transurethral foley with a bag? So far I have understood it in this case the bladder could have to learn again how to do its job. But this would depend also on how long you were on it. If Rezūm has been done correctly the bladder neck should not have been impacted so much. But a 100% certainty can even not provided by REZŪM I think by no procedure and all depends also on the experience of the surgeon. I think you should check if there is a infection of your urethral track but I guess that has already been done. On the other hand it is not unusual to get an infection of the bladder because of a permanent foley at least if you had a transurethral one. That happened also to me. And the infection of course has to be treated in an appropriate way in most cases with the right antibiotics.

I wish you all the best and do stay in contact with your doctor.

Hermann.  Give yourself time to heal more.  You may get better in time.  The Gold Standard has been around for many years but it's not what is use to be.  Many men are getting more information and not taking the first thing that is offered by the doctors.  The worst thing is most doctors now only do some of the procedures Men need to look around at other options if they don't want retro. I have gotten a letter from the Rezum nurses and in there trail they say that retro does not happen from the procedure but it can happen because the tissue being distroryed.  I hope things look up for you  Take care and have a good weekend Ken  

Hi Randy,

What is the volume of your voids? If the voids are small, then your bladder may need retraining from time on the Foley. However, if they are normal size voids, the problem probably lies elsewere. As to the dribbling/leakage from the internal sphincter, did your doctor say this is part of the Rezum recovery process? Hopefully it's temporary but the possiblity exists that it was due to the Rezum. Since we know that the Rezum can cause retro ejaculation in a small per cent of cases, it's logical to assume it can also cause leakage as the internal spincter is involved in both. Have you tried Kegel excercises to try and tighten it up?

Jim

The terribe smell is not normal and could well mean you have a UTI - that could explain the frequency too. Have your Uro test you for a UTI, because if this was just normal leakage it should smell like normal pee.

Kegel excercises could help too, but I suspect its infection leaking out more than pee and a round or two of atnibiotics could well get you back to true normal

My GP and Uro Docs tested for a UTI, but I didn't have an infection..Why am I having to go so often?...