Tamsulosin not effective?

User

Posted 31 Mar 2026 at 14:46

Hi All,

Forgive the very early post, i have had symptoms since just after christmas (dull ache in testes, groin, inner thighs and penis (though not at the same time) and strong urge to wee even after ive just been) but not yet diagnosed.

I have had a PSA test (0.85) and a rectal exam from which the GP said my prostate is 'nice and smooth' but enlarged. I also had full blood last year before Christmas for another issue which was fine aside from ferritin being a bit high, possibly due to injury. Also had a urine test which came back clean with no signs of uti or red or white blood cells.

So i think we are heading towards BPH from what ive read (im currently 53 years old).

I have an Ultrasound of the testes scheduled (i guess to rule out anything there) and have been prescribed Contiflo Max (Tamsulosin) 400mg. I have been on it for 11 days now but aside from some lovely side effects (light headed/headaches and shall we say.. a slight misfire when ejaculating, less than normal and doesnt fire on the first couple of pulses is the only way i can describe it) it doesnt seem to be having much positive effective.

I have good days when i think 'yay its working' and then ill have a bad day feeling the urge to wee all day (or all night) and feeling the pains again (although i have to say they are mild are more of an annoyance or reminder there is something wrong).

Is it too early for me to be going back to the GP or does it usually kick in by now? Again sorry for such an early post, i suffer from health anxiety so its hard to get it out of my mind and just go through the process.

Many thanks

Edited by member 31 Mar 2026 at 15:17 | Reason: Fix some errors and add detail

User

Posted 31 Mar 2026 at 19:29

An early post is most welcome. Others will be going through the same as you in the future so this will help others not just you.

I was proscribed tamsulosin at the start of my journey and it had no effect. That is because I had a prostate problem, not a bladder muscle problem.

Tamsulosin helps the bladder sphincter muscle relax which makes peeing easier. It also can cause retrograde ejaculation which has the same symptoms you have when ejaculating. So I think the tamsulosin is working as well as it can for you, but the blockage is further down the tube (probably at prostate).

Prostate cancer usually has no symptoms, but you do have symptoms in your lower urinary tract, so BPH or prostatitis are probably the cause of your problems.

If you go back to the GP too early he will probably say give it a few more days. I would wait until you have been on it for 14 days then go back to the GP. I presume you have been referred to a urologist, if not I really think that is what is required next.

If at anytime you find you can not pee, go to A and E. It is a medical emergency and can cause severe kidney damage.

Dave

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 06:25

Thanks Dave, appreciate the reply.

will crack on with the meds and probably have a gp call after Easter as will have had the ferritin retest then.

i know we are all different but can i ask if after the tamsulosin there was a medication that helped you?

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 12:08

My first symptom was being unable to pee more than about 50ml (I suggest you get a measuring jug, the more you can document the more use it is to your GP). Because I could pee a bit it was not treated as an emergency, but in hindsight it should have been.

I was proscribed tamsulosin and it was of no use. A day later I went to A and E and I was fitted with a catheter. Bladder contents were 1 litre, usually at 300 ml you should have a strong need to pee.

If you are peeing out less than 150ml and still feel full, you have probably should go to A and E, they have a device called a bladder scanner, very quick test, but usually they can't find the device or it is broken.

After two weeks with a catheter, I was taught how to use an intermittent catheter. After a week everything settled down to normal, but by then I was being tested for cancer, which in my case was positive.

Tamsulosin was the only medication tried and it was ineffective.

Dave

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 17:39

Thanks again Dave, granted ive drunk a couple of pints of squash in the last couple of hours, but my last 2 wees were 300ml and 250ml.

I dont seem to have a problem going, its just an almost constant feeling that i need to go, not the sort you get when youve done a long drive, get home and then it gets worse as you rush to get through the front door ... but a definite feeling that I could go, even if ive not long been (and done a decent amount as above).

Hope your situation is resolved or in the process of doing so (sorry still very new to all this so dont know the ins and outs).

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 20:00

Based on all your symptoms, it sounds like whatever is causing the other aches in that area of your body is also causing the feeling of needing to go. I think prostatitis can do this without showing up in a UTI test.

My problems were all sorted out about 8 years ago, so I'm good at the moment.

Dave

User

Posted 02 Apr 2026 at 12:19

Hi Mark,

I'm on Tamsulosin which does seem to be helping me. I had a telephone review a couple of weeks backs where they asked how it was going. They did say if Tamsulosin wasn't working well enough they would look at alternative medication. At the time they didn't say what, but I've finally had the follow up letter which does mention it, its Mirabegron, other than the name I know nothing about it though!

User

Posted 02 Apr 2026 at 12:43

Thanks John, appreciate the reply.

can I ask if your symptoms are similar to mine? (Mostly strong urge to wee a lot, even after just going and some mild groin/tesicle aching type pain)

cheers

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