Since publishing this blog I've started to use Facebook to find groups committed to prostate related issues. There are quite a few. They have been set up all around the world and deal with everything and anything prostate related.
As I begin to read the regular posts from fellow BPH sufferers a couple of key themes are emerging.
Many posts are added by men either approaching or in recovery from their first hoLEP (holeum laser enucleation of the prostate) or TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate)
They are seeking advice on whether this is the right surgery for them to have and what to expect from it.
I'd never heard of hoLEP before now. It wasn't discussed with me by my doctor or surgeon. TURP was the only option.
From what I've read there are a number of differences between the two proceedures. The most significant is that hoLEP (a day proceedure) uses laser technology whereas TURP (an in-patient proceedure) uses a heated electrical loop. The implications of this vis a vis hospital in patient time, recovery time and complications are various, but from what I can tell they both have a broadly similar result - the removal of pieces of the prostate from the pathway of the urethra. If you're interested in reading first hand accounts join those prostate related Facebook groups. New contributions are being made all the time.
At the end of this post I've added links to a couple of hoLEP/ TURP related internet articles, but of course there are many others you can easily find through your search engine.
In case it's of interest here's a short step by step account of my TURP proceedure and the aftermath:
July 25th 2023 - Tuesday
Admitted to hospital in Dublin
Operated on later the same day under general anaesthetic.
Proceedure took under an hour.
Woke up in no pain (but some discomfort), fitted with a catheter. Confined to bed. Took pain killers. No food, only fluids.
July 26th 2023 - Wednesday
Advised to get out of bed and walk as much as possible.
Did 8 or 10 rounds of the ward during the day. Walking wasn't painful but was awkward with catheter and bag strapped to leg. Took pain killers.
July 27th 2023 - Thursday
Catheter removed late morning. Took pain killers. Completely unexpected emptying of bladder about half an hour later - complete incontinence - but this was the first and last time (there was always a very short painful warning thereafter - though no possibility of stopping the flow)
First proper pee about an hour after that - big flow/ 5 seconds followed by blood and prostate debris.
Plenty of brisk walking around the ward.
Urgent need to pee small amounts througout rest of day and night and much leakage. Blood in urine.
July 28th 2023 - Friday
Discharged from hospital. Continued urgent need to pee and leakage. Blood in urine.
July 29th - August 23rd 2023
Continued urgent need to pee small amounts and full uncontrollable emptying of bladder (incontinence??) several times a day - I called this 'incontinence', but my surgeon preferred to call it 'leakage'. Technically he may be right given that the 'urgent need' meant there was some warning - no matter how small - whereas with incontinence apparently there isn't any warning. Blood in urine.
August 23rd 2023 onwards
Blood in urine stopped on August 23rd. Continued urgent need to pee small amounts and less regular uncontrollable emptying of bladder for around 5 more weeks along with constant leakage.
Follow up consultation with surgeon on September 6th. Peed myself in the meeting! He prescribed Vesomni - a bladder muscle relaxant and assured me that my delayed recovery was due to a prolonged period of stressed bladder muscles pre TURP and it would come right.
Today - October 20th 2023
Continued urgent and frequent need to pee small amounts, but that was mixed with periods of less urgency/ much greater flow and seems to be reducing gradually. No more incontinence, but continuation of 'leakage' though that too is reducing gradually.
Am now peeing 3 - 5 times at night - usually larger amounts each time. Lying down seems to help.
For comparison between TURP and hoLEP read:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19570488/
For more info on hoLEP surgery see:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-bph/prostate-holmium-laser-enucleation-holep#:~:text=HoLEP%20uses%20a%20light%20beam,prostate%20size%20and%20patient%20health.
For more info on TURP surgery see:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/tests-and-treatments/surgical-procedures/transurethral-resection-of-the-prostate-turp/#:~:text=A%20transurethral%20resection%20of%20the,the%20bladder%20to%20the%20penis).
MANY MORE POSTS TO COME - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES
If you are enjoying and/ or find this blog helpful please subscribe and contribute if you feel able. Having spent the past weeks connected to a number of prostate related Facebook groups, I've seen that other sufferers are looking for information to help them understand and deal with their condition. I have no doubt there are many - many stories and experiences out there around the world of men. My aim in this blog is to provide a platform for just that. There are so many of us and I really think it would be valuable to share. Thanks
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