TURP Procedure

[MaxBenjamin]

Has anyone gone thru this procedure? Side affects and how long does it take to recover and get back to normal (if that's possible.....) MAX

[noirhole]

I thought you might mean "slide" effects. My dad had it in his 40's no long term issues he is 86. Found out he had mild prostate cancer 2 years ago and had 36 rounds of radiation. Good luck. Have you tried flow max if you are having trouble urinating.

[MaxBenjamin in reply to noirhole]

I would prefer "the slide effects" rather than some of the side affects I have been reading about. My urologist wanted to put me on some type of medication (one of the beta blockers), but after checking it out and researching it, I decided not to go that route (too many side affects and sometimes it takes a month or longer to be effective) and chose the TURP. Procedure to be done this week...trying to be very positive....Thanks for your reply and glad to hear about your dad......

[adlerman in reply to MaxBenjamin]

the listed side effects are the drug companies cya in case anyone tries to sue them. The list will cover terrible things up to and including death and then close with- this is not a complete list of side effects. Some people only get mild versions of one or more side effects. Some get more side effects than others. There is no way to tell ahead of time.

So it's a crap shoot.

[BrianE]

I had a TURP two years ago because of urinary problems. I stayed in hospital for two nights until my catheter was removed. The procedure was not as bad I I had expected.

I was back to walking my dog for an hour twice a day after a week. I was driving after two weeks and cycling after a month, my urologist said it should have been three but I am addict.

The only lasting side effect was retrograde ejaculation.

Unfortunately the biopsy was not good - see my profile but with luck you will be back to normal soon.

Brian

[MaxBenjamin in reply to BrianE]

Thank you for your reply. I am also very active like you and in pretty good shape. My Urologist tells me I should come thru this thing very well based on my health. He did a prostate biopsy on me last year (no anasthesia) and I overcame the "side affects in 2 days-took about a week for the blood in my semen to go away)..I was diagnosed with High Grade PIN...I feel confident and positive that I am making the right decision....wishing you the very best.......

[Hidden]

I had this procedure about 11 years ago. One night in the hospital. Left with a standard foley catheter that stayed in place something like 5 days if memory serves. Only restriction was not to lift heavy objects, which I also interpreted as no ambitious stretching, for a month. No problem other than the retrograde ejaculation already mentioned here. My only regret was not having it done sooner. I debated between standard TURP and laser. My surgeon was more experienced and comfortable with standard TURP so that's what I chose. I think the laser style is more applicable to men who are on serious blood thinners because of heart issues. Not a doctor, just a happy TURP veteran. Good God almighty I can pee again, was my reaction to this surgery. Flomax is a bandaid they give you to justify putting off surgery.

[MaxBenjamin in reply to Hidden]

I enjoyed reading your reply. Thanks for taking the time to do so....I hope I can come thru this thing like you. I feel the same way about some of these prescription options they offer an individual....Am tired of waking up 3-5 times a nite, or making sure I am aware of where a bathroom or men's room is located...Concerned somewhat about this retograde ejaculation, but I guess I will learn to live with it.....Wishing you and yours the very best....

[MyDad76]

My dad had it. Recovery was uneventful. But prostate cancer was detected after analysing tissues taken during TURP procedure.

[drsridhar53]

Don't despair yet Max I had this nasty procedure done 7 years back. Had hell for the first 18 months, pain, irritation and the lot. After that it let off slowly. Very slowly, very very slowly. Even now occasionally pissing is painful to very painful ...i.e after 7 years! All this nonsense about drink a lot of water, making the urine less acidic .....nothing helps, except the hope that there is tomorrow. All hogwash. Not even urinary Analgesics help. You have to just bear it. I do have pain even now but on the whole bearable. But think of tomorrow and a holiday with the grand kids...now that is an effective antidote.

[whatsinaname in reply to drsridhar53]

Thank you for your honest reply. Cheers !!

[MaxBenjamin in reply to drsridhar53]

Sorry to hear that you had to go thru hell with this procedure...My Urologist tells it like it is and mentioned some men have great difficulty and others come thru it very well...I hope I'm in the latter category...I'm feeling confident and positive...wishing you the best tomorrow's.......

[Xfire]

I had this done 2x. Once about 15 years ago with a local anesthesia, Cath over night . Slightly bloody urin and semen for about 6 weeks. Burning urination for 2 days. Retrograde ejaculation forever , different degrees each time. Second TURP exactly 1 year ago. Under general anesthesia, along with a biopsy. Over night in hosp. with Cath. After Cath out, same symptoms as the first time. Cancer diagnosed 3 days after my 58th birthday. Easy peesy......we are talking race horse!

[MaxBenjamin in reply to Xfire]

I'm 13 years older than you...sorry to hear what you have been thru....Thanks for your honest reply...Wising you and yours the very best.......

[drsridhar53 in reply to MaxBenjamin]

You two guys are mere boys! I can understand your testing the slide!!I I am 78. Good luck Max

[Hidden]

I had a few TURPs done after radiation one night in the hospital with a catheter.

[MaxBenjamin in reply to Hidden]

Hope your doing well..thanks for the response...

[Hidden in reply to MaxBenjamin]

I am ok, one word of warning, don't have too many.

[OldFart81]

Max...

Rule #1: Make sure you have a highly competent surgeon!

Rule #2: Get a BNP at the same time as your TURP!

Rule #3: Make sure your surgeon sends at least 50 samples to a lab for analysis and Gleason ranking.

I've had 3 TURPs because my first surgeon was incompetent. I hope that telling you my woes will guide you to a more acceptable process. No overnight hospital stays were covered by my insurance for any of my 3 TURPS and I was dismissed from the hospital O.R. within 2 hours in each instance.

TURP #1...

I was 1 of 19 souls (18 men, 1 woman) lined up in hospital gowns waiting for the chance to suffer. After surgery, soreness for 3 weeks, catheter for 10 days, minor blood in urine, only minor improvement in urine flow and frequency. After 9 months, it was obvious that I needed another TURP.

TURP #2...

Horrors. Visiting nurse had to remove and flush catheter, then reinsert it. Then I couldn't pee. Scrotum swelled to grapefruit size. My wife rushed me to different hospital's emergency room. Super middle-of-the-night O.R. techs resolved those problems, but pissing pain remained for 2 months. Retrograde ejaculations.

TURP #3...

Four years later, new surgeon's notes said when he started the operation he found "a virgin prostate." Channel was so restricted that he decided to also do a Bladder Neck Procedure to facilitate better urine passage. Catheter for a week. At follow-up visit, surgeon started by saying "I bet you can pee like a horse now!" He was right! Much better flow and far less frequency. Blood and tissue matter in urine daily for a week, then none, then a big blast of scar tissue exodus 3 months later. Then, fine. Relief.

It's now 16 years since TURP #3. No pain. No flow problems. I drink 90-110 ounces of liquids daily. Normal urine appearance, except after eating beets!

And a blessing... The tissue samples revealed that my cancer is slow-growth and I have a 3+3=6 Gleason rating.

Max...my first 2 TURPs were by a surgeon highly recommended by 2 other doctors. Be cautious! I learned on this site that all prostate surgeries are best performed at TEACHING Hospitals. Mine weren't.

[MaxBenjamin in reply to OldFart81]

WOW! I don't believe I ever heard a story like this-thank you for posting and for your honesty. I have confidence in my Urologist even though he is not affiliated with a teaching hospital (although he is associated with a Medical School here in NEPA). He's very experienced and teaches other Urologists the robotic prostate surgery procedure..I hope I have the same results as you with TURP #3..He did a biopsy on me last year and I was diagnosed with HIGH GRADE PIN and went with active surveilance...He showed me a picture of my prostate after the biopsy and it is greatly enlarged (83% volume or capacity)? He said the average 25 yr. old man is at 23%....Anyhow we shall see what happens...I'm positive and will remain that way....wishing you the very best of health....

[MrEd44]

They wanted to do TURP on me seven years ago. My Brother in Law is a doctor and he suggested Green Light Laser instead. I had to over rule the surgeon whom insisted on TURP and said I wouldn't acheive good results unless I went with TURP. Green LIght Laser gave me a good outcome without much bleeding. Same potential side effects. I would choose which ever method I was most comfortable with after research. In my experience you can have good results either way.

[Wdoug]

Think I had a super big prostate since childhood. Every time I rode in car or sat at football game for long period, it would take me a long time to pee. I'd had 3 biopsies for PC with PSA's at 4,6 and 9. Then I had some blood in urine after walking for long periods and stones were noted in my bladder. Urologist said he'd take out about 60% of prostate and blast stones in one operation. SUCCESS, I could piss like a racehorse and not have to sit in stall to get started. Couldn't lift heave stuff for a while but was so happy to use a urinal like regular people. No cancer was noted in 60% of my prostate.

However 2 more biopsies were needed as PSA continued upward. The last was directed by an MRI and found some bad stuff. My Dad and his Dad had had PC so I was resigned to accepting it. But the TURP was the best thing since sliced bread or close dancing or whatever. The pluses way outweighed the inconvenience -- PC and Lupron are another thing -- but I'm alive and kickin'.

[geo3]

Flew from SF, Ca to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN for HoLEP instead of Green Light or TURP. One night in hospital. Recovered from incontinence in days. Highly recommended. And MAYO is incredibly caring and patient centered.

Had been on meds far too long (7 years) and so such a relief to be off meds. Had some retro ejaculation from meds, and more from surgery. Even that was recovering at one year after surgery. (Does the bladder neck grow back?)

Medicare and AARP paid for everything but the plane tickets, food and lodging.

Relief after is wonderful. My wife can hear the sound difference across the room.

Don't stay on meds and delay -- whichever procedure you select.

[MaxBenjamin]

Glad to hear that everything worked out and that your lifestyle has improved greatly..I was considering going to Philly (UP), but I have tremendous confidence with my Urologist who has a great reputation and is very talented.(He wanted me on meds-turned that option down)...Will check out the procedure you mentioned....I also have Medicare and AARP...am confident everything will turn out ok....

[Mkeman]

I would encourage you to look at the HOLep (Holium laser enucleation of the prostate). You can Google it or find information on the Mayo Clinic website. After learning I needed prostate surgery a year ago, I researched the TURP and other available procedures. I found that that the HOLep was endorsed by Mayo,so I looked for a urologist that performed the procedure locally. There was one in the entire state. Apparently the learning curve for the procedure is up to six months, so urologists who have been in.practice for a while, aren’t able to take the time off to learn it. Doctors now in or coming out of urology programs are being taught to perform it. I was in the hospital overnight after having the surgery under general anesthesia. The next morning they removed the catheter. After emptying my bladder twice, I was sent home with virtually no restrictions except not to do heavy lifting and not to drive until the anesthesia was out of my system. I had no pain whatsoever upon waking up in the recovery room and had none thereafter. I had some blood in the urine and a slight amount of leakage for two to three weeks and after that my urinary control improved steadily. One benefit oF this technique is that tissue is not vaporized and is saved for review by a pathologist. When I went in for my two week follow up, the doctor said there was good news and bad news. The good news was that the HOLep was a total success. The bad....the pathology report showed I had advanced prostate cancer, Gleason 4 plus 5 or 9. An apppointment had already been made for me with an oncologist specializing in prostate cancer.

But that is a subject for another day. Good luck to you.

[maxieb1965 in reply to Mkeman]

I sincerely appreciate your response and the info re the procedure...Am in the process of reading and learning more about it....I wish you the very best in your fight against this terrible disease......

[Stegosaurus37]

Had a TURP when the lupron wasn't shrinking the prostate. Had a Foley catheter for another week and Depends underwear for about another month. Then back to normal such as I haven't experienced in years! Saw my urologist in the hall at Kaiser a couple of weeks ago and thanked her for doing such a great job on me. Muscle control took a while to regain control but nothing happens fast when you're 75.

[MaxBenjamin in reply to Stegosaurus37]

Glad to hear that everything worked out well for you. Getting ready to go the surgery center-hopefully I will have the same results as you.....Continued good health to you.........

[Sriyantra]

Hi everyone, I'm also needing advice about this and appreciate all the posts here. My situation is since I have been on Lupron (for metastatic PCa) I can pee slow but OK (maybe 50%) and without pain but my main issue is that my bladder retains most of what I drink during the day for some reason (why is this?) and then the nighttime is terribly disturbed with between 3 and 8 visits to toilets (well, I have glass jars next to my bed for convenience!).

My oncologist wants me to have this done ASAP so that they can get tissue samples (never had a biopsy cos I refused a year ago) to enable them to genetically sequence my disease to figure out how what drugs or trials I might be eligible for next at the Royal Marsden in London. I'm dealing with widespread metastatic PCa at 50 years old, diagnosed last Aug. On Enzalutamide now but not responding very much after almost 3 months 😔. PSA still rising and approaching 100. Help very much appreciated!