Hi again,
I'm 4 weeks on tomorrow from my HoLEP surgery at Newcastle, UK and am pleased to say that I'm continuing to be very pleased with the improvements that this has given me. These last few days there has been no blood in my urine and had no scabs of any sort. I'm getting 2 or 3 nights where I sleep through and on other days just need to get up once. I do make sure I have a final pee after my 30 mins read. I was expecting to have RE but to my very pleasant surprise things have starting to work again this week. I didn't even as ask my consultant about RE as I just assumed it would happen.
in my case, I understand why so much emphasis is put on the exercising of the pelvic floor muscles. Sometimes when I'm in the house and put off going for a pee for too long, I then get a desperate urgency to pee and one needs to be able to hang on until getting to the toilet., hence the need for pelvic muscles to be working well. This never happens when I'm outside and is becoming less of a problem with time.
In conclusion, I would say I'm as near normal as I've ever been and should have had the op sooner and am grateful for the skill of my surgeon and the care I got at the hospital. My 36 hours there was more of a jolly than an ordeal.
Very pleased to read all is OK and no major hiccups.
Glad to hear you're doing well. HOLEP was top on my list of procedures to have done before FLA came onto the scene. Holep has very low retreatment rates. Since FLA is so expensive HOLEP is a very good long lasting alternative
Great news!
What is the basic difference between Holep and Button Turp?
Hi rogcal,
Thanks, it really is a great op and will report again, probably for the last time at the 6 weeks stage.
I'm feeling so much better now I'm sleeping through the night and it's good to get off the two types of pills at last but in fairness the pills do work well until the prostate gets too big and in my case that was nearly after ten years.
Good luck to you.
tony
Thanks, If I was much younger and private I may have tried one of the many other newer treatments. Too be honest, I read about all the other treatments on here and couldn't find any other treatment that is, at this moment in time, simple and affective long time. No doubt there will be a better solution coming, especially for younger patients, but HoLEP for older patients seems an effective way forward.
Hi Phil,
To be honest, I don't know as It's not a treatment I studied much, although it has been discussed on here a few times. Turps has been going a long time and then green lazer came out 15 years which was considered a less traumatic op than turps and then green lazer was superceded by HoLEP which again has improved on Green laser.
As mentioned before, one can get a good idea about HoLEP by finding the Newcastle [uk] Urology department website where they have in depth detail of a few prostate BHP treatments.
good luck.
Greetings from sunny Florida! Congratulations on your recovery. I am 9 days post op from my Supra Pubic open simple prostatectomy and I am doing well so far. Doesn't if feel good having all of this behind you?
I have an appointment today with a urologist who performs Holep.
Are you able to exercise such as lifting light weights?
Hi breeze
I was in theatre this time last Friday - St Albans City Hospital. Was expecting to be in overnight, but in the end it was 4 nights. First surprise was when the surgeon told me just before the op. that he would be removing 80-90% of the prostate, I wasn't expecting that! My wife was told that I would be out of the room (I had a side room on the ward) for 2.5-3 hours, but it was actually 4 hours.
After the op. I asked the surgeon how the size of my prostate compared with the "walnut" often referred to. He answered "a small orange". Incidentally, I am 74.
Anyway, cannot fault the hospital or the staff. Just a shame to have missed the bank holiday weather. Current situation is: Some blood in the pee, but no clots. Stings a lot when peeing and a little while dribbling when finished.
I think it was you who mentioned pelvic floor exercises when I posted about 3 weeks ago. Good advice and I am surprised that you are not told this by the hospital in advance.
Best of luck with your recovery and I will report back again.
Hi,
yes, started back at the gym a week ago, am taking it easy but doing bench press and stomach exercises no problems. I went the last time 2 days ago and forget I'd had an operation and not suffered any set back.
Obviously you need to see what your doctor says about getting back to sports.
Good luck and be good to hear how you get on.
Hi Gary,
Good luck on your op and yes, it's a relief when it's over, I hope it goes well for you.
I envey your sun its quite chilly in south yorkshire and had to put the heating on.
Hi David,
Good to hear from you and hope you make a good recovery. As stated before my blood cleared up at the 3.1/2 stage but it wasnt a problem for me. I remember the slight stinging and the dribbling but ditched the pads after about 10 days. Are you peeing well and getting more sleep now?
My consultant impressed on me the need to do the pelvic floor exercises and gave me a leaflet about them. I had this for some 2 months before my op.
Good recuperation and look forward to hearing from your progress.
ps I didn't ask my consultant how much he would remove and didn't get to see him after the op because he was off duty. I will ask this when I ring next week for the results of the biopsy.
David what procedure did you have?
you had the plasma button turp, right?
Just don't go there in January or February :-)
We had a month there in each and the weather was dreadful. In 2008 fish were dying in the sea after the temperature dropped and Iguanas were falling from the trees while oranges froze.
Then we had rain and thunderstorms. We crossed the Sunshine bridge going to Tampa by bus in the worst rain I have ever seen. I offered my congratulations to the Greyhound driver who said it was the worst he had ever driven in.
Pelvic floor exercises must be new advice in the UK as they were not mentioned prior to my two lasers procedures in 2004 and 2013.
Hi Derek,
I can only think it helps in preventing mishaps with the kind of urgency that is happening with me explained earlier in my post. It's not happening much but only when I put off my first urges to go for a pee. I'm sure it will settle down soon but i'm able to hold on because of stronger pelvic floor muscles.
Can you remember these types of urgencies in your early weeks/
You were able to go the gym at 3 weeks after the Holep? If yes, that’s great.
The doctor I saw said Holep removes almost all of the prostate thus patients do not need retreatment or another procedure. He works in a major Medical Center and if I wanted another procedure such as Button Turp or Rezum (did say it’s relatively new without long term data), he would refer me.
I would need to stay in the hospital for one night.
I’m planning on seeing another urologist who does Button Turp and compare notes. I am interested in seeing data comparing long term retreatment rates and other variables between Holep and BT.
Keep up the good progress and don’t forget to do planks, 👍