I am scheduled for HoLEP at St Albans City Hospital (UK) early in May.
Has anybody had this procedure done there? Any comments regarding results and recovery would be appreciated.
Observations regarding HoLEP in general would also be welcome.
Thanks.
Try PAE or FLA first. Minimally invasive. HoLEP will give you sexual side effects, and potential complications.
David why are you having this procedure. Were you offered any other one. Ken
Not familiar with the procedure.
David. Expect the usual responses imploring you to explore the possibilities of PAE or FLA on here, it goes with the territory.
I shall just tell it how it is and you can make your mind up on how you deal with the info I provide.
I suffered from BPH for a decade and went through the full range of medications and supplements to slow the growth of my prostate but to no avail. Retention, nocturia, hesitation, UTIs and bladder stone formation were all the results of an ever enlarging prostate and an ever changing lifestyle to contend with all those symptoms.
Life was becoming unbearable until I discovered the magic world of the Holmium Enucleation of the Prostate procedure.
I had my HoLEP carried out at Addenbrookes in November 2015 and have regained a life.
OK, enough of the dramatics and on with what you need to know.
First thing get going with the pelvic floor muscle exercises NOW. The more you strengthen these muscles the better chance you have of recovering control of your bladder control and even after the procedure still continue with the exercises but gently. All this is worth it, as I found that I had regained full continence within a week with no dribbles and a bladder I could turn on and off like a kitchen tap.
I went for a spinal block anaesthetic instead of a GA. My procedure took an hour and the anaesthetic lasted long enough for the surgeon to complete the procedure without any breakthrough discomfort occurring. In fact apart from this spinal anaesthesia I took no other pain killers whatsoever following the procedure which surprised both I and the medical team.
The catheter remained in place for a few hours and after its removal I was peeing well and only a little discoloration of my urine. Had I been the first on the list of HoLEP procedures I would have been sent home that evening however, as I was last onto the table at 4.30pm I had to be kept in overnight and discharged in the morning. So depending on when you go to theatre, you could be out the same day.
Back home I took things easy for the next couple of weeks, ensuring I drank plenty of fluids and avoided lifting anything heavy, bending to much or straining my abdominal muscles to much. This is done to avoid risking any chance of the wound scab being dislodged which if this does happen you can expect bleeding to occur which if severe will have to be dealt with quickly and a catheter inserted to allow the healing process to get under way again. There is abut a 2% - 3% risk of this occurring with any HoLEP but when compared with TURP or GL procedures this percentage rate is very low.
Two and a half years later I am still peeing like a 19 year old with no sign of it diminishing and best of all life is back to normal with no discomfort from all those symptoms I experienced before the procedure. I think the best bit is I can now travel for hours and hours in a car and public transport without worrying about if my bladder is going to go into spasm and the need to find a hospital that would catheterise me quickly before it got so full my kidneys were at risk of damage.
All the best.
Roger
Glad all worked out for you. Were you offered any other procedure. Did it harm your sex life and did you end up with retro ejaculation or was that not a concern. Ken
This as you can see was the wrong place to ask "As although it is Patient UK it is inhabited by Americans so it is unlikely you will get any local replies.
I've had GL and Thulium/Holmium laser procedures in the UK and both worked for me with life back to normal in two or three days.
You read this Forum and have never heard of HoLep???
I am from the UK and would be very interested to know if the UK guys on this thread had Holep done on the NHS or Private. When things get too bad, seriously considering Holep at Addenbrookes either NHS or private.
rogcal had Holep at Addenbrooks and for the record my PAE was in Colchester. Still think that David should look into PAE, whether the advice is American or local. PAE doesn't preclude a HoLEP later if it isn't sufficiently successful due to its less invasive and radical intervention.
NHS.
I knew what I wanted and all that it entailed, researched it and the alternatives thoroughly. No concerns about anything.
Should we advise as we do not know anything about his condition
NHS for my HoLEP at Addenbrookes. Private was about £7k a couple of years ago and one chap on here from the States took that route and saved himself thousands of dollars on the cost of the same procedure in the US, even when adding in the cost of flights for himself and his wife.
That is true. He has not said if he researched anything else or if the doctor only told him this is what he needs. Who knows if it his prostate or his bladder. If your bladder is the problem why mess around with the prostate. Ken
Hi. I had my HoLep done privately at the Nuffield, Cambridge by the same team who also do the NHS ones at Addenbrookes. Mr Aho did mine. He's from NZ where HoLep was invented. He's brilliant. I can't help with any St Albans City knowledge but do check who will be doing the op and his experience. It's a long Op and requires great skill and experience. The only downside for me after 3 years has been the RE which I was warned would result from the op but as I'm in my 70s who cares. I've had no sexual negatives at all and no ED. I pee as someone else has said like a teenager with no retention and no leaks. I'm amazed at the lack of problems I've had. I was warned I might suffer some strictures which could be fixed but have not suffered anything.
Thanks for your very comprehensive and encouraging response Roger. I will take your advice.
We don't even know I he was advised it or chose it after due deliberation. I doubt if it's his bladder.
Prostate is too large for these procedures.
Due to size of the prostate.