Tulsa Pro Experience, Mayo Clinic MN – July 2024
Gleason 7 (4+3). I was treated Wednesday July 17, 2024. I checked in at 7am, entered the MRI/Tulsa suite at 8:15, and woke up in the recovery room around 11:30am. Approximately 30% of my prostate was ablated. I woke up with no pain and catheter in. The first 5-6 hours of the catheter were a little tough as I felt an urgent need to pee, but you can’t because you have the catheter in. Was fine after that. I did take Oxybutynin for bladder spasms at night. At 12:30pm, I walked out of the hospital and 2 blocks to my car to be driven home to Minneapolis.
Over the course of the next 40 hours, I just needed to regularly empty the catheter bag and continued to have no pain. Didn’t even take a Tylenol. The morning after TULSA I took my normal 2 mile walk. Catheter was removed at 7:45 Friday morning and I was good to go home. Catheter removal was not bad and they had to ensure I could pee on my own before release. Urine stream is about half of normal but will improve as inflammation of urethra declines. No medication needed at this point.
I did a ton of research before deciding on TULSA Pro. I talked to 7 different doctors. 4 current and 3 retired (1 had RP and another had radiation). The technology and low risk of side effects made this an easy choice for me. I was also fortunate to have the cancer contained in a fairly small lesion.
I couldn’t be more pleased with the procedure and my care at Mayo.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.
I tried several hospitals, they would not take me as I have no family to care for me for 24 hours after the procedure. I even offered to pay out of pocket, full rate for 24 hour hospital room, even tried to get them to let me use a nursing service at the hotel, and still no dice. I was even willing to pay what medicare did not pay, still no go.
Found a concierge facility that would work with me and that is who I chose. Yep, costing me out the hind-end but I was left with no choice.
I understand. I actually felt like I could’ve driven home after the procedure even after general anesthesia. I literally went for a 2 mile walk 18 hours after the procedure. Of course I only had 30% of my prostate ablated.