Posted on 11/10/2023 8:01:10 AM PST by far sider
I am a 250-lb, 6-foot, 65 year-old Freeper from southern Ohio. I have been on 80 mg FloMax since summer and I don't like it. And it doesn't seem to work that well.
I have seen that there are several different surgical options. I would appreciate anyone who could share their experience and/or advice. Thanks.
Understood. I do like my occasional martini and a glass of wine with dinner occasionally too. Not every night ... but more than once a week I'd say and I would really miss it.
Not really, doctors say that ever man who reaches 60s or 70s has prostate cancer. The question is whether its aggressive and life threatening. Many times doctors will recommend no treatment for older men because something else is likely to kill you first.
Based on the totality of comments over all things medical here, please get the advice of your doctor and his colleagues for the best options for you.
If you would like to email me by freepmail please do
ask your doctor to proscribe finasteride for you.
that will enable you to pee. definitely.
if you have to go the surgical route, then the procedure that enables you to remain fully functional is an aqua ablation. it removes tissue with a water jet.
bkmk
One of the best kept secret and least painful treatment in America and the world is the use of Cialis for prostate/BHI issues:
Since 2011, Cialis (tadalafil) has been approved by the FDA for daily use in treatment for men with enlarged prostate, or BPH.1
Dr. Hatzimouratidis K. A review of the use of tadalafil in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in men with and without erectile dysfunction. Ther Adv Urol. 2014;6(4):135-47. doi:10.1177/1756287214531639
It’s the same medication as for sexual and erectile dysfunction, but it’s just taken daily as a lower dose. This has the potential to make
4 years ago my Urologist with consultation with my FP and Cardio MD convinced them to have me try Cialis for constant having to empty my bladder at age of 80. I also take Bumex a potent diuretic each morning for my CHF. Bumex makes most of us pee like race horses for 4-6 hours. I seem to have urinary issues for most of the afternoon.
So, I take a Cialis in the early or late afternoon. With the Cialis, often I only need to pee in late afternoon and before bedtime. My BP is about 100 over 70 with a regular heart beat.
Hospitals, pharmacies and FPs probably don’t want to see Cialis used as a simple and low cost use where Cialis doubly beneficial for both urination and sexual functioning in men with enlarged prostate.
I believe it is outpatient “surgery,” but just entails X-rays and an injection of, I think, plastic spheres.
The prostate should shrink from having the total blood supply reduced, as I understand, down by 1/3, or so.
A little over two years ago, I had a urinary tract infection (UTI), for which I was given antibiotics and recovered completely in a week, but had lingering difficult and painful urinations — for which I was prescribed FloMax (Tamsulosin) which restored the stream but negatively impacted my vision and caused my Internal Optical Pressure (glaucoma) to rise significantly.
The literature I read that came with the FloMax did describe this very negative side effect in about 6% of the users. The medication works by relaxing the muscle that goes through the prostate gland while not effecting the prostate gland which continues to enlarge. So I made the very conscious decision to maintain my vision rather than have that better flow — but when I went for my annual checkup, and informed the doctor of that, he asked me if I wanted to try another medication — which is Finasteride, which in a smaller dose, is used to treat premature hair loss, and in the larger dose, to shrink the prostate. It seemed odd to me that that was not the medication of first resort — and I could address two birds (and more) with one stone.
Finasteride works by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes both the hair loss, and the enlargement of the prostate, as well as several other hormonal effects associated with aging. However, those effects are much slower — rather than offering the immediate relief through the muscle relaxation. But the chemicals that cause relaxation of that muscle running through the prostate also causes that same relaxation of the muscle of the iris — thus resulting in the floppy iris syndrome among those predisposed to that condition — which the doctor who performed my cataract surgery a few months prior informed me I had. I asked him if the cataract operation would cure that as well as restoring my vision — but he informed me there was no cure for floppy iris and it was just a condition that he had to consider in performing the cataract operation.
So when I saw my glaucoma doctor and informed her of all this, she was not interested in a cure for floppy iris, but noted that my eye pressure was elevated and the next step might be glaucoma surgery — that she had to put on hold until she returned from her vacation in Hawaii. So she prescribed a medication for reducing the production of the aqueous humor of the eye — rather than just more medications and procedures to increase the drainage. That proper balance is controlled on both sides of that equation — but there is a tendency to just treat it from one side.
Long story short, there are alternatives to the standard protocols adopted as a first choice — but the patient has to do their own homework and have an input in driving those decisions. That’s unfortunately what a lot of doctors don’t let you know.
Harvard stopped recommending PSA tests about 9-10 years ago.
When is it time to stop being checked for prostate cancer?
March 12, 2014
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/when-is-it-time-to-stop-being-checked-for-prostate-cancer
Check it out - lots of info:
Episode 09.25.2023 - Everything You Need To Know About Prostate Health
https://thedrardisshow.com/episode-09-25-2023-everything-you-need-to-know-about-prostate-health
In this Episode, Dr. Ardis talks on everything you need to know about prostate health. He began by sharing about the “Healing for Ages” conference and urged people to reach out to him for healing help. He also gave a shout-out to some websites for affordable food and medical advocacy services.
Dr. Ardis then talked about a supplement formula he created in 2017 for urinary issues. It worked wonders for him and many others, helping alleviate symptoms like dribbling and frequent urination. He stressed the importance of understanding the prostate gland and early detection and prevention of issues, including cancer.
He explained the structure and function of the prostate gland, highlighting how an enlarged prostate can cause bladder emptying issues. He shared about benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement, and how he reversed symptoms through nutrition and lifestyle changes.
Moving forward, Dr. Ardis touched on PSA levels, noting the risk of misdiagnosis in black men due to established levels based on white populations. He discussed different stages of prostate cancer and highlighted that a low PSA level doesn’t necessarily rule out prostate cancer.
He emphasized trusting symptoms over PSA levels for diagnosis and moved on to discuss natural remedies for prostate health. He listed various beneficial foods and suggested using warm and cold water alternately for improved bladder health. He mentioned a paper from NIH that talked about the benefits of pumpkin seed extract for people with enlarged prostates.
He also discussed the benefits of various herbs and supplements for managing chronic prostatitis and enlarged prostates, and cited studies that suggest these can even help reverse prostate cancer. Dr. Ardis wrapped up by recommending Prostate Pro capsules to alleviate symptoms and improve bladder health and shared some upcoming events in various cities.
What Eccl said.
BTTT
Thank you for offering that.
🎯🎯🎯
You HAVE to drop the weight. It contributes to bad health in so many ways. As a previous poster said, no excuses. It can be done and must be done if you want a long life.
Things to remove from your diet: red meat, fast food, sodas, sugars, alcohol.
Things to add to your diet: Grains, legumes, beans, vegetables, fruit, fiber .. and WATER. Lack of sufficient water makes your heart struggle so much harder.
Incorporate exercise as a daily thing. This is not negotiable. Anything ... walking, weights, cardio, pilates, yoga, whatever. Do something.
You are lucky that you only have an enlarged prostrate and not a cancerous one. My husband had a normal PSA but the digital and the follow-up biopsy showed cancer. Prostate was removed and he's doing great and yes, fully functional. But I think a meat diet and his age got him to that point.
It sounds like you're in the early stages and if so your problem can be reversed. But you have to take it seriously.
Be smart about this, and feel free to PM me.
bttt
I was in the same boat, started taking Saw Palmetto capsules, these right here: https://tinyurl.com/2h6ky8pe I got from Amazon. I started with 6 capsules a day for the first week then 4 capsules, 2 or 3 times a day - after +6 months that is still the amount that I take and they work, period. Take more if you need, but start with 2 or 3 capsules in the AM and 2 or 3 capsules in the PM. You should notice a difference in a week, maybe two, then you can adjust your dose.
My husband was just started on Gemtesa. After a couple of days it kicked in, and he is able to go hours without urgency or frequency, which, in the past, sometimes led to incontinence. He was on Myrbetriq, which didn’t help nearly as much.
30 yr old already with P problems? Or reading about future possible problems?
You will get all kinds of advice on here. Most of it is not professional at all and some of it if followed could kill you.
First...listen to your Dr.
Second ..I recently had a scare with very advanced prostate Ca. The first Dr recommended a TURP. It is a trans uretheral resection. of prostate tissue overgrowth I agreed..uggh..
I should have demanded he also do a biopsy...and that first. I didn’t and it ended up with the resection followed by the Dr telling me I had advanced cancer and was going to die. I got a second opinion and that Dr said there was no metastasis and also full Surgery would be the best option.
find a support group. some good ones on facebook.
So...First...Make sure they do a biopsy or You may end up with a resection and then surgery as well..that is...two surgeries when only one was needed.
Without a biopsy how are they going to be able to tell if you have advanced cancer. They couldn’t with mine and it was advanced. i had low psa
Don’t worry about the side effects, you can deal with them.
I can tell you that doing a conservative thing and then finding out you should have made a more aggressive decision will cause you to beat yourself over the head.
You didn’t mention a biopsy. Get it done. If I had done that, I would have only had one surgery instead of 2. Second opinions are always good
finally, God gave man the knowledge of medicine in order to use it.
Failing to do so could result in a bad outcome.
Cialis will not only help with urine flow it also helps with ed.and it lasts for days.
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