Seeing Urologist (UK)

Hi. Could not think of where best to put this, so put it here. Genuine question: I have been having urinary problems (difficulty starting flow, stream not very fast), went to see the Doctor earlier and he has referred me to the Urologist. What do I have to expect during my visit? Hopefully I can get a write up by someone who is, or has genuinely seen a urologist. Obviously I have been catheterized in a play setting and had my bladder irrigated by sterile saline before, but what else happens? Many thanks in advance.

Lee.

My urinary problems are due to SCI (flaccid bladder) so I can only give you my experience.

First visit to urologist involved a prostate exam to check size (laid on my side with his fingers up my rectum) then I was shown intermittent catheterization.

Following that I went for urodynamics (Laid on my back & catheterized with two small catheters into bladder & a sensor placed inside my rectum)

Months later after many problems im now using indwelling caths.

When you see your urologist expect to have your prostate checked. 😳

Thanks for that. Of course ill probs like that with having a medical fetish haha. Not that he knows that 😜

A basic workup for your symptoms will include, of course, a urine specimen, drawing blood for a PSA, an ultrasound of the bladder after voiding and most likely a digital rectal exam to determine prostate size. At this point the urologist will have enough information to determine what the next step will be.

At that point, my PSA was still well below 1 and my prostate was about twice normal size. He did a flow study, which is simply peeing in a commode that records volume and length of flow. He had a full urinary system CT scan, he did a cystoscope and a trans-rectal ultrasound. There were some suspicious shadows from the ultrasound.

He was going out of the country for 6 weeks, and since nothing about my condition was urgent at that time, I elected to wait until he returned to see what else was needed.

When he returned, he had another PSA done and it was suddenly up to 11.4! I was sure I had prostate cancer and I think he was too. He scheduled me for a 14 needle trans-rectal biopsy. He shot me up with a lot of Lidocaine so I did not feel horrid pain during the biopsy. It is not a fun procedure at best.

Since the pathology lab was backed up (pathologists are in very short supply in this part of the world) it took over two weeks to get the results back.

Dear wife and I were almost sick as we waited for my doctor. When he came in the room the first words out of his mouth were, "You do not have cancer". The collective sigh of relief was audible in the waiting room, I'm sure. I did have a condition call granulatomous prostatitis. This mimics prostate cancer.

Why this developed, we do not know. I do know that I had shingles several years before and this may have been the cause. He felt, and I agreed that removing excess tissue from my prostate should help me immensely.

We did the Evolve Laser procedure late in December, 2008. Since then, I have had virtually no symptoms. I did have one small bout of prostatitis, but that was a few weeks after I had the shingles vaccine and we believe that may have been a result of that.

I strongly urge you to go through the whole procedure however it leads you and get your problem fixed. Do not hesitate, do not be miserable any longer than you have to be. And most of all, do not be afraid of cancer. You can and will beat it. Plus the odds are your problem is something else.

Good luck,

Speed

Many, many thanks for that! Obviously I aint looking forward to this but if it means it gets my problems sorted, then I will follow it to the end. I'm off to doctor's in a bit to find out when I have my appointment. Will let you know how I get on 😃.

Lee.

Hi Lee, How did the Urologist appointment go? We all want to know...

Lady Teddy

Hope all goes well,

Lol I don't even have the appointment yet Teddy, waiting for hospital to ring me now, just went to doctors to pick up the details on how to make an appointment. Thanks guys 😃.

Lee.

Update guys: Got the first of 2 appointments next Tuesday, for a flow rate test and an ultrasound, just got the stuff (letter, what to expect etc) through the post. Then it's back 2 days later to see a Doctor, no idea what for, that's all it says lol. Wish me luck!

Lee.

Update guys...

Saw the Urologist on Tuesday for a flow rate test and ultrasound, then the consultant this morning (Just got back). What happened with consultant was a BP, height and weight test by the nurse, then I was sent through to consultant who had a feel of my bladder and kidneys, testicles and did a visual examination of the penis then checked my prostate with his gloved and lubed finger, he could not see or feel anything untoward and according to ultrasound, I'm emptying my bladder completely so I now have to have a flexible cystoscopy (camera through urethra into bladder). A bit scared but I can't see it been any worse than been catheterized, especially as they will be using local anaesthetic lubricant according to the information leaflet (I'm guessing it's instillagel, same stuff my playdoc uses)... But anyway I'll be making the appointment for that on Monday, I'll let you know how I get on. wish me luck!

Lee.

Hi

Cystoscopy is nothing much.

I have had bladder cancer for 20 years with 6 monthly checks.

Visual ones in my UK ones were local and if they saw anything suspicious that needed a biopsy it was day case general anaesthetic

Not any more though as the cancer progressed and I had my bladder out 6 months ago.

All the best

Radian

Well it went well. No worse than being catheterized by my play doc, and it was very fascinating to watch on screen lol. Basically I have weak bladder muscles, I need to re-train them by holding on for as long as I possibly can before urinating, that's basically it lol. Glad it's nothing serious that requires surgery. Thanks for the help and reassurance guys 😃.

Lee.

I also had to retrain my bladder. After keeping a Pee diary for 2 weeks we realized that I was peeing almost every hour.

Now I try to wait at least 2 hours.

I have a urine slipstream that is occasionally very thin and it takes a while for the urine to empty the bladder. I saw my urologist on Wednesday and she said that if the problem persists there is a test they do by filling the bladder with sterile water but have to insert instruments into both the urethra and the rectum Does anyone know of this procedure? What are the preps? How long does it take? Thanks.

I have had UTI's Kidney stones and now got BPH but taking Tamsulosin 400mg for the rest of my Life, i have also had Lithotripsy (didn't work) 3 Cystocopies under local and twice under general to have stones removed via lazer I next see the consultant in 2 months time for a further check up. more to follow.

Martink