If 'would I be concerned ' means 'would I do something about it ' then yes. Off to the drs for some kind of therapy,drugs or surgery. The painful retention and catheter use would push me to get something sorted. Do I think it's anything more sinister, well I presume you've had an ok psa test ?
yeah I’ve had the psa, all the dr has said is my prostate is larger than average for someone my age, but also said it isn’t considered large enough to effect my urine flow/difficulty in going atm.
Then you have the situation where the Dr is telling something but your symptoms disagree. Prostate size will affect your peeing strength and frequency, do you have a handle on either of those (how much do you pee, how often) keep a log. But then the biggest problem is your inability, periodically, to pee at all. This is something you must get sorted and won't go away by your Dr merely telling you that your prostate is not that big.
He's wrong. My prostate was 45cc (more than twice normal size). A cystoscopy showed it growing up into my bladder. It was like a sock stuffed into a jar. No wonder urine flow was pitiful. Had Aquablation done. Trimmed me back to 15cc. Flow is great now. Go see a good urologist.
You are totally under for Aquablation, so no pain during. A catheter is typically used for the mandatory overnight stay when your prostate is continuously flushed. I had the catheter left in for five more days because I couldn't urinate on my own the next day before discharge. Not painful, but if you have ever had a Foley catheter, it's pretty annoying. When the Foley was finally removed, it was extremely painful. It had somehow gotten stuck on some gauze, and it took three folks trying different things to get it out. The good news is that I could pee on my own after it was out so it didn't have to go back in. Note that I previously had the Rezum procedure 6 years before. This had improved my flow, but things had gotten worse over time. Fortunately, Aquablation had been developed and was Medicare approved when I needed something else done in 2023. The only negative from Aquablation has been the drastic reduction in ejaculate. Two thirds of my prostate was removed. Either they took out the parts that were making most of my stuff or the ending geometry resulted in retrograde ejaculation. Current orgasm sensation is the same as before, but I won't be getting anyone pregnant. My child production days are over, but at 39, you might have to think twice about what you do.
... On the ejaculation. I had a turp - all successful, and afterwards no ejaculation, but after a year or so it's back, not as much as before but I do ejaculate now. For me it's no problem as I have ad a vasectomy but be careful....
if you have had a PSA test, what was the result? Do you have access to your medical records online? If you do that should have your PSA result If not, can you ring the surgery and ask for the result - the actual figure? Did you have a digital rectal examination of your prostate?
The average prostate size at age 40 is 25cc so yours is nearly twice the size.
Has your doctor put you on any medication?
Without knowing answers to all the above questions it is difficult to offer much advice but if your prostate is so enlarged that it has caused the need for catheterisation then something needs to be done. Usually this would be a referral to an urologist.
I have Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (enlarged prostate). I have some problems passing urine and I was once admitted to hospital with a related urinary tract infection. My PSA is slightly above normal and DREs detect no abnormalities. I am currently taking tamsulosin.
Concerned? yes. however given my somewhat broad experience now I would not fear cancer or anything like that. to have an enlarged prostate can stem from lots of things including a robust sex life. so the size is not the issue necessarily I began having problems in my early thirties too. but I would not go to the urologist for years and dealt with it as it seems you have.
I finally went at 46 still very young so i tried meds was HORRIFIED by the testing they did. and ran again. I ended up agreeing to self catheter which I did for a couple years. and finally found that because of the extra pressures from the straining and not emptying, my bladder had been damaged. it caused a diverticulum to form which is not uncommon but should it break open it is serious. so eventually I had TURP which is basically a melon baller applied to the inside of the prostate to hollow it out. I have now had that three times. I am glad to say they have many different options now and I hope one of those might work for you. the surgery was not the worst thing ever. but all the inspections, all the things that MY anxiety is so triggered by. I do hope there are no more problems. The good news is if they do something like that they sift through all the pieces and look for cancer just to be sure. and just for reassurance for you my PSA has never been above .00 something so yes concern, but only so that you dont face more problems later
That’s sounds very very stressful. When I had my catheter in it was the scariest thing I’ve been through. Self cathetering would frighten the fuck out of me- dont know how you got through it 🙏
Today I told my gp I was unable to pee standing up unless my bladder was full, was also feeling the need to strain occasionally so he’s put me on tamsulosin….
My advice would be to see a Urologist. There is medication and there is surgery, TURP being the gold standard. There are now other surgical procedures as well..
I just noticed you added you have glaucoma. I was diagnosed last year. I was on latanoprost, but not any more having had a successful laser trabeculoplasty in May. I didn’t notice any deleterious effects on my vision after commencing tamsulosin but I am aware the leaflet enclosed with the pack says that this can be an issue
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