Background: I was scheduled for prostate aquablation several weeks ago but due to a snafu in the scheduling department it had to be bumped...and bumped again. Now I am told we are on for next Tuesday, 11/16/21. For real. I thought it might be beneficial to chronicle my start to finish experience here -- over weeks if need be -- for the benefit of others who may be in a similar severe BPH dilemma. So that's it short and sweet. I may write again before next Tuesday. But I am told I will be keyboard-capable once I (and my Foley catheter, darn it!!) return home the day after the surgery. Wish me luck gents!
Good Luck. Where are you having this done at? I can't wait till this becomes more mainstream. After listening to all the episodes on the prostate health podcast, this seems like the most promising procedure for bph. I just need to manage my symptoms till it becomes more available.
@owen35669 Back at ya, Owen. Getting closer, glad for ya. Refresh my memory, what are advantages of Aquablation over laser procedures? IF, both available and covered in health plan? So, many variables. The best available for my Holep is lady uro. I must also WAIT until new year for to be covered in plan. Keep us posted
In Milwaukee, WI. And yes, my every sense from all the reading and asking and video viewing is that aquablation is the best path for me. I just hope I can say that a month from now!
Hi Carl. I am covered for the procedure under a Medicare Advantage plan (I am 75). My sense and understanding is that laser = heat = destroyed tissue = possible side effects of RE or more. Aquablation = ice cold vapor = minimal destruction of surrounding prostate tissue and thus minimal side effects (at least as compared to laser and heat options.) I guess I'll know for sure in a couple of weeks once the after-effects, if any, kick in. I'm kinda' excited and kinda' scared all at the same time. But I've been through worse surgically so am confident this is a smart move for me. Thanks for your support.
Advantages of Aquablation over Green Light PVP: - Shifts focus of surgeon from physically cutting/vaporizing to carefully planning what tissue will be robotically removed - Eliminates fatigue/physical errors during resection - Accuracy/precision of resection - Ability to visualize prostate capsule via ultrasound in relation to the extent of resection - Reduces resection time from 30 minutes-1 hour to ~ 8 minutes - Reduces time under anesthesia - Independent of prostate size - Almost no heat used - Demonstrated significantly lower rate of RE
And today I had the requisite pre-surgery exam and labs. Part of my condition has been recurring UTIs from a bladder that is never fully emptied. On the edge of my seat now over the urine culture that is due back by Friday. If I happen to have a UTI now, will they abort the mission? I hop not. Everything else checks out -- the physical exam for bp, cardiac, etc.
Yes, a more comprehensive and detailed reply to the question.Thanks. (You sound like an aquablation tech rep :) One of those will be at the surgery watching over my uro at the robotic controls. The procedure is essentially fully robotic, to my understanding.)
Sir, may I respond to your post as I am now 3 days post procedure, carried out by the very able Frimley Park team in the UK under Mr Neil Barber. It was a long time coming and following full retention 3 years ago plus the assorted tests & TWOC, medication and examinations I opted for Aquablation despite the longer wait on our NHS plus Covid delays.
However having the catheter in for such a time inevitably I ended up with an asymptomatic catheter induced UTI which over the months I'd managed with increased fluid intake, the usual pot-pouri of OTC remedies and the use of a tea made from Serpentina. Public papers exist for the later and following urinalysis I can confirm bacterial count plummeted. I'm advised D-Mannose is similar in effect. It didn't prevent the procedure from going ahead although, still asymptomatic, Nitrofurantoin was prescribed at pre-op assessment and IV antibiotics were administered on the day which is routine regardless of urinalysis findings.
Normally I don't contribute to these on-line affairs as can't be fussed with the passwords & log-ons etc but I know how distressing this BPH can be and having gained an insight from this platform feel obliged to contribute. I'm not ashamed to admit it has been at times, frightening, and I'm a Veteran!
Aquablation was a tad more traumatic than I envisaged, and I'm still sore, passing a fair bit of blood initially but tailing right off by mid-stream. Fortunately I can stop flow mid-stream so I hope my continence concerns are unfounded. Still early days and at first I was dribbling everywhere and became mortified that I was incontinent. My main choice for this procedure being continence & sexual function being retained. My prostate was 110 grams and long, in the axis of the urethra and during the night-time bladder wash with 35 litres of saline I watched carefully without sleeping a wink. For the first time, in a long time I'm now voiding regularly (fluid intake high) but only 150ml at a time and with discomfort. 3 pees for hospital discharge were 50ml, 210ml and 160ml with residual volumes from ultrasound scan of 54ml, 112ml and 86ml. I was discharged without a Foley but in a nappy!
Over the last 24 hours things are still very sore and I'm not taking any pain relief as really want to 'feel' what's going on rather than hairing up the road on my Triumph Bonnie deluding myself that all's well. It seems to be a marked improvement and so would recommend this procedure though I do accept this is still very early days. Hope this helps gentlemen considering Aquablation.
Thank you John. For your three days out, I am hoping my "progress" may match yours.
know the discomfort of a Foley catheter. I had to endure one for five weeks last year after another surgery. My understanding is that I may luck out and have the Foley removed by next morning...when I supposedly am to be discharged from the hospital after a single overnight. For the rest -- post-op blood in the urine, etc. I am allowing myself a hopefully conservative 4 weeks to feel "better". This way, if I normalize earlier I will feel fortunate. I had a 5-graft by-pass surgery last year. 7 hours of surgery. It took 4 months post-op for me to feel reasonably normal, although now a year-and-a-half later I still have broader symptoms of body that has taken quite an assault. I hope and figure that aquablation relative to that will be simpler. Again, relatively speaking.
I wish you well in your recovery. Perhaps we can compare notes again down the road.
UPDATE: my aquablation postponed. Again. For a UTI infection discovered last week. New schedule: December 7, 2021. Onward.
Owen, imagine you are fit to be tied. With holidays as well..best of luck
There have been so many twists and turns in, but at least it will be in December 2021 ! UTI's are to be avoided in any surgery of course. Perhaps especially this one...so proximal to the blood stream as it will be. I remain patient and feel I have a great doc in charge and watching out for me. Stay tuned. I still intend to share what I can once it is done and over. That's December 7. Yup, Pearl Harbor Day. When we finally attack this. Thanks for your support.
Can you read what I wrote? Seems to be a problem in the system last two messages.
Just to follow up on progress following my aquablation in the UK of the prostate at 18 days.. My God! Whilst the first few days were a bit painful, fair bit of bleeding and a sense of urgency, today I'm peeing like an 18 year old! I'm as straight as a die but I swear I could kiss the surgeon. He's given me my life back. Unbelievable, and I have to say to all don't be dissuaded or worried. For me it was unpleasant the first week post-op, tolerable the second and absolutely marvellous the third!!
Thank you John. Very encouraging. I am up for the same procedure on 12/7 and your experience is very comforting to hear! I hope to share my experience as well. And may I ask your age? I am 75 and wondering if I might expect the same level of result as you experienced.
I notice you have a new thread but I'll comment here. I'm 69 years old in a few days. This procedure for me has been a complete game changer. Like you the gradual creep of BPH since my 40's, when I just assumed the frequency was due to the English habit of stopping every hour for a cup of tea, progressed slowly and became annoying. At 66 year of age I went into complete retention (on a long-haul flight back from Brunei to Heathrow.. non-stop!) That was frightening. Nothing had worked and I just cruised from loo to loo for about 10 years, accepting my lot and getting up 3 to 4 times at night even with a restricted fluid intake. I researched the surgical options and with a prostate size 110 grams, PSA slowly creeping up from 6 to 9 over 7 years, MRI scan clear, Aquablation seemed a no-brainer.
As mentioned earlier the surgery itself was a bit more traumatic than I thought and the first night post-op I had visions of exsanguination, coupled with some early incontinence on removal of the triway catheter, which gave me a bit of a fright. Now however, 3 weeks down the road... absolute bliss. I sleep through the night like a baby and no longer pee like one... more like a horse. I certainly hope your outcome is as favourable and should be, as this procedure does not rely heavily on the surgeon's skill. You don't really need good luck, as it is almost a guaranteed result. In my case 50% of the prostate tissue was ablated. Hope this provides some encouragement.
Very happy for you John. You will be my role model for "getting through" this. And I take your considerate thoughts as an early Christmas present. I had extended-term Foley catheter experience a year ago for an unrelated matter and I know the feeling of sensing "exsanguination". I survived that and so this next round should be bearable, Or at least I hope so. And we also have Brunei in common. I lived in that part of the world for a time many years ago -- in Kuching, Sarawak on the island of Borneo. As you may know, that would be due south of the sultanate. Thank you again for your thoughts and info and I will let you know how it all turns out. Just 9 days to go.
John -- I have another question along the lines of an "update" 4 days out (for me) from aquab surgery. The question: My surprise at a stream that is just a trickle (again, 4 days out) has me wondering -- from your experience --- whether that is to be expected and that the stream improves over the first and second week and beyond. Was that your experience? Slow start but then an evolution to an every bigger stream? Very very happy for you and I am overall satisfied with the decision I made. I just want my age 40 stream back and am impatient. Thanks!
had rezum 3 years ago, unlike the gentleman from UK i had procedure discomfort but no pain, no bleeding afterward. Rezum injects steam, the steam doesnt kill the cells, the energy released when the steam turns to water when hitting the body temperature releases and energy that ablates prostate cells. the steam pretty much stays in the zone on the outside of the urethra. RE only happens when they inject to close to the sperm duct, My urologist said she could clearly see the area and stayed away. symptom relief 23 to 8 ipss. i am much better. if you are prone to get uti you will want to have antibiodics on hand. to do your procedure with an infection already present could only have caused you problems. Wish you luck owen, you should become aware of uti sensation when urinating. A little discomfort/burning. at the onset of this feeling antibiodics right away. I take amox/clav and always have a 10 day supply. usually 1 or 2 just for the day nips it in the bud. look forward to hearing your positive results