REZUM--HAVE YOU HAD THIS DONE???????
Posted , 385 users are following.
I had a nice conversation today with the President of the "Urology Times". He was telling me that there is a "New Procedure" that has been approved called the "REZUM SYSTEM". The company that makes the system is called "NXThera, Inc". You can google them up and lots of stuff comes up. I called them for a referral and they gave me a Doctor in Minnepolis that has done it over 50 times now. I called his nurse and she said he would call me back and answer my questions on monday. As you guys probably know Doctors are not very good at returning calls but we'll see what happens. Iam not very good at explaining how the procedure works but basically they take the device and put it up the uretha and vaporize the prostate cells which kills them. It works with high pressure "steam" that at a certain degree will kill the prostate tissue. My question for you guys is there anybody out there that has had it done to them and how are you getting along and are there "side effects", etc etc?????
35 likes, 5645 replies
changejobs ChuckP
Posted
I am beginning to think it’s the safest first step. I know there is a 5-10% chance of re. Also it may not work.
Can anything be damaged as a result of the procedure ?
ken19524 ChuckP
Posted
CJ,
I decided on the Rezum procedure because I felt that it was the easiest and safest procedure for me. And it was available in my area. Of course that being said, I was checked out by the Rezum urologist beforehand to be sure that it would benefit me.
I think that a couple of short term negatives might be the possible pain, if the urologist uses a local anesthetic, during the procedure, and the inconvenience for a few days afterwards if a Foley catheter is used. However, if the urologist uses a general sedative and you self-cath afterwards, then these negatives aren't a factor.
changejobs ken19524
Posted
When and where did you do procedure?
Has the urologist you chose done many rezum?
How long did it take Before you saw results?
It’s hard to get numbers of procedures done from the urologists offices I have called.
frank74205 ken19524
Posted
Thanks
frank,
ken19524 changejobs
Posted
CJ,
Here is a copy and paste from an update from a couple of months ago. I know that this site is very difficult to navigate because they don't allow posting by date, so it's easier if I just repost the info here.
To answer the other questions, my urologist was Dr. Kevin McVary who currently is at the SIU (Southern Illinois University) medical school in Springfield, Illinois. As one of the lead urologists in the Rezum study three years ago, he has done many procedures.
Just got home from my one month followup after getting the Rezum procedure on 12 January 2018. Since this site is confusing to follow (gross understatement - why don't they just put the newest posts at the bottom, in chronological order. It would be SO MUCH EASIER to follow), I will repeat my situation.
65 years old, retired, have had a slow stream for years, but it got a lot worse after a kidney stone removal operation last year. Within just a few weeks, the retention was bad enough that I had to start CIC (self-catheterization). After the initial fear, the catheterizing wasn't really bad at all. Never had a UTI, and I contemplated just doing the watchful waiting approach. But after discussing the procedure with the Rezum uro, I decided to go for it.
The procedure itself was a breeze. I was given a sedative so that I wouldn't be awake during the procedure. It was a good thing too because I found out today that I got 10 steam injections, 4 on each side and 2 on the enlarged median lobe. My prostate was measured at 68 grams prior to the procedure.
The other key to making the procedure easy was the self-catheterization. I've read so many posts on here describing the misery of putting up with a Foley catheter. Self-cathing, once you know how, is simple and easy to do. And best of all, you can control it yourself. And there was no need to drive the 3 hour round trip to the urologist's office to have a Foley removed.
By day 5 I was noticing a marked improvement in urine flow. Not exactly 'race horse' flow, but noticeably better. There was some blood in the urine for a couple of days, but that cleared up. No blood in semen at all. That got tested early on too. I've had some minor 'urgency' issues and some slight discomfort when starting flow, but those symptoms are minor and go away completely with a couple of ibuprofen.
All in all, it has been a very minor procedure with the benefits that I wanted to see.
changejobs ken19524
Posted
Thanks again
Hermann ChuckP
Posted
Hi there,
its Hermann again.
Being been 19 month post the Rezüm procedure I want to provide a brief update for everyone who might be interested in.
Just to go back a little bit in time.
At the last weekend of August 2016 I suffered at a sudden total ischuria which forced me to wear a catheter. It was a kind of catheter ending with a valve not a bag.
The doctor wanted me to go for a laser based turp and he told me that most likely I would have to expect to end with a RE and maybe a little incontinence because the internal sphincter wouldn’t work anymore and the external had to take it even it is not mentioned to do this kind of work.
He told me too that those issues would be the case regardless which operational method I would going for to chose and so I made an appointment for a laser based turp. Laser sounded good and innovative.
But back again at home I rethought what had happened and what I was told.
I used google to see the truth.
I found there might be procedures with out the necessity to take the consequences I was told.
I evaluated serval procedures and methods to my best knowledge and I decided to go for Rezum. Urolift wasn’t a option for me.
At that time only two hospitals(Germany) provided that Rezum method, one located in Berlin and one in Göttingen. I went for Göttingen. I was the 10th Rezum patient there btw..
To come to that decision was the result of a little journey and wasn’t done in five minutes. And so I had the REZUM procedures done at end of October.
I went into the hospital on a Thursday, had REZUM done on Friday morning and left the hospital on Monday morning.
I got five steam injections and I wasn‘t fully taken out but I got sleepy because of the special medicaments. Before the procedure my prostate was paralyzed through the rectum nearly the same it would had be done in preparation for a biopsy which I had weeks before the procedure to exclude the presence of cancers.
Did it hurt? For me just a little it was bearable.
I said I suffered at a sudden total ischuria so it was no surprise that I had to wear the catheter for a while also after the procedure was done. Rezum does not take out any tissue immediately. It will take a while as it is being mentioned here at the forum many times.
Four weeks after the Rezum treatment I hadn’t longer to take pills for a prostate treatment as I had to do before(alfuzosin hydrochloride 5mg, finasteride 5mg).
I wore the catheter till begin of January 2017. It was my decision to do so and I wasn’t uncomfortable with it. I considered self catheterizing but I wasn’t comfortable with that and I didn’t see cons to go on to wear a Catheter for a while. The bladder had still to work because of the valve solution. That might be different to a bag solution.
Improvements were and are still noticeable for the whole time after the procedure was done. It still continues til today. How ?
The frequency is still changing. At night I have to stand up only one time or less. I’m not be a waken up by an urgency at night no just the opposite I wake up of some reasons and then I start to think could/should I go for the rest room? Often I go but sometimes I don’t go and it isn’t a problem to fall in sleep again.
At the day I have to go every two hours in average but it could be 4 to 5 hours depends what I am doing, intensive working will delay it.
Since three weeks the two hours average is increasing to at least three hours maybe more independent of the activities I might do.
RE had Not happened.
Anyway the stream is week but there is a stream.
I can empty my bladder to zero some med. checkups have shown this.
Before the procedure I had to stand up many times at night and I wasn‘t able to empty by bladder. Urgency was high.
Now I don’t feel really a strong urgency.
Last week I had a check of the prostate and the bladder function at the hospital the procedure was done.
An urodynamic test and a Trus.
The prostate was 78ml before procedure and it is now 50 ml. The difference is caused by the Rezum treatment. My age is 63 btw..
But we have seen the urethra channel is quite thin and just a small catheter like that being used for the dynamic test e. g. can caused a kind of blockage of the urethra.
So we have made the decision to go for a second Rezum treatment and I am absolutely fine with that.
The second Rezum will be done somewhen in 2019, maybe in the first or second quarter.
I think there has still a lot of basic research work to be done to fully understand the prostate or the urethral system in it's entirety. This is necessary also to develop best innovate treatments. The so called Golden Standard has to be redefined and to be challenged at least. It might have been a sufficient approach in the 30’s of the last century but it won’t be now and certainly it can’t be for the future at least to my opinion.
I have been just the 10th Rezum patient at that time. But I was fully convinced of the skills of the treating doctor. He knows the anatomy of the prostate and he was and is able to put this knowledge to practice.
The ischuria hit me fully unprepared even I had been a BPH patient for a longer time before. I thought certainly a bladder infection has happened you have to drink a lot of special teas and so on and so I did!
That was wrong as I’m knowing now.
Some sufficient information at the beginning of the BPH treatment could had helped but I wasn’t provided with.
Btw some experts are discussing the possibility and meaningfulness to start a BHP treatment with Rezum instead of describing medicines. For me that sounds reasonable and I would have went for it.
Patients should also always be questioning Dr‘s statements and should also ask for second or third opinion. We patients shouldn’t be satisfied with a Golden Standard solution, today life means more than just to urinate in a good manner of course it is still one the most important demands but it is a basic to articulate more demands is allowed and must be part of the treatment planing.
Some words to the forum here.
For me it was and it is a helpful place. Here I found the information I needed to come to my decision.
In 2016 I tried to analyze the posts here regarding Rezum. I tried to understand the pro and cons of it. At that time I found the majority of the experiences made with Rezum were good and I didn’t realize a show blocker neither I do now.
Some doubt the official RE rates being provided by the company.
My expression is the success of a Rezum treatment highly demands on the skills of the surgeon who is doing it. He should have understood the prostate totally and should have done successfully have done operations to prostates and of course he should be best familiar with the Rezum system.
Reading the posts here and still I do sometimes I doubt that the skills of the surgeon had been sufficient enough to avoid unexpected issues.
Right now I don’t know why I should doubt the officials figures. The cases mentioned here cannot really be taken to successfully challenging the companies figures. Not enough cases.
Btw I believe to remember having seen here also some posts telling about issues with Urolift like ED. There are nerves coursing at the outer capsule part of the prostate which could be hurt by the implants. The risk for ED might not be zero but I might be mistaken.
Anyway I will now finish my “brief” update and I’ll switch to a silent forum user again. Please don’t be disappointed if I won’t answer questions at once or if won‘t take an active part in discussions.
Nevertheless maybe for some the update here might be useful to get a bigger picture and to come to to decision.
Thanks for listening and all the best for you all,
Hermann
Still it is somehow a problem for me to find the right place for posting. Anyway you’ll find it.
kenneth1955 Hermann
Posted
Good for you Herman. I am so happy that your procedure did you some good. I like you think TURP is a thing of the past but some doctor's are stuck there and do not look into the future. Not saying that it does not work for some men but it is a lot to handle for a mans body. You said that next your you are going to have another Rezum procedure because you have a narrow urethra. Maybe that is the way your made. This one you had did you some good but what if the next one does more damage. Are you ready to take that chance. I like you would avoid any procedure that cuts away at the prostate. It's not right. When I was looking into a procedure. My doctor did a scope to check my stricture. The stricture was fine but he could not get into the prostate to check the bladder. It was close tight. He told me that it was the size of large lemon. ( About 100 ml ) I had the Urolift I was number 20 for my doctor. It has been over 3 years and I am still wide open and no side effects at all. We has men have to look into the pros and cons like you say. What can we deal with. We should never let the problem make the decision. Ans we should all way challenge the doctor. Don't just take his work get another opinion. My urologist loves why I ask question. Take care and I hope you get better and better Ken
D_Gee_322 Hermann
Posted
D_Gee_322 kenneth1955
Posted
kenneth1955 D_Gee_322
Posted
Hermann D_Gee_322
Posted
Dave,
As I had starting being a BHP patient maybe 8 to 10 years ago I asked the doctor for an alternative treatment I asked directly for an operation. At that time I was told I am too young for an operation. According to the treatment guidelines I had to take medicine before an operation could even be considered. Those guidelines refers to the Gold Standards or the Gold Standards are part of those guidelines and so far I have understood it Gold Standard means Turp at least in Germany. Turp = transurethral resection of the prostate.
Of course I was too young for a turp and still I will be in 15+ years ahead.
But I wouldn’t have been too young for Rezum e.g if it had been available at that time. It hadn’t but today it is and there are also other alternatives.
Look around and try to unterstand your options to the best level of detail you can reach and you would like to reach.
Don’t leave it to the doctors unless you want it to.
Don’t hesitate to ask experts many times to come to your own decision and then go for it. But be always aware there might be no procedure without risks remaining but you might be able to take them if you know those risks before.
Btw as I looked for a procedure my doctor told me I had to choose a different one(doctor) if I wouldn’t follow his advices (turp) and so I did. Anyway also the current one does only support the Gold Standard. But that is for me not so important anymore. I just see him to do TRUS examinations and to determine the PSA(3,33) value and so on at a regular base. Would it come to the necessity for an operation again I would contact the doctor in Göttingen as I have just done.
During my little journey in 2016 to find the right procedure for me I got the expression that physicians seem most likely admire the Gold Standard but clinic doctors were open for new procedures beside the Gold Standard.
Actually they told me about REZUM, Urolift and so on and they clearly understood and supported my mandatory demand to avoid RE.
I decided to go for Rezum and I don’t regret it and I will do it again in 2019.
You might follow a different approach.
Whatever you are going to choose I wish you all the best with it and please accept my apology if my words are going to to confuse you that might happened then due to the fact that I am not an English native speaker and something might be lost in translation.
Hermann
D_Gee_322 Hermann
Posted
Going to pick up my results today from the first urologist a Doctor Who is moving to a new state thank God did not like him at all. Push me to do resume the first day.
and your English is great better than 90% of the people in this country . 💊💊😞😡
scott95643 Hermann
Posted
Thanks so much for the post Herman!! Ur story is almost same as mine, sudden and complete retention this past November after years of Mild BPH issues and no warning. Had to get emergency Foley after trying to get by other ways for several weeks, then switched to a suprabubic catheter in March. I use a plug/valve also, not a bag. I am catheter dependent, tho I can pee sometimes a bit on my own, especially with medication. After 6 months of looking at and researching every option, and meeting with at least a dozen doctors, I have gone full circle and decided to do Rezum. I also have a median lobe issue, so some of the other options are less viable. I initially wrote off Rezum, due mostly to advice from a traditional TURP doctor. But after looking at every other option, I decided I don't have much to lose and to give it a try. I am scheduled to do it in 3 weeks. I appreciate all your insight into the procedure and your experience. It is very helpful. I hope you continue to do well! My Best, Scott
kenneth1955 scott95643
Posted
Hermann kenneth1955
Posted
sometimes I agree with you sometimes I do not.
Don‘t you think that is not an easy way for a man to come to a final decision for the „right“ therapy regarding BPH or others.
To sow doubts intenionally or not might not be helpful in this state of the process. To show opportunities might be.
What does it mean “you need to know everything”? Just every regarding Rezūm? Where did you put possible issues with Urolift which some of them are reported also on this site.
Btw can’t it be that reducing prostate tissue could it also mean reducing the possibility of the appearance of prostate cancer as theoretically there would be a lower amount of cells which could degenerate. I don’t know educated experts might know.
Anyway I would dare to challenge an person’s decision for a special treatment. A medium like this forum might not be sufficient enough to do this as the distance between two persons is still too far.
Personal backgrounds and other are not really known. But all those things are part of the decision process which is also a trust based relationship building process.
I personally couldn’t take the responsibility to disturb such process to disturb such relations ship.
However, maybe you are right and your intention behind is too and I am wrong.
No offense meant and have a good time,
Hermann
kenneth1955 Hermann
Posted
Good morning Herman. It is no problem. When you are deal with BPH is one problem and deal with cancer it another problem. Both are different and have different questions and concern. I am not telling anyone what procedure to pic I just want them to pick the best treatment for there problem. Why have major surgery if you do not have to . The only procedure I do not like and I wish men would stay away from it a regular TURP I know they say it is the Gold Standard It is over 60 years out and we have so many new procedure out there that will help. If anyone is thinking about a Turp please watch the video from you tube. It a Turp surgery from Notra Dame. I watch it the other day. There was so much blood and they were flushing him out. At the end of the video that is what I want every man to see. It was the prostate tissue cut out. There was about 2 cups of 2 to 3 inch pieces of tissue. It made me sick to think about it. No man should have to go through that to pee better. The other turps are a little better They use a laser and you don't bleed so much. Picking a procedure is very hard for a man It all depend on what he can live with. That is why you need to get all the research you can. I can't change anyone mind biut I want them to think what they are doing to there body. If you pick a procedure and there is a chance of retro voice your concerns to your doctor If he tell you you don't need it find another doctor if that is your concern. There was just another guy on here that just had a Button Turp. He did not what retro and he told the doctor about it. The doctor was very nice and told him he would try his best to stay away from that are. The surgery work well for him and after 2 weeks he try out his pumping. He does not have retro. With any procedure you have to look at the pro and cons of the procedure. What ever a man picks he has to live with that decision. Live is short and we should not have to give up anything. Have a great day Ken
steve05114 kenneth1955
Posted
I suspect that most of us on the Rezum forum are looking for an alternative to TURP because we are concerned about it not being the best treatment even though it is considered by some to be the "gold standard" and is many years old. Given the known problems of TURP that we are all concerned with, the medical community has the incentive to come up with medical technologies to address these concerns. At one time, sinus infections were drained my chiseling a hole in your skull under the nose and now that is done with arthroscopy and no holes.
kenneth1955 steve05114
Posted
allen98488 scott95643
Posted
Hi Scott,
I had my Rezum done on May 24 and just want to tell you not to worry excessively about it for the next 3 weeks like I did because it was very easy procedure for me I was awake with a local. I had 5 shots of steam, I barely felt the first 3 and 4&5 were were not as bad as some bee stings I've had. Within an hourafter the procedure, my driver and I were eating BBQ ribs and I haven't had to take any additional pain pills. I was sent home with a Foley catheter for 2 weeks which is not a problem for me because I been using them for 15 months now. It is due for removal on June 8, I will post a full report on my procedure and results after that.
Best wishes,
Al