Urinary Retention

[Juju0713]

Hello, my dad (age 61) was diagnosed with stage 4 (Gleason 9) with multiple bone metastases back in September of 2022. We have since found out he is also BRCA2 positive with a germline mutation. He has just completed round 6 of docetaxel yesterday. He has been complaining of difficulty urinating now for many months leading up to his diagnosis and it has continued to worsen up until this morning when he had to go to the ER for being unable to urinate. They inserted a catheter and d/c him with instructions to follow up with urologist. He has told his MO about this obviously at every appointment but nothing has been done to try and address it that I am aware of.....obviously probably related to the cancer but is there nothing else that can be done at this point? He does not want to continue with the catheter indefinitely if there are other options. I figured they might at least do an ultrasound of the bladder or something at the ER but just took a urine sample (negative for infection) and sent him out with the catheter. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations regarding this? Thank you all

[Tall_Allen]

Good idea to meet with a urologist and discuss TURP of some kind.

[Juju0713 in reply to Tall_Allen]

thank you for the quick response, TA

[spencoid2]

What is his history, any radiation? This can cause radiation cyctitis. I have had all the urinary problems possible, urgency, frequency and alternating with retention. I had two cystocopies which revealed a big mess but nothing could be seen in detail. There are other complications but I am pretty sure that there is scaring near my bladder neck. The only treatment proposed was a TURP. It took me three years to incompletely recover from a TURP performed on an emergency basis. Irradiated tissue can take a long time to heal. So I caution against a TURP.

I did have a miracle cure and repeated it recently when retention became a minor problem again.

At the worst I could not even insert a catheter. After the cure it was and continues to not be a problem inserting a catheter.

The cure is described in a couple of my posts but is simply a sustained hot compress with a castor oil soaked pad and a heating pad. I had no thoughts that this would accomplish anything but it did in a matter of days. After the recent treatment for another 5 days my urination has been closer to normal than it has been in 10 years.

[Hidden in reply to spencoid2]

I had TURP surgery for BPH (enlarged prostate) 10 years prior to being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The surgery went fine. My only regret is that I waited so long to have it done.

[Juju0713 in reply to Hidden]

thank you

[Huzzah1 in reply to spencoid2]

I can't find those posts of yours, I would like to hear more about the Castor oil.

[Juju0713 in reply to spencoid2]

no, no history of any radiation or anything prior to stage 4 dx mentioned above (other than urinary symptoms which led to dx)

[chips1942]

Get to skilled urologist and ask about the viability of a suprapubic catheter. My uncle had one for over 10 years in his 80s. Can be easily hidden, requires some maintenance but avoided several trips to the emergency room.

[j-o-h-n]

Julu, Don't be a fruit get your Dad a new M O......Drop the current one who DGAS about his/her paYtients..... FYI (DGAS = Doesn't Give A Shit).....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 02/01/2023 5:57 PM EST

[Juju0713 in reply to j-o-h-n]

I was wondering the same thing, feel like there has been some oversight regarding his complaints to put it nicely, frustrating that we have to be such advocates for simple adequate care…….

[Hidden in reply to Juju0713]

That's not unusual for this dang disease. So many choices / options ... and it seems to fall on the patient to figure out the best path to pursue. It is worse when the doctors aren't the best.

[Hidden in reply to j-o-h-n]

J-o-h-n -- you're back! Glad to hear from you!!! 😎

[j-o-h-n in reply to Hidden]

Thank you............ and I'm lucky..... I now work for the Philadelphia Eagles football organization (7 days a week).

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 02/01/2023 7:33 PM EST

[Jac_J]

After complete urinary retention 2 years ago I underwent a Green Light Vaporisation of the Prostate.

Relatively painless and quick procedure. Over night hospital stay. Total success from day one.

Highly recommended. Proves that Doctors can occasionally be useful.

menshealthmelbourne.com.au/...

[Juju0713 in reply to Jac_J]

thank you

[j-o-h-n]

I agree, they should pay us for doing the overseers job(s). What I did once, was to post the name of one bastard of a urologist here. Her name is Tricia Greene and practices in New York State.

Not being able to urinate can be very painful......almost like passing a kidney stone. Give your Dad my best wishes (and to you too).....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 02/01/2023 6:19 PM EST

[Hidden in reply to j-o-h-n]

Not being able to urinate is both painful and panic inducing to the extreme.

[Juju0713 in reply to Hidden]

I can only imagine how awful it must be, thank you all for the advice and support, this platform is such a great resource

[turkeyjoe1 in reply to Juju0713]

I had a TURP. 1 night in the hospital. 2 days of management of pain. Worked great.

[cancerfox]

This is probably wildly stupid, and I'm no doctor, but would something like tamsulosine help? Just wondering. 🦊

[Juju0713 in reply to cancerfox]

Not stupid at all! He is currently already taking the flomax and has been probably since September 2022, my guess is it’s probably the cancer itself obstructing flow of the urethra, hoping they get that figured out ASAP and can do something to get him some relief

[cancerfox]

I'm sorry the flomax isn't doing the trick. Maybe an MRI or CT scan would reveal the problem. Again, I'm not a doc, but I hope your husband gets a solution to his problem very soon. 🦊

[lookingforamiracle]

I started this cancer adventure with complete blockage trip to the ER to get a Foley catheter. What a relief! I wore it 6 weeks before TURP. Like others above I spent a night in the hospital and a couple days on pain meds. Oh, they did check my kidneys in the ER, and while they were good, the back up was threatening them. TURP took care of that.