anybody had a TURP?

Hey, Darwin....is this one of those "you'll know what it is if you know what it is" kinda things? Or would you give us a clue?

Cockadoodle

Hi Darwin,

Have you investigated Finasteride? These little pills have shrunk my prostate very effectively and it seems that taking them over the course of a year has removed long-term any need for me to have a TURP.

Mog.

Hey, Darwin....is this one of those "you'll know what it is if you know what it is" kinda things? Or would you give us a clue?

Cockadoodle

During transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), an instrument is inserted up the urethra to remove the section of the prostate that is blocking urine flow.

TURP usually requires hospitalization and is done using a general or spinal anesthetic.

From WebMD Cockadoole. Though seeing this creates more questions. Biggest one being, Darwin, you okay? You don't have anything serious going on, do you?

this creates more questions. Biggest one being, Darwin, you okay? You don't have anything serious going on, do you?

yeah, i am fine. just have a peridise stuck up there, and can't get it out. uro recommended a TURP to extract it. kind of uncomfortable when i ride my bike right now.

darwin

p.s. (kidding. mild case of BPH. thanks for asking!)

Okay, I'm in a total Mallrats mood tonight because you just reminded me of the opening joke from that movie.

So, my cousin was on the news last night. Apparently he got this cat stuck in his ass and had to go to the hospital to get the doctors to remove it. It was completely embarassing for his family. It took weeks for the episode to fizzle away. Just as people were forgetting what happened, he gets another cat stuck in his ass! Same ordeal. Doctors needed, on the news, the whole works! It took another few weeks for everything to die down again. I was running through the mall when I see my cousing walking into the pet store. I run after him, grab him by the shoulder, and turn him around. I say, "What are you doing? You're just gonna get another cat stuck in your ass!" He says, "I know, Brody, but how else am I supposed to get the gerbil out?"

Ewwwwwwwwww!

Very bad joke rikaaim, but FUNNY.

You have to watch Mallrats! It's a Jay and Silent Bob movie. Fantastically funny!

Hi Darwin,

Have you investigated Finasteride? These little pills have shrunk my prostate very effectively and it seems that taking them over the course of a year has removed long-term any need for me to have a TURP.

Mog.

I've been on Finasteride (Proscar) for the last few years or so along with my Saw Palmetto (which I've been taking for nearly 20 years), and my PSA is .16. Not bad for 49, overweight, and not enough sex with wife. Plus, it's supposed to be good for your hairline (Propecia is Finasteride).

Personally, I'd avoid surgery until all other options are exhausted.

It seems you're getting an easier option suggested at least. I really hope everything is mild and nothing to worry about. I wish you the best. Please keep us updated.

If you haven't been on finasteride, (the generic now available for Proscar), or the newer Avodart (that has better blockade of DHT in the prostate gland) I'd definitely give this approach a try before surgery. Remember that it will take several weeks to a few months for the full effect of shrinking the prostate to occur so give it time. Of course every case has to be individualized, but Avodart has been proven to reduce the need for prostate surgery for BPH.

I was considering getting a TURP, and had a consultation with my uro. He said I'll never ejaculate again, and he says that is the intended effect of the surgery. He said don't worry about it you'll have the pleasure without the mess, but I don't think I am going to get it. I may go back on Proscar, which I had been off for two years, because I felt like it made me depressed.

Hey, hula. I've not heard anyone say before that finasteride (Proscar) made them feel like they were depressed. Clearly, any individual will have their own unique responses to any medication, but I don't recall that being a common one for Proscar or Avodart. Outside of the relatively small numbers of men who may develop breast tenderness or libido and erectile issues with these products, the main thing most will note is a decrease in volume and force of ejaculate, but no real change in ejaculatory pleasure. All in all, this still seems to beat the loss of ejaculation altogether with a TURP and hopefully a second try with these medications might help you avoid surgery and possibly not cause what you experienced before. Best wishes though with your decision making.

Might be worthwhile to consider Laserscope (tm) if you can find a talented Dr. with several hundred laser procedures to his/her credit. Some claim ability to work very close to the bladder neck without destroying/weakening the musculature that tightens the bladder sphincter during ejac. (thereby avoiding retrograde) If you have Usenet access, checkout and query for references to such a doc in your area.

I've been lucky. My "witch's brew" of Hytrin, Saw and Aneros massage gives me a solid 7-8 hours sleep and a stable PSA under 1.4. When I start having to get up at night it's time for a massage. I use Helix on my stomach or Maximus on my side. Execute the heaviest contaction I can muster, hold it for 10sec. then relax it for 15sec. Do 20 reps of that ... takes about 10 min total. That and the med holds me for four to five days.

I've tried 'heavy massage' as a 3 a.m. (peak T) prelude to a "journey" session but, I'm usually out of muscle after the 20 reps and there's not enuf energy left in my tank to support involuntaries.

Comment regarding Saw Palmetto: My pri-care doc did a med review for me last month. The PDR for supplements and herbals notes that Saw Palmetto has a mild anti-inflamatory effect; however, combined with Coumadin it is a blood thinner. I'm on Plavix & Aspirin so Saw is an OK thing.

I've not done the Avodart or Finasteride bit but find that the side effects of Hytrin (Terazosin) are nearly un-noticeable compared to other alfa-blockers (Flowmax and Cardura). Most significant Hytrin side-effect is my blood pressure which runs about 105/60 (age=mid-70s).

OTOH, if you are gaining prostate bulk/mass at an alarming rate, you might want to opt for TURP while you are operable.

I just had an exam yesterday with a scope inserted through the penis and into the bladder, not real pleasant but it was bearable. The result was I have an enlarged prostate and he is recommending TRUP along with a laser proceedure. This is done on an outpatient basis, and the doc says there is basically no recovery time. I'll let you know after I have it done, which I hope will be soon.

what are your symptoms?

did you try drugs yet?

darwin

I have tried Vesicare and Flomax, not much sucess with either. Symptoms are, having trouble emptying bladder, weak stream. and about half of the symptoms indicated for BPH. I don't want to take drugs for the rest of my life. Just get the proceecure done and get on with what is left of life.

big jimbo, My urol told me that a TURP is almost always done in a hospital, with two day admission, and you miss a week of work.

My urologist gave me a pamphlet and a DVD to read/watch. If anybody is interested you can google turp and get a lot of information. Also, the website for the laser proceedure is www.greenlightforbph.com

Hula, once again I must say my urologist say virtually no down time. Depending on how things go, I may need a catheter for one day, or possibly not at all.

I will post and let all of you know how it goes, after the proceedure is done. Wish me luck.

I had a Green Light Laser TURP four years ago. In the hospital less than 24 hours. Ejaculations are retrograde, but really no loss of pleasure, just a little different due to the path of the ejaculate.

maximus-

did it effect your use of the aneros?

darwin

Only in that I can have some leakage of urine if the aneros is pressing just right. The surgeon also cut the bladder neck muscle to facilitate the flow of urine. I don't have leakage except with the aneros. Surgery had no effect at all on pleasure.

hi everybody,

i am moving a lot closer to a TURP. anybody had any experience with this (since this thread was last active a couple of years ago)?

rook, i am not finding anything current on prostate laser surgery on the web, and especially not in the city i live in. my uro did not have much to say about it.

darwin

I just had my second TUMT. My old uro would never have given me a second one, because he didn't believe in them, but my new Uro, (old one retired) encouraged me to have another tumt. Interestingly, his practice does not do Turps at all, only green light lasers.