TURP and bladder complications
Posted , 14 users are following.
Hello everyone,
Five days ago, I had TURP surgery for an enlarged prostate (BPH). As background, I'm a 58-year old male who had been taking medecine (Flomax) for about two years for BPH. Then one day, the medecine stopped working and I had a severe case of urinary retention. My urologist sent me to the Emergency Department for a catheter, proscribed more medecine and scheduled me for the TURP.
I had the catheter removed four separate times in hopes that I could void, each time unsuccessfully voiding. Two weeks prior to the TURP, I met with the urologist and insisted he remove the catheter. Reluctantly, he agreed and I was able to finally urinate. So now following the surgery, I don't seem to be able to urinate. It's frustrating! The doctor said that my bladder had probably expanded so much because of the urinary retention and does not place the pressure it needs to urinate.
He's ordered me back to the Emergency Department for yet another catheter and said we'll leave it in place for two weeks then switch to a self-catheterization procedure. I assume the idea is to train my bladder again.
But, I could use the advice of anyone and everyone who's gone through this. I'm very frustrated because my urologist, despite being gentle, doesn't seem to explain or do his job fully.
I'm doing everything I can think of right now to urinate before I go back to the Emergency Department. I don't want to go!
Anyone have any advice, suggestions or recommendations?
Thank you!
0 likes, 55 replies
anthony2858 stedavi
Posted
I would say skip going to get a cath put in for 2 weeks and go straight to self cathing.
im sure you Uro has samples he can give you till you get hooked up with a supplier, like medical 180 out of Oklahoma. Plus they can emer ship you some and get them in 1 day.
why walk around with a cath stuck in you for 2 weeks? Maybe immediately after surgery or a procedure, but that's not the case. Get your life back and start self cathing!
mike588 anthony2858
Posted
I agree with Anthony but it might not be practical, they need to organize a nurse to train stedavi on how to self cath, and give a supply to use while stevi orders some more. So foley and as soon as you can organize a teaching appointment even if it's the next day. Or maybe they will agree to teach today?
anthony2858 mike588
Posted
Well I don't know what your experience was Mike but as for me I told my Uro I want to self cath and he said I agree, he had is assistant come into the room with a disposable cath and it took a whole 5 minutes and I was on my own.
mike588 anthony2858
Posted
I guess i depends how busy they are on the day, my Urologist was too busy the day we decided I should do self cath and only had time to put in a Foley. The PA I see told me she doesn't "teach" and there was no one in the office available, I think one nurse was sick that day - the PA put in the Foley because I was in retention and she did such a good job I didn't feel a thing. It's not such a big deal to have a Foley in as annoying as it is, at least you get to sleep like a baby :-)
cartoonman mike588
Posted
I've had a Foley (when I first went into retention), and my unsympathetic uro-doc said we've scheduled you for an exam--- IN SIX WEEKS! I switched docs and had an exam a week later. I have done CIC for the better part of 2 1/2 years since... and CIC allows me to REALLY sleep through the night, whereas the bag was always getting caught between my legs and such. My vote is definitely for CIC...
mike588 cartoonman
Posted
cartoonman where do you live? Sounds like they didn't give you a "night bag" which you switch to when you go to bed, it hangs of the side of the bed - no way it can get caught between the legs - what does happen is where the tube exits the tip it can be uncomfortable at times at night and in the day sometimes. The leg bag will get too full quickly I feel queezy just thinking about it. I also vote for CIC, just saying a Foley for a short time is acceptable, of course they should make someone wait 6 weeks.
cartoonman mike588
Posted
Mike, I'm in PA. Uro-doc was recommeded by a friend. Nope, they never mentioned a night bag, which might or might not have been more "fun." Annoyingly, the doc I replaced the first one with, said, after reviewing the test results, said he was going to schedule me for a TURP. And he was surprised when I said, "No you're not!" I had Urolift later with a doc in Salt Lake, but the UL didn't do it after a few months. The guy who wanted to TURP me now does Urolift!
mike588 cartoonman
Posted
cartoonman mike588
Posted
Waffalobill stedavi
Posted
kenneth1955 Waffalobill
Posted
I don't think the doctor did any other test. And gave him no options on others procedures. If a turp is what you need to fix the problem so be it. But it did not. And of course the doctor is going to tell him it is because of the bladder retention stretching out the bladder. To cover his butt That may be so but it may not even been his prostate it could have been his bladder which was his problem. With out test you will never know. i hope he gets better Ken
dalebf kenneth1955
Posted
He didn't mention any tests so we don't know if any were performed. And, we also don't know if other options were offered. All he said was he can't urinate after TURP, which does happen to more than a few guys. After he gets some healing time in things could change greatly.
kenneth1955 dalebf
Posted
stedavi Waffalobill
Posted
I had an ultrasound and xrays following the first incident of urinary retention. Everything looked "normal." But, interestingly, when the nurses placed the first cath in, I voided more than two litres. Not "normal!"
After the subsequent catheters I drained between 1,5 liters and 2 litres. All time record: 2,300 cc's.
The doc told me after the surgery that my bladder has distended to epic proportions so maybe that has something to do with it.
Waffalobill stedavi
Posted
Umm, that's big. Lol
jimjames stedavi
Posted
Not close, Stvadi. We had a fellow here who had 7 liters drained
I had 1.5 liters drained myself after voiding 450ml. So, yes it's distendend, but not "epic" and that is relatively good news. It can come back. Mine did.
Jim