My PAE Experience Today

Men's health
1

The first time I posted this it disappeared.  I can't find out how to contact the moderator so I cant ask what happened.

I think the forum members will be interested in what happened to me.

Anyway...... Today I arrived at Dr. Baglas office at 7:30 and did the little remaining paperwork.  

Dr. Bagla has been excellent in promptly and thoroughly communicating with me so he already had my cystoscopies, health records, concerns, etc.  So we were already agreed as to handle a couple of minor problems that I have such as not tolerating ibuprofen.

At 8am they took me into the prep room and started an IV, filled out some more consent forms and chatted and swapped jokes with me and my wife.

About 8:15 I went into the operating room where, what seemed like a small army of nurses did various things to further prep me.  They put covers on me, looked for the best incision point, put more meds into my IV, asked me questions, etc.

Members of this forum have often discussed the benefit of using a dr that has lots of PAE experience.  But lying on the table I realized that there was also a great benefit in having a staff that knew exactly what to do.  I could feel by the way they placed things, connected things, checked my body, the questions they asked and the instructions they gave me, that they were totally experienced in PAE.

This took about 20 minutes or more.  Dr. Bagla came in as soon as they finished and told me a few things about the procedure.  I had spoken with him in the prep room but now he gave me specific information about what to expect and do.  

They must have pumped some tranquilizer in to me because I immediately drifted off into this amazingly happy place.  The room drifted into the background and I spent the next 90 minutes in the happiest vacation dream. The only interruption was when Dr. Bagla, as he had warned me, asked me to hold my breath.  Then it was back t the beach with my wife.

Somewhere around 10:30 I was taken to recovery room and asked to lay still for 2 hours while they gave me fluids.  

During the whole time I felt no pain, no discomfort, nothing.  I expected something because I don't tolerate anesthetics well and I have a low threshold of pain.  But I had no dizzyness, no headache, nothing.

With my cystoscopy I was groggy and disoriented from the meds.  The fluids gave me a headache for 2 days.

Today I felt almost nothing.  I could feel something going on with my prostate, similar to when I tried finistre.  But it was very mild.  And maybe I was just a tiny bit light-headed during the early afternoon. 

I had urges to urinate but usually only passed a few drops with no pain or burning or interruption.  Towards the later part of the day I had some mild buring.

My wife is an M.D. she said I looked very well, good cheek color, focused and alert.  Just the way I said I felt.

After 2 hours they gave me a drink and sandwich, I got up and left.  

I had flown overnight from Buenos Aires on Sunday, then from Miami to D.C. and driven to Woodbridge on Monday.  I cant explain it but I didn't even have the usual jetlag today (tuesday).

I know this sounds like I exagerating so I'm going to have my wife read it before I post it.

We left I felt well enought to be active.  We to the Pharmacy to get the meds that Dr. Bagla prescribed. Then we stopped for a great Tex Mex lunch (the dont have real mexican food in Argentina ie: they use ketchup and call it salsa). 

Then we spent an hour at Best Buy.

Finally I felt like I should rest so we returned to our hotel and hung out until we went out for dinner.

Still no pain, discomfort, etc.

Its 10pm, I haven't napped or had any form of pain or discomfort.  Actually I just did something really stupid, I left my computer next to the printer in the hotel lobby.  I know I shouldn't have but when i realized I had left it,  I sprinted about 100 feet to get it.  

So far so good.

I wont be surprised if tomorrow or the day after I have pain or discomfort.  Dr. Bagla said the first week I'll probably feel the inflamation.  The second week it starts to heal.  The third week should be yield reduced BPH symptoms.

I want to thank the members this forum.  Before I joined, the only advice I had was from my urologist who wanted to do a turp.  Whatever the outcome of my PAE I am blessed that you guys showed me an low risk treatment, low pain, hopefully quick recovery alternative.

2

Hope all goes well good luck. Keep us posted if it's ok. Take care

3

Hi jj, good post. Apart from the bit of burning you have already experienced, that's about it. I rode a horse for 3 hours on day 6 after my PAE which probably wasn't a great idea but that was how good I felt. I even promised my wife I would go to your country with her next year (she is going to Patagonia in November) as travel will be a breeze. I hope all goes well with you. I had major improvement within the first week, but I know not everyone is not that lucky. I have not had a flomaxtra now for three days (and was a bit anxious about stopping) and it is fine.

Cheers, Ian

4

JJ, When I saw you were from Woodbridge (graduated WHS '62) I had to write. I had my PAE In Hackensack in June of this year and our outcomes are somewhat the same. I had to lie on my back for 5 yours after my procedure @ Hackensack Medical Center; everything else is pretty much alike.

With you the best JJ.

Gary

5

JJJJ  I wish you luck and a good out come.  You are all ready in a good place because you did not let the doctor talk you into a turp.  They sure like to push that.  You are on your way to heal but remember it will take at least a month for you to feel better .  It takes time and all men heal in there own way.   Take it easy no running 10 mile or go dancing the night away.  Take care and just relax You will be fine   Ken

6

Hi Gary,

Actually I'm from NYC, lived in Upper Saddle River, near Hackensack for many years.

We're blessed to just happen to have BPH at a time when PAE is available. 10 yrs ago we'd be screwed.

How long before your problems decreased?

Jeff

7

Hi JJ,

     Thanks for your post. So very helpful and reassuring. Will you keep us posted on how things unfold for you in the next few week/months? I've been communicating with Dr Bagla and his office, and am very much leaning towards having the procedure and having it there. I live in the Catskills, so I could conceivably drive to Woodbridge.

Rich

 

8

Day 2. AM

The corticoids made me feel wired last night.  I spent hours cleaning the files on my computer then finally too some sleeping meds and go 2-3 good hours

Peed often but into the morning the streams were longer and might have felt like more of the bladder is empting.  No discomfort.

Afte a large breakfast we're heading out to enjoy this rainy day as much as possible.

I feel totally fine, just following the recommended presecriptions for pill taking.

I expect that sometime before I am healed I wll have a problem.  I'm just trying to be as relaxed and healthy to deal with it.

9

Thank you for sharing. Please keep us posted as you progress. I'm happy things went so well for you.

10

The past 2 years sucked JJ. My uro guy wanted me to do TURP. I kept putting it off but I despised the Finesteride and Tamsulosin. I heard of the procedure being done @ U.N.C. but when I contacted them, their grant money was depleted and I'd have to pay.

Then, in June I heard about Dr. John DeMerritt @ Hackensack. Maybe it was mental (former Tony Robbins student) but I started feeling results almost immediately and, day by day, just kept improving.

I went back to riding my bike too soon, had some prostate discomfort, and laid off the bike for a month.

It's been three months now and really feel great. The retrograde ejaculation is almost gone, too! So, I'm off the two worst med's in medical history, and I've changed Urologists. This guy was p*ssed that I had the P.A.E. done instead of his recommended T.U.R.P.!

I hope all continues to go well for you and, it will, if you count on yourself and not your uroligists!

11

Day 2 Bed Time

Over the last 6 hours I've had the often reported frequent urgent need to pee coupled with serious burning. 

I'm glad that I allowed 2 more days before making the long flight home.  If this problem hasn't subsided I'll stay in Virginia until it does.

Dr Bagla said that often (not always) it goes like this: the first week is a build up of inflamtaion from the procedure which results in painful urination. The second week is a decline in discomfort and the the third week the patient starts to see the benefits.

12

Oh, I feel for you.

Do you know if there is a painkiller or inflammation reducer that can help with the burning? What medicines are you taking?

13

The urgency and burning subsided alot during my 2nd night. A little extra ambien and rivotril put me into a deeper sleep.  Still I got up often but I was able to go right back to sleep.  

I probably made things worse by being very active, drinking alot of liquids yesterday and I also was 4 hours late in taking a prednisone dosage.  These are all mistakes I made and dont intend to repeat.

My meds are prednisone, cipro, phenzopyridine, and a corticoid.

My wife (M.D.) says that we cant take one medicine for the burning because there could be many causes obstructions, inflamations, etc

Its 8:30 am on Thurs, PAE +46hours.  At this moment I'm feeling totally fine, no headaches, no pains at the point of incision, no bleeding, good energy, clear headed.  Only, at this moment the need to pee every 45 minutes (we just had a liesurely hotel breakfast with no interruptions).  

14

Glad all is going well.  Some doctors don't care enough about there patients and they don't make money if they send you to someone else.  Take care  Ken

15

PAE + 36 hours, Thursday night.

Last evening I had frequent urination and burning.  Today I was fine until late afternoon.

I felt rested and more energetic than I have for a long time.  I cant say if its mental or due to relief at finally havein the PAE but I feel 'well' for the first time in a long time.

We did some touring today and my wife noticed too, how I wasn't dragging behind but was leading the way in our explorations.  She said that I was back to the way I was 2 years ago. 

Late afternoon today the urgency and burning returned.  Now its almost 10pm and I'm feeling much better.

I have no other problems, no pain, tiny swelling. 

Looking forward to continued improvement.

Jeff

16

Jeff.  Give it some time.  Remember your prostate is going through some truma.  Just relax and drink alot of water Soon you will be getting the relief your looking for  Take care  Ken

17

Thanks for your continued reporting. Hope you continue to improve.

Your comment about feeling rested and more energetic is very interesting. Perhaps something intangible. It reminds me of a condition I had many years ago. It had been chronic for 10 plus years, and when it was finally correctly diagnosed, I was put on a medication. After 5 days on the meds, that morning I turned to my wife and said "You know, I feel healthy!". I hadn't felt healthy in so long, and while the meds hadn't yet really fully done their work, there was a real difference, and somewhat intagible at the same time.

18

Day 3 PM

I was very active today.  Felt fine.  

From about 12pm to 4 pm I had a few instances of sudden urgent need to pee.  When I finished I felt like there was more to come.  I waited a minute and passed about maybe 4 tablespoons of urine.  This burned.

A couple of times I was not near a mens room and pushed back against the need to urinate.  The need seemed to go away.

I'm going to work on this.

Tomorrow morning I start my long long trip back to Buenos Aires.  I have an aisle seat near a restroom, I'm wearing absorbable underwear and carrying a pee bottle in my knapsack.  Hope I make the trip without a great embarrassment.

19

Good luck. Have a safe trip.

20

Good luck Jeff and I hope you have a safe and uneventful trip home.