Turp

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Metoo

Est. Contributor
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  1. Diaper Lover
  2. Incontinent
It's been a while since I've been here... My age has introduced me to new challenges to life. About a year ago I began experiencing some daytime wetting troubles and after much stressing, decided to visit the doctor.

What he diagnosed was OAB with Urge incontinence due to BPH. Turns out my prostate is "pretty big" in his words (baseball size). So I guess it's no wonder I'm have some issues. He put me on Flomax. That's helped immensely with being able to go. But I'm still having OAB and Urge troubles.

So. From what I've read, the answer to this is TURP. I'm wondering if anyone has decided to avoid the Turp surgery and just accept the problems that go with BPH? My symptoms are only occasional incontinence when I can't get to the bathroom and some night time incontinence. The idea of submitting to the costs, risks, pain and inconvenience just don't seem to be worth it.

I know this attitude is heavily frowned upon by the medical profession and I feel that I'm somewhat being coerced into a surgery I don't want to have or afford. So I'm interested in folks that have been thru the process and now have reservations/regrets. Thanks..
 
Well, I DID just get a turp done. Though for different reasons than you.

I can say that a swollen prostate will not get any smaller. If anything it will get bigger and your problems will worsen. Enlarged prostates are also more likely to become cancerous too. Please take it from someone who has been there, you do not want to end up completely unable to pee at all.

The problem you are most likely facing is your swollen prostate is blocking your urethra shut (or at least in part). This is preventing you from emptying your bladder completely, so it then spasms. This is the urge incontinence you are experiencing.

Removing your prostate could remedy your need for diapers, and will most likely eliminate your spasms. Also worth noting, a vast majority who get a turp done will see a short term worsening of urinary incontinence, but will then later regain most if not all previous control. However, some never fully regain that control and will always leak thereafter.

Either way, if your ultimate goal is to just use and enjoy diapers, then I would recommend getting the turp done.
 
WBxx said:

The navy hospital wasn't set up with a laser. Being completely free I was more than happy to go the standard route. Most hospitals don't go the laser route anyways. It costs them more, and insurances don't cover as much. Not profitable for them, so it's worse than pulling teeth to get the laser. Even if it's better for us.



Update. YEAH, OMG I now feel SOOOOOO much better now. They just took out the 22 fr catheter from my penis, and my pain level instantly dropped down to a 4 out of 10. The fist time I've had this little pain in about 6 months.

I was immediately dribbling pee right after that too. I'm completely open again! No blood either, though did get some more bits of tissue (expected), and oddly a little air.

I will have a 3 month follow up cystoscopy to see if it took or if my stricture blockage will be coming back. REALLY hoping this sticks and stays open.
 
Glad you're feeling so much better! That's a huge catheter to have in - I'm guessing they were worried about blockage. The one I've got now it's only 16 Fr, which isn't great but isn't really all that bad.

What does your doctor think about whether the strictures will return?
 
The bigger catheter was to help ensure I heal as fully opened as possible. And we are both hopeful he was able to cut away enough to also remove the base of the stricture. IF he got it, then I'll be in the clear. My 3 month follow up is to verify this. So we'll see.



Another update too everyone. They never tell you to expect passing big blood clots as you heal. Just like with any bleeding, you will get a scab. Inside your moist urethra it doesn't harden though. Instead you get these variably sized globs of congealed blood. (Sometimes tiny bits, sometimes as big as a marble)

As the cuts heal, these blood clots break free. The big ones will actually block your urethra too. Just a little bit of normal pressure behind it will push it out easily enough though. But you do feel it being passed. And after that.... you bleed, badly. It only lasts a minute at the most, then re-clots. Nothing to be truly worried about as it's normal, though you will get light headed and maybe a little queazy- as is typical with most any blood loss. BUT they never tell you to expect it!

Of course I'm saying all this because I just passed about 4 marbles worth of blood clots this morning. A good sign really, and thankfully I was expecting it to happen or I might have panicked. Aside from that, I'm just a little less sore every morning. Back at work this monday too, though we'll see if I can last 8 hours or not.
 
It's been one full month, and the surgery failed.

I had been continuing to heal up nicely. The bleeding was gone, and I could again sit for several hours without too much pain or discomfort. And, I had continued to freely drain pee at all times.

Then on saturday I noticed at times I would get a minor urge, followed by a weak stream of pee (no straining or pushing). Sunday morning I woke up early due to another urge, and this time had too stand up and strain just a little. After sleeping in more, I decided this was the same symptoms I had just one day before I became blocked off last time (which lead to an inability to even be catheterized, with a suprapubic instead).

So, I tried putting in a folley catheter- just in case. Thankfully I did too. In spite of supposed to be wide open, I hit a blockage. I managed to push past it though, and fighting too much resistance still got it in place and inflated the baloon. I'm stable for the moment, but don't dare to think about removing this catheter anytime soon.

I've already left a message for my doctor, and will probably have another consult with him soon. No idea what we can even do this time though. I've already decided that long term catheter use is not going to happen (as they are always painful/sore when inserted), and that any surgery which gets me another suprapubic pee hole is not going to happen either (the last one was 6 months of contant pain).

Honestly though, I know of no other alternatives for me now. And without any options left, that puts me right back into a dark place......
 
I’m very sorry to hear about your situation.
 
Just had the cystoscopy done. The findings were inconclusive. My urologist believes the possible "blockage" I had might be one of several things. But I am currently open and draining again with the catheter out.

It could be I do have another stricture, but the catheter effectively dilated my urethra back open. Or it could be that I had some tissue and/or a blood clot temporarily block me off. I've actually had this happen to me before too, and the catheter just unblocked me. Or it could have been the way I was sitting and lying down that could have put just enough pressure on my urethra it pinched me closed.

For now, it's a waiting game to see if it happens to me again. If it does, my urologist wants me to see him right away without putting in a catheter first. If not, it will be another three months before my followup for another cystoscopy.

IF it is another stricture from scar tissue, there is one more thing to try. He would remove it again via the same sphincterotoy type surgery, but then inject chemotherapy drugs into the that area. This would kill off the fast growing scar cells so normal tissue can take root again. Hope my hair doesn't fall out with that, but at least it's another option.

I'm pretty sure my reoccurance wasn't just pressure kinking my urethra. I know I had a physical blockage, though it's 50/50 on that returning. IF the turp surgery failed me, I'd be looking for the next surgery to be in January. We'll see.
 
Metoo said:
It's been a while since I've been here... My age has introduced me to new challenges to life. About a year ago I began experiencing some daytime wetting troubles and after much stressing, decided to visit the doctor.

What he diagnosed was OAB with Urge incontinence due to BPH. Turns out my prostate is "pretty big" in his words (baseball size). So I guess it's no wonder I'm have some issues. He put me on Flomax. That's helped immensely with being able to go. But I'm still having OAB and Urge troubles.

So. From what I've read, the answer to this is TURP. I'm wondering if anyone has decided to avoid the Turp surgery and just accept the problems that go with BPH? My symptoms are only occasional incontinence when I can't get to the bathroom and some night time incontinence. The idea of submitting to the costs, risks, pain and inconvenience just don't seem to be worth it.

I know this attitude is heavily frowned upon by the medical profession and I feel that I'm somewhat being coerced into a surgery I don't want to have or afford. So I'm interested in folks that have been thru the process and now have reservations/regrets. Thanks..

Another option to treat BPH is "rezum"--www.rezum.com instead of turp, they use water vapor. check with your doctor to see if turp, laser surgery or rezum would be best for you.
 
chuck said:
Another option to treat BPH is "rezum"--www.rezum.com instead of turp, they use water vapor. check with your doctor to see if turp, laser surgery or rezum would be best for you.

If you read back, I never had bph (enlarged prostate).

I've had scar tissue develop into stricture blockages due to previous surgeries. The stricture is in the area of my prostate, so had to have the turp to remove the stricture. Unfortunately, it seems as though the scarring grew back.
 
There are urinary stents. these can be used over the area of the prostate entry point into the urethra.
 
Slomo said:
If you read back, I never had bph (enlarged prostate).

I've had scar tissue develop into stricture blockages due to previous surgeries. The stricture is in the area of my prostate, so had to have the turp to remove the stricture. Unfortunately, it seems as though the scarring grew back.

I know what you have been through, Slomo. My message was for Metoo. Perhaps he could benefit from one of those procedures, or at least discuss them with his urologist. I also hope they can find a satisfactory treatment for your situation. Maybe a stent would help; I have heard about them for opening coronary arteries and pancreatic ducts; maybe they can be used in the urinary system also.
 
ArchtopK said:
There are urinary stents. these can be used over the area of the prostate entry point into the urethra.

I asked about them over 10 years ago. Urologists don't use stents any more. They cause scar tissue to develop and can get blocked off if it grows enough (which I am already dealing with). Oddly, they also tend to migrate, and won't stay in place.

Long term studies have shown stents to be only about 30% effective, and often require a repeat surgery within 10 years.
 
The saga continues. I just had another cystoscopy done. My urologist as able to confirm not only did the turp surgery fail, but I am back to being 100% blocked off again.

I had a folley catheter I put in place the day after my last cysto failed to detect anything. I took it out at 6 am today, hoping that would be enough time for my urethra to close off again. Sure enough, I was so closed off they had a hard time getting a metal guide wire past it and into my bladder.

And then the fun part was getting dilated back open enough for a catheter. As bad as that hurt, it thankfully worked. I guess I can't go without a catheter anymore, or it's another emergency suprapubic for me. And catheters hurt in themselves.

Worst of all though, the Navy Hospital my latest urologist is at, doesn't have the facilities for anything "radical". He wants me to go to my local university hospital.

Except that place is a joke. There is no bedside manner, and I've never gotten care from there. Only treatment. And to add insult to injury, I'm expected to go back to the urologist there- who the last two times I saw said "I will not help you".

I'm checking to see if the Mayo Clinic or VA can help me out. Till then I'm in a permanent holding pattern.
 
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