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Rezum Prostate procedure, over 2 weeks in, getting frustrated.

Posted , 7 users are following.

eric1969
eric1969

Looking for someone who has been through this to help me figure out what is going on. I am a 46 year old male. Heres my timeline:

Wednesday 02/08 rezum  procedure.  I was put under and not awake for the procedure, which was done by my urologist with a representative from Rezum.  Foley cath in for two days.

Friday, 02/10.  Cath out, suffered for days, could pass only small amounts of urine.

 

Wed, 02/15 Went back to Urologist, bladder was distended, 1000cc of urine, Foley cath back in until Monday 02/20.

Mon 02/20 Foley out, bladder again full and unable to pass urine, taught by nurse how to self cath.

Thursday 02/23, prostate swelled to point where I could no longer self cath.  Back to Dr. and Foley put back in until this upcoming Tuesday.

My urologist admitted today that he has only performed a handful of Rezum procedures and that the initial results have not been as described on the website.  He just keeps saying that the swelling will go down, but clearly has minimal experience with this and can't give me any answers. The only times I have been able to pass any urine on my own are when I am completely overfull and I can only pass a tiny amount and need to cath in order to void.  I am taking two flomax/day and have been since I had the procedure.  I was taking one/day prior to the procedure.  The procedure has been far more intense with negative side effects than the Rezum website indicated and I am getting very frustrated.  Please anyone with experience advise if ths is normal.  Thank you in advance.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • lester90053
    lester90053 eric1969

    Posted

    Do not rush into fairly new procedures. Doctors will tell you the good points. If they tell you the bad also, the patient will back out.
  • j12080
    j12080 eric1969

    Posted

    I had the Focal Laser Ablation 12-18-16. Had foley when I left that morning. Did a week treatment of pregnizone for the imflamation. And Uribel. Took cath out myself on 6th day but only peed about 150ml every hour and a half at first week this improved over next week. Three weeks out every thing was wonderful had sex the next Tuesday. This was done by an Interventional Radiologist with very precision laser through the rectum not the urethra. No damage and very little blood to the urethra. Had real time MRI on the procedure to make sure what they were hitting with the laser. I studied all these procedures for 20 months before picking one. Traveled all over US meeting the best docs treating Prostate BPH and Cancer. I realized that the Urologist were not the way to go on prostate laser surgery. The experts are the IR Doctors as they do Ablation all over the body and all over they world. Real time vision helps the accuracy. Good luck I wish I could tell you about help for post Rezum.  
  • j12080
    j12080 eric1969

    Posted

    I had the Focal Laser Ablation 12-18-16. Had foley when I left that morning. Did a week treatment of pregnizone for the imflamation. And Uribel. Took cath out myself on 6th day but only peed about 150ml every hour and a half at first week this improved over next week. Three weeks out every thing was wonderful had sex the next Tuesday. This was done by an Interventional Radiologist with very precision laser through the rectum not the urethra. No damage and very little blood to the urethra. Had real time MRI on the procedure to make sure what they were hitting with the laser. I studied all these procedures for 20 months before picking one. Traveled all over US meeting the best docs treating Prostate BPH and Cancer. I realized that the Urologist were not the way to go on prostate laser surgery. The experts are the IR Doctors as they do Ablation all over the body and all over they world. Real time vision helps the accuracy. Good luck I wish I could tell you about help for post Rezum.  
  • oldbuzzard
    oldbuzzard eric1969

    Posted

    It will get better. First - Because you had a Rezum rep there, it was almost surely done properly even though your doc has only done a few. Second, I had it done and COULD NOT PEE AT ALL for over 2 weeks. What you and I experienced isn't typical but it isn't off the charts unusual either - my doc told me that about 10% of REzum patients take 2 weeks or more to be able to pee. Hh also said that bigger prostates take longer (not my problem, may or may not be yours). Be prepared for voiding to come back slowly. It was 6 weeks or so til I was better than when I went in and my doc told me that there is no improvement for a month and most of the impact is in weeks 6-12 with some additional improvement in months 3-6.

    As for self cathing, I had some issues and close calls the first week or so, but switching from a 16 to a 14 size helped a lot. You should be using a 14 coude catheter with lots of lube. If you have those Coloplast speedicaths, they have plenty on them but if you're using a reusable cath, make sure to use plenty of lube and you should be OK.

    Some people have had good results with prednisone to deal with the initial swelling. If you can tolerate it OK, it might make the next month easier and get you off the cath sooner. In the meantime, get off that Foley as soon as you can and self cath often enough that you don't end up distended. Try peeing on your own and then use the cath to get fully empty.

    This will pass - I was really nervous when it happened to me because they didn't have nearly as much experience with this a year ago and no one knew what to tell me. You'll probably start to dribble some more in the next week and it will get better in fits and starts from there. And you will probably end up with a good result - I did and despite it all I'm glad I did it. And be glad you weren't awake for it - it HURT LIKE HELL!

    Last bit of advice - always ask a surgeon how many of a precedures they have done before letting them do it. In this case, the Rezum Rep was there so all is well, but the first few without that rep...maybe not.

    • eric1969
      eric1969 oldbuzzard

      Posted

      I am back on a Foley with a plug now.  Its a very small one because my prostate swelled everything shut.  I was using size 14 self caths and on Thursday I couldn't get them in and went to the urologist and the nurse had me try a coude and I couldn't get that in either.  Then they put in the Foley I have now until Tuesday.  I was told to take it out Tuesday and go back to the urologist later in the day so they could measure how much was in me.  I asked about steroids but he dismissed the notion saying it woud just take time.  Thank you for the reassurance. 

    • oldbuzzard
      oldbuzzard eric1969

      Posted

      He's right in a way - it will reolve over time, but Prednsone could ehlp a lot until it does. He should spend and day with a foley and they reassess that decision. I would insist and ask if it can do any harm - if he says no, insist or beg. Or go to another doctor...

       

  • leon67555
    leon67555 eric1969

    Posted

    I'm 58 and had it done 12/15/16.  I had all the same issues as you have had.  I could atleast enough not to have to self cath.  I had to have the cath put back in after two days in the emergency room.  That was AWFUL and very painful.  These Dr's son't know what in the hell they are doing.  I live in Atlanta Ga and my group of Dr's are the only ones that do this in the entire state.  I also was put under, they tried to do the procedure as out patient but I could't stand the pain. It was awful. The second time when I put out.  There is so much to say if you would like to talk call me 912 682 6600 any afternoon after 3 pm. I'm retired but sub at schools to have something to do.  By the way I'm better but still not sure it has been worth all the pain. Good luck Leon

    • eric1969
      eric1969 leon67555

      Posted

      Thanks for at least letting me know it gets better.  I am just about at the three week mark and my Foley came out again today for the third time after the balloon somehow slipped down inside and I had to take it out while at work (I also work at a school).  I suffered through work but am actually passing urine now on my own so I feel like it might be getting better.  I had a huge amount of blood and went to the Dr.today and was diagnosed with a UTI, and several hours after the antibiotic things seems to be getting better.  I am hoping this is the beginning of the improvement.  Time will determine if the pain was worth it, hopefully it will be.  Thanks again.
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