I know someone who has an enlarged prostate (3 times normal size). Technical name: Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH). He is currently on Proscar. Been on it for 3 months, but has had BPH for at least a few years. (difficulty urination, etc)

Showed some improvement after 3 months of treatment, but just today had pus in the urine and just general weakness and not feeling good. Diagnosed with acute urethritis and/or prostatitis (lab results expected Thursday). Doesn't seem to be a reason for it, esp since the medication was working according to the doctor.

Do you know anybody who has/had BPH? What treatment did they undergo?

Anybody tried any herbal/food remedies? Most common and effective:

Say palmetto
Pumpkin seeds (or their extract in capsule form)
Pygeum
Stinging nettle root

I came across some studies which showed more effectiveness from the herbal remedies than from Proscar. In fact, one study showed Proscar to be as effective as a placebo.

I am going to GNC tomorrow and will get him on saw palmetto, or on a mixture of the herbs above. Plus 3-4 tablespoons of raw pumpkin seeds a day.

Share. Thanks.

11/12/2007 7:47:15 PM

Just admit that you have an enlarged prostate. It's nothing to be embarrassed about.

11/12/2007 8:06:25 PM

what is "your friend's" PSA?

11/12/2007 8:44:25 PM

^^^ If herbs were really effective don't you think doctors would prescribe them and put them into common medical use? I know the pharmaceutical companies would. Placebos are a hell of a lot cheaper to develop than real drugs.

You know what, I've got a magic feather that might help.

11/12/2007 10:35:07 PM

pissing the bed

enlarged prostate

complete unfounded hatred of the USA (#1 by the way)

you are falling apart

gl with that

11/12/2007 10:41:06 PM

maybe some snake oil?

11/12/2007 10:56:15 PM

Try Floxmax.

This is going to sound weird, but I actually took Flomax for a little over a week. I obviously didn't take it for BPH since I'm a chick, but it is traditionally used for BPH. I used it to help relax smooth muscle tissue because I had kidney stones that just did not want to pass on their own, but I wanted to avoid surgery. I felt just fine while on Flomax with little side effects and I did successfully pass my kidney stones after using Flomax for a period of time.

I'll just throw that suggestion out there because the medication worked well for me (I was finally able to pee more than a table spoon at the time) and my kidney stones did pass, but I do not recall suffering any ill side effects.

11/12/2007 11:01:04 PM

Flomax works through a different mechanism of action than Proscar, so maybe it'll work better with you. I heard mixed reactions from saw palmetto, some says it works, some says it doesn't. I wouldn't use it if you're on drugs to treat BPH, because it might decrease the effectiveness of the drugs. Also, some people get real bad stomach upsets/diarrhea with saw palmetto. I suggest you try Flomax, and then go from there.

11/13/2007 12:27:24 AM

My husband has problems with an enlarged prostate. His usually comes from the other meds hes on though. A lot of meds that act as muscle relaxants (such as pain meds and psych meds) relax the bladder and somehow enlarge the prostate (his urologist and psychiatrist explained this to us).

His usual treatment is a catheter for 2-4 days, because he definetly can't urinate. Some Uroxatral and Doxycycline. After the catheter is taken out, hes usually sore, but good to go.

11/13/2007 3:03:17 AM

Quote :

"After the catheter is taken out, hes usually sore"

I'd be surprised if he wasn't. Just thinking about shoving a tube up there makes me cringe.

[Edited on November 13, 2007 at 3:16 AM. Reason : -]

11/13/2007 3:15:33 AM