This is a follow to my earlier oft-postponed scheduled aquablation. It finally happened on Tuesday, Dec 7, 2021. A summary of the days thus far:
Tuesday, 12/7: a 6 a.m. visit to the local nearby casino to “unwind.” (I’m serious 
Tuesday 8:00 a.m arrival at the hospital. Check in procedures for 30 minutes or so and then an unfortunate delay of a couple of hours as my doctor had a busy surgery schedule that day. Anesthesiologist checked in to explain his side of the procedure (my favorite guy for the feel-good stuff he administers.) Moments later I was in a deep sleep – and moments after that, it seemed, awake and finished!
I was told the entire procedure lasted a bit more than an hour. No complications. But for my age (75) and the “condition” of my years-long BPH-battered prostate, my doctor recommended two nights in hospital with catheter. I was OK with that. I can’t say I felt discomfort of any kind in the immediate aftermath, though morphine and another pain killer were allowed and welcomed on days 1 and 2.
So today is 2.5 days out from the surgery. I got home an hour ago. I had the obligatory pee session before being discharged. Yes, it burned. But a small price to pay, I figure, in the very early going. Flow is not (yet) a gusher, which surprised me for the stories I have heard. But I am patient. Biggest issue for me thus far: constipation. Been plugged up since Sunday but am told that will resolve itself once life’s daily routine takes over.
Perhaps the best relief of all: no more dull, 24/7 malaise discomfort in my lower belly area. GONE! That is VERY encouraging as I have lived with that for many years now. Like a block of wood behind my navel. I am also hoping for a true night’s sleep tonight and more energy resulting tomorrow. (Prior to surgery, 3 naps per day were standard in my state of permanent fatigue. ) I can accept 1 or 2 pee breaks in the night going forward…if that’s what evolves. Prior to surgery, up every 90 mins or 2 hrs.
So. So far so good. I am early to the recuperative phase so we will have to see. I see my uro again in about a month. If I missed anything, please let me know. Good luck to all.
Thanks for sharing Owen. Hope the very best to you. Hank
Did they give you an indication whether they still feel like this treatment is experimental or are they recommending it in place of TURP and other procedures?
As far as I know, "experimental" is not the case. It is an accepted, US FDA approved alternative to traditional TURP. Curious how your impression came about. i.e. "Experimental"?
Just want to say all the very best for you in future and happy to hear your story.....I had turp two years ago and feel like my life was renewed ...different procedure but hopefully both procedures have given us a future to look forward to ..
Good luck from here in the UK. !!
Thank you for your kind good wishes.
Update on day 4 from surgery. Stream is still "deficient" and some blood remains in urine, but I am not allowing myself any snap judgements as to my progress. I do wish the doc had given me a better "typical" time line for all this but I can deal with it.
The biggest SURPRISE Benefit of all for me thus far: pelvic pain that was 24/7 (and mimicking serious lumbar back pain) is now gone completely. This, in turn, has done wonders for my spirits. What I thought was a back issue was, apparently, referred pain from the prostate/pelvic issue. i.e. A bladder constantly half-filled and pressing. So a twofer, so to speak, for me -- back AND prostate "cured"!I need only get a stream back and I will be ready to conquer new worlds at 75. (NO erection issues either. Every indication in the early going that "awakening" that part of the anatomy will not be a problem :)
Also, a trick I learned to facilitate urine flow when the damaged tissue is burning and discouraging bearing down with pressure: I put my entire hand under a stream of ice cold water. The sensation of cold seems to distract me from the urinary challenge ongoing down below and a trickle at least begins. I learned this "technique" a year ago when I was post-op cardiac surgery with a catheter.
Good luck to all -- and fear not prostate aquablation. Thus far I am glad I did it.
congrats on your success. great to hear. where did you have the procedure done? what were your symptoms and what lobes were enlarged? or doesnt matter with this procedure?
Update: Today was Day 7 since my prostate aquablation of 12/7. The short story: Mixed results leaning to some early disappointment. Stream, if anything, is worse now than it was prior to surgery. But -- always realizing that the tissue along that pathway is still in an early healing stage and so "normal" urination remains a goal perhaps just not yet achieved. If two weeks from now the same symptom, I might be concerned. I see the doc again 3 weeks from now. Also, there is still noticeable blood tinge in urine flow -- standard to my understanding. Overall discomfort level on a 1 to 10 scale is a 5. But quite bearable. Biggest bonus: back pain that I had suffered for the past 18 months is, unexpectedly, largely gone! I assume the pain was actually referred pelvic pain from the BPH. Even the uro's PA said she had never heard of such a side benefit of this procedure. I am thankful for this huge and unexpected relief. Now if only I can improve in the area of the original reason for the surgery. Will keep you posted. My surgery was at Aurora Sinai Hospital in Milwaukee, WI USA.
NEW INFORMATION: For my concern over the pace of urine flow recovery and absent any premature dialog on this concern with my physician, I have reviewed still more on-line articles/research papers regarding the aquablation procedure and its aftermath.
Key takeaway: a diminished flow like mine mimicking my poor pre-surgical flow is apparently not unusual in the days and even weeks following aquablation. In fact, two or three weeks is apparently not uncommon in the recuperation phase -- only then, apparently, is enhanced stream volume likely. This, according to medical experts on the procedure.
In TYPICAL cases.
This has given me new enthusiasm for my progress. And as noted earlier, I am in a state of only mild discomfort one week out from the procedure -- with itching in the urethra and some burning with urination.
(My personal yard stick for "flow progress" was a 65-year old relative who had undergone green light laser treatment. His flow volume was enhanced immediately following that surgery. But he did suffer retrograde ejaculation. The latter is apparently not typically an issue with aquablation therapy.)
So I remain encouraged and will look forward to the days and weeks ahead, hoping to start the New Year with a new flow. And if not maximum improvement, then close to it.
Thanks for keeping us updated with your progress! Keep drinking water and flushing bits of tissue out of the system. That's the best way to prove that things are working and to keep that discomfort reduced. You can use Azo pills (over the counter) to help numb the urinary tract while you are healing.
Note also that there is no deterministic healing timeline for prostate surgeries such as TURP (I had 3 of them in a short period of time.) My urologist is monitoring me nearly 1 year after my last TURP and is learning along the way. I drink 64-80oz of water a day as I work from home, enjoying peeing after struggling with total blockage.
I recently had some constipation after the Thanksgiving holiday and I was shocked by the impact of the full rectum on the prostate. It was like 2 years ago when I got up 7 times in a night! I work hard to keep my diet "regular" now.
Also glad to hear that sexual function should still be there, that's a big deal with prostate surgery but some of us are lucky to avoid this issue.
Thanks Michael. Your advice is very timely. The "discomfort" remains pervasive. Both urethral and rectal. (I suspect they inserted something in the back door as well for the rawness of it all. I had always assumed decent regularity. But not since this particular surgery. )
I am now Day 8 since the aquablation. Stream is still tight and slow and burning. Blood in urine is down to just a hint. But it's the overall flow that is my focus. I am trying to gain a mind's eye understanding of why the flow is restricted. Inflamed tissue...or something worse? In my mind I ask why -- for all that prostate tissue ablated away -- isn't the flow a gusher? But then I focus on an inflamed urethra and why continuing flow issues do make sense. Looking forward to January 1 -- a convenient three-weeks-from-surgery target date for a whole new beginning.Thanks for the Azo advice. I am taking a generic equivalent.
After my TURP, when I peed, I had 2-3 streams coming out, spraying urine all over the toilet! I was told that the urethra had been stretched during TURP and had to heal. Also the prostatic channel was likely full of bits of tissue and/or inflamed tissue. I always heard of "peeing like a racehorse" after TURP but that's never been the case with me. Even with over 100g of tissue removed from my prostate, it's just an "ok"flow which is acceptable for me, a 59 year old guy. As long as I can mostly empty my bladder, I'm happy.
UPDATE: Day 11 after prostate aquablation on 12/7.
Best day yet. Just prior to today, had significant bowel and prostate burn and discomfort. Introduced ibuprofen today, 12/16, as an anti-inflammatory to help things along -- and lo and behold had a best day yet since the surgery. Flow has improved, and burning sensation significantly diminished. Not "cured" by any definition, but a major leap since just yesterday -- especially for the flow improvement, however modest.
I will only assume that healing is happening and that the broader trend for me is a positive one. Will share more as progress may dictate.
I refer all followers here to the "8 days to aquablation" thread where I just posted an important milestone update. Sorry...I didn't know I was on a different thread line. Will try to re-post it here once the moderator clears the info. Thanks.
12/19/21I am now 2 days away from a two-week anniversary since surgery. The bloodish tinge in my urine is largely gone. There remains some urethral and rectal burning., which I assume is from the urinary function contacting still raw tissue. (I read that the prostate is up against the rectum and has to be peeled away during the surgery. Hence, I guess, the rawness.)
The big news for today for the first time: I finally have a stream plentiful enough to make that familiar and glorious long-ago blub-blub sound of urine hitting water! I was thrilled 😃 It's a marker, I hope, that the healing is on schedule. Wife and I also jumped the gun today (by two days) on a two-weeks-no-sex rule of my doc. We can report all systems working with lift-off! Only noticeable side aspect: very watery semen. But all else is like it was before I had the problem -- and that's been years. I am very glad I sidestepped the retrograde ejaculation issue of the laser approach to this ailment.
I don't mean to generalize and my experience may or may not be typical. But I am now glad I chose aquablation and hope I can say the same a month from now and beyond. I next see my doc on January 4. 75 years old and feeling 50 again. I will continue to update here as needed.
Your experience is similar to mine.
I also had immediate relief from a chronic (~18 months) dull aching pain in my lower abdomen that could not be diagnosed as separate from BPH. I could tell in my hospital room as soon as I was sober enough from the anesthesia that it was completely gone. Still don't know what caused it though it obviously may have been related to my prostate growing into my bladder or putting pressure on adjacent nerve bundles.
Regarding not being able to pee like a race horse immediately, I had significant inflammation in the apex of my prostate as my surgeon was careful to preserve as much tissue there as possible. This lead to my flunking my first two pee tests resulting in my catheter being in for ~ 10 days. Part of that catheter time was due to timing of follow up appointments with my regular urologist after I returned home (~ 300 miles from where I had the Aquablation done).That urologist recommended my taking 800 mg of naproxen/day after the 2nd failed test thinking that inflammation was the problem and knowing that my urine had been clear for several days. After about 3 days of taking the naproxen I had no problem passing the 3rd pee test. That was aided somewhat by the nurse injecting 225 ml of sterile water in my bladder before pulling the Foley since the Foley has a dilating effect in the urethra. In spite of that I had great improvement compared to pre-Aqua every time I went after that. Per a urodynamics test my peak flow rate had been 5 ml/sec prior to surgery and I estimated about 20 ml/sec (average, not peak) following final removal of the catheter.
As my urologist (who had recently had prostate surgery himself) said, don't get frustrated, this is what recovery can be like and it varies from patient-to-patient.
I had no sexual side effects and if anything had better erections and orgasms after the surgery. My take away on that was that having an organ grow to 4+ times its normal size in my case can affect more than just urination.
Thanks Russ. Happy to know that we are having similar progress. Speaking of:
UPDATE/3 weeks from my 12/7/21 aquablation surgery:
Had my first "normal" voiding experience in years this past week. Haven't experienced this pace of flow in 20+ years. Not the much-referenced gusher like an 18 year old, but a "normal" flow that meets my expectations -- at last 3 weeks after surgery. Still off an don difficult to begin a stream at 2 in the morning but I figure that will resolve itself in time. Will report it to the doc anyway.
Bigger picture: No more blood tinge in urine; diminished urethral and bowel pain; urine flow significantly improved as noted; sexual function intact -- or seems to be ,save for watery ejaculate.
I see the doc on January 4. At the recovery pace I am keeping, I will likely applaud him when he enters the exam room! Aquablation has been a life changer thus far. Visiting relatives at Christmas commented to my wife that they hadn't seen me so chipper in a long, long time. The pelvic pain of which Russ speaks was real and a blight on my overall demeanor and expression. For years. Pain now gone and I am back.
Not much more to say, though I will update further at end of week #4 and after I see the doc. Choice of a solution is a big decision for any of us suffering BPH, but I can say that, for my own experience, I am glad I did this. Onward and good luck to all.
hi, what were your symptoms pre surgery. not sure it was mentioned but i can not find it. i also have this weird pain like sensation in lower abdomen you guys mention. how big was your prostate? was it pushing against the bladder.
thanks
If I may suggest, you need to have BPH formally diagnosed if you suspect you have it. That would of course be by the input of your doctor or urologist. Pain in the lower pelvic area, I assume, can have many causes -- in my case, BPH. I had BPH and experienced that pain for many months. The pain was gone after my surgery. But again, I was diagnosed with an obvious cause. Good luck.
owen, would you mind sharing doctors name who did your procedure. i am having no luck finding anyone in colorado, would most likely had to do a trip.
thanks
