Tuesday, August 18, 2009 JackFlash asks

Q: Passing large blood clots from prostate. Any ideas on how to stop this?

Passing large blood clots from prostate. Any ideas on how to stop this?

I've been doing Internet research for over a year now & have found few individuals with symptoms similar to mine & no solutions. I had successful "Green-Light" laser surgery for BPH 5 years ago for a 110 gram prostate. About a year & a half later I began intermittently passing small amounts of blood in my urine, always after heavy lifting or intense physical workouts. Gradually the amount of blood increased & the amount of stress required to start a bleeding episode decreased. I am now to the point that it starts & stops spontaneously every few days. For the past year or more, I've been passing blood & multiple blood clots, occasionally the size of my thumb. I've had my blood count done twice in the past year after bleeding episodes that lasted more than 2 weeks but in each case my blood cell count was at the low end of normal, (i.e. ~15). There's never any pain involved & I've had no other symptoms of BPH since the surgery. I've had 2 prostate biopsies done in the last 2 years with no sign of malignancy but all cores came back marked "chronically inflamed" with no pathogens present. My question is: Has anyone out there had, or do you know of someone else who has had, a similar issue. If so, do you know of any way to successfully resolve his problem? My doctor's only recommendation is TURP surgery but I reject this solution as disingenuous. The side effects of the surgery can be significantly more horrendous than my condition. Also, sites such as the Mayo Clinic & Duke University Hospital suggest that this approach is rarely successful. Any information you can share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx, JackFlash

Answers (9)

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Jay Motola

3/30/10 12:55am

Passing large quantities of clots in the urine is not normal. If this is coming from your prostate, it is most likely due to blood vessels on the surface of the prostate. Originally your prostate was extremley large, and it is possible that you have additional prostatic tissue. An additional green light prostatectomy may possibly help solve the problem. A "good" TURP is also likely to help resolve the problem. Following up with your Urologist is extremely important.

tinkerbell dust

1/19/11 7:04pm

yes my name is mary-jo

my bro -n- law

just got cleaned out

yesterday had big

clots in him

he hurt,had pressure

down there

but much better now

ty tons

from

consernd sis-n-law

Ramon

6/ 2/11 11:06am

RIGHT!

Find me a urologist who is: Honest, Caring n Competent.

After 30 yrs of deterioration thanks to the non-caring uros: one TURP, One PVP and another TURP to patch up the previous two.

The PVP left me with Involuntary leakage n RetroGrade.

Another uro suggested I have another TURP

Upon my asking of the side effects he replied:

Your Involuntary n Retro will get worse.

Then why do it?

He walked out of the room, labeling me an unwilling patient.

I take no drugs n will not.

JerrySki

10/ 8/09 7:34pm

I passed large clots in my urine two weeks following green light laser surgery for enlarged prostate. However, mine followed blood "thining" (anti-coagulation) drugs prescribed to deal with an embolism that developed 10 days post surgery. Human blood clotting/dissolving chemistry is very complex, with many different substanced at work. I have an excess of one of these, "Lupus anticoagulant" (not related to the disease Lupus). As a result, my blood has an excessive tendency to clot, and the bleeding, with subsequent clotting following the prostate surgery triggered the embolism.

I am not sure if I then developed the larege clots in my urine because of poor anti-coagulent management (Coumadin, Heperin) or if it was just an unavoidable complication. In any event, soon my clots became difficult to pass, then impossible to pass. I went to the emergency room and my urethral blockage was opened using an irrigation catheter (very painful).

My suggestion to you is that if you have not yet seen a hemotologist, that you do so as soon as possible. Your blood chemistry my be biased towards the clotting side (as mine is). An embolism is possible, which is potenetially life-threatening.

I am now four and a half months post procedure, and my prostate symptoms have improved but have not disappeared. I seldom urinate more than 5 oz., however my urologist tells me that it could take several more months to experience greater benefits. Fortunately no problems with ejaculation or continence.

Good luck with your clotting problem.

JackFlash

10/10/09 4:56pm

Hi Jerry. Thanks for your input but I don't have any special clotting problems. In the past, when I was trying to pass what felt like a large blood clot, I would take a Flomax capsule & start drinking large quantities of water. For whatever reason, this always worked within 1/2 an hour. I would also do deep breathing to relax while waiting. Passing a blood clot the size of my thumb (not an exaggeration) was not actually painful but rather shocking. You wonder when you see a clot that size how it could possibly pass thru your urethra.

On another note, and this may be helpful to you and to others with problems passing urine or blood clots before or after BPH surgery. After 2-1/2 years with this bleeding problem, it suddenly stopped about 3 months ago. It stopped 4 days after I started taking a supplement called SagaPro made by Saga Medica, an Icelandic company. I can't say for certain that this is what stopped the bleeding but if not, it certainly was a extraordinary coincidence. Also, my PSA had been increasing for the past 10 years. Six months ago it was 27. Three days ago I had my semi-annual check-up & my PSA was 3.8! The email address for Saga Medica is www.sagamedica.com. You might give it a try. maybe it will work for you as well.

Primo

6/ 5/10 10:50pm

Hi JackFlash:

I've read your posts and am writing because as we speak I'm having a bleeding episode as I write this. Had Green Light Laser back in November after having 2 episodes of a blocked urethra; wound up in the ER etc. Since the surgery around March and April of this year I've had two more episodes; but since then nothing, until tonight. I've been taking SAGAPRO for a few weeks and was hoping it would do the same for me that you thought it might be doing for you.

One question? Are you taking FLOMAX along with the SAGAPRO? Just trying to find my way out of this.

Thanks,

Elsha

michelle

10/28/09 8:05am

Sorry i don't have an answer but my husband shares your same questions. He has been to the doctors since he was a boy in high school. Now they say it is due to his stress and drinking as a grown man . He told me this morning that his bleeding has slowed down and wonders if it has anything to do with strees and drinking. Since he has had little of both lately. We had gone back to the doctors last year because the clots were getting pretty big. The size of a quarter or sometimes larger. We have noticed it happens more than usual after sex, that he bleeds a lot and passes clots. Dose scare us because there is so much. So the doctor's are relating it to Strees and Alchole????? Wish i had an answer for all of us. Still looking myself.....

concerned wife: michelle

Jay Motola

4/23/10 5:56pm

I would make sure that you are not on any anticoagluants. Also make sure that any over the counter preparations that you are taking do not contain any anticoagulation properties. It seems that we are assuming that the blood is coming from the prostate however the remaining portion of the urinary tract including the bladder, the ureters and the kidneys also need to be evaluated.

Persistent prostate bleeding can at times be difficult to eradicate. 5 alpha reductase drugs may be of some benefit.

Given that you had a laser prostatectomy and since your prostate was very large the likelihood is that there is residual prostate tissue which may be the source of the bleeding. A repeat laser may be a good solution, but despite what you have read on the web, a definitive TURP will also be a solution to the problem.

Alfredo

7/24/10 9:20pm

I have had similar symtoms and two green light surgeries. The last one took place two years ago and after a regular check up last March and had a rectal exam, the discharges were frequent but my doctor prescribed Proscar. Now I have not experienced these discharges. I wonder if others have taken this medication and I wonder if I am on the right track. I hope this helps you.

Alfredo

5/30/11 12:29am

I am 56 year old male. When I was 53 I had a Biopsy done due to High PSA's. Results were negative. Aproximately four months post-biopsy I developed heavy bleeding with numerous clots. This continued off and on for almost one year. Clots became so heavy I went to the ER twice due to being completely blocked. I finally had Holmium Laser enucleation done. Bleeding stopped after about 2 months and I have not had bleeding again for almost 9 months. Bleeding has now started up again. When bleeding I MUST frink at least 3 liters of water everyday or huge clots will develope. Bleeding is usally triggers because I sit too long, as in a long trip in a car or sitting in a desk chair for more than 8 hours a day. I think the vessels in my prostate get inflamed and burst causing the bleeding. The inflamation comes from direct pressure of sitting for long periods of time. I also take Plavix, fish oil and baby aspirin due to getting two caridac stents about 6 years ago. While these meds may make the bleeding last a little longer the trigger, in my opinion , is the pressure placed on the prostate during long drives and/or sitting in chairs.

Ramon

6/ 2/11 10:58am

Another uro sugested same n I asked: What r the side effects of another TURP?

(Have had one TURP n one PVP three yrs apart by different uros)

Answer: Your involuntatry leakage n retrograde will get worse.

Then why do it?

He walked out of the room labeling me as an unwilling patient.

I've yet to find a urologist who is Caring, Competent n Honest.

Bill

10/20/11 8:03pm

Does your urologist attribute the bleeding to the biopsies or the PVP. The PVP was five years ago and both biopsies (annual) were within the past two years. How many needles are used in the biopsies? More needles means more bleeding.

1/30/12 2:43pm

Jack,

A few years ago I had some very high PSA's. After getting a biopsy done I was negative for Cancer. ROughly 9 weeks after the biopsy I started moderate bleeding that would last 3 to5 days then subside for a few weeks and begin the bleeding cycle again. It was determined by my urologist that I had a prostate the size of a grapefruit. Very very large. My Urologist recommended a procedure called Holmium Lazer procedure BUT only a few Doctors were experts at it. I searched around and found Dr Das at Jefferson Hospital in Phila. This was in Sept of 2010. Your should read up on the Holmium Laser. It is less invasive that TURP and trims and seals the blood vessels of the prostate while reducing it's size. The procedure was a complete success. However, every 4 month's I have urinary bleeding after lifting heavy objects or excerising as in very fast walking...etc. I also take Plavix, baby aspirin and fish oil for a Heart Stent I had placed in 2009. I am 56 years old and think the vessels on my prostate might have Prostate Varices (weak veins that can tear) AND the blood thinning meds supports bleeding. If I have an episode without stopping the Blood thinning meds I can bleed heavy clots for up to 10 days. Thumb size clots are just average and in one urination I could produce 10 to 15 clots during heavy bleeding. YOU MUST drink at least 2 liters of water EVERYDAY even when your not bleeding because urine disolves clots! Also if your on aspirin or fish oil if you start to bleed stop thaking them for about 3 or 4 days. You will see the bleeding slow down. Dehydration is ur enemy. You will bleed more for some reason...AT least I do. I would suggest you see Dr Das in Philadelphia at Jefferson Hospital if your nearby.

Q: Passing large blood clots from prostate. Any ideas on how to stop this?

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