“Urinary issues?”
Three weeks ago, I had a problem and could not urinate at all on August 23rd. This was out of the blue, I have never had a problem before. No pain anywhere just could not pee. They did say I had a moderate size prostate from an MRI I had to have for my back and hip a few months before. I went to Kaiser emergency for hours. They ended up putting a catheter in and gave me Flowmax 4mg to take one a day. I talked on the phone only to a Kaiser urologist on Thursday, August-Sept 27th and he said to go out again to Urology at Kaiser that Friday morning August-Sept 28th and have the catheter taken out and come back that afternoon and see how I do.
I did and still could not pee. He also had the nurses add another Flowmax to two a day and another Proscar one a day. I was to go back and do the same thing again and have the catheter removed Wednesday, Sept 2nd. When I did go back on Sept 2nd I was able to pee some during the day after having it removed. The nurse decided I didn't need it now. So far to this day today, I am able to pee a lot better than it was, it is a challenge at times, up and down still. I do not like the side effects of these medications that they have me on. Bad headaches, bad depression, and sexual issues. I don't want this to happen. I want to try herbal supplements like stinging nettle and saw Palmetto and such.
I was very upset that I could not talk to or see the doctor. Everything done was done by nurses. When I talked to the doctor again only on the phone that afternoon on Sept 2nd and asked why I can't see him. I never had any kind of exam to look at me to see what was going on all at ever. Even in Emergency at first, they just did an ultrasound and said oh yea your bladder if full you need a catheter. The Urologist was very vague about everything. And saying well give a month and if you feel like you need an exam for my peace of mind contact Kaiser. I am very upset. I feel like I can't depend on my provider. I am a white male 61 disabled on SSI and Medicare. I am trying to reach out for other opinions on what to do. Thank you. Mike - modonnell81@gmail.com.
I did and still could not pee. He also had the nurses add another Flowmax to two a day and another Proscar one a day. I was to go back and do the same thing again and have the catheter removed Wednesday, Sept 2nd. When I did go back on Sept 2nd I was able to pee some during the day after having it removed. The nurse decided I didn't need it now. So far to this day today, I am able to pee a lot better than it was, it is a challenge at times, up and down still. I do not like the side effects of these medications that they have me on. Bad headaches, bad depression, and sexual issues. I don't want this to happen. I want to try herbal supplements like stinging nettle and saw Palmetto and such.
I was very upset that I could not talk to or see the doctor. Everything done was done by nurses. When I talked to the doctor again only on the phone that afternoon on Sept 2nd and asked why I can't see him. I never had any kind of exam to look at me to see what was going on all at ever. Even in Emergency at first, they just did an ultrasound and said oh yea your bladder if full you need a catheter. The Urologist was very vague about everything. And saying well give a month and if you feel like you need an exam for my peace of mind contact Kaiser. I am very upset. I feel like I can't depend on my provider. I am a white male 61 disabled on SSI and Medicare. I am trying to reach out for other opinions on what to do. Thank you. Mike - modonnell81@gmail.com.
Male | 61 years old
Complaint duration: 18
Medications: Flowmax & Proscar
3 Answers
Hi Mike, Thank you for sharing your experience Im really sorry youve had to go through this without feeling seen or supported. What you described is understandably upsetting, and its frustrating when youre left with more questions than answers, especially about something as important and personal as your ability to urinate. Acute urinary retention, especially out of the blue, deserves a full workup not just a phone call or quick medication adjustment. Medications like Flomax tamsulosin and Proscar finasteride can reduce symptoms from an enlarged prostate, but they do come with side effects and youve clearly experienced some of the more difficult ones like mood changes, sexual dysfunction, and headaches. Youre absolutely right to question whether this is the best longterm plan for you. While herbal options like saw palmetto and stinging nettle can help some men with milder prostate symptoms, they are not nearly as potent or consistent as prescription medications. That said, you deserve to have a full conversation with a provider who explains your options, listens to your concerns, and helps you weigh the risks and benefits. There are also surgical and procedural options worth discussing such as TURP transurethral resection of the prostate, laser procedures, or newer, less invasive treatments like UroLift or Rezm all of which could potentially relieve your symptoms without needing longterm medication. Whether those are right for you or not depends on your specific anatomy, prostate size, bladder function, and overall health but you should be given a chance to understand them and ask questions in person. Please keep advocating for yourself you are absolutely within your rights to request a full, inperson evaluation with a urologist who will take the time to do a proper physical exam, review your case thoroughly, and involve you in the decisionmaking. Youre not being difficult youre asking for appropriate, patientcentered care. Wishing you clarity, healing, and a provider who truly listens. Warmly, Dr. Aleksandra Gajer
Hey Mike, Sounds frustrating. This is often the song and dance of seeing a specialist. Ill say that from an er perspective, their goal is to see if you need a catheter or not. Sounds like you did and the urology team ideally is supposed to follow up on the rest. Now, majority of the time this happens its due to prostate issues. Sounds like the biggest issue of this is not being able to see a urologist in person and hear the next steps from his mouth. If you arent happy, Id voice it with the staff and ask to speak with the urologist. If they cant oblige, Id find a new urologist. Before you start herbals I would probably have a sit down convo with a urologist to discuss goals and a plan of action. ALex CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION Please note that the information contained in this communication is private, confidential and contains proprietary information and is not to be disclosed or disseminated in any way without the express consent of Alexander Philip.
That's easy. Get a 2nd opinion. You probably were living close to the edge and something tipped you over. Once your bladder stretched out, you're on the "other side" of the edge and struggling. You likely will need long-term medication (you're on 2 of the big 3 we use). The 3rd med you could use is Cialis 5 mg daily. If a patient doesn't want to be on meds then I'd look in and see the configuration of the prostate. Options depending on size and configuration include TURP (laser or regular), UroLift, Rezum, etc. UroLift is the only treatment without sexual side effect. If it was me, I'd probably try the combination of tamsulosin and Cialis and see if that'9s better. If not, seek treatment.
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