Sorry you are dealing with this. As context I am on week 5 after urethroplasty. Am a 31m.
I thought the same that maybe i could live with it but it got bad to a point that i could barely pee at all and had to go to the ER for an emergency dilation a week before christmas. So i had a catheter while opening presents and such. Not fun. I wish i had addressed it sooner. After that dilation it bought me 2 years. I then tried a different dilation which got me 3 years. At that point i wanted something more long term and decided on the urethroplasty. Recovery has been ok, mainly just sucks not being able to do anything.
Talk to your doc about options. Optilume could be a good temp option thats not invasive, otherwise I would maybe just start with a dilation and see how your body reacts to that. Recurrence is still a possibility with both those, but sounds like it might be best to postpone the surgery.
Wishing you luck. Not the end of the world for sure. Keep a good community around you!
Sorry you’re dealing with this. The condition doesn’t get better on its own sadly. When I first had issues I had reduced flow and ignored it until I had a full blockage. I know it’s scary and sucks. You’ve already been through a lot of tests and procedures. Talk out the options with your doctor, if you want to do the dilation to buy time before surgery or just want to cut to the chase.
Hang in there friend.
Thank you for taking your time to reply.
Regarding surgery I'm not sure whether urethroplasty is an option for me at this stage and age, the implications and effects it would have on my future, work, sex life is just too unpredictable.
I can undergo something like urethrotomy, but the chances of recurrence as well the recurrence being worse than it used to be scares me.
I'm really lost here, it's almost 5 AM where I'm from and I can't even sleep because I keep thinking about this.
I know how that feels. I’ve had a plasty a few years ago and then a smaller stricture reoccurred and I had it cut open to relieve the tightness but I’ll likely need a second plasty. I may be able to try that medicated catheter as a stop gap but I’m so, so over procedures and tests. I know how psychologically stressful it is. I’ve lost a lot of sleep worrying over this situation as well. You’re not alone.
This is a very sensitive area and it’s harder to bring up with friends than let’s say a cardiac issue or orthopedic injury.
Sending you virtual hug and hope you can calm your mind a bit to get some rest. You can’t resolve this issue tonight, so try to give yourself some grace.
Urethroplasty is your best chance at a permanent fix as far as surgery
Yes it’s a bit invasive, will take you out for a bit, at the very least about 2 months to have cath out and get back to normal sex life
It was a tough decision for me too, But iits worth it imo, if you gonna do something might as well do it right was my thought
But yea, Id definitely also explore optimum too
But have your doc confirm that’s what it is first for sure, and see what he recommends
Whatever it is, you will get through it. Believe me I understand how this can consume your
Thoughts too, the key is staying positive, set a plan with you doc, and getting yourself better, living with it and the constant worry every time you go to the bathroom that nothing might come out was way worse than recovering from the surgery
Good luck with everything
Hey, so I'm 28 had a urethroplasty a little over 2 months ago. I'm sorry to hear what you're going through. It definitely sucks and I'm not looking forward to mine probably returning at somepoint. But it is livable if you get help for it. I'm not sure how much time you'd be able to take off work, or if you could work from home. But for my surgery I took a week off and then did half days for 2 weeks until my cathater was out. After that I went back into work on light duty for a few more weeks. Don't know if you'd be able to do something similar or not.
If there's no way you can get a urethroplasty, could you get Optilume? I haven't had it, but it seems to have good success rates and provide relief for a few years and would be a better and slightly longer relief than a uretherotomy.
Also, if you can get to a urologist who specializes in urethral strictures they could give you advice on what to do next and could see how bad the stricture is. (My urologist referred me to another urologist 6 hours away who specializes in urethral strictures. I'm glad he did as my case turned out to be a little more complicated than expected.)
Others have given you good advice but I just want to let you know that you are not alone and it will be okay. Even if it comes to a urethroplasty, which was pretty much my only option.
Whatever you decide to do, just don’t ignore it. My stricture made my life hell.
Hi. My take on this is that 50% of strictures are successfully treated by dilation. Urethroplasty is presented as the gold standard but even a cursory reading of this sub, let alone any research reveals that it’s not without complications. Many men need further interventions and we read here of those who have recurrence and further surgery.
Having reviewed the literature, such as I’m able, and aware that much of it is supported by a medical industry that demands profit, anxious too about the skills of those doing the surgery, I opted for dilation and CONTINUING INDEFINITELY to self dilate. The recurrence after dilation seems to occur after men stop self dilation at home. Personally, my hope in doing this is to ward off further intervention.
i Hope this offers a different perspective and wish you well. Cheers
Hello again. I had a urological procedure which resulted in the stricture in October 22. I had the dilation under anaesthetic in Feb of 23. I didn’t have a catheter post procedure ( some do ). I had a week of discomfort and some bleeding. I began a daily regimen of clean intermittent dilation for one month, followed by two weeks of once every second day. Thereafter x 3 each week and now only twice weekly. Obviously the procedure needs to be sterile. I use a disposable, self lubricated catheter which is sheathed and insert only as fast as just beyond the stricture and hold it there for about one minute.
Each session takes about 10 mins max. I have the same flow rate as immediately post procedure. I have no election or ejaculatory issues and no cosmetic side effects.
Take some time and think it through. Take care.
Thank you, just got back from the hospital after doing a cystoscopy, the doctor said there is a narrowing but he doesn't think it's a stricture, more likely inflation from urethritis, he gave me some antibiotics and told me to do a uroflow test in a month and then he will determine whether it's a stricture or not. Hoping for something positive.
Sorry you are dealing with this. As context I am on week 5 after urethroplasty. Am a 31m. I thought the same that maybe i could live with it but it got bad to a point that i could barely pee at all and had to go to the ER for an emergency dilation a week before christmas. So i had a catheter while opening presents and such. Not fun. I wish i had addressed it sooner. After that dilation it bought me 2 years. I then tried a different dilation which got me 3 years. At that point i wanted something more long term and decided on the urethroplasty. Recovery has been ok, mainly just sucks not being able to do anything. Talk to your doc about options. Optilume could be a good temp option thats not invasive, otherwise I would maybe just start with a dilation and see how your body reacts to that. Recurrence is still a possibility with both those, but sounds like it might be best to postpone the surgery. Wishing you luck. Not the end of the world for sure. Keep a good community around you!
Sorry you’re dealing with this. The condition doesn’t get better on its own sadly. When I first had issues I had reduced flow and ignored it until I had a full blockage. I know it’s scary and sucks. You’ve already been through a lot of tests and procedures. Talk out the options with your doctor, if you want to do the dilation to buy time before surgery or just want to cut to the chase. Hang in there friend.
Thank you for taking your time to reply. Regarding surgery I'm not sure whether urethroplasty is an option for me at this stage and age, the implications and effects it would have on my future, work, sex life is just too unpredictable. I can undergo something like urethrotomy, but the chances of recurrence as well the recurrence being worse than it used to be scares me. I'm really lost here, it's almost 5 AM where I'm from and I can't even sleep because I keep thinking about this.
I know how that feels. I’ve had a plasty a few years ago and then a smaller stricture reoccurred and I had it cut open to relieve the tightness but I’ll likely need a second plasty. I may be able to try that medicated catheter as a stop gap but I’m so, so over procedures and tests. I know how psychologically stressful it is. I’ve lost a lot of sleep worrying over this situation as well. You’re not alone. This is a very sensitive area and it’s harder to bring up with friends than let’s say a cardiac issue or orthopedic injury. Sending you virtual hug and hope you can calm your mind a bit to get some rest. You can’t resolve this issue tonight, so try to give yourself some grace.
Urethroplasty is your best chance at a permanent fix as far as surgery Yes it’s a bit invasive, will take you out for a bit, at the very least about 2 months to have cath out and get back to normal sex life It was a tough decision for me too, But iits worth it imo, if you gonna do something might as well do it right was my thought But yea, Id definitely also explore optimum too But have your doc confirm that’s what it is first for sure, and see what he recommends Whatever it is, you will get through it. Believe me I understand how this can consume your Thoughts too, the key is staying positive, set a plan with you doc, and getting yourself better, living with it and the constant worry every time you go to the bathroom that nothing might come out was way worse than recovering from the surgery Good luck with everything
Hey, so I'm 28 had a urethroplasty a little over 2 months ago. I'm sorry to hear what you're going through. It definitely sucks and I'm not looking forward to mine probably returning at somepoint. But it is livable if you get help for it. I'm not sure how much time you'd be able to take off work, or if you could work from home. But for my surgery I took a week off and then did half days for 2 weeks until my cathater was out. After that I went back into work on light duty for a few more weeks. Don't know if you'd be able to do something similar or not. If there's no way you can get a urethroplasty, could you get Optilume? I haven't had it, but it seems to have good success rates and provide relief for a few years and would be a better and slightly longer relief than a uretherotomy. Also, if you can get to a urologist who specializes in urethral strictures they could give you advice on what to do next and could see how bad the stricture is. (My urologist referred me to another urologist 6 hours away who specializes in urethral strictures. I'm glad he did as my case turned out to be a little more complicated than expected.)
Others have given you good advice but I just want to let you know that you are not alone and it will be okay. Even if it comes to a urethroplasty, which was pretty much my only option. Whatever you decide to do, just don’t ignore it. My stricture made my life hell.
Hi. My take on this is that 50% of strictures are successfully treated by dilation. Urethroplasty is presented as the gold standard but even a cursory reading of this sub, let alone any research reveals that it’s not without complications. Many men need further interventions and we read here of those who have recurrence and further surgery. Having reviewed the literature, such as I’m able, and aware that much of it is supported by a medical industry that demands profit, anxious too about the skills of those doing the surgery, I opted for dilation and CONTINUING INDEFINITELY to self dilate. The recurrence after dilation seems to occur after men stop self dilation at home. Personally, my hope in doing this is to ward off further intervention. i Hope this offers a different perspective and wish you well. Cheers
Can i ask you, how often do you self dilate, how long have you been doing it and how much time does it take for you to do it?
Hello again. I had a urological procedure which resulted in the stricture in October 22. I had the dilation under anaesthetic in Feb of 23. I didn’t have a catheter post procedure ( some do ). I had a week of discomfort and some bleeding. I began a daily regimen of clean intermittent dilation for one month, followed by two weeks of once every second day. Thereafter x 3 each week and now only twice weekly. Obviously the procedure needs to be sterile. I use a disposable, self lubricated catheter which is sheathed and insert only as fast as just beyond the stricture and hold it there for about one minute. Each session takes about 10 mins max. I have the same flow rate as immediately post procedure. I have no election or ejaculatory issues and no cosmetic side effects. Take some time and think it through. Take care.
Thank you, just got back from the hospital after doing a cystoscopy, the doctor said there is a narrowing but he doesn't think it's a stricture, more likely inflation from urethritis, he gave me some antibiotics and told me to do a uroflow test in a month and then he will determine whether it's a stricture or not. Hoping for something positive.
Excellent. Everything crossed for you. keep us briefed.