Just heard about it in a post in a discussion on this forum. Wondering if anyone has been part the the trials in the US or had the procedure in another country, and what your experience has been.
I've had good luck with a urolift this June, 2016. With only a few weeks' experience, I can only say so far, so good, pretty much completely successful with very little discomfort initially. This iTind procedure looks promising, and I also am interested in learning more about this option, for future reference if it becomes necessary.
I signed up in early May and was assigned to Weill Cornell in NYC. I went to be screened on Aug 1 and seem to fit their parameters. Before signing up I did a lot of research. Seems to be 95% effective with very few downside risks; much less than TURP or drugs. The only problems have been one or two UTI and a few patients where the device move out of position in which case it was removed early. Only one patient that I know of has gone on to have TURP.
I can not post a link for you but google medi-tate and iTind and you will see their website. If you drill down you will see the place to sign up and you will be contacted with a lot of information. At no time are you obligated to proceeed.
You can also google clinicaltrials a gov website which lists all trials. Then search iTind there too.
The screening was blood test, urine tests, a TRUS (like having your temperature taken rectally) to have your prostate sized, a uroflowmetry test (urinate into a funnel with a flow meter on it, and an abdominal ultrasound to determine PVR (post void residual). All simple.
The staff at Weill Cornell were super nice and respectful making an awkward situatuon very comfortable.
Know that 2 out of 3 subjects will get the implant and 1 out of 3 will get a catherter inserted a nd removed so you think you got the implant. That is a blind control to tell if the procedure works or only tricks your mind as a placebo effect. Even if you get the placebo you will still be examined and screened for cancer or other causes and you can always go to canada to have the implant done. Seems like minor risk to me so i went forward with it.
Do you know when you will have the procedure (or the placebo)?
Thanks for the report on urolift. I'll be curious to hear how effective it remains in the coming months. Where did you have it done?
Waiting to clear all of the blood tests then within 30 days. I will post results of the experience. But contact them and speak to Maureen the trial coordinator. Where do you live?
Hi Bobby,
Not at the point where I'm ready to start getting serious about choosing a procedure. I recently switched to every other day Tamsulosin while taking an herbal supplement every day, and I'm still evaluating whether this will actually be workable. And I do know that there's a good chance that even if this works for a while, it could stop working at some point in the future, so I'm trying to learn all that I can about what my options might be. Most promising at this point in my research are PAE, Urolift, and now maybe iTind.
I'm about 100 miles north of New York City, in the Catskills Mountains.
I had it done in April in Spain. I had to travel wherever I had it done, and could not find where to have it done in Canada. I wanted to try this before something more extreme. My uro suggested TURP, but I didn't want that done. The doc who did the procedure thought HOLEP would be best given my situation. I have an atonic bladder. They both thought removing any obstruction would give me the best situation. But the doc in Spain thought ITIND would be worth a shot, and can always go on to another procedure later.
i had good flow right away, but things slowed down a bit after the procedure. I think I have something else going on, probably related to the weak bladder. But when I have to really go, I have decent flow, almost like wwhen I was a teenager.
I started taking bethanechol this week after reading about it on this forum. Supposed to help with weak bladder. I don't like it, but will try for a few weeks to see if things improve. I also take terazozin for BPH. I have tried to stop that a couple times, and it seems like the urine flow slows down each time I stop, so I start taking it again and things improve.
Don't expect to be active when the device is implanted. I wouldn't say it's painful, but it is uncomfortable, and you know it is there. Sitting for any amount of time was uncomfortable, so I did a lot of reclining or laying down.
Forgot to add, at this point I do not have to use a catheter. Before the procedure, I didn't have to use it regularly, but would need to every once in a while. Almost everytime I was on an airplane I would need to use one, for whatever reason. And I would not leave home without having one with me. Have not used them at all since. So that is a positive.
Suburban Detroit MI, Drs. Shetty and Bennett, through their private practice and Beaumont Urology. I'll post here occasionally when I have anything new to report. A couple weeks ago I had to have an unrelated surgery on a foot, and the post-op problems from anaesthesia were missing. Several years ago the 12 hours after surgery were quite uncomfortable with urination significantly compromised, so on that facet of it the improvement is striking. I've noticed that with the post-op oxycodone, the stream is weaker. But it's not blocked, and I expect these symptoms to disappear as soon as I stop the meds. With urolift I have an ID card for airport security screening--it's metal implants--and wouldn't it be nicer to avoid even than tiny inconvenience? I'll be following your experience, and hoping you're not a placebo if it's a trial.
Do not wait too long. iTind is currently recommended for up to 75ml size. Not sure why. That is why I am going forward on it. I am at 64ml and do not want to miss the window of opportunity. Also, every urologist I have spoken to likes the idea for early problems because it looks like it can be repeated if needed, however worldwide nobody has had to have it repeated and it has been in use for 5 years.
I cath before every airplane flight, which saves me the hassle of getting abck to the WC! Also before bedtime, which gives me a full 7 or 8 hours of sleep each and every night. How many 67 year olds can say that??? :-D
Never had to cath. Is it hard to learn?
I had the Urolift in December of last year. The first few months were great, with stream returning IMMEDIATELY after surgery! Loved the change, but it "wore off;" now, 9 months later the restriction has returned. I saw the doctor (Steven Ganges, in Salt Lake City) ten days ago; although everything looked fine with the previous surgery, we may go for a second treatment with additional implants. Steve did the trials for FDA approval, and has as much or more expereince than anyone else in the US. He also teaches the procedure to other docs. (I live in PA, and find the trips worth it. :-) 
Easier than calculus! :-)
It's straight forward, plus a couple of us here have tips that the nurses don't teach. And for me, it was SO much better than wearing a BAG on my leg... I cathed every time I needed to pee for 15 months, which amounted to over 2,000 times. Almost as simple as breathing! Only caveat is: diligent preparation! (Which takes only 20 seconds...)
Oh, I'm already over the limit, either 98 cc or in the 80s depending on which diagnostic was used. Hmm.
I believe that is the limit for the clinical test. I think the idea is to get 150 similar test subjects (human lab rats) so the results can be more easily compared.
That would be better, not ruling larger prostates out because it's ineffective.
What does bethanechol, supposed to do? My uro, told me to take it till he gets back from his trip. I am supposed to take 3 a day, and the dossage is 25 ml.
Dunno that Bethanechol Chloride will solve the bladder problems, especially if it is stretched out as badly as mine (I sometimes retain 800cc!!!) ...
THen there is this, of course:
SIDE EFFECTS:Dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps/pain, diarrhea, increased saliva/urination, sweating, flushing, watery eyes, or headache... You can Google for more! :-/