3 TURPS (So Far!)

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Sun, May 20, 2007

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SEXUAL SENSATION LOSS AFTER TURP ?

Yes, I've had three TURPS in less than one year. That after two microwavings that didn't work--one THERMATRX and the other TARGIS. My Urologist finally said "It's time" and so reluctantly I agreed to have a TURP. After not working properly even while still in the hospital, I returned only 3 weeks later to have another. When that failed to "fix" me I returned in 3 months for the third TURP. Because of excesive bleeding, he informed me ( I was conscious thru the procedure) that he needed to stop and hoped he had removed enough tissue this time)-- I have had continued problems and now a 4th procedure has been proposed. I have elected to go to another town for a second opinion. In regard to the surgery,,,,,,everything said, including my urologist--"TURP is DEFINITIVE Therapy"-- that is listed about 6 times in my office records I obtained for the second urologist to look over. My Flow is only sometimes improved and my retention is still bad...after voiding, I sometimes have as much as 200 cc's left in me after a bladder scan.

SENSATION LOSS--When I asked about RETROGRADE EJACULATION, the answer I got was "Climax will feel the same"----nothing could be further from the truth in my case. Sensation loss is very signinficant..If before TURP the feeling was a "10" then now a best it is a "2 or 3" only....In reading about the experiences of other patients, I find that I am not alone in this feeling....Had I know of how significantly different sensation would be after having a TURP, I would NEVER have agreed to do it at only age 56....What I have now is NOT what I had expected for the next 20 or so years sexually.

If I added up the plusses and minuses of my situation, I would pick what I had BEFORE surgery ....when an orgasm was really an orgasm. It is not just the case of nothing comming out at climax time....I had that already from taking double doses of FLOMAX before surgery.....even when it happned then, "Orgasm" was still normal in feeling.....now there is no "spasm" or contraction feeling up in there and I feel like a rat bar presing in an experiment when the reward is not always given for the press. I guess each time I THINK it might be better but in the 9 months since all this started, NEVER have I had a sensation that aproximated what I had before TURP one. My urologist just shrugged his shoulders when i asked about this. I have brought it up at EVERY visit since TURP 1 and I'm sure he is tired of hearing it from me but perhaps he will beause of my problem think twice before telling another patient that "sensation will be the same". Any other TURP patients out there have this kind of "post TURP problem?"

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BrendanS

5/21/07 11:49am

Dear gwtw4750:

The beauty of this sharepost community is that other shareposters might come across your entry and may be able to provide you with helpful information that helped their condition, which may be able to also help yours. I would recommend that you continue to sharepost or even join a support group, which can be found at http://www.healthcentral.com/prostate/support-groups.html, to help you overcome your condition.

Hope this helps,
BrendanS

GaryM

10/26/07 2:22pm

I'm 54 and had 3 "green light" (laser procedure) procedures in the last ~2 years, which is far less invasive than turp as I went home after the procedure and there was very little bleeding. I did have to wear a catheter for 3 days which was no big deal and there was little pain (the first 2-3 days was controlled with pain-relief drugs).

The first 2 procedures were not particularly effective but the 3rd procedure had better results as I now get up now on most nights (maybe 5 out of 7 nights) only once to pee.

As to sex I too am "retro" (My urologist did not mention the retro issue!) and the climax sensation is not the same although not bad. On a scale of 1-10 it has probably dimished to a 7.

I'm curious as to why your urologist used the TURPS procedure instead of the less invasive laser surgery?

gwtw4750

10/26/07 10:13pm

Hi-

I had tried two microwave procedures, first a Thermatrx and then a Targis-- neither did anything. He assured me that a TURP was the "Gold Standard",as I also had read in so many articles. He started talking about doing one for a year and a half before I agreed to do it. It just didn't fix me. I did ask about the laser version of a TURP and if it was really "better" or just smoke and mirrors. His call was a TURP. (Perhaps because he didn't do the other procedure?)....I have just learned from more testing in a different city by a faculty member of the Medical School that I have major Bladder Neck Constricture as a result of all this surgery and will have surgery for that in 3 weeks. Every complication you can have has apparently happened to me. I began to have severly painful erections in the night or early morning and it now turns out I have Peyronie's disease. It can be of unknown origin, as a result of trauma, heriditarily linked or the result of URETHRAL INSTRUMENTATION. The latter is probably why it has happened to me. This possibility was NEVER mentioned to me and is far worse than my urinary problems before TURP ever were... No one should EVER agree to a TURP without a second opinion first...I was foolish to have done so and even more so to agree to the two additional ones that soon followed the first.

George T.

jonno

5/ 3/09 11:34am

I had a turps 13 years ago and have never come to terms with the retro effect - I was not even told about this before the turps. I asked if in this day and age the retro effect could be reversed but the Consultant always changed the subject. Go into all the options before having this surgery.

John

gwtw4750

5/ 4/09 2:05pm

Hi- What is your sensation at "climax" with the retro thing? I was told it would FEEL THE SAME....it is virtually sensationless for me....only real tingle that approximates an orgasm came from use of a vibrator on under side of glans in frenulum area. That was suggested by a woman who is a therapist/physician's assistant at the place I finally ended up. SUrpirsed you were not told RETRO would probably happen to you. It is virtually a certainty. I have had a drop or two come out of me since the operation almost 3 years ago and that had been it so my retro is complete...I too have not come to terms with it...had I know how different the sensation would be (in my case almost zero)-- I WOULD NOT ever have had the opearations that caused it.

jonno

5/ 5/09 12:23pm

Hi,

There is still sensation but not so good as normal. It does however vary, sometimes say about 60% as good as before, other times almost unnoticeable.

Jonno

maybe

8/13/09 9:05am

I am seeing a specialist shortly and mentioned it to my brother who informed me he had the operation 3 yrs ago and it has been 100% successfull. I guess it depends on the surgeon.

Anonymous

8/13/09 12:25pm

HI- I guess it does... I saw the WORLD FAMOUS Dr. Irwin Goldstein in San Diego last month who confirmed the nerve damage I had as a result of TURP one....His exact words to me about the treatment I had received were "HE FRIED YOUR NERVES"

Anonymous

12/ 9/09 11:44am

I had the 'gold standard' turp after a few second opinions. Most doctors have seen bad side effects for the so called "laser" type surgeries. It seems too from the complaints that major side effects happen from the "laser or microwave type treatments'. The urologist that operated on me has done many "corrections" after the newer treatments which resulted in the standard TURP for correction. As Irwin Goldstein (not your operating surgeon and one of the best in the field) told you "he fried your nerves". You don't get 'fried nerves' with the standard TURP. You must have had the newer laser surgery. Did Dr. Goldstein offer any remedy for you. I had retro and I can't believe that a Dr. would not warn a patient about that guaranteed side effect of the standard TURP because it will render the patient sterile forever. One guy posted that he read several articles about Turp and yet complained that his surgeon didn't warn him about retrograde ejactulation. DAH! What were you reading. Every article about TURP mentions retro, infertility etc. Even the newer treatments suggest that retro is less likely but the likelilhood of more surgery evenually brings you the the "gold standard" were you will definately go retrograde. I will admit that even though I experience orgasm, sometimes more intense that pre TURP I haven't come to terms with the lack of ejaculate and the additional sensation of it ejaculating from the penis. My libido is lower and I need to get that checked out. Not sure if its TURP related yet.

Anonymous

12/ 9/09 11:50am

Another thing here. My surgeon did the corrections on other guys that had the newer treatments, not me. I went with the standard TURP. He also suggested that to increase your sensation, make sure your bladder is empty before ejaculating and limit your coffee intake as well. I forgot why he mentioned the coffe but I do remember that it had nothing to do with a full bladder.

ALABAMA guy

12/ 9/09 12:01pm

HI- I WAS told to expect RETROGRADE EJACULATION but that sensation would FEEL THE SAME...ALl my testing confirmed 80% nerve damage and I had the traditional TURP all 3 times...not laser....RESECTOSCOPE and cutting loop....My outcome may have been freaky but it is reality to me. GOldstein ahd his therapists suggested vibratory devices, etc and some feeling is more imnproved mechanically but for orgasm wiithoug all that...NEVER...I do not have ED....just no feeling hardly...I too miss the ejaculation and knowing that the home run was HIT....I am TOMORROW having the secong bladder neck incision operation that is a compliccation of those turps in 2006 My problem seem never ending...I also developed from TURP 3 Peyronies disease when my urethra was damaged by the urethral instrumentation...

Hope you have better luck than I did...My urinary trouble is still not fixed even after all this..

Best

From Alabama Guy

Anonymous

12/ 9/09 12:11pm

Thanks for your reply to my post. One thing you may want to talk with your surgeon about for your upcoming surgery is will there be penile shortening. My understanding of a radical prostatectomy is that the urethra is cut and when reattached it leaves the penis shorter. I'm not well versed in surgery for urethral constrictures but if the urethra must be cut will you have a shorter penis. I've heard many stories about re operating after newer version of surgery but usually not after the traditional TURP. 3 Times! No wonder you're experiencing additional complications. Sorry to hear things didn't go as well. Best wishes tomorrow. Keep me posted on our outcome.

Paul

Bamma BOy

12/ 9/09 1:21pm

Hi- they will not be SHORTENING the urethra but cutting open the bladder neck...A BNI operation it is called..bladder neck incision..That alows it to spring more open and let you urinate more freely...I have had shortening because of the Peyronies Problem I developed but use of a vaccum device has restored virtually all that initial loss. I have to use it EVERY day.....I have NOT had Ed-- just the curvature and shortening and LOTS OF PAIN...that has finally settled some but you never are well from this. I was never told that urethral instrumentation could cause this condition. Look onthe UROLOGY channel and it clearly states it there as a possible cause. Mine started one week after TURP 3.....THanks for the good wishes--- check in with me next week I leave today for Birmningham for the operation early tomorrow.

BABMMA BOY

mogen

7/11/10 12:38am

Having laser turp was the worst decision that I have ever made. I would rather stand in front of the toilet all night long than have this retrograde crap. My physician told me I would likely have it after the surgery but he never bothered to have a discussion about the change in sensation, the emotional issues and the fact that there is no treatment. I wish that I could do the same to him, in a heartbeat.

DO NOT have the surgery.

3 TURPS (So Far!)

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