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Waiting on a HOLEP operation, Any Advices on It!

Posted , 8 users are following.

John-T
John-T

I would like to hear about men who already had the HOLEP done and hear their feedback on it.

This is how it begun,

I had a urinary blockage about 6 years ago, could not urinate at all so I went to the ER with 1 liter of urine so they installed a catheter and emptied my bladder, went home with the cath for 5 days, then i say a urologist that inserted an old think metal camera up my penis to see the prostate, told me it was swollen, removed the cath and told me to try peeing which I did with difficulty then was prescribed Flowmax then went home, kept taking the pills for about 6 months then stop taking the pills, everything was back to normal.

About 2 months ago, I felt sick and nauseated, went to ER, had my creatinine level way high to 230, after other test they noticed that I had 750ml of urnine in my bladder and at that point I had no blockage at all and could urinate normally but I wasn`t emptying my bladder so they put a cath on for 5 days, then I had a systoscopy and noticed that my bladder was swollen and after that they sent me home no cath but told me if I can`t pee to come back to the ER and have a cath put on, so I left home and drank a few water bottle but could not feel any urge to pee and when I tried, only  a few drop would come out so from this point on I could not pee so I went back to ER the same night and they again put a cath on since I had about 700 ml of urine in my bladder. I now have the catheter for the past 6 weeks, just changed it last week to a new one, I also have a valve on so during the day I keep the urine in the bladder to make it work and empty a few times a day and at night I put the bag on, so this is where I am now, 3 urlologist told me my prostate was huge and needed operation and that I was past taking care of it with just Flowmax. So now not sure what else to do, removing the cath and see if I can pee or just wait for the call to get operated on, not sure if I will be able to pee after the operation or I could have permanent bladder damage.

Any input would be appreciated

Thanks

John

Thanks Ken

John

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • roger100c
    roger100c John-T

    Posted

    I had the Holep operation last July and I have never felt better since. No more Flowmax and no more broken nights or rushing to the toilet for nothing to come out during the day!

    Two days after the operation I was well enough to take a 200 mile train journey (including across London on the tube). It took around a fortnight to settle down completely (ie pee without any pain). The only aftermath is the reverse ejaculation but the rest of the symptoms are completely gone so for me the operation was a total success.

    • John-T
      John-T roger100c

      Posted

      Hi Roger

      Thanks a million for your feedback and glad to hear about the success of HOLEP in your case, yes the retrograted ejaculation is a small drawback in exchange for a normal life. What was your symptons that leaded to the operation, size of prostates, retention, etc.

      thanks

      John

    • roger100c
      roger100c John-T

      Posted

      I had a PSA that had risen significantly (from around 17 to 23 over a year) and had had three prostate biopsyses over the psace of 6 years, all negative and an enlarging Prostate. I had been on Flowmax for around 6 months but didn't feel it made much impact.

      The occasional "seizures" where I absolutely had to pee but where nothing came out became more frequent and so I went for the operation privately as I couldn't wait another 9 months for the NHS to get round to me. What the surgeon found, as well as the enlarged prostate during the operation were lots (I mean around 100) little stones in my bladder so that probably didn't help.

      I can now completely empty my bladder and don't need to go again for hours. I can wake up in the night and DECIDE NOT TO GO TO THE TOILET and fall back asleep again (this is miraculous)!

      I can now lead a normal life again thanks to the operation.

      Kind regards

      Roger

       

    • John-T
      John-T roger100c

      Posted

      Hi Roger

      Thanks for sharing your story, I guess all in all you can say that the HOLEP operation was a great success

      I'll keep you posted

      thanks again

      John

  • ianC
    ianC John-T

    Posted

    Hi John-T,

    I too had high retention - 1L - which had been building up for a couple of years probably. I too had catheterisation whilst awaiting an op - TURP was on the agenda until I checked out this site. From here, I came to the conclusion that HoLEP was the best way to go, and got that Aug '14. 

    Altho' the surgeon said he'd done a good job, he also said the bleeding and after effects would be over in a few weeks - wrong; that took about 14 months. But apart from that, peeing was good more or less right away, and now all's well. Virtually no retention now; I freqently go all night without getting up (but at worst is only once - it used to be 2-3 times). I too have reverse ejectulation; slightly off-putting, but not too worrying.

    I don't think my prostate was particularly enlarged, just blocking the urethra.

    So I'd recommend HoLEP.

    • John-T
      John-T ianC

      Posted

      Hello Ian

      Thanks for sharing your story, sorry to hear that you had some long period of bleeding, I guess everyone reacts differently from any procedure, but all in all sounds like it was a success, I also heard along the way that you can talk to your urologist prior to surgery to ask him to to cut the bladder neck muscle to get a better chance at not getting the retrograded ejaculation condition,

      I'll keep you posted

      John

  • paul20443
    paul20443 John-T

    Posted

    John..... I was taking Flomax and Dutasteride, but also having trouble urinating.  Did a bunch of research and talked to friends who had TURP.  Decided on HoLEP by Dr. Humphreys in Phoenix....... glad I did.  It was done about 4 months ago and everything is working fine now.  I think HoLEP is best because 1) less blood loss, 2) less hosp/cath time (I was in and out in under 24 hrs), 3) less chance of needing a repeat operation, and 4) they biopsy the tissue they remove for cancer.  I had a minute amount of cancer.  My prostate was 86g to start; 45 grams afterward.  PSA went from 3.8 to 0.2.  There aren't alot of docs who do HoLEP as it takes much more training.  Do the reasearch! Good luck!
    • John-T
      John-T paul20443

      Posted

      Hi Paul

      Very glad you shared your story with me about your HOLEP experience, yes you are very right it's the best method out there proven for many years to work well, aside from getting RE I feel confident going in for the HOLEP operation, just need to wait my turn

      thanks again

      John

  • rogcal
    rogcal John-T

    Posted

    HoLEP is the way to go when a "rebore" is needed.  In and out on the same day without the need to go home with a catheter in place and can also be carried out using a spinal anaesthetic.  Had mine done last November and apart from a haemorahgge occuring some 12 days later (which happens in less than 2% of cases), it went extremely well and I have none of the symptoms that had plagued me for the previous 6 years.
    • John-T
      John-T rogcal

      Posted

      Hi Roger I presume,

      Thanks for sharing your experience with HOLEP, the more I get feedback on it the more I feel confident going in for it hopefully next month sometimes.

      John

  • john44943
    john44943 John-T

    Posted

    Hi John-T :  I had similar problems in January this year, after two or three years of taking Tamsulosin to relax muscles and lately Finasteride to try and shrink prostate. Mine was scanned at 160-170g which means TURP is ruled out (as over 90 or so), and HoLEP recommended by urologist. Had procedure in London in March, and was in for 2 nights, cath for 3 days and then a little bllod in uring for about 2 weeks. After 3 weeks r so, no blood and no discomfort at all, flow rate is excellent, and at 74 I can live with RE. All advice I had from uros was that HoLEP is best solution, less risk of bleeding or infection. Most of prostate is taken away, so I understand it will not grow back and squeeze catheter ever again! My uros also advised against some of the newer techniques which may not have proved themselves over time. The HoLEP procedure is requires skilled operators, but is now 16+ years old, and training new urologists is key to its wider availability. I have not heard many good reports about the TURP procedure - more bleeding and it's often only a temprary solution. The HoLEP laser seals as it cuts through tissue, and seems to be the best option. Hope you get sorted!
    • John-T
      John-T john44943

      Posted

      Hi John

      Thanks for getting back and sharing your story, yes I feel the same way after many research, HOLEP is the way to go and a small price to pay by getting RE in exchange for the pleasure of peeing naturally, I'm on the waiting list for HOLEP, could of get a TURP operation sooner but I prefer to wait for the HOLEP one.

      Thanks

      John

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