Urolift Experiences

Hi Bill, I hope all goes well with the Urolift. I had mine 11 days ago. You will find my story in my post on the discussion started by Charles40613

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDIQFjACahUKEwim2aCI4YDJAhUFhQ8KHdbZAos&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpatient.info%2Fforums%2Fdiscuss%2Fthe-urolift-procedure-patient-views-and-questions-300828&usg=AFQjCNEQfhj00_rH_H2DIR8vGxfp6eS4cQ&sig2=f384K7gLvRpYMYIjnNN7QA&bvm=bv.106923889,d.ZWU

I had a general anaesthetic(large 85+ml prostate) and was cathetered afterwards for around 20 hours)overnight stay in private hospital). Naturally I had some pain/discomfort and was given paracetymol, possibly supplemented by dihydrocodeine. Once catheter had been removed and had passed urine(low volume initially and frequent) a few times I was discharged and driven home by my partner. At home I stayed close to the bathroom as I had "urgency" symptom. Frequent peeing (150-200ml) for the next 6 hours (i had drunk around 8 litres of water the previous 24 hours). Pain was mild until around 12 hours later, when i took dihydrocodeine.During the night I had nocturia(6 visits to bathroom). Pain/ discomfort has eased over the last few days, and I feel like I am "returning to normal".Mentally for me it has been a real challenge, but help and support from my partner, daughter, and friends/colleagues has been invaluable.

Thank you please keep me updated

Good morning Bill,

Had mine abouit 6 months ago and definately worked for me.   However I had decided to also go with a "testopel"  treatment due to a low "T" # and i feel like it has worked against it,  i feel like the testosterone has caused my prostate to swell enough to cause some restriction.    So Imo,  stay away from that and the urolift should be an excellent choice!

Anthony

Well----here we go. Thought I'd start off with a little personal info. I am almost 65 years old, 5' 11" tall, 160 lbs, BP - 110/70, pulse - 60,  PSA - 1.8, don't smoke, don't drink, no allergies except Doxazosin (Heat Rash), run 2 1/2 miles 3 times weekly with strength exercises, no meds other than Doxazosin, no ED, no previous procedures, and no other medical issues. As I stated in my initial entry above, the Doc said I was the perfect candidate for the procedure.

Diagnosis: Enlarged Prostate.  Symptoms: Bladder retention (250-500cc after voiding), frequency of urination (6 times daily and I get up on average once nightly), weak and intermittent stream, difficulty starting stream and must help with stomach muscles to push out as much fluid as I can.

Went in for Urolift this morning--5 hours at hospital--procedure took 10 minutes. Two implants installed under general anesthesia--sent home with catheter and loving wife. Note: I had the wife when I went in .

Coming out of anesthesia, my pain level was maybe 4 or 5  on a scale of 10--all due to the catheter--none due to the implants. Doc says cath stays in for 2 days. Several months ago, when I first discussed the procedure with him, he wasn't recommending the cath. However, after performing a number of these procedures, he has found that most patients are having difficulty sleeping for the first few nights due to very frequent trips to the bathroom (every 15 minutes in many cases.)  Beyond sleeping issues, there is the consideration of the time it takes to get home. In my case, that's over 30 minutes. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why someone might run into a little difficulty. As uncomfortable as the cath is, I believe the alternative is worse.  The following are some questions I asked the Doc.

When can I come off Doxazosin? Maybe 3 months.

Do I come off all at once? Yes

How much water should I be drinking while the cath is in? 1 gallon daily.

When can I resume exercise? Wait for me to tell you.

When can I resume intercourse? Wait for me to tell you.

How  long am I to wait for the follow-up appointment? 1 Month - he felt that by this time I should be in pretty good shape.

I left the hospital with three new perscriptions--a narcotic for pain (10-day supply), something to keep my bladder from cramping (2 or 3-day supply), and an antibiotic (7-day supply).

Now 7 hours post-op and pain from cath is maybe a 2. I should be able to sleep with it. Again, no pain from implants--none.

I will post again tomorrow evening, the following evening, at the one week mark, and then each week thereafter. If you have questions, please feel free to ask. I hope this has been of some help.

 

Thirty hours post Urolift. At present, all pain remains confined to catheter issues, though when I laid down for a nap two hours ago, I felt nothing but an empty bladder--really quite a pleasant experience. I drank a gallon of water yesterday and woke up several times throughout the night checking and emptying the bag--maybe 3 hours of sleep, total. The first 200cc's of urine (6pm) looked exactly like cranberry juice, with no clots. The next time (450cc's at 7:30pm) looked like cranberry tea (fairly pale in color). The third time (200cc's at 8pm) was 95% clear. The fourth time (300cc's at 9pm) was clear. Each emptying since has been clear. The cath pain has decreased steadily and now, is quite manageable while up and moving around. Still no pain associated with the implants, though that may change tomorrow, when the cath is removed and they are exposed to urine flow for the first time. The cath has been an inconvenience, but I still recommend it for anyone  going through this procedure.

I am in good spirits--a lot of people have been praying for me.

Expect an update tomorrow evening.

Day 3 (8AM): Showed up at the Doc's office early to get catheter out--couldn't wait to get rid of that thing. The removal worried me as I've seen catheters with bulbs on the end to keep them from coming out. As it turned out, mine had an inflatable bulb, which was deflated before removal (9:30AM). It was still an experience, but was over very quickly. They offered to let me stay and make sure I could void, but they recommended, with confidence, that I just go home and drink plenty of fluids--then, if I hadn't voided by noon, I was to come back. I went ahead and took their advice with no small amount of concern. Arrived home 45 minutes later without incident. Drank 4 glasses of water and within one hour was able to void with some burning and stinging (Pain = 3 on a scale of 1-10), maybe 50cc in volume, and sporatic stream (2 on a scale of 1-10). I was pleased with that and relieved that I didn't have to return to the Doc. Also, there was no blood in the urine and no pain from the implants--only urethral pain when voiding. When not voiding, there has been no pain whatsoever. Since 9:30AM, there have been no urgent trips to the bathroom and no incontenance. It is now 5PM, and I have voided once each hour with improving symptoms--the number of visits were due to high water intake. Last time in the bathroom I produced 200cc with a stream equaling my best day before the procedure. So far, I am very pleased with the results. My am very optimistic. That's all for today, unless someone has a question. I will post again tomorrow.

I had the Urolift procedure done on 15th September 2015. My main problems were retention (around 260ml) and nocturia. (getting up 4-6 times a night) My prostate was 60grams, and I had no enlarged median lobe, which made me a good candidate I was told. The procedure was done at 2pm, and I had a catheter inserted while under GA. It was removed at midnight, and I was allowed to go home the following morning after 2 successful voids. Peed a lot of blood for a day or 2 which was to be expected, and had some pain on urination. Also very uncomfortable to sit on a hard chair for 3-4 weeks.

Now 8 weeks later, I'm glad I had the procedure. Still get up 2-3 times a night to void, but my Urologist said it could take up to 6 months for the bladder to recover fully. If I still have Nocturia in 6 months he will check kidneys, as I have a large 6cm cyst in my right kidney, which could be contributing to the problem.

Yesterday I had my 8 week renal ultrasound, and my retention was only 77ml (as compared to 260ml before Urolift)

So far, I'm quite pleased with my progress, and hoping for further improvement soon