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

Sounds like it's time for a new urologist

No I have not had any benefit from the Rezum procedure. In fact I am not doing as well at 76 days post procedure as I was going in.

I have my 90 follow -up on Monday 10/30 in the afternoon.

I'm sorry that your still having a problem.  Let us know what your doctor tells you.  You should have had some improvement by now  Take care  Ken

You should tell your doctor this. While it is certainly possible that your symptoms may improve the first 6 months, it's also possible that the prostate  is not the source of your voiding issues. At the very least, non-invasive flow studies and a post-void residual can confirm whether there is any obstruction.

I have had so many tests done its almost unbelievable. I have had both the rigid and flex scope done at least 6 times in the past 10 years. This has been done by 3 different urologist.

None of them have ever had a definitive answer for me. Its always been a (your prostate in on the larger size) answer, but due to your age there really is nothing we can do expect Flowmax.

I had actually gone in just to see about medication finally, when Rezum was recommended. First I had a UroCuff test them a rectal ultrasound followed by a flex scope. It was determined I was an good candidate for Rezum.

After the procedure (around 10-14 days post) I starting getting the blood in my urine, I was also on Rapiflo. This was the first time I had ever been on meds for the prostate/urine flow problems.

I was peeing very well for a few days while bleeding and while on Rapiflo. Problem was I was having breathing problems and a rash. I learned by reading online that Rapiflo was probably causing my problems so I stopped using it immediately.

Thats when I went right back to weak flow etc problems. I called my urologists office and that said ot was okay to stop the Rapiflo and I would start to see improvement very soon.

I guess all I can do now is ask for something similar to Rapiflo to continue meds. I do not want anymore stuff stuck up there. Enough is enough.

What do your recommend for meds. I have had this problem since I was 23 years old old I am 46 now. I was also told I had a high bladder neck.

Thanks

I don’t prescribe rapaflo as it is expensive and I don’t believe it offers much over generics.

better choice ? Hank

I understand that you had multiple tests pre Rezum, but at a minimum you need to check your post void residual (PVR) post Rezum. It can be done at your uro's office with a simple bladder scan, if he hasn't done it already. If you're still retaining, then either the procedure wasn't effective enough and/or your bladder isn't currently efficient enough to work with what you have. Tamsulosin might help but you also might want to try 5mg Daily Cialis which can have equal efficacy but different side effect profile. Another option, depending on your symptons and the degree of retention is self cathing (CIC) which will completely empty your bladder as often as necessary.

Jim

"The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) recommend that: 

prior to starting a prescription for alpha-blocker drugs, patients with cataracts should consider that these drugs may increase the difficulty of cataract surgery. This is especially true with selective alpha-blockers, such as Flomax® (tamsulosin) or Jalyn® (tamsulosin/dutasteride);

patients taking alpha-blockers to treat prostate enlargement, or other conditions, should likewise inform their ophthalmologist about these medications before undergoing eye surgery;

patients with cataracts requiring an alpha-blocker may wish to consider a non-selective drug, like Hytrin® (terazosin), Cardura® (doxazosin), or Uroxatral® (alfuzosin), for their initial treatment; and

patients with symptomatic cataracts may wish to consider cataract surgery prior to starting alpha-blocker therapy."

They don't tell you this when they prescribe it. 

Once you take them , the damage is done even if you stop taking them, correct?"

Yesterday I had my 90 day post Rezum follow up with my urologist. He was surprised that I have not experienced some level of urinary improvement. He was also surprised that I had a bad reaction to the Rapaflo.

With me present, he called who he calls the "engineer" with Rezum. He told him, the engineer I was 46 at 90 days and I have had no improvement. The engineer said -  the problem is not the prostate, because at 60 days I would be wide open to flow. It is probably my bladder.

I asked why did I respond so well to Rapaflo then? He could not say. (Yes I had a bad allergic reaction to Rapaflo) but I peed incredibly well while taking it.

The urologist did not want to prescribe Flowmax either. Said it would not help. So he instead prescribed Toviaz.

I took the first pill last night, I was up 5 times last night with the need to urinate, but almost nothing came out.

Dont know if I should keep using it for a few days or just give up at this point.

I would try Alfusozin. It tends to have the least side effects and is also and Alpha blocker. But any alpha blocker is a prostate med, so if they work, the probably verdict is that Rezum didn't shrink your prostate. They need to do a full urodynamics work up and also at least scope you to see what your prostate size and configuration is. If there is no median lobe, something like urolift could help. But it appears that you don't have a diagnosis.

Again - if alpha blockers help, the strong likelihood is that Rezum didn't work and your prostate is still obstructing your flow, because alpha blockers don't impact bladder function.

As posted earlier Rezum has not been successful for me (90 days post procedure) and my urinary flow. Doctor prescribed Toviaz thinking my bladder may now be a problem.

I am not responding to the Toviaz either. All it is doing is dulling the sensation of needing to urinate. Problem #1 this medication so far is making it almost impossible to start the flow. I barley get anything out and then I have to go again and again. It is also causing loose stool.

If you have need been following my posts you may know that I did have great flow and the feeling of complete emptying while taking Rapaflo in the first few weeks. During this time I was also on antibiotics for 18 days post procedure. During this time I had a break out of hives and was having an issue with my breathing. I thought this may be a side effect of the procedure and all the work and meds leading up to it. But after it lasted a good week I though, I must be having a reaction to the Rapaflo since it was the only new med I was taking. By doing some internet searching I found where had bad reactions to Rapaflo so I decided to stop taking it. I did not call the urologist I just stopped taking it. About 4 to 5 days later I had finally reached the end of the 18 days of antibiotics cycle. This is also the time the allergic reactions starting to go away and unfortunately I was not peeing well again. Weak stream, slow delayed start, spray stream and of course RE.

I am now wondering was it the Rapaflo causing mt allergic reactions or was it the antibiotics and the combination of the 2?

I asked the doctor why not try Flowmax and he said no need if the rezum worked your prostate is already opened wide and it must be something else now like the bladder. But before the procedure my bladder workup was all good.

I am to go back in 3 weeks to see how I did while on the Toviaz, but I am wondering should I call the office and tell then this is not working its making this worse lets try rapaflo or flowmax again?

Any suggestion welcomed and appreciated.

I feel for you, I think my bladder is an issue as well. My Urologist said Rapaflo is "stronger" than Flomax, but I found Flomax works quite well with minimum side effects even not full RE like Flomax causes - apparently Flomax causes floppy Iris syndrome but that is only bad if you are going to have eye surgery, even then the surgeons know how to work around it apparently.

Yes I would call them, ask for the Urologist's nurse and get her to send in a prescription for Flomax what do you have to lose? It takes a few days at least for it to start working.

JCL   God your going through a lot.  Do go to the doctor and tell him.  Don't let him tell you that your wide open you should be going.  You said that you didn't have all that problem before.  That procedure did a number on you.  If he will not help you see another doctor.  Here hoping   Ken 

Hi JCL,

Sounds like a lot of guessing and assumptions going on with your urologist. 

How does he know the "rezum worked and you're  now opened up"? Did he do imaging, a cystoscopy?

How does he know it's your bladder causing the problem? Did he do functional urodynamic testing?

How does he know that Flomax won't work? HINT: If you take it for a few days you'll know for sure one way or the other.

How does he know for sure you have overactive bladder because that's what Toviaz is for? 

Do you know what your PVR (post void residual) is right now? Have you done a void log where you write down the time and volume of each void?

I would start getting answers rather than working on assumptions. Finding out if Flomax will help is real easy. Just try it!

As for a real diagnosis, you may need imaging, cystoscopy and urodynamics for a start. Workup and diagnosis come before treatment, an important step that a lot of doctors either skip or are very cavalier about. 

Also, you might want to work with a different doctor than the one who did the Rezum, as he probably has an invested interest. You want fresh eyes, hands and minds now. 

Jim 

Your doc seems to be playing pin the tail on the donkey. First, if the Toviaz is making things worse, then by all means stop taking it. Second, I go back to my original thought - alpha blockers don't impact bladder function, only BPH, so if if Rapiflo worked, Rezum probably didn't. As for the allergic reaction, those are much more common with antibiotics than alpha blockers, so there is a good chance that was the problem, not Rapiflo. There are apha blockers with lower side effect profiles, but if Rapiflo didn't bother you and it helped a lot, I'd go back on it and watch for a reaction. If things get better with no hint of allergy, you have an indefinite solution.

I agree with everything Jimjames said. I'd find another urologist, get properly diagnosed and go from there. My guess is that Rezum didn't shrink your prostate, for reasons unknown, based on your success with Rapiflo.

"..alpha blockers don't impact bladder function, only BPH, .."

I hate to disagree with you Buzz. Alpha blockers relax BOTH bladder AND prostate. Hank

Ok, So I took the Toviaz for 4 days and hated it. I am sure the doctor will say "you have to give it 2 weeks" not gonna happen. Made urinating nearly impossible and food ran right through me.

I started back with Rapaflo on Friday. I am having some minor stuffy noise issues, but guess what? In just 2 days of using it I am already peeing better. So I will continue using it until I run out of the samples I have (about 14 - 8mg pills) then decide if I should call the for more or wait until my scheduled November 27th appointment.

Also: I did email Rezum again to inform them that I did have my 90 day post procedure visit and to this point,  I have not benefited from Rezum and that now my Urologist is thinking its my bladder, which I don't.

They emailed my back and said they would call me next week with their doctor to go over my case.

If I can continue to use Rapaflo without any side effects (most likely last time I had those bad allergic reactions it was the antibiotics or the combination of the 2 not the Rapaflo itself) and I do continue to pee well, my guess is the urologist did not hit the prostate enough times or correctly with the Rezum procedure. I received 2 steam injection on each side. My guess is 3 or 4 are the minimum and they are figuring this out as they go and hear back from folks like me.

I ll keep you posted next week...

>>They all can cause  floppy iris syndrome.  For men who are going to have cataract surgery, they should not be used. <<

What if you have cataract surgery many years later? Is it still a problem. And is it an issue with Daily Cialis?

Thanks.

Rich