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Tulsa Pro Experience, Mayo Clinic MN – July 2024

Posted by jcf58 @jcf58, Jul 19, 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.

pdcar4756 | @pdcar4756 | Oct 13, 2024
In reply to @jcf58 "Excellent! Waiting for the procedure was the toughest part for me 😉. Best of luck. Hope..." + (show)
@jcf58

Excellent! Waiting for the procedure was the toughest part for me 😉. Best of luck. Hope your experience will be as positive as mine has been.

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I had my procedure on October 9, stayed on campus until I was released on Oct 12. I have now returned to a small town in Colorado. I've never been under general anesthesia so I don't know how long it takes for the body to rid itself of whatever chemicals they used. I'm still feeling off the mark and my stomach is queasy. They also gave me prednisone and flomax which I've never taken before either. One thing I've noticed which is alarming me and if it's not better tomorrow I will be contacting Mayo. I was wondering, after your procedure did you notice any fluid retention below the surface, above your penis, on your pubic mound? I believe I'm experiencing a pretty significant accumulation of something there which was not there prior to the procedure. Maybe this is just part of the healing process, but it has me a bit worried, since medical care where I now am is limited. It's not causing any discomfort that I can tell, but it strikes me as odd, since they didn't mention it to me at Mayo as part of any normal healing process. They ablated 60 cc of my 100 cc prostate, so I expect my body has some work to do to get rid of the dead cells. I was just wondering what was your experience. Thanks much!

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2 replies
jcf58 | @jcf58 | Sep 2, 2024
In reply to @pdcar4756 "Yes, these remaining few weeks are really beginning to weigh on me. I'm having this strong..." + (show)
@pdcar4756

Yes, these remaining few weeks are really beginning to weigh on me. I'm having this strong need to get this behind me, along with the worry............what if things have gone on too long. I was extremely diligent about all of this and my first MRI in 2022, the radiologist missed my lesion on his read. I've been walking around with this cancer for 2 years longer than I should have. This really bothers me. I try to tell myself........well, two years ago you probably couldn't have had TULSA-PRO either. I always trusted the words of doctors. It destroyed my confidence in them. I never even thought two years ago about a second opinion. I will now seek one for anything of major consequence with my health going forward.

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I had same concern. I figured since Mayo wasn’t concerned, I shouldn’t be. Ironically my PSA actually went down a bit in the 2+ months I was waiting 😉

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pdcar4756 | @pdcar4756 | Sep 2, 2024
In reply to @jcf58 "Excellent! Waiting for the procedure was the toughest part for me 😉. Best of luck. Hope..." + (show)
@jcf58

Excellent! Waiting for the procedure was the toughest part for me 😉. Best of luck. Hope your experience will be as positive as mine has been.

Jump to this post

Yes, these remaining few weeks are really beginning to weigh on me. I'm having this strong need to get this behind me, along with the worry............what if things have gone on too long. I was extremely diligent about all of this and my first MRI in 2022, the radiologist missed my lesion on his read. I've been walking around with this cancer for 2 years longer than I should have. This really bothers me. I try to tell myself........well, two years ago you probably couldn't have had TULSA-PRO either. I always trusted the words of doctors. It destroyed my confidence in them. I never even thought two years ago about a second opinion. I will now seek one for anything of major consequence with my health going forward.

REPLY
1 reply
kevinsabin | @kevinsabin | Sep 1, 2024
In reply to @jcf58 "Medicare Coverage: I had my procedure at Mayo on July 17. My final bill after Medicare..." + (show)
@jcf58

Medicare Coverage: I had my procedure at Mayo on July 17. My final bill after Medicare and BCBS supplement plan was $6.

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Plus on the very low cost! Best wishes for cancer free future

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pmclarksr | @pmclarksr | Aug 31, 2024
In reply to @mrdennyb "I had Tulsa in Jax at Mayo on April 10, 2024 and all is well at..." + (show)
@mrdennyb

I had Tulsa in Jax at Mayo on April 10, 2024 and all is well at this point!

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Who was your Dr at Mayo Jacksonville?

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pdcar4756 | @pdcar4756 | Aug 31, 2024
In reply to @jcf58 "Others on this site have said it needs to be performed at a hospital to be..." + (show)
@jcf58

Others on this site have said it needs to be performed at a hospital to be paid by Medicare. I had mine done at Mayo's hospital in Rochester, MN. I didn't check with Medicare as I was going forward regardless. Profound Medical has reimbursement guidelines on their website that may help:
For additional assistance, please contact Profound Medical’s TULSA-PRO® reimbursement specialists at:
Phone (Toll-Free): 855-285-5724
Fax (Toll-Free): 833-557-0896
Email: Support@PROFOUNDReimbursement.com

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Thank you. Like you, I'm going forward regardless of Medicare. I'll have it done at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester by Dr. Woodrum on October 9. Hoping for good results all around, bodily and financially. 🙂

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mrdennyb | @mrdennyb | Aug 31, 2024

I had Tulsa in Jax at Mayo on April 10, 2024 and all is well at this point!

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1 reply
pmclarksr | @pmclarksr | Aug 30, 2024
In reply to @pdcar4756 "Thank you for the information. I'm scheduled with Dr. Woodrum for October 9. Hoping for similar..." + (show)
@pdcar4756

Thank you for the information. I'm scheduled with Dr. Woodrum for October 9. Hoping for similar results, but even if not and I have to pay more, I believe it is the right first step in dealing with this disease. I'll post more after my procedure is completed. Dr. Woodrum indicated at the time I had a video consult with him that TULSA-PRO was covered under Medicare.

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Where is Dr Woodrum located? I am also interested in TULSA Pro vs Cyberknife.

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pmclarksr | @pmclarksr | Aug 30, 2024
In reply to @bobbygene "I went to an appointmet Aug. 27 at OU Stephenson Cancer Center with Dr. Stratton. This..." + (show)
@bobbygene

I went to an appointmet Aug. 27 at OU Stephenson Cancer Center with Dr. Stratton. This was my third visit there. Dr. Stratton said he has received a code for TULSA PRO treatment but Medicare won't pay yet. How do I find out for sure?

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I was told it must be done in a hospital such ad Mayo vs an imaging or laser center for Medicare to pay. On 1 Jan that is supposed to change

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