5 Week report on my Holep experience. I am pretty much back to (better than) normal. I do have a very strong "urge" if you will, when I have to go. Almost an electric shock kind of feeling. I can fend it off and wait when it seems necessary. I have no regret with the surgery. I drove my motorcycle today for the first time this year. I cannot quantify how many years since I have been able to pee this well! If you have any opportunity to correct any sort of enlarged prostate issue with this type of surgery I see no reason to hesitate. I am still wearing the small pads, more of a (I bought a box and am gonna use it up) than needed currently. There are drips and dribbles yet when finishing, but that is minor. The "dry" orgasm thing takes a little getting used to, but the intensity doesn't seem any different. I will check back in August when I have my 3 month follow up with Dr. Cherchenko.
I might as well chime in with my 6 month status (6/7). Urination is wonderful. I piss like a fire hose. I do dribble some at the end, but it is manageable. I can retain all night and pretty much 4 + hours or more when active. I do still get strong urges when I approach a toilet or am near running water, but am pretty much able to control it until I am able to void. Incontinence is still an issue as far as dribbling. I have progressed to 1 shield a day. Some days if I am less active I may only dribble once or twice. More on active days but never more than 1 pad a day can handle. I continue to do kegels daily, nd really still hope to eventually reach full continence though I am assuming I will never be continent as I was pre-HoLEP, and may have to deal with it for a while, if not forever. Time will tell. Even if that ends up being true it is better than life pre-HoLEP.
I feel for you Buster. Retrograde does not seem to be a major issue for me and I only hope things improve for you, Intensity is still satisfying, though not quite as good as with normal ejaculation, it is still satisfying enough. I can only hope it gets better for you.
I'll continue to post as time progresses. My best to everyone here.
As for theincontinence, I usually use one shield per day. Some days it may be a bit squishy. I am fairly active since I workout five days a week. Most days I am lifting as well as cardio. On average I will walk about 4 miles a day.
I should say that I am working on the issue of intensity.
My PCP says I am one of the most active of his patients.
Don’t let the incontinence stop you. I would stuff a pad in my compression shorts then empty my bladder, drive to the gym, doing Kegels on the way, and then urinate before I started my workout. The workout generally consists of 20 minutes the treadmill, then 45 to 60 minutes of lifting followed by 20 minutes on a recumbent bike. When I am at home I then go walking for another 2 to 3 miles. I enjoy it so I would not give it up. I resumed the workout and added the extended cardio about one month after surgery. I do notice that if I drink more than 2 liters of fluids in a day I will leak more.
I am still doing my Kegels throughout the day.
Good luck getting back to exercising.
I heard the suprapubic also gets infections and takes a bit of care which is tough for him with only one functioning arm. I'll let you all know what happens. Thanks for being so helpful.
Thanks again.
The standard Holep surgery itself is not that taxing and I feel certain there are ways to make it even less so.
Just my two cents from a personal perspective.
I had surgery with Dr. James Lingeman in Indianapolis about 3 1/2 years ago. Before surgery I had a prostate size of 163grams and I was retaining up to 800 cc in my bladder. My mistake was waiting as my primary urologist[an absolutely wonderful doctor] had been encouraging me to go see Dr. Lingeman for several years as my gland was too large for a TURP and he finally told me I had to either use a catheter a few times daily or have the HOLEP as he was quite worried about my kidneys. I was getting up between 10-12 times a night before the surgery if you can believe that. I was first told to have a TURP in 1993 due to the size of my gland but I continued to resist. The surgery with Dr. Lingeman went better than well. I really didn't have pain after the surgery while urinating and I had very little blood that I could actually see after a few days. I also only needed pads for a few short weeks. I feel pretty fortunate compared to some of the experiences of others expressed here especially considering how severe my situation was. I have to thank Dr. Lingeman for that. I traveled by car a few hundred miles to see him and can only suggest that other men go to him for the surgery if possible due to his well earned reputation. I don't know if he has retired, but, I don't believe he has. The one thing I do want to say to you is that even though you have very little retainage at 40grams, you do say that you have "bothersome, not terrible symptoms" and you get up 2-4 times nightly. I believe you should strongly consider the surgery sooner rather than later. The only side effect that I don't like is retrograde ejaculation as the sensation is not as good for me sexually. I may have waited too long as my kidney bun and creatinine levels have worsened over the past year and that is what my primary urologist was so concerned about happening due to my putting off having surgery. So, for that reason, I would strongly consider doing something. Jack.