Saturday, January 17, 2009

Prostate Enlargement

I wish to share the above illustrations which I have downloaded from internet search so that we are able to visualize the impact of enlarged prostate putting pressure on the urethra thus causing urination and bladder problems. When Dr. C.S. Loh, the Urologist, told me that my prostate enlargement was 3 times its original size, I could imagine that it had grown from the size of a walnut to more than the size of a golf ball.

Accordingly, as the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the sex gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself, so some of the urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with enlarged prostate, often called BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia).

Studies done on animals have suggested that BPH may occur because the higher amount of estrogen within the gland increases the activity of substances that promote cell growth. Some research has indicated that older men continue to produce and accumulate high levels of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in the prostate. This accumulation of DHT, a substance derived from testosterone in the prostate, may encourage the growth of cells. Scientists have also noted that men who do not produce DHT do not develop BPH.

I am now on the recovery stage after green light laser surgery at Gleneagles Intan Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, on 15 December 2008. I used to have 5 – 6 times urination at night before the surgery. Now it has been reduced to 1 – 2 times and I can sleep quite well without frequent interruption.

My next appointment with the Urologist will be on 23 February 2009. I was told by Dr. C.S. Loh that a test will be carried out to detect PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) and also to repeat a uroflow test to measure my urine flow and volume.

I am anxious to find out whether my prostate has shrunken over a period of 9 weeks after the laser surgery thus allowing the urine to flow more freely. More important to me is that my bladder will be able to empty the urine completely.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks for sharing to us. i really appreciate you can go to the details. this is how people success in life. wish u all the best

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the valuable info.

Early Kong Xi Fatt Chai to you and family.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the info and I hope you are recovering well. It is a reminder to me to do my PSA test later this year (last one done in July 2008) to make sure everything is normal.

jmtan2007.blogspot.com said...

Thanks for the info. I hope u will recover fully. My 2 sen advice is eat less meat and more vege & fruits and not forgetting exercise daily. This advice is also for me and our fellow golden citizens. Our health is our wealth. We are the King of the WHOLE WILD WORLD.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing your BHP problem. There is a known herbal remedies for this. No harm trying.

The herb to use is Saw Palmetto berry (SPB)or Serenoa repens. The primary therapeutic action of SPB extract in the treatment of BHP is to inhibit the intraprostate conversion of testosterone to DHT, and to inhibit DHT's intracellular binding and transport.It also has an anti-estrogenic effect. Estro- gen contributes to BHP because it inhibits the hydroxylation and susequent elimination of DHT.

No significant side effects have been reported in clinical trials of the SPB extract.

Dosage
Fat soluble SPB extracts standardized to contain 85-95% fatty acids and sterols be used at a dosage of 160 mg twice daily.

There are plenty of information on SPB for BHP treatment in the web. Here is one on 40 published studies of SPB:-
http://www.alternativedr.com/saw_palmetto.htm

All the best
SL

Parag said...

Prostate Enlargement is not usually a serious threat to a man’s health. The outlook for the condition normally depends on the pattern of associated symptoms. In some men, the symptoms are mild and do not require treatment.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great explanation. Seems like you really did the research. From the prostate supplement reviews I've been reading, there seem to be a lot of super beta prostate scams but it seems authentic. It is not just backed by research but also by so many good testimonies online.