BPH treatment options years after external beam radiation.

MHB

I am 7 years post radiation treatment. My PSA has gone from an 11 to 0.19.

I have recently experienced urinary retention, completely unable to urinate, requiring a trip to the ER to be catheterized. I have seen a urologist (my original one retired) and we are discussing treatment options. She stated that the "radiated" prostate can be slow to heal, thus talking about less invasive treatments.

My prostate is to the point that I cannot even self catheterize, which they had me try. My symptoms were returning, and they asked me to come in again to retrain me to self cath, and the PA couldn't successfully get a single use in, thus I am now again wearing a Foley, to stave off the need for an ER visit again.

Cystoscopy next week, then I guess it's time to choose an option.

Side note, I can't tolerate Tamsulosin, as it gives me a horrible dry cough, so she started me on Silodosin last week.

Clevelandguy

Hi,

Not all that familiar with BPH but the TV stations around here have commercials for Urolift where they put a stint type device inside your urethra to keep it open. This is different than a TURP procedure where they actually shave off tissue from the inside of your urethra. I have included a link about Urolift, might be something to look into.

https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/urology/conditions-treated/male-conditions/urolift-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-bph#:~:text=The%20UroLift%20System%20is%20a,or%20removal%20of%20prostate%20tissue.

Dave 3+4

ASAdvocate

I can relate to the acute urinary retention and temporary need for a catheter. I was diagnosed as a Gleason 6 in 2009, and have been on active surveillance ever since. But, my BHP has gotten worse, and I need to take action, as my prostate lobes are obstructing my urine flow. I am scheduled to have Prostate Artery Embolization, followed by Aquablation in early May. That is a one-two punch of proven minimally invasive BPH therapies. Both are very effective by themselves, but this highly experienced practice believes that doing both, five days apart, should be a lifetime fix.

I can’t wait!

centralPA

@ASAdvocate, hope it works for you!

@MHB , I’ve seen the Urolift for post-radiation BPH discussed before. Worth googling on and finding a provider who can discuss it with you.

ASAdvocate

I am having my BPH procedures at a large practice that offers eight or nine treatments for BPH.

They no longer offer Urolift or green light laser.

Guess they didn’t success with those solutions.