Ian’s 20-year struggle with BPH is finally over
Ian first started noticing that he was increasingly needing to get up for the loo in the night over two decades ago when he was in his late fifties. After reading a newspaper article about the challenges of an enlarged prostate gland, he booked in to see his GP.
“My PSA was high, so my GP referred me for a biopsy. They took six cores under a local anaesthetic, and all thankfully came back clear of cancer,” Ian shares. He was put on three different types of medication to help manage his urinary symptoms by shrinking his prostate gland and the surrounding tissue.
But Ian’s PSA kept rising, so his specialist referred him for a second, more invasive biopsy, this time taking twelve cores under a general anaesthetic. That came back clear again, but his specialist worried about the risk of a false negative.
“He advised me to have pre-emptive surgery to remove my prostate gland, but I really wasn’t keen,” Ian remembers. “He told me that if my PSA rose above 10, it could potentially be too late to act, but having explored the side effects, I didn’t like the thought of having a prostatectomy at all.”
Instead, Ian decided to continue on the medication, which was still helping him to manage his difficult urinary symptoms day to day.
Things suddenly got more acute
One summer while staying with his daughter, Ian got up to go to the loo at about 5am and found that he simply couldn’t go. “By the time my daughter found me, I was in a bit of a state, walking around her garden so I wouldn’t disturb everyone. She took me straight to her local A&E and the team there was great.”
They gave Ian a catheter as a temporary fix. When he got home, a local nurse removed the catheter in a home visit, but soon after, he needed it replaced.
“I was still on all this medication, but my symptoms just kept coming back. That’s when I went online and searched for the best urologist.”
A more personalised treatment approach
“Mr Doherty’s name kept coming up, and he was great in person. He measured my prostate, conducted an MRI scan and agreed that taking the whole gland out wasn’t quite right for me. He recommended that I have state-of-the-art GreenLight laser treatment to remove the excess tissue, alongside a trim Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP).”
The treatment went well. Ian had a bit of blood in his urine for a few days but was discharged the next day. “Thanks to his team, I knew what to expect so there were no surprises.”
Now living catheter and medication free
“The nursing staff, Mr Doherty and my care were all wonderful, and I’ve got better day by day. I’m 79 now and totally medication free, which feels great. It’s also a relief to be able to go to bed at night and not have to get up half a dozen times, and to be able to go out into town and not be constantly dashing to find a loo.”
Ian now has check-ups over the phone, for convenience. “Alan is easy to talk to and seems genuinely interested in me and concerned for my welfare. He always explains things in a way I can understand. I give him five stars!”
“I’m just entering my 80th year and am delighted with how it’s all gone. It’s the simple things, for example, I love being able to have a glass of wine in the evening without worrying whether I’ll be up half the night.”
Would you like a symptom check or a second opinion? We offer a FREE initial consultation with one of our highly experienced nurse specialists, either in person or remotely. Just call 0121 756 6705, and our friendly team will get you booked in.