Male with IC and Enlarged Prostate
I am a 61 year old male with Interstitial Cystitis. Was diagnosed in 1992 and my IC has been getting progressively worse over the years. As time has gone by I also developed a enlarged prostate. The enlargement has gotten to a point where something is going to have to be done to open up my urinary track.
I am presently in constant pain due to the IC. The prostate operation will require prostate and bladder tissue removal. It really scares me to thank that I might come out of a prostate operation with pain that will not go away and add to the IC pain that I already have.
I am at a stage now that I need to have something done but can still urinate and have time to figure out what I need do.
If there is anyone out there that has my sort of problem that can give me some insight I would appreciate it. What prostate surgery procedure is typically used to minimize the long term affect of additional pain in males with IC?
Hopefully I will get some feedback from other males with my medical problems. Thank You
Hi "Male with IC", welcome to
Hi "Male with IC", welcome to ICadvice.com! I'm very sorry to hear about the issues that you've been experiencing. As a woman I cannot fully imagine what it feels like to cope with prostate pain, but I'm certain it is extremely uncomfortable and taxing on both the body and soul.
I do not have a great deal of expertise when it comes to the matters related to the prostate, but I am aware of the following links (which you might already know about too, but I thought I'd share in case you hadn't seen them and/or for others who might one day find this thread) that touch on the subject of prostate problems and IC:
Prostate disorder information from the International Painful Bladder Foundation
Overview of male IC, from the ICA
Directory of urology related article published on emedicine.com (a site that I've turned to many time for info on a broad range of medical topics)
In terms of your IC pain (which I do know all about first hand!), have your tried any medications, diet changes, physical therapy, alternative treatments (acupuncture, supplements geared towards IC, etc), or other measures to help combat your discomfort and bladder symptoms? IC may not have a plethora of treatment options, but there are various approaches that just about anyone (male of female) with this complex condition can try. A trust-worthy and knowledgeable urologist, and GP, are both extremely helpful as well in the battle against this condition, especially when it comes to answering complex and/or highly specific questions pertaining to your own medical issues. I know that finding such doctors can be like searching for a needle in a haystack, but the rewards of eventually tracking them down can be immense.
I realize that I may not have provided you with any new answers, but I do hope that you that this site is here for you and that you have the support of many fellow ICers behind you. Please feel free to ask anything else that you like and/or share your thoughts on any topic related to interstitial cystitis.
I truly hope that your surgery will do far more good than "bad" (aka, further damage/pain) for you, and that you'll be able to find the answers that you are searching for (and rightly deserve to have).
Sincerely yours in IC,
Jessica
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Jessica Cangiano: ICadvice.com creator and administrator
I have IC, but IC doesn't have me!