[MelodyL]

Hi everybody.

Here is my situation with Alan. I need some of your good input.

Alan urinates just fine. Last month he had his regular check up with the urologist and one of the staff does this ultra sound thing and when all was done, we sit with the urologist who asked Alan if he pees good and yes indeed, he has a good stream. But Alan had retained some urine.

The doctor said "I'm putting you on Finasteride'. I immediately chimed in and said "Wait, remember what happened when he was on the Flomax and he kept fainting"? The doctor assured me that this can't happen with Finasteride, that Alan has weak bladder muscles and this will help him not retain urine.

So he went back on the Finasteride (he had taken it for a while after the turp) until he no longer needed to be on it, (with no ill effects)

So, last month he began the Finasteride. In 4 days his balance was off and he was swaying. I looked at him and said "Oh boy", you can't take the Finasteride". We had a visit with Dr. Fred who agreed that Alan should immediately go off the Finasteride. Since he went on, there is no swaying, no dizziness no nothing. I looked up finasteride and sure enough, one of the side effects is dizziness.

So because Alan can't tolerate this medicine, all I do is worry, ask him if he's peeing fine, (which he is), he has a normal stream. That means nothing because he might be retaining urine and he doesn't realize it. His stomach is not distended or hard. It's soft and cushiony. Glenn told me what to look for.

We go back to the urologist at the end of the month. I tried reaching the urologist when all this happened. Couldn't reach him. So I faxed him all about what happened to Alan when he took the Finasteride.

He no longer takes it. He pees just fine. It's pouring raining today so he has little neuropathy pain ( always gets better when it rains hard).

So what happens when a guy retains urine (I looked this up and it says a man could do kegel exercises). I tried getting Alan to understand what this is but forget it. He says 'I don't know what muscle to use". I explained that while he urinates, try and hold it back, and THAT'S the muscle you need to practice holding on but not to do this while peeing. He doesn't get it so forget that option.

Do men have other options when they can't take Finasteride or similar products when they have weaker bladder muscles?

Thanks to anyone who can stop my worrying. Appreciate it.

Melody

[Jomar]

He could try to give an extra push to try to get it all out..

But I think drs kind of like to rx stuff , to try to "help"
but sometimes it just creates more visits to the dr...

As long as he is going fine and no swelling , bloating, strong color or smells.. why worry.. but that is just my opinion..

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by Jo*mar

He could try to give an extra push to try to get it all out..

But I think drs kind of like to rx stuff , to try to "help"
but sometimes it just creates more visits to the dr...

As long as he is going fine and no swelling , bloating, strong color or smells.. why worry.. but that is just my opinion..

I hear you. I just questioned him and he said "that's exactly what I do after I pee, I give a push". I said 'THANK GOD"

Not that this means anything but it's one less thing I have to worry about till December 21 when he goes back to the urologist.

This man has been though so much, with falls, trips to ER, getting a TURP, his neuropathy, his full body psoriasis, etc. Never saw such a thing in all my life. And the other night (we have side rails on each of our beds, BEST thing I ever installed....but he got up in the middle of the night to reach for his urinal and I hear him go 'oh" I said 'What happened' he said "I fell"

I jumped out of bed and said "Where did you fall, there's no room for you to fall in between our beds" He had ALMOST fallen because it's so dark in the middle of the night.

What did Melody do the next day?" Bought a lamp, hooked it on the little snack table that's between the beds (but against the back wall), I have the lamp (it has a twisting thing), I have it facing downwards toward the floor with all illumination and last night I put it on and Alan goes 'oh wow, what a great idea"!!! Cost me all of $10.00 at the local store.

Thank god I can think of these things. With him it's all about prevention.

I aim to prevent catastrophe!!! lol

Thanks very much

Melody