Laser Prostate surgery Post Op Problems

Guest · Guest

My father had green light in October. He is still having a lot of problems. We just learned this week what went wrong. After the green light surgery his prostate swelled. It got so large it cut off its own blood supply. The loss of blood supply caused his prostate to swell even more. It got so big it pushed against his lower rectum, pinching it shut. He couldn't poop solids.

For five weeks he had diarrhea. Nobody understood it. He went to the emergency room. They did tests and sent him home. He continued to deteriorate.

He went to a new doctor. She put him on the Brat Diet which is supposed to be good for diarrhia. Unfortunately, the Brad Diet is terrible for Type-2 diabetics. He got weak fast and several days later he passed out in the bathroom. They called EMS, his insulin count was so low he was verging on a coma.

They stabilized him and rushed him into the emergency room where he sat for over 14 hours.

The next morning he got a colonoscopy (something similar with a smaller diameter). The doctor saw that a large portion of his colon looked white and he thought the tissue might be dying or dead. He gave my father a colostomy, closed him up with the idea of observing him for a day or two.

That night they gave my dad morphine for pain and a nausea pill. The combination made him intensely delusional and hyperactive. He had a gastric tube, three IVs and an arterial line. When the nurses left, he fell out of bed. He had just enough presence of mind to push his "call button."

The next night, they gave him the very same combination of medication and he went through the very same intense reaction.

From that point on my family decided that we would not leave my father alone for one minute at that hospital. The staff resented it, but we decided that it wasn't worth the risk of another medical mistake to spare their feelings.

The next morning the doctor thought things were not looking good and they took my father back down for surgery. This time they gave him a 50/50 chance of surviving. When the doctor touched his colon, though, it pinked up. It was the first good thing to have happened since this whole mess started.

Over the next week dad seemed to improve. We got physical therapy to work with him daily. After a week we went to a rehab facility.

Tonight, a month after being in rehab, my father is back in the hospital. It turns out that he hasn't been getting enough nutrition the whole time he has been in the rehab. He has been, for want of a better word, starving. Part of it, the doctors say, has to do with the colostomy. Food just passes through to the bag too quickly for the nutrition to be adequately absorbed. But some of it has to do with the rehab facility just not "getting it." He had been doing physical and occupational therapy daily for the entire time he was there, but his stamina hadn't been improving. It exhausted him every time. He had been losing weight, getting thinner and paler... At one point they thought he was anemic. If he didn't have enough iron, they explained, he couldn't oxygenate his blood adequately. That would affect both his ability to exercise and his stamina. They were going to do tests, but in the end, they decided not to ... Go figure.

So tonight he's back in the hospital. Eighty-one years old. Malnourished. Swollen prostate. Pinched off rectum. Mistake after mistake after mistake. I can hardly believe he's been put through all of this. It's hard to trust the doctors who have made so many bad calls, bad judgments. I mean, don't they know the risks of Green Light Surgery? Why didn't anybody recognize the symptoms before the problems began to multiply? Are there any real experts on this procedure?

If you have the surgery and get diarrhea, get your prostate checked. It could be badly swollen following the surgery. If you don't check it, watch out. This thing can cascade badly...

Of course, any information would be greatly appreciated – especially a source of good information re: the problems we are having. Dad’s not out of the woods yet.

Thanks.

Guest · Guest

I had green light 2 months ago and had almost all the syptoms most of you are having. I was second guessing my decision of having the surgury but now in the last 2 weeks everything is great. believe me it gets better and better. I have my life back!!! good luck everyone. don't worry the burning and the frequent trips to the bathroom will subside. be patience. good luck

Guest · Guest

Had the greenlight surgery December 2006 at 49 years old. Wish now I had of done the regular TURP instead. The greenlight helped because I had trouble just being able to get urine flow started. I still have problems with weak stream, small amounts of urine, and frequent trips to toilet. You can just about set your clock for 1.5 hour increments 24 hours per day that I will be or need to be at a toilet. This is the biggest problem because I stay sleepy and tired. Also talked to another fellow from the same doctors office with similar results as mine. I dont know if the regular TURP surgery has the same problems, but anyone considering the Greenlight needs to look at the other options also.

Callye9 · Newbie Joined: 20 Jul 2008 Posts: 1

Been reading the posts to find out why I have a lot of pain and the end of my urination. I am 60, had sugery 3 weeks ago tommorrow. My flow is great, don't wake up 2-3 times a night, only pass small amounts of blood once in a while. It doesn't hurt when I urinate, but after the bladder is empty it hurts. Is this normal? I have had BPH for 10 years, my Doctor is on the cutting edge of new techniques, in fact he was the second doctor in Va to do the surgery. I have a visit with him next week and see what's up. He told me retrograde ejaculation was the most common symptom, and its true. I am afraid to have sex with with wife until I see the doctor. All, in all, a tremendous improvement, but some after affects.

Guest · Guest

12 weeks out and still have an incredible burn evry time I urinate, or push during a bowel movement. Feels like a skewer going in through my anus and out through the tip of my penis. The first week of recovery was the best.

AJM · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2008 Posts: 2

After reading this blog I was concerned about my upcoming laser surgery. However, I have had zero problems after surgery. My surgery wa on a Friday. Had a catheter all weekend. Took it out on Monday and was waiting for all the dreaded symptoms posted here. I had none and still one week out, have no problems at all. Was back to work full time on Tuesday. No urgency, no bleeding, no pain. So I guess it is possible to come out of this in good shape.

AJM · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2008 Posts: 2

After reading this blog I was concerned about my upcoming green light laser prostate surgery. Surgery was done on Friday. Had a catheter in all weekend ( annoying but not that bad to deal with for a couple of days). I removed the catheter on Monday - that too was a non-event- and awaited all of the dreaded symptoms that have been posted here. HAPPILY, I HAVE HAD NO ADVERSE SYMPTOMS - NO URGENCY, NO PAIN, NO BLEEDING, NO NOCTURIA. I went back to work the next day and one week later I am still a happy camper. I guess you can come out of this in good shape. For me, a trip to the dentist would have been more traumatic! I hope that others reading this blog will have similar good results.

nichdad · Newbie Joined: 08 Sep 2008 Posts: 1

I had the holap green light surgery on July 21st. Had all the typical symtoms stated here with the addition of mild to extreme cramping of the sphinter muscle that starts with each urination and lasted from 10 minutes to several hours. All other symtoms have passed though I have strong urgency to urinate with little time to go. Actually had my first accident on my boat yesterday which was embarressing to say the least. I have spent hours trying to find information concerning the symptoms I have and only have found a couple of sites which provided little information. I am on 3 presciptions now to try to address the problem the pain and cramping issue and the only solution the doctor is providing is give it more time. Has anyone else had this issue??
Thanks.

Guest · Guest

I am 60 year old and about 5 day after lazer surgery and I am having the problems with frequency and I have very little flow. I go to the bath room about every hour for about 5oz. I only passed a little blood the first day and non since. I am now a lot worse than I was before I had the surgery. My Doctor also told my me that the Lazer quit before he finished the surgery and he needed 10 more minites to complete the surgery.He now want me to wait 4 weeks and see how it goes. I thought I had researched this before I did my surgery but at this point I not sure.
Good Luck

Laser Prostate surgery Post Op Problems

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