BPH with incontinence

For decades I have had frequent urination. I have BPH and enlarged prostate but it is not that enlarged. About 9 months ago I became incontinent. I am 73. It was pretty sudden. I wet my bed and then start to have drips while out during the day and night. I started wearing briefs and then using pads. Unfortunately it got progressively worse. I would fall asleep in front of TV and wake up covered in urine. Then it just happened while I was awake sitting on sofa. Started used Depends day and night. Then had to switch to NorthShore. Still leak on sides and use pads on bed.

I had known from previously seeing Urologist that I retain a lot of urine. It never bothered me because I just kept having to urinate a lot. I had some Cystoscopes 30 and 40 years ago that didn't show much. Finally couldn't deal with IC and frequent urinations and saw a Urologist in LA. They did Urodynamics study and Cystoscope. He said I was retaining huge amounts of urine. This probably caused the IC. After the scope apparently part of my Prostate even though not that enlarged is pressing on Urethra and limiting my urinations. He couldn't guarantee after surgery that IC would go away. All they can guarantee is the frequent urinations would diminish. He told me if I didn't have surgery I will eventually lose use of my bladder. It isn't damaged nor or are my kidneys.

I'm having something called a Mini-TURP. Only the portion pressing on my Urethra will be shaved, sand blasted or whatever they do in there away. As you can imagine I am quite terrified of the surgery. This isn't a UROLIFT. This is Roto-Rooter.

It's funny. The first Urologist I ever saw who scoped me diagnosed me with a bladder neck obstruction and that was when I was in my 40's. Who has an enlarged Prostate in their 40's. I also have low T. My PSA is remarkably low at .45.

I always have had to urinate frequently. Even going back to my teens I would be waking up to use the bathroom. Whatever was there was there a long time. I could never sit through a movie in a theater without having to use the bathroom. Only if I had no liquids maybe I could get through the 2 hours. Am I to believe that my Prostate as someone in their 20's was always pressing on my Urethra. I guess I just hit the anatomy lottery when I was born.

The Cystoscopy was no fun nor the Urodynamics. Because I couldn't fully empty my bladder for testing they had to stick a catheter in me along other tubes including one in my rectum. Don't be fooled. After the scope you will urinate and not feel much pain. This is the Lidocaine working. When it wears off in a few hours get ready for razor blades and glass and in my case with BPH having to urinate every 10-15 minutes. The burn came every time. Eventually you go to sleep and if you have IC as the urine comes out it feels like fire and and woke me up. I go to the toilet and only a small amount comes out. This goes on for two days. It's crazy. Your bladder isn't working properly because of the damage the probes do. So now you're urinating every few minutes with the burn. I found standing on my tip toes helped. I don't why but it lessens the pains or prepares your body to deal with it.

I have been advised that with the TURP this can last for 5 days. Even though with the Mini-TURP the catheter is only in about 24 hours the pain starts when you have to urinate through the Urethra. The prod is in there for about 1 hour during the surgery. The scope a few minutes. Think about how irritated the whole channel gets. The only thing that heals it is time. I expect to be miserable. Full recovery can take 6 weeks. My Summer is pretty much ruined and at my age I don't have many left.

Any advice will be helpful. Am I making this worse than it is. This is a very invasive procedure. I don't have anyone to help me out. I will be staying at a hotel in LA during recovery. I won't even know if my IC is cured for months because this procedure causes IC. I should notice more complete urinations pretty quickly. One of the big issues I have is Hypertension and Type II diabetes. The diuretics in the drugs I take cause frequent urination. I take Jardiance which converts carbs to urine which lowers your blood sugar. Remember the infomercial with a bunch of men talking about frequent urination and some vitamin and herb combination that would solve their problem. I should have gone out to that casting call. They would have picked me in a second.