BPH

[BeoWuff]

My ability to urinate has steadily gotten worse over the last five years. My PSA score is a 1 out of a possible 4. I'd be interested to hear about any others' experiences with any of my observations or your own observations.

I believe that:
- my lazy abstinence from exercise over the last year has led to a very rapid decline in my ability to urinate properly,
- heavy meals followed by inactivity, especially slouching on the couch or laying down, exacerbates the problem because something sits on the prostate and either blocks the flow of urine or irritates the prostate, not sure which,
- conversely, staying active and just walking around or sitting upright on a good chair can help diminish the difficulty with which I urinate,
- emptying my bowels can really help,
- stress has a huge negative impact,
- saw palmetto seems to have some effect but the results are inconsistent enough that I can't eally be sure,
- hot showers eventually will help me completely evacuate my bladder (aaaahhhhh!) probably by relaxing the surrounding muscles and tissue (?),
- straddling the toilet and urinating in a seated position really improves my ability to empty my bladder (and it makes me feel less like a chick :-) ).

I've also read that caffeine and alcohol can impair out ability to urinate but I have not had a chance to try the caffeine restriction out (I don't drink alcohol).

[mrcoyote]

PSA scores can go much higher than 4. BPH can cause a high score with no cancer or with cancer. Many other factors can spike up the PSA. Some of the things you mention seem normal, like urination being triggered by a warm shower (normal) or after exercise, etc. Caffeine usually stimuates the prostate causing urination....ie.....coffee drinking, etc. And urination during a bowel movement is normal. Saw palmetto works for some people and not really for others. There are a host of products people take that claim to work miracles. Some help and some only make the manufacturers a lot of money. I don't know about laying on a couch and something putting "pressure" on the prostate. I never heard of that one but it may be in your case. Don't know. I assume you are under the care of a urologist. If you are having this kind of difficulty, you really should be. Remember, the prostate grows with age, and the older you get, the greater the chance of BPH. There are drugs to keep it under control that work for most people, so you don't have to suffer needlessly. When the drugs no longer do the job, there are other options. Hope this reassures you.

[BeoWuff]

Thanks for your reply. I am not so sure about the laying on a couch thing, either, but it's funny that when I slouch around and do nothing, I'll have real trouble urinating. If I'm active or even sitting properly in a good chair, everything works better. So it was just an idea...

Take care.

[gott1936]

Beowuff,
Most vikings would not have this problems. First of all, how old are you ? It important. I am 72 years old and drink coffee, alcohol and eat lots of raw hamburg. I take Saw Palmetto 540 mg a day. I have only a little problem with urinating. My doctor tells me that it depends on wether the left and right zone or middle zone of your prostate is swelling. If your middle zone is! You are in trouble. Most males will have a problem with their prostate. I think the per centage at 75 is about 80%. All the rest of your questions concerning being lazy, etc. doesn't mean any thing. The lack of sex is more important. Your prostate at rest produces about 1/10 of a teaspoon of fluid and when you are aroused creates 10 times this amount. Stop watching sexy prime time TV. This increase in prostate fluid if not removed will cause a swelling of your prostate. It is just a male problem. Something we have to live with.
gott

[BeoWuff]

Ah, so...the ejaucaltion part of the creation is all about emptying the prostate of fluids...I thought it had to do with clearing the urethra or something. Makes sense.

I'll be 51 next month. I don't have insurance so I'm doing what I can until I find a job with benefits. I'm worried if I see a doc now I'll be considered as having a pre-existing condition and not qualify for treatment under the medical plan. Sucks.

Thanks!

[gott1936]

I sent a second post you, but it seems to have disappeared. So, let me add these comments. The reason the prostate produces fluid is to protect the sperm, from any urine that may be present in the urethra, on its journey to the vagina, if your lucky. Ejaculation may not always shrink the prostate, but it should decrease its continued enlargement. By the way, I am not a doctor. I am just retired and spend a lot of time researching medical reports and studies. I suggest you get a hold of the "2008 White Paper on Prostate Disorders" published by Johns Hopkins Hospital.
gott
P.S. Also, research info on Prostate massage which appears to have almost gone out of practice.