PVP GreenLight Laser Treatment

Has anyone had this procedure for bph? What kind of results did you get?

No, but I'm here too looking for someone who's had it. I've scheduled it because it seeems to be the recommended treatment. Not easy, I know.

I would also like to know or see the response to the above questions. I am a 55 year old man who is thinking of this procedure.

I found this site last night while searching for detailed info on GreenLight. My 86-year-old father just had this procedure done. He had the procedure yesterday (Friday morning), they kept him overnight, and he came home this afternoon (Saturday). He's a healthy, active male who's been struggling with an enlarged prostate for years. He had the same urologist for a long time, and this doctor was not proactive about the problem. Friends at his Kiwanis meetings told him about another urologist who they were happy with, he went to see this new doctor, and was immediately evaluated for GreenLight. The procedure went normally, and they kept him overnight catheterized to flush his bladder of the NORMAL post-operative blood to prevent clotting. This morning the doctor removed the catheter, my dad peed normally, and he was sent home. The urologist said my dad had the biggest prostate he'd ever seen, and if it weren't for GreenLight he would have had to open him up completely to remove the excess tissue. Last night after the surgery he ate a normal dinner, slept off the post-operative fatigue, and tonight at home he feels pretty good. His penis is slightly sore from the catheter, but he urinates normally and is SO RELIEVED to have this done. He had been relegated to wearing Depends and could not stop hitting the mens room wherever he went. He feared travelling and having to go when there wasn't access to a bathroom, wetting his pants, the whole humilating picture. I am SO HAPPY for him. My advice is don't mess around with this, if you're not getting anywhere with your urologist, shop for another one and go to see them, and if you qualify for this procedure, do it. My dad is old enough that there probably won't be enough time for the prostate to continue to grow to the point where it blocks him this badly again, so he will not have to have a repeat procedure. I'm going to call my dad's urologist on Monday to find out about the specific details of GreenLight.

Hi!
I am 62 years old. I had this operation on last Tuseday, ie 4 days ago. It was a great success. Even thou it is a short time since the operaton I dont have any problems, and I have been at work today. My problems seems to bee gone! And no problems with erection or sperm flow. The operation was also painless!
I will recomend this to anyone having typical prostate problems!

Am 60 and had this procedure done one month ago...Everything is fine with the exception of burning while urinating...Am taking pills for this which helps....otherwise no other side effects. I have a very large stream and pee like I was 16 again....Recommend this to anyone with a enlarged prostrate.

All that glitters is not gold....had the green light late sept 06. all was great until early feb 07, when preprocedure symptoms returned with a vengeance,even stronger than before....nocturia trippled, stream weaker than preprocedure, urgency more pronounced, etc. Urologist said "probably scar tissue as a result of the procedure". Scar tissue? Thought green light eliminated that.
Be cautioned and ask your urologist to fully define ALL potential pitfalls.

Hi Everyone!

I want people to know that the greenlight laser treatment for BPH really works! Photovaporization of the prostate is the best procedure available to treat BPH, in my opinion. The greenlight procedure is minimally invasive and the results are durable. I had mine performed by Nabet Kasabian, M.D., a well know urologist in New York City. I highly recommend Dr. Kasabian and this procedure. You can learn more about Dr. Kasabian by visiting his website, http://www.parkaveurology.com/

David Sharp
New York City

I am a 59 y.o. man and had Greenlight procedure two weeks ago with mixed results so far, but still optimistic. I used to wake every hour through the night. I now wake every two to three hours and I seem to be sleeping slightly longer stretches each night. Still have weak stream, considerable blood in urine, considerable burning, and urge to go frequently during the day (average of once an hour or more).

I'm going in for this surgery on April 17th. It seems most people have good luck with it. It is certainly worth a try for me. I go every half hour every day. I am only 48. I'll be back to let you know how it went.

i had this procedure two weeks ago am still bleeding slightly probably due to my hemrroids and straning ... burning and frequency have not really changed yet for me. It can take up to 6 to 12 months for get complete recovery ,, although some do get immediate postive results ..

I had my surgery on the 17th. All went well. Straining from constipation will cause you to bleed. I made the same mistake as Tony. I was clear of blood until then. I passed a lot of blood and scabs. One got stuck and I had to have the cath again. The cath just pushed it back into the prostate. When it came out again I was able to push it out urinating. Two days later I was clear from bleeding again. No more dribbling either. Feminine pads work good for that. I am going much less frequently now. If I wasn't sitting around eating and drinking all the time it would be less. Very little burn. Much stronger stream. It will take a while to get used to not automatically go to the bathroom all the time. My suggestions are no straining on voiding, eat bland foods and non acidy drinks too. Acidy urine will burn. Drink a lot of water and liquids during recovery. Don't do physical work or lift for a couple weeks. Do kegel exercises for the sphincter muscles to strengthen them back up again. That will help for better orgasm and to stop dribbling.

Runners: I'm 64 and had Prolieve Microwave therapy 8 months ago - I get up once or twice a night now as I did before which I can live with, but when I'm running on treadmill I have an urge to go every 1/4 - 1/2 mile and feel a slight dripping. My urologist says it is urine flowing into the prostate

Will the green light cure my urge and constant need to piss every 3 to 4 minutes while on the tread mill as well as my drip or is the drip something to live with even after the procedure????

THIS IS FOR THE YOUNG ( well fairly young): I forgot to ask AN IMPORTANT QUESTION since I am 64 and enjoy a sex life (no visions of getting with a 20 something). if you are having problems TELL ME WHAT KIND OF PROBLEMS YOU ARE HAVING since as when I took proscar I experienced no ejaculation and little feeling of orgasm and what was the point of arousal if it doesn't stimulate you!

I had high hopes for this procedure, but if I knew then what I know now, I don’t think I’d have it again. My urologist, who is well-regarded among other physicians (I checked!), recommended it. I was told that my recovery period would be two, possibility three weeks. For me, it has now been three MONTHS and full recovery is still not in sight. Here are the results:

On the positive side: I now have a fairly strong urinary stream.

On the negative:

1. My bladder still does not empty. The urine comes faster, but ends quickly. During the day, I used to urinate on average about every 2-3 hours. Now it’s about 3, and sometimes every hour.(On a recent five-hour hike I had to go off the path and into the woods five times.) At night I used to have to get up to urinate about 3 times on average. It’s still at least twice. So if I’ve improved, its only marginally.

2. I developed a bladder infection that was extremely difficult to beat – essentially, it lasted for 2 months after the operation, despite strong antibiotics. I am told this is quite common, and that men sometimes are re-admitted to the hospital because the only way to clear the infection is to irrigate them – i.e., run water through their bladder. Too late, I consulted my family doctor who told me that complications from this operation are far more common than its promoters generally admit.

3. I still often have discomfort urinating, especially near the end of the process.

4. I dribble after urination. I’ll be in a public place and notice my underpants are wet and there’s a visible wet spot right on the outside of my pants next to the fly.(Talk about embarrassing!) So after urination, I have to stay at the toilet for a while to make sure that everything has come out. And you can never be sure you got it all. I wet myself twice today.

5. I suffer from retrograde ejaculation. While the urologist may tell you, as mine told me,“It feels the same but without the mess,” this is NOT true. The sensation of sperm entering your bladder is weird, and emptying out through your urine is weirder. Not you mention that you are now essentially sterile for the rest of your life unless you want to use a test tube or whatever. Also, the urologist definitely downplayed this possibility, but after it happened, he said it occurs in “at least 50%” of cases.

You might want to consider this operation if, as in the case of the 86-year old described above you are really desperate, but don’t do it if you have any real choice.

One more point: I have no financial or other interest in either promoting or discouraging this procedure. I’m just very disappointed in what happened to me, I don’t think I was properly warned, and I don’t want others to make my mistake.

It's been three weeks now. I now have a strong stream and don't have to strain to start. I still have my frequency problem so far.

I'm 58, had Green Light Laser treatment in April. Instead of dribbling on my shoes, I can write my initials in the snow. It was an easier surgery than getting my miniscus repaired. Life is good.

59 y/o, 6 weeks post surgery. Initial results were encouraging for 3.5 weeks, then all hell broke loose- urgency, frequency, incontinence, burning and chills.Had to wear maxipad for protection. Chills constantly but especially on urination.
M.D. then prscribed meds for infection, burning and bladder spasm with assurance all was fine. Have regained some control and comfort over last 1.5 weeks, but need to be within 50 steps of men's room at all times. Can't go to Yankee Stadium for fear of being stuck in traffic!
I am told I am within a relatively small percentage of men who experience these symptoms post surgery, and it may take up to 14 weeks to see real results. I expected to be down for 3 days and no heavy lifting or sex for 6 weeks. This is much worse than I anticipated and wish I had been more prepared. It totally devastated my ability to enjoy my daughter's wedding at post-op week 6. The end result should be worth it, but I wish I had been better prepared for these disturbing and humiliating consequences.

Noel wrote:

59 y/o, 6 weeks post surgery. Initial results were encouraging for 3.5 weeks, then all hell broke loose- urgency, frequency, incontinence, burning and chills.Had to wear maxipad for protection. Chills constantly but especially on urination.
M.D. then prscribed meds for infection, burning and bladder spasm with assurance all was fine. Have regained some control and comfort over last 1.5 weeks, but need to be within 50 steps of men's room at all times. Can't go to Yankee Stadium for fear of being stuck in traffic!
I am told I am within a relatively small percentage of men who experience these symptoms post surgery, and it may take up to 14 weeks to see real results. I expected to be down for 3 days and no heavy lifting or sex for 6 weeks. This is much worse than I anticipated and wish I had been more prepared. It totally devastated my ability to enjoy my daughter's wedding at post-op week 6. The end result should be worth it, but I wish I had been better prepared for these disturbing and humiliating consequences.

Is there anything you feel triggered off these symptoms? Were you being good at taking it easy all the time? I'm back to work after 2 weeks. I should have taken one more. I am getting some blood in my urine again. Other than that I am doing pretty good so far.

Hello....Had the surgery Jan 26th....A little burning occured after urination but that has cleared up...No regrets...Huge stream, only get up once a night at the most, ejaculaton is normal...feel like a new person...Don't hesitate to have this surgery....