bladder stretching

[pheebs]

After many many months of problems with my bladder, ie frequent trips to the toilet, the doctor has put me in for an operation to stretch the bladder. However, he didnt fully explain the operation to me and i was wondering if anyone here has had the operation and if so what it entails, how long they keep you in hospital and what the recovery period is. Many thanks in advance for your help.

[sqad617]

Bit confused I am pheebs. Is your condition stress incontinence.....involontary passing urine when you laugh or sneeze and feeling that you want to pass water after just going to the toilet minutes before?

If this is the case, them there are many surgical treatments, so more info is needed.

[pheebs]

Hi, the problem is i have to go to the toilet at least 4 times during the night. i wake with a pain in the bladder and lower stomach that only eases once i have relieved myself. it generally isnt even a large amount of urine that i pass but it feels like i am bursting. i have tried many different pills for an over active bladder and have had a cystoscopy with no result. i am currently taking cranberry extract which is helping a little. i have noticed that strenuous exercise or even sex makes it a lot worse but the doctors seem to dismiss this fact. i am not 100 per cent sure that having the bladder stretched is going to solve the problem and am open to advice. many thanks. i should mention that i am a 41 year old male. i am using my daughters log in name.

[jno]

you can always ask for a second opinion - from a doctor rather than an ABer.

Some info here:

http://www.surgerydoor.co.uk/medcons/detail.as p?Recno=23069452

[Schutzengel]

Hi Pheebs,
sorry to hear of your problems. It sounds like an obstruction to the outlet of the bladder, which can be caused by an enlarged prostate gland, which can either be benign or malignant. Suggest you ask your doctor for a Prostate Specific Antigen test, which would either preclude or confirm if the problem is with the prostate gland. Please don't think it couldn't happen to you because you are young (at 41). My husband had the same problem, which unfortunately turned out to be malignant. He had radiotherapy and hormone treatment, and thankfully is doing great, now cleared for only six-month checks. Please don't delay investigating this, as either way, early diagnosis can lead to a cure, particularly in a young and otherwise healthy man. Our thoughts are with you. Best of Luck.

[pheebs]

Thanks for your answers. Have had the doctor check me a couple of times for enlarged prostate but not the test you speak of. Both times he said the prostate didn't feel enlarged but don't know if this is sure fire diagnosis or I should perhaps be tested another way. Thanks for the link jno and schutzengel I hope your husband continues to make a full recovery.

[Schutzengel]

Pheebs,
The P.S.A test is a blood test which can show early results, even if the prostate gland doesn't feel enlarged. If you ask for the test, it should be given, and you should be given the result, if clear, and a referral if not. The present advice is that all men over 50yrs should have a PSA test once a year, but as I said before it can happen to younger men. There were several younger men waiting their turn for treatment when we attended the oncology unit, one was only 23yrs old. If you have the test, it will be one less thing to worry about. We wish you all the best in your search for a solution to a very distressing problem. Thank you for your kind thoughts regarding my husband's progress.

[sqad617]

Thanks for the update. As you have obviously seen a Urologist,as you have had a cystoscopy, he would certainly have done a PSA and clearly would have been normal, otherwise treatment for prostate malignancy would have been started. I assume then, that the "stretching" proceedure would be a urethral dilatation to enlarge or "stretch" the passage from the penis to the bladder. This is done under local anaesthesia and as a day case. Jno is quite correct, so ask for an explanation from your GP or Cosultant Urologist.

[naflharrison]

hi wa thinking the same as others that it could be a prostate problem but as the last answer said the bladder stretch is a very simple procedure, my sister has had problems since she was a young child and is now 19. she has had the bladder stretch as her bladder is not as big as it should be. its very simple and you may only feel uncomfortable for a day r so. nothing major but get that prostate checked out properly for anything underlying. good luck

[sqad617]

pheebs, I have been thinking and I feel that we are all barking up the wrong tree and I, in particular have missed the point.

It is highly likely that your condition is called Marion�s Diseasel or benign bladder neck hyperplasia. Nothing to do with cancer, nothing to do with the prostate gland and is due to the build up of muscle fibres around the neck of the bladder. There is a drug treatment for this, but the usual treatment is to divide these muscle fibres by TUR (Trans Urethral Resection) No incisions at all and you would be in hospital for about 2days.

I am sure that this is what you have, so good luck to you.

[pheebs]

thanks for your answers. sqad617, thanks for the information. was given a course of alpha blockers a long time ago which had no effect but i wonder if the doctor considered Marions disease then. after Googling the disease it states that alpha blockers rarely work so i wonder why he didnt take it further and consider BNI as you suggest. i will need to take this up with him. thank you.

[weeal]

my mum has had the op twice as she gets repeated bladder infections, neither op has made an difference whatsoever.

In one day, home the next it wasnt to stressful for her, she is 76.