Facing Prostate Surgery

[The Cosmic Avenger]

And I never heard of anyone (medical person) testing for it routinely. Since any excess likely get's flushed, what could it hurt to take a capsule per day?

It's always a good idea to check with your doctor.

From WebMD:

• Side effects. Magnesium supplements can cause nausea, cramps, and diarrhea. Magnesium supplements often cause softening of stool.
• Interactions. Magnesium supplements may interact with certain medicines, including diuretics, heart medicines, or antibiotics. Check with your health care provider if you are taking any medicine before taking magnesium.
• Risks. People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease or kidney disease should not take magnesium before speaking with their health care provider.
• Overdose. Signs of a magnesium overdose can include nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue. At very high doses, magnesium can be fatal.

 

[Koolau]

It's always a good idea to check with your doctor.

From WebMD:

I agree completely. Of course, in my case, my cardiologist recommended it.

Regarding the GI effects: Of course, Magnesium sulfate is an age old laxative. In small doses. Most people don't seem to have a problem with it. YMMV

 

[aja8888]

It's always a good idea to check with your doctor.

From WebMD:

I should have mentioned that I have my annual physical next week and will ask my Doc about the magnesium. Most old men are not getting enough magnesium as a rule. From what I read, an old guy needs about 400 mg per day. I take vit E as I am deficient with that. Plus my daily small aspirin would round out the trio if the doc approves.

 

[Rustic23]

I have been taking Silodosin for about three months. It seems to work better than Tamsulosin. I took longer to take effect. Others have said go with a 90 day prescription. It took about 30 days. Works off the same principle as Tam., however stream seems to be stronger. I went off Tam because blood in urine was not going away. (microscopic blood). Turns out bladder was causing the blood, but by the time this was figured out, I had switched. Silodosin is a new drug, and thus more expensive than Tam.

To answer the question, bladder cancer was indolent, and that is a good thing, well everything is relative. Surgery to remove tumor, then six treatment in doctors office. Currently waiting on treatments to start.

 

[Koolau]

Thanks to all for the info on meds for slow-flow issues. I'm gonna have "the talk" with my doc about tying whatever HIS favorite med is. Last I talked to him, he just said "put off any surgery as long as you can." He didn't even offer me any meds. Not sure why. This time I'll nail him down on why/why not certain meds.

Report to follow in a few months - I hope.

 

[rk911]

Good luck. I too had had Mr Cathter for 8 weeks and honestly that was a bigger PITA than the incision and recovery.

When it's time for removal, what they'll likely do is inject about 100 cc of saline into your bladder via the catheter and seal off the outlet. When you feel full, they'll remove the catheter and tell you to go pee. For me, it was amazing.

Again, best of luck. You're almost there!

Thanks! My doc says I'll have my little buddy for a week post-surgery. We've already set the removal appointment. Hoping for no complications that would delay his long ovedue eviction.

 

[rk911]

Thanks to all for the info on meds for slow-flow issues. I'm gonna have "the talk" with my doc about tying whatever HIS favorite med is. Last I talked to him, he just said "put off any surgery as long as you can." He didn't even offer me any meds. Not sure why. This time I'll nail him down on why/why not certain meds.

Report to follow in a few months - I hope.

Why is your doc advising to postpone surgery for as long as you can I did that exact thing...opposite my doc's advice and am paying a heavy price for that.

 

[aja8888]

Why is your doc advising to postpone surgery for as long as you can I did that exact thing...opposite my doc's advice and am paying a heavy price for that.

RK, help me understand here...if things are working "OK" using the Tam or whatever drug is helping you pee with a reasonable flow, is surgery always necessary at some point?

Also, is your PSA test level indicative of a future problem requiring surgery? My PSA reading has always been less than 1.0 for example.

Rookie here trying to understand what's important.

 

[Koolau]

Why is your doc advising to postpone surgery for as long as you can I did that exact thing...opposite my doc's advice and am paying a heavy price for that.

At my age, he is "hoping" I die from something else before I need the surgery. And here I was thinking he didn't care.

 

[rk911]

RK, help me understand here...if things are working "OK" using the Tam or whatever drug is helping you pee with a reasonable flow, is surgery always necessary at some point?

Also, is your PSA test level indicative of a future problem requiring surgery? My PSA reading has always been less than 1.0 for example.

Rookie here trying to understand what's important.

I'll try.

The Tamsulosin was prescribed to help the kidney stones, which I seem to produce every couple of years, pass more easily thru the ureters which connect the kidneys and bladder. Several posters here report that streams are larger with the drug and that makes sense given how the drug works.

Ths Finesteride was prescribed to shrink my enormous prostate and if the earlier estimates were corrrect (300 and 356-grams) that drug did it's job as the prostate has shrunk to 263-grams according to my last MRI.

Why am I having surgery? Why have I been wearing this catheter for 6-weeks? Because my prostate is pushing against and even into the bladder causing bleeding. Lots of bleeding. I was admitted to the hospital after two ER visits within 12-hours, the first because I expelled lots and lots of blood when I went to the head and the second because the catheter I received in the first visit became blocked by blood clots. I had a procedure that emptied the bladder of blood and blood clots and the surgeon also cauterized any open bleeders in the bladder. I spent the next two nights in thr hospital for observation.

When I was discharged the doc have me a choice...remove the catheter and be back in the ER within 12-hours with more bleeding or keep it in and drink as much water and other liquids as I could tolerate to keep the 'line' open and allow the bladder bleeders to heal. Even so I was back in the ER twice more...#3 for another blood clot blockage. ER visit #4 turned out to be a false alarm as by then I was hyper sensitive to blockages.

Those first 10-15 days were pure agony and while it's better now it's still a PITA. I'm lucky if I get 4-hrs of actual sleep before waking up between 2a-4a. Empty the night bag and then back in the recliner (the bed is too uncomfortable). Another hour or two of sleep between 4 and 9a. At 9a I change bags to the daytime leg bag which I'll empty every 60-90 minutes. A change of clothes and a shower and my day starts.

It's too uncomfortable to drive so I bum rides from friends and neighbors. If I don't adjust the leg bag and exposed tubing just right I feel pain when moving in certain ways. Because of the catheter sitting on the head becomes a...process. 'Nuff said. Around 10 I switch back to the night bag amd watch TV from my recliner till midnight or so. Rinse and repeat.

My options are...remove the catheter and live at the ER; keep the catheter...forever, replacing it every 30-days: prostate surgery to reduce the size of the prostate and have a good shot at never seeing the inside of an ER again. At least not for this issue. EZ choice.

If you read this thread from the start you'll see more details. I could've dealt with this 2-yrs ago but chose not to. Lots of reasons but they all amount to procrastination. Don't know your circumstances but listen to your doc. If you feel the need get a second opinion...I did and that helped me decide which of two surgeries to have. I'm nervous but objectively comfortable with my choice.

You ask if surgery is ALWAYS necessary. Two reasons for surgery...cancer and my situation. Even with prostate cancer I'm told you're more likely to pass from something else as prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer. But if your prostate IS growing or gets huge like mine you may find yourself facing the same situation and choices I had.

Best advice to you and all the other men reading this...starting at age 40...50 for sure, have your prostate examimed every year. The PSA test does not tell the whole story. The exam is done one of two ways...the "snap" of a rubber glove on the doc's hand or by undergoing an MRI. I'd hate to hear of anyone else going thru what I'm dealing with.

Thanks to you all for well wishes, prayers, good thoughts and support.

 

[aja8888]

I'll try.

The Tamsulosin was prescribed to help the kidney stones, which I seem to produce every couple of years, pass more easily thru the ureters which connect the kidneys and bladder. Several posters here report that streams are larger with the drug and that makes sense given how the drug works.

Ths Finesteride was prescribed to shrink my enormous prostate and if the earlier estimates were corrrect (300 and 356-grams) that drug did it's job as the prostate has shrunk to 263-grams according to my last MRI.

Why am I having surgery? Why have I been wearing this catheter for 6-weeks? Because my prostate is pushing against and even into the bladder causing bleeding. Lots of bleeding. I was admitted to the hospital after two ER visits within 12-hours, the first because I expelled lots and lots of blood when I went to the head and the second because the catheter I received in the first visit became blocked by blood clots. I had a procedure that emptied the bladder of blood and blood clots and the surgeon also cauterized any open bleeders in the bladder. I spent the next two nights in thr hospital for observation.

When I was discharged the doc have me a choice...remove the catheter and be back in the ER within 12-hours with more bleeding or keep it in and drink as much water and other liquids as I could tolerate to keep the 'line' open and allow the bladder bleeders to heal. Even so I was back in the ER twice more...#3 for another blood clot blockage. ER visit #4 turned out to be a false alarm as by then I was hyper sensitive to blockages.

Those first 10-15 days were pure agony and while it's better now it's still a PITA. I'm lucky if I get 4-hrs of actual sleep before waking up between 2a-4a. Empty the night bag and then back in the recliner (the bed is too uncomfortable). Another hour or two of sleep between 4 and 9a. At 9a I change bags to the daytime leg bag which I'll empty every 60-90 minutes. A change of clothes and a shower and my day starts.

It's too uncomfortable to drive so I bum rides from friends and neighbors. If I don't adjust the leg bag and exposed tubing just right I feel pain when moving in certain ways. Because of the catheter sitting on the head becomes a...process. 'Nuff said. Around 10 I switch back to the night bag amd watch TV from my recliner till midnight or so. Rinse and repeat.

My options are...remove the catheter and live at the ER; keep the catheter...forever, replacing it every 30-days: prostate surgery to reduce the size of the prostate and have a good shot at never seeing the inside of an ER again. At least not for this issue. EZ choice.

If you read this thread from the start you'll see more details. I could've dealt with this 2-yrs ago but chose not to. Lots of reasons but they all amount to procrastination. Don't know your circumstances but listen to your doc. If you feel the need get a second opinion...I did and that helped me decide which of two surgeries to have. I'm nervous but objectively comfortable with my choice.

You ask if surgery is ALWAYS necessary. Two reasons for surgery...cancer and my situation. Even with prostate cancer I'm told you're more likely to pass from something else as prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer. But if your prostate IS growing or gets huge like mine you may find yourself facing the same situation and choices I had.

Best advice to you and all the other men reading this...starting at age 40...50 for sure, have your prostate examimed every year. The PSA test does not tell the whole story. The exam is done one of two ways...the "snap" of a rubber glove on the doc's hand or by undergoing an MRI. I'd hate to hear of anyone else going thru what I'm dealing with.

Thanks to you all for well wishes, prayers, good thoughts and support.

Rich, thanks for the detailed explanation. I understand the whole picture now. Sounds like the enlarged prostate is the issue and I did not realize (or associate it) as the need for meds and now surgery.

I have had the rubber glove prostate check during my "annual wellness exam" (Medicare waste of time) and have not had any negative reaction from the doc. My issue seems to be low flow and just take Tam for now.

If I notice any change in any of this, I will surely seek additional testing. That's a firm promise. Hell, I have been under the knife several times for joint issues (two new hips, shoulder) and what I went through sound like a piece of cake compared to what you are going through. We all wish you good luck with the surgery.

aja

 

[rk911]

...I have had the rubber glove prostate check during my "annual wellness exam" (Medicare waste of time)...

aja

Agree with that, AJA. I like it when the nurse asks me...Do I feel safe at home?. I usually answer...Only if the catcher drops the ball.. I either get blank stares or a smile.

 

[marko]

Agree with that, AJA. I like it when the nurse asks me...Do I feel safe at home?. I usually answer...Only if the catcher drops the ball.. I either get blank stares or a smile.

I always say " It's the only place I DO feel safe!"

 

[Koolau]

I'll try.

The Tamsulosin was prescribed to help the kidney stones, which I seem to produce every couple of years, pass more easily thru the ureters which connect the kidneys and bladder. Several posters here report that streams are larger with the drug and that makes sense given how the drug works.

Ths Finesteride was prescribed to shrink my enormous prostate and if the earlier estimates were corrrect (300 and 356-grams) that drug did it's job as the prostate has shrunk to 263-grams according to my last MRI.

Why am I having surgery? Why have I been wearing this catheter for 6-weeks? Because my prostate is pushing against and even into the bladder causing bleeding. Lots of bleeding. I was admitted to the hospital after two ER visits within 12-hours, the first because I expelled lots and lots of blood when I went to the head and the second because the catheter I received in the first visit became blocked by blood clots. I had a procedure that emptied the bladder of blood and blood clots and the surgeon also cauterized any open bleeders in the bladder. I spent the next two nights in thr hospital for observation.

When I was discharged the doc have me a choice...remove the catheter and be back in the ER within 12-hours with more bleeding or keep it in and drink as much water and other liquids as I could tolerate to keep the 'line' open and allow the bladder bleeders to heal. Even so I was back in the ER twice more...#3 for another blood clot blockage. ER visit #4 turned out to be a false alarm as by then I was hyper sensitive to blockages.

Those first 10-15 days were pure agony and while it's better now it's still a PITA. I'm lucky if I get 4-hrs of actual sleep before waking up between 2a-4a. Empty the night bag and then back in the recliner (the bed is too uncomfortable). Another hour or two of sleep between 4 and 9a. At 9a I change bags to the daytime leg bag which I'll empty every 60-90 minutes. A change of clothes and a shower and my day starts.

It's too uncomfortable to drive so I bum rides from friends and neighbors. If I don't adjust the leg bag and exposed tubing just right I feel pain when moving in certain ways. Because of the catheter sitting on the head becomes a...process. 'Nuff said. Around 10 I switch back to the night bag amd watch TV from my recliner till midnight or so. Rinse and repeat.

My options are...remove the catheter and live at the ER; keep the catheter...forever, replacing it every 30-days: prostate surgery to reduce the size of the prostate and have a good shot at never seeing the inside of an ER again. At least not for this issue. EZ choice.

If you read this thread from the start you'll see more details. I could've dealt with this 2-yrs ago but chose not to. Lots of reasons but they all amount to procrastination. Don't know your circumstances but listen to your doc. If you feel the need get a second opinion...I did and that helped me decide which of two surgeries to have. I'm nervous but objectively comfortable with my choice.

You ask if surgery is ALWAYS necessary. Two reasons for surgery...cancer and my situation. Even with prostate cancer I'm told you're more likely to pass from something else as prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer. But if your prostate IS growing or gets huge like mine you may find yourself facing the same situation and choices I had.

Best advice to you and all the other men reading this...starting at age 40...50 for sure, have your prostate examimed every year. The PSA test does not tell the whole story. The exam is done one of two ways...the "snap" of a rubber glove on the doc's hand or by undergoing an MRI. I'd hate to hear of anyone else going thru what I'm dealing with.

Thanks to you all for well wishes, prayers, good thoughts and support.

Thanks for the frank and extensive narrative on this subject.

I hope your situation improve dramatically with your surgery.

Please keep us posted because some (many?) of us face some sort of prostate issue(s).

 

[rk911]

Update: Sunday, July 30, 0630 cst

Well, I'm 27-hours away from surgery prep (0930 cst on July 31). I've been awake since 0330 but that's not unusual for me. But this time I wasn't able to go back to sleep. Not worried about the surgery so much as to how to get thru today, especially after 12-noon when I go on 100% liquid diet. Water and Diet Sprite! My nephew is coming in today to drive me in and then back home on Tuesday, Aug 1st and also to stay with my wife. He'll be with us until Wednesday morning...assuming no complications.

I'll post when I'm able on Monday or Tuesday.

 

[Dtail]

Good luck

 

[rk911]

Good luck

danke schoen

 

[Koolau]

Prayers for an excellent outcome!

 

[Qs Laptop]

Update: Sunday, July 30, 0630 cst



Well, I'm 27-hours away from surgery prep (0930 cst on July 31).



I'll post when I'm able on Monday or Tuesday.

I'm adding my voice to the others offering you encouragement. I'm certain there are many others watching your reports with great interest.

 

[badatmath]

Sending good thoughts and prayers.

 

[aja8888]

Sending good thoughts and prayers.

Same here!

 

[grasshopper]

I know that the surgeon has your well being in mind, with skilled steady hands. That you will have the best of care from the surgical staff. And that the outcome will be exactly as you expected. David

 

[Car-Guy]

Just a word of caution for those of you taking Flomax or may need it in the future. You may want to check your drug plan but if my doctor prescribes Flomax (DNS or DAW) it will cost me over $750 for a 90 day supply. Tamsulosin (generic Flomax) is less than $8 for a 90 day supply. The generic seems to work well IMO but, YMMV.

 

[aja8888]

Just a word of caution for those of you taking Flomax or may need it in the future. You may want to check your drug plan but if my doctor prescribes Flomax (DNS or DAW) it will cost me over $750 for a 90 day supply. Tamsulosin (generic Flomax) is less than $8 for a 90 day supply. The generic seems to work well IMO but, YMMV.

I take Tam, it is cheap. It works.....(for now).

 

[Koolau]

Just a word of caution for those of you taking Flomax or may need it in the future. You may want to check your drug plan but if my doctor prescribes Flomax (DNS or DAW) it will cost me over $750 for a 90 day supply. Tamsulosin (generic Flomax) is less than $8 for a 90 day supply. The generic seems to work well IMO but, YMMV.

Thanks. I'll check as I'm thinking about making that call to my Doctor. IIRC my pharmacy WILL fill generic unless specifically required by the physician. I'll check to be certain. In any case, my doctor is pretty savvy about these things.


Thanks again!