Prostate laser surgery - my journey
Discussion
Just sat in bed at the Fosecote Hospital in Banbury post laser reduction treatment on my enlarged prostate. Bit bored so I thought I would start a thread to share my experiences, help the time pass and maybe help others considering this option.
Quick back story. I’ve had reduced flow when urinating for about 10 years, I’m 58 now so it started quite young. After a couple of cameras up the willy I got diagnosed with BPHT, benign prostate hypertension I think it stands for, ever since then I’ve been on Tamsulosin and Dutasteride. The side effects of these have not been too bad, reduced libido, occasional dry orgasms and a bit less stiff the most notable ones.
I have never not been able to wee but it’s been a bit close sometimes especially at night, I find a brief walk about sometimes helps. I love long road trips but these have been increasingly more tricky as time wears on, if I leave it to long before a wee stop then I can need another one 10 mins later which is a drag! The really uncomfortable bit for me has been the occasional UTI’s. I have been averaging about one every 6 months or so. These knock me about quite a bit and they take a good 3 weeks or so to clear up with antibiotics. It’s like a good firm kick in the knackers for about 3 weeks. All in all I feel like I can manage the problems but as time has progressed it does have a big impact on my quality of life.
About a year ago I was reading some threads on here about the development of prostate treatments and I started to seriously consider going for elective surgery. The treatments are available on the NHS I think but as I understand it they are a fair way down the priority list which is fair enough.
It’s not been an easy decision to make. I am not good with medical matters at the best of times, I can’t even watch casualty, and it’s a bit of a lonely experience being lost in your own head. The thought of not actually being able to wee at all has been a big motivator, I don’t fancy that.
For me the pros have been: proper weeing again, stop taking the drugs, quality of life hopefully.
The Cons: it’s irreversible, dry orgasms, possible side effects, fear of the unknown.
So here I am, had the op this morning, hooked up to a 3 way catheter which is jet washing all the crap and blood out of my bladder and wondering what happens next. Apparently I’ve got to learn how to wee again, which could be interesting.
Not feeling to bad at the moment but I’m not looking under the blanket just in case I flake out
Any questions fire away I’ve got nothing else to do at the moment.
Quick back story. I’ve had reduced flow when urinating for about 10 years, I’m 58 now so it started quite young. After a couple of cameras up the willy I got diagnosed with BPHT, benign prostate hypertension I think it stands for, ever since then I’ve been on Tamsulosin and Dutasteride. The side effects of these have not been too bad, reduced libido, occasional dry orgasms and a bit less stiff the most notable ones.
I have never not been able to wee but it’s been a bit close sometimes especially at night, I find a brief walk about sometimes helps. I love long road trips but these have been increasingly more tricky as time wears on, if I leave it to long before a wee stop then I can need another one 10 mins later which is a drag! The really uncomfortable bit for me has been the occasional UTI’s. I have been averaging about one every 6 months or so. These knock me about quite a bit and they take a good 3 weeks or so to clear up with antibiotics. It’s like a good firm kick in the knackers for about 3 weeks. All in all I feel like I can manage the problems but as time has progressed it does have a big impact on my quality of life.
About a year ago I was reading some threads on here about the development of prostate treatments and I started to seriously consider going for elective surgery. The treatments are available on the NHS I think but as I understand it they are a fair way down the priority list which is fair enough.
It’s not been an easy decision to make. I am not good with medical matters at the best of times, I can’t even watch casualty, and it’s a bit of a lonely experience being lost in your own head. The thought of not actually being able to wee at all has been a big motivator, I don’t fancy that.
For me the pros have been: proper weeing again, stop taking the drugs, quality of life hopefully.
The Cons: it’s irreversible, dry orgasms, possible side effects, fear of the unknown.
So here I am, had the op this morning, hooked up to a 3 way catheter which is jet washing all the crap and blood out of my bladder and wondering what happens next. Apparently I’ve got to learn how to wee again, which could be interesting.
Not feeling to bad at the moment but I’m not looking under the blanket just in case I flake out
Any questions fire away I’ve got nothing else to do at the moment.
sjwb said:
Having gone through a TURP twice I understand your thoughts and feelings.
This time next year it will all be a dim memory and you will be getting on with life again.
Apropos the TURP, it is a physical cutting procedure as against your laser process.
Both procedures can produce differing outcomes.
Don't be too concerned about the performance and ejaculation aspect; it changes with time. Your body will adapt and may well return to normal.
My experience is that the medics will always and understandably, err on the cautious side.
Get well soon and be aware that you will never forget where every toilet is on any journey that you may take.
Thanks for that This time next year it will all be a dim memory and you will be getting on with life again.
Apropos the TURP, it is a physical cutting procedure as against your laser process.
Both procedures can produce differing outcomes.
Don't be too concerned about the performance and ejaculation aspect; it changes with time. Your body will adapt and may well return to normal.
My experience is that the medics will always and understandably, err on the cautious side.
Get well soon and be aware that you will never forget where every toilet is on any journey that you may take.
V8covin said:
There's various new less invasive methods out now to shrink the prostate.Steam via the urethra being one.
What made you choose laser ?
I was really up for the steam treatment, Rezum I think is one brand. The consultant was prepared to do either but the laser was his preferred option once he had a look at my scans so I went with that.What made you choose laser ?
He was a bit dismissive of the less invasive claims of the steam treatment. His take on it is that the laser removes the material and cauterizes as it goes whereas the steam kills the cells but is less effective at removing them. My laser treatment was also via the urethra so that is very similar. I am told that the recovery time is also very similar. Time will tell.
It would be interesting to see if anyone on here has had the steam treatment and compare notes.
V8covin said:
Was this NHS or private ? If it were private what does it cost ?
At some point in the future I will need a procedure of some sort
Private as it’s elective surgery. I could go on the NHS but quite rightly I would be a fair way down a very long list, especially as I was managing it ok in my own little way.At some point in the future I will need a procedure of some sort
Not actually had the bill yet but the quote is about £7K all in. I am a bit surprised as I thought you had to pay up front, perhaps they have forgotten
So things have moved on at a pace today. After a night of jet washing and almost no sleep the first job this morning was to remove the catheter. That f
king hurt! To be fair it’s the only bit that has so far. I had a big doctor chap tugging it out, finally it came out with a bit of blood and gore and left me with a rather sad sore willy. The next few hours I needed to wee every 45mins or so and it was a bit uncomfortable, not in the bladder or prostate like it was for me pre op but just where the catheter was. They check how much retained fluid there is in the bladder after most wees, initially there was quite a lot 300Mls or so. However by early afternoon it was down to 85Mls, the good to go home level is below 100mls retained so I’ve got a pass out. 
As far as weeing goes I now have a strong stream and it’s a world apart from yesterday. Still a little bit of blood in the urine but not much and I think it’s from the uthrea not the prostate.
All good so far. I am not going to chance fate but I am feeling quite positive about things at the moment. I will go home and have an early night.
king hurt! To be fair it’s the only bit that has so far. I had a big doctor chap tugging it out, finally it came out with a bit of blood and gore and left me with a rather sad sore willy. The next few hours I needed to wee every 45mins or so and it was a bit uncomfortable, not in the bladder or prostate like it was for me pre op but just where the catheter was. They check how much retained fluid there is in the bladder after most wees, initially there was quite a lot 300Mls or so. However by early afternoon it was down to 85Mls, the good to go home level is below 100mls retained so I’ve got a pass out. As far as weeing goes I now have a strong stream and it’s a world apart from yesterday. Still a little bit of blood in the urine but not much and I think it’s from the uthrea not the prostate.
All good so far. I am not going to chance fate but I am feeling quite positive about things at the moment. I will go home and have an early night.
Nice long lie in this morning. Still had to get up a couple of times for a wee in the night but it’s a quick and easy process now rather than a struggle. No real discomfort now just a bit of a tingle in the urethra from the catheter. Not sure that I am emptying the bladder fully yet but apparently I may have to retrain it! I’m not that good training the dogs, not sure how to start on a bladder????
I will give everything a few days to settle down and report back.
So far though it’s been ok not sure what I was worried about. ———— i wonder if it still works 
I will give everything a few days to settle down and report back.
So far though it’s been ok
not sure what I was worried about. ———— i wonder if it still works So time for another quick update. It’s been a slightly bumpy week but overall things are improving all the time. I can wee great now, really strong stream. I did have a bit of a mid week panic when I noticed that I was leaking a small amount of wee between toilet visits. However the consultant was very reassuring that this is normal and it will sort itself out in time. I think he is right as it’s definitely getting better, hopefully won’t be needed the “Tenna for Men” just yet, if there is such a thing?
The bladder training is going fine as well, it’s just a case of regulating fluid intake and output and sometimes ignoring the sensation of needing a wee for a while. Weeing into a measuring jug is a whole new ballgame as well. Target is a 400ML wee every 4 hours or so, which after 10 years of doing about 20, 150ML wees a day is quite different.
My general comfort level has improved a lot as well. With my enlarged prostate there was a feeling of discomfort in my groin and testicles, a bit like a headache in the groin. I did occasionally take painkillers when it was bad. Hopefully I am not tempting fate but that appears to have gone now. The only sore bit that remains is the urethra. That is improving all the time but it’s a slow old process.
Exercise and alcohol are back on the agenda now. Might be a little while longer before I test for full function 
. Only a matter of time.
So far so good, not there yet but feeling a lot more positive about the outcome than this time last week.
Thanks for the discussion and feedback, I am not sure that I would have had this treatment without reading about it on here so this is my little way of trying to put something back.
The bladder training is going fine as well, it’s just a case of regulating fluid intake and output and sometimes ignoring the sensation of needing a wee for a while. Weeing into a measuring jug is a whole new ballgame as well. Target is a 400ML wee every 4 hours or so, which after 10 years of doing about 20, 150ML wees a day is quite different.
My general comfort level has improved a lot as well. With my enlarged prostate there was a feeling of discomfort in my groin and testicles, a bit like a headache in the groin. I did occasionally take painkillers when it was bad. Hopefully I am not tempting fate but that appears to have gone now. The only sore bit that remains is the urethra. That is improving all the time but it’s a slow old process.
Exercise and alcohol are back on the agenda now
. Might be a little while longer before I test for full function . Only a matter of time.So far so good, not there yet but feeling a lot more positive about the outcome than this time last week.
Thanks for the discussion and feedback, I am not sure that I would have had this treatment without reading about it on here so this is my little way of trying to put something back.
Edited by bigmowley on Saturday 7th November 17:50
Sorry but I have been a bit slack on updating my thread post op.
The simple answer is bloody brilliant, everything is working as it should. Rarely get up at night for a wee but if I do it’s because I need one.
The retraining the bladder process is quite a long slow one and for me really is a thing. After so many years of having flow obstruction from the prostate the bladder does behave rather oddly sometimes. The feeling of the need to pee is not that strong for me and I need to remember to go regularly during the day. As long as I do that then everything is fine. I am getting better at it as time goes on. What is bliss is going for a 2 or 3 hour drive and not needing to wee, loving it
I still get a bit of prostate discomfort, prostatitis I think, but it’s far less than before and it is reducing, this is quite normal according to my surgeon.
All in all I am delighted and I would recommend it to anyone else suffering like I was.
The simple answer is bloody brilliant, everything is working as it should. Rarely get up at night for a wee but if I do it’s because I need one.
The retraining the bladder process is quite a long slow one and for me really is a thing. After so many years of having flow obstruction from the prostate the bladder does behave rather oddly sometimes. The feeling of the need to pee is not that strong for me and I need to remember to go regularly during the day. As long as I do that then everything is fine. I am getting better at it as time goes on. What is bliss is going for a 2 or 3 hour drive and not needing to wee, loving it
I still get a bit of prostate discomfort, prostatitis I think, but it’s far less than before and it is reducing, this is quite normal according to my surgeon.
All in all I am delighted and I would recommend it to anyone else suffering like I was.
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