I have read that unless you do have issues...that check up is useless. Personally I would find me anew doctor- withholding meds for that reason.
I have lived with a heart that skips every seventh beat..all my life. Younger had a few minor things but not as I got older. Not saying you did right...but understand the reasoning.
Yeh, I was hoping for the same thing, but no such luck. I'm stuck between the Richmond urologist saying that my level of urine retention is no big deal, and the Charlottesville guys telling me that if I don't start to self-catheterize nightly that I'll not be able to go at all without a catheter. Of course, that is not something I'd just do casually. Richmond spits on the ground when I tell him what Charlottesville says, and Charlottesville does likewise when I talk about Richmond. The internet is of little value. I found a 2005 study decrying the lack of standards on the subject of what retention level to be concerned about, and not much else on any specific "threshold of concern." This is not a prostate issue, this is a weak bladder issue. According to that article, my level is the threshold for when action should be considered. I left the Charlottesville appointment with us agreeing I would double up on my Flowmax for a while and see if it made more of a difference (that was my idea because I've read some men saying it helped them.) The current dose made an immediate difference the day I took it, and continues to help. I'm to go back for another retention test sometime early January. If that does not help, I don't know what to do. I don't know who to trust. They're gonna pressure me to learn how to "do that." The Richmond guy is not hung up on doing procedures (he says that none will help), while Charlottesville not only wants to teach me to self-catheterize, they also want me to get an x-ray every 3 months to start monitoring the remaining kidney stones that I've had since 1990. The kidney stones have never been a major issue, I've never had them monitored at all the past 30 years, and there's only 3 small non-problematic ones showing on a CT scan. I said "No" because she could not tell me exactly what the x-ray is gonna tell us that my own body would not should the stones start to move after over 10 years of inactivity. Of course I'm worried about the urine retention issue. I absolutely do not want to do "that" to myself every single night, but it may help to avoid a worse condition later, to include another bladder stone. Lately I find myself turning down physician recommendations because I honestly think they're trying to sign me up for never-ending billable routine procedures done by mid-level techs (kidney x-rays 4x/year for no defined benefit, the cardio guy giving me EKG and blood pressure exams 4x/year when my stroke was an unrelated event.) I'm twisting in the wind on my own at a time I need a doctor I can trust. I don't know how this self-catheterize thing is gonna end up.
Sorry to read that you’re having such a rough time John and that catheter thing......uh.....I just caught myself crossing my legs just thinking about it. Sounds like you’re gonna have to John Wayne up and take a slug of whiskey and then bite on a stick or something. You’re DEFINITELY on my prayer list for courage and healing.
Sorry to hear this, John. I wish I had some words of comfort or encouragement for you. This may sound silly, but can you do any strengthening exercises (like Kegel) for the bladder?
@Bobby Cole Prayers are always welcome. @Beth Gallagher I never thought of that, although a cursory glance indicates that such exercises would help incontinence, but there's no mention of aiding retention. I'll have to read more. Most articles on weak bladder muscles indicate that there should be a treatable underlying cause, but there's less data on that condition than there is on other bladder issues.
I know that in women, there is sometimes a bladder "prolapse" where the bladder actually falls out of place causing difficulty in emptying, but I doubt if there is any similar situation for a man. And yes, Kegel exercises are for incontinence but I was just using that as an example; sorry my wording was not clear.
Not a prob, all advice is appreciated. It's tough to pick apart the causal issues and terms, and whether remedies are targeted or are universal. WebMD says that Kegel are useful for "overflow incontinence," so one would assume it would help with complete emptying. I had not even thought of looking in this direction. No M.D. mentioned it...
Well, in my vast medical knowledge , it makes sense to me that if a simple exercise would strengthen muscles in that "region" that it might also help with moving things along. Couldn't hoit.
@John Brunner Urinary catheterization is a rather mind-numbing consideration to the average person. To the doctors, it's everyday commonplace, often employed during surgical procedures to avoid the obvious. The worst consequence of catheterization is risk of infection, introduced by the cath itself. Absolute cleanliness is essential. Second worst, IMO, is that the damned things come in different diameters; the docs always seem to choose too big! Short story to aid understanding: Monday, June 5, 2010, living in MO, staying one night at the Tropicana Hotel in Laughlin, NV, with my wife, before going to bed, about 10:00PM, I couldn't pee! Not a drop. No pain, had 2 beers along with dinner earlier. Went to sleep, 1:00AM woke up, could not pee a drop, told my wife call desk, find out how to get to nearest ER. After a dubious several hours there, unable to introduce a catheter, several nurses had tried, it would not go. Attending Dr. wanted me to wait for Urologist, due in at about 6:00AM! I implored him to get that catheter in! He did, very painful, bladder drained out, they attached a plastic "catch bag" to my thigh; we left for home early morning. ER had told me to have my PCP remove the cath. at home. Following Friday, I removed the cath. myself. Prior to this experience, I had been taking Flomax, to aid urination. After the cath. thing, I found myself "going" normally, no problem at all, no Flomax! Been totally normal since, 10 years now. Believe there had been some sort of obstruction originally, not prostate caused. A concern with caths. is that if one "slips out", things get messy and infection chances increase. So, the caths. have an expandable tiny balloon on the tip, which is inflated after insertion into the bladder, to prevent slipping out. An unexpected tug on the cath. causes the balloon to pull on the inside of the badder, a most unwelcome feeling! The balloon must be deflated by use of a syringe before cath removal. PCP told me of a patient he had seen who yanked inflated cath out, tore up urinary sphincter, prostate, urethra, they barely saved his life! Self-catheterization can easily become a non-issue if one develops mind-set for it. Care insures painless use. I tell the story not from here-say, but actual experience. Frank
Thanks for that, Frank. I had a doctor-inserted catheter (and bag) for a week maybe 25 years ago when a kidney stone blocked things. Once the catheter was removed, the stone passed that evening. I'm certain I'm not suffering a blockage because I just had a bladder stone removed and the guy looked for bladder cancer (and did a general survey) when he was up there. I'm at a crossroads where I could believe the doctor who is telling me what I want to hear, or do what's right for my long-term health. Of course I'll do what's required to take care of myself...I lack the energy to maintain a good state of denial. The struggle is finding someone I trust to quantify what that thing is. ps: I see ads for catheters, and the guy who claims to use them is smiling, so it can't be that bad.