Recent diagnosis of BPE

thank you for your reply, that’s good to hear! May I ask if you know whether there is a significant chance of ‘regrowth’ after the operation? Also, if the tamulosin is effective should I expect to be on this medication long term? If so I think I would push for the op if that possible due to my age and future problems. 

thank you again 

Sorry, but tamsulosin won't reduce prostate size. It's an alpha-blocker, which relaxes smooth muscle of the internal urinary sphincter and the prostate itself. So it has a similar effect to the TURP, but there may come a point when you need more than tamsulosin can do (or in a few cases, if you can't handle alpha-blockers, or don't want to take them), and then the TURP will be needed.

There are hormone therapy drugs to reduce prostate size, finasteride and dutasteride. They are dihydrotestosterone synthesis inhibitors (sometimes called 5𝞪-reductase inhibitors, as 5𝞪-reductase converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone). They have some of the same side effects as the prostate cancer hormone therapy drugs, but they don't remove testosterone, so not so drastic. Removal of dihydrotestosterone will result in a significant (but not full) shut down of prostate and seminal vesicle function, loss of body hair on arms, pits, legs, chest, conversely a reversal of baldness, and significant reduction of libido but not to the same extent as prostate cancer hormone therapy drugs which also remove testosterone.

One big warning with finasteride and dutasteride is they halve your PSA readings, so you must remember to double all your PSA readings when on these for the purpose of assessing prostate cancer risk.

One thing that's a bit strange about your situation is that if you are short of testosterone, BPH is quite unlikely, but it may be that your TRT has kept you with normal or even higher than normal levels, in which case BPH is a possibility.

Edited by member 06 Sep 2020 at 10:51  | Reason: Not specified

Was this the urologist or the GP?

Hello everyone this thread was posted by me sometime ago and I’ve left it without a reply as I’ve been waiting for a follow-up appointment before I could add anything new to the conversation.

yesterday after well over a year of waiting I had a hospital appointment with the urology specialist. 
For anyone who perhaps hasn’t read the context of my thread basically I had been diagnosed by my GP with an enlarged prostate and was sent for a number of different tests by different medical departments before ultimately a decision would be made on the best way forward.

yesterday upon seeing this specialist who yet again checked my prostate, I was told that it is in fact not enlarged at all and perfectly normal! I should not have been prescribed tamsulosin. He was very specific and adamant that my issues with frequent night time urination are not related to my prostate but are almost certainly to do with lifestyle and diet.

for context I should add that I am consuming what most would describe as a high intake of caffeine, fizzy drinks and citrus drinks (a normal day would see me have at least 5-6 coffees, tea, juice drinks and perhaps 4-5 fizzy soda type drinks.

The urine ologist has suggested that this plus a poor diet is almost certainly my issue and intends to check my urine flow before deciding on the best plan of action. I am told this maybe just a change of this negative lifestyle or some form of medication to deal with what he suggests may be some form of bladder restriction but of course cannot make that diagnosis until he has the results.

I must say that as much as this is some sort of relief I am a little aggrieved about the huge difference in diagnosis from my original appointment as it has left me with anxiety and basically panic for over a year now. 

Originally I was told that my prostate was the size of an orange and now I’m told it’s perfectly normal I’m sure you can see my frustration!

I’m partly left wondering who to believe!

something is clearly wrong as at 40 years of age you don’t get up six or seven times in the night for the toilet so I’m hoping this can all be rectified through medication or a diet change which I have already started to implement!!

id appreciate anyones views.

thank you 

Hope you get things sorted Kristo, I've been reading this thread with interest, as what Kristo written I can share some similarities, I had a recent ultrasound and my prostate very slightly enlarged, I think where I fell down was drinking too much coffee at work, I was on about 6 cups a day, I also did drink beer, but within the NHS weekly guidelines, I am wishing now I didn't neck back that much & thought of these things. 

Can a lifestyle change and drugs shrink the prostate, (if by only a little), mine isn't that bad, but I do get light uncomfortability sitting for long periods, just can feel it there, which I would love to removed this feeling, apart from this my stomach pains have greatly reduced and going to the toilet frequency has improved, better than used to be. 

Edited by member 10 Apr 2022 at 20:03  | Reason: Not specified