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Wondering if anyone has gone down the urethral stricture road already or have some experience with bladder retention and treatments. I'm not having a lot of luck getting good information to make an informed decision on a treatment. I'm 50 years old and very active, married with 2 children.
Stats:
12/07 PSA 5.1 Brachytherapy procedure
11/08 PSA 7.6 Salvage Prostatectomy Start Lupron
03/09 PSA Undetectable. Medium incontinence. 6-7 guards a day
02/09 Unable to urinate, foley placed
04/09 Transurethral incision of bladder neck. Uro says he used a light touch on the stricture. Afterwards heavy incontinence but manageable.
06/09 Unable to urinate. Uro says bladder neck covered over with scar tissue. Very difficult and painful cystoscopic placement of foley.
So here I am with a foley once again and miserable. My Uro recommendation: go back in and remove all scar tissue or schedule AUS (artificial sphincter) surgery. This dilemma has taken over my world and I refuse to accept a treatment now without heavy research. Any help appreciated.
I wonder about the difficult placement of the Foley. It could have been difficult because of the scar tissue, difficult because of poor technique or both.
I bring this up because an alternative might be Self Catheterization, even if there is some scar tissue this can work, besides it has a dilatating effect. This might sound scary for you now, but you should give it a thought.
I do it myself for 6 years now for a congenital bladder neck disorder that resulted in a lame trabecular bladder with virtually absent muscle function.
I selfcath 4 times a day and enjoy good quality of life.
At least discuss it with your uro and tactfully inquire about the very reasons of the difficult Foley procedure.
I have self catheterized, something I thought I could never do to begin with. Sounds worse than what it is. On that night I tried a few times until cath came out with a small amount of blood. Enough, waited to go to hospital.
Just got off the phone with the uro who did the dilation. He says my problem is the scar tissue is thick and may have gotten into the muscle due to both radiation and salvage prostatectomy. The plan as he sees it is to do another bladder neck incision and hope it heals without closing off again. Slow stream, stay continent but able to completely void. If this doesn't work he says AUS is next. He's confident that we'll get good results even if it takes a few months.
Until next surgery I have to keep in the foley. A constant nagging reminder I have issues. It amazes me how much urine is produced in a day (or over night).
I had this problem for 2 years..now Im ok as far as the strictures go.
I was back and forth to hospital having some kind of metal rod inseted to the opening of my bladder. this was not a pleasant experience at all.
Then I was self catherting? for almost 2 years,started off 3 times a week then over time reducing the times I had to do it.
Never thought it would finish..its been 3 years now and all ok Hope this helps John Madden
