Several years ago I started having difficulty with urination. I used a medication called Flomax, which helped. A few years later my bladder was not being emptied properly, and I started using Rapoflo and AvoDart. Those medications were not working so well a few years later. My bladder was expanding and stretching to compensate for the excess urine. There was a possibility that the urine would backflow into my kidneys and cause kidney damage. My doctor had me get ultrasound examinations of my kidneys. Those examinations showed that my kidneys were not damaged. There were also tests done in my doctor’s office that showed the internal lining of my bladder was not significantly affected, but that was not likely to continue that way, because of all the stretching involved.
In May of this year my urologist doctor performed outpatient surgery and placed a device called UroLift in my prostate gland. That device gave a larger passage through the prostate. One month later I still had a full bladder, the UroLift was not helping.
In July I started using catheters, three times each day. That is the only way I can empty my bladder. I was very concerned about continued use of a catheter, but my doctor told me about one of his female patients. She is more than 100 years old and she has been using a catheter for 10 years. She is doing very well with catheters. That eased my mind, and I am ok with using catheters now. My bladder is completely emptied with the catheters. My bladder may be restored to a healthy condition.
This could have been a serious side effect of my diabetes, but I am satisfied with my present status. Life goes on!
I’m right there sounds like the same thing I went through only… They put me on flomax and catheters at the same time because I was carrying 600 liters of urine.
And I guess I had been doing that for quite a while but no further kidney damage as I’ve been a diabetic for 54 years I already have CKD but it’s still in stage 2 high stage 2… A long way to go to stage 3
Here’s hoping I don’t live that long LOL
No… Rather my kidneys just hold out LOL
@Menmypod, I used Flomax for several years until it did not hel[ me, then I used Rapoflo whis was a stronger med. I think I was on those meds fot more than 5 years, and then nothing worked.
My urologist doctor did an outpatient surgery and put a device called UroLift in my prostate. It did not wotk either, but it does work very well for some people who have this problem.
I want you to know other options that you don’t know about.
My doctor ( urologist) told me of the prostate pinback option- the urolift… I think you said… Sounds like the same procedure.
But after scoping my bladder my doctor informed me that that procedure will not work that it was pointless. So put me directly on catheters
The flomax was slightly elevating my creatinine and lowering my GFR. So I opted to go off of it as it’s only a mild muscle relaxant and I was already using catheters .there was no point in both… I’m fine with the catheters they have one called speedy cath it’s very easy prelubricated and single use. I’m fine. Thank you though, and I’m sure others going through this could use the input of your experience.
