Prostate and Bladder Issues: What to do?

ATTENTION ALL MEN, could anyone who has actually had the UroLift procedure PLEASE tell me of your experience and how did the UroLift work for you, 3, 6 months a year later. Did you have problems , pain, no results are you still having to take medication. My Doctor whom I saw yesterday wants me to have one. I can't find that much about it except from the UroLift web-site and there testimonials. Thanks for any help or advise.
Steve Ohio

Hi @amgracing1, I'm bringing @glenner075 into this discussion. He mentions the UroLift in this discussion:
- Cystoscopy/stricture questions/concerns. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cystoscopystricture-questionsconcerns/

Thanks Colleen for the heads up on the UroLift chat, I m only finding men who are dissatisfied with this. I wish I could find someone who can honestly say whether it was worth it or not besides the glowing testimonials on the UroLift web-site.

I was recently diagnosed with BPH. Symptoms are not too bad except for nighttime trips to the bathroom. Urologist suggested urolift, but like Steve from Ohio I had some reservations and heard some bad things about the procedure. I am only 66 years old and my prostate will continue to grow. How often would I have to have the procedure redone?
So now he has me scheduled for the Rezum treatment. This is for 30 to 90 cm3 prostates and mine is only 28 cm3. He doesn't consider this an issue. My only concern is this going to be a problem. Can too miuch of the prostate be killed off? Do I have reason to be concerned about this?

Scwhandyman, this is Steve from Ohio. I read your comment this morning. After thinking it over and doing some more reading and talking with the Urologist office I am going to have the Urolift done. I too was given an option of the Rezum which uses a jet of steam to selectively kill off tissue blocking the urethra. My prostate is also in the 30 + range which is the size the procedure seems to work best for. I based my decision on the fact that the Urolift is the least invasive, least painful, least side effects , no catheter most of the time, causes no sexual dysfunction. I had a lady friend of mine who worked as a surgical nurse for many years and had assisted in TURP operations do some checking up on this procedure. She found some very positive studies that really showed it was effective and also every man was able to get off medication soon after having it. The study was a blind study where they fooled some men into thinking they had the Urolift surgery but really did not, ( you would have to read how they did this it was clever), And the other half did get the surgery and the group that did get it reported real relief from their symptoms. Then the group that did not get the Urolift got the procedure and reported the real differences. The studies all only go back 5 years because that's when Urolift was approved in the US for use. Urolift is prt of the Neotract company a subsidiary of Teleflex, TFX, which is on the Stock exchange if you want to investigate it more. I also contacted Urolift in California and asked then outright if any of these sutures they use have ever broken off. I told them I exercise a lot and bike and lift weights and run and they said that although they didn't test it for every possible exercise none had every broken and caused trouble. If you have an e-mail I'll copy and send you these reports and studies. I guess the only real question is long term will it continue to leave me symptom free ? No one seems to know for sure. I too have not been able to find anyone locally who has had it but my Doctors office said they have done 5 and no one has complained about it. If you go on Urolifts website you can see videos of satisfied men talking about their experiences. My Doctor said that the outer tissue that is compressed could regress or die off a bit keeping the path open and the prostate may slow down it's growth or the growth could be so slow that you may never have to worry about it again. I just decided I would go for the least destructive surgery the first time around and if something more radical is need down the road I'll deal with it later on because the sutures can easily be removed at the time of another surgery. But all the other surgeries seem to a lot more risky. Good Luck I'll be posting my experience for sure. Steve Ohio

That should be cc3 not cm3. Cm3 would really be an enlarged prostate!!

My sympathy for your bladder problems. I have had them all over the years None of these drugs did any good I had turps and the had the daddy of them all prostate cancer I still have my urgency problem. I am about to have BOTOX treatment. This was tried some months ago but it was found I neededa little surgery. This has been done. Shortly I will have the BOTOX. Doc is optimistic. I will be so relieved I have had this problem for 30 or 40 years. I will report in due course

doncampbell, my problems seem small compared to yours. I am having the Urolift next Monday Feb 3. I am hoping that it will solve my problems and get me off of meds. I have had all the associated troubles of enlarged prostate for 10 + years. I think my Doctor wanted to start with the least invasive surgery which is Urolift. There are good results from it providing that your prostate is under 80 cc and prostate is not blocking or protruding into the neck of your bladder or at the other end. I intend to post my experiences after having this on Monday. Good luck to you. SK Ohio

Hello everyone I had my Urolift procedure this morning, Monday at 10 AM, The procedure is only 15 minutes or so. Barley enough time for a good nap. I just got home and it is a "bit uncomfortable" to urinate but other than that I feel good. The anesthesia is much less than a full surgery, I was fully asleep, but woke up quickly afterwards in recovery with no hangover. I left the hospital on my feet with no catheter and before leaving was given one pain pill and a hand held urinal container for the ride home. The Doctor had to use 6 of the Urolift implants instead of the 4 originally scheduled. He put 4 on one side and 2 on the other side. I got photos showing the before and after and it looked as if it had opened up the pipes. Time will tell if the results turn out to as good as I hope for. Since this is a newer procedure and the followup data only goes out about 5 years I plan to post my experience and progress so others considering having this can get an opinion from a regular guy in Ohio. I thank God everything went well and I am hoping for the best. Take Care SK Ohio

Day 2 Post Urolift surgery. I don't have any experience with BPH surgeries except for the Urolift so I'm basing all this on my personal experience. Yesterday was an uncomfortable day. Urinating every 15 minutes or so and the best description is it was like pouring Iodine on a cut all through the urination. I did not want or get any pain pills so they suggested Advil, ect. Unfortunately due to all the sports injuries I have dealt with and many years of OTC pain killers I can't tolerate them anymore. I manage to take a few but that's it. I slept in a reclining chair with my portable urinal near the bathroom and managed to get some sleep. I passed a couple of dozen blood clots but no big deal. I just took a nap and today is better, no signs of blood or infection. I can't say that I notice any dramatic differences yet. More than likely there is still swelling and disruption. I do have sudden urgency, "when you gotta you gotta go". There is still constant burning but flow is OK. I plan to go to back to the gym tomorrow for walking light upper body exercise. No leg exercise for a least a week. Hoping for a big improvement, time will tell.