Today someone posted a comment to this 'Me and My BPH' blog, which reminded me that I haven't posted any updates in awhile. While trying to remember how to create new postings, I noticed that people actually read this...ten to 30 people per day...who knew?!
It's been six years and a few months since the GreenLight procedure, and everything is still OK.
As in past years, there is still a tendency toward hesitation in starting to pee, if I didn't really need to go. For example, I'm getting ready to go shopping so I decide (just on general principles) to pee before I leave. Getting started may take 5, 10, 20 seconds.
But if I do need to pee, it starts right away.
Flowrate is still great. I never need to get up in the middle of the night to pee, and I haven't had any urinary tract infections since the procedure.
I'm still surprised that one of the doctors that I consulted with recommended TURP over Green Light. From what I've read, TURP is bloody (maybe even a blood transfusion), painful and requires a hospital stay. I'm glad I didn't follow his advice!
I'm now on Medicare. Had I delayed getting the Green Light treatment, I do not know if Medicare would have covered the procedure or not...does anyone reading this know?
NOTE: THESE POSTINGS ABOUT MY GREENLIGHT TREATMENT ARE IN REVERSE ORDER. TO START AT THE BEGINNING, PLEASE CLICK ON 2005 IN THE LEFT COLUMN. BPH (Benign Prostate Hyperplasia, enlarged prostate gland, or 'prostrate' gland) is a vexing medical condition that affects most men in their 50s and beyond. For me, it started when I was about 47. It causes a reduction in urine flow and retention of urine in the bladder, which can lead to bladder infections, urinary tract infections and prostatitis.