Greetings,

Cant talk long term but have to self catheterise myself occasionally, no
problems, I us a size 10, there is no pain just uncomfortable until you are
used to it, I had some gel initially but don't now use it.

One chap I met in hospital had to ISC about twice or three times a day, he
had no real problems, but eventually had a stoma put in his abdomen so it
would just empty into a bag without any further treatment or problems.
Hope you get sorted out.

"Dave"  wrote..

A dead bladder? I've never heard of that. Have you not considered that your
prostate may be inflammed from your TURP, and that it is squeezing your
urethra closed tight, thus inhibiting you from urinating? One thing you can
do to try and remedy the situation in the long term is to start eating
healthy foods, especially lot's of raw vegetables. One graet way of doing
this is to buy a vegetable and fruit juicer, Jack Lalane's Juicer being the
best. And take some natural supplements that reduce inflammation. Eat raw
garlic daily especially, take the natural antinflammatory quercetin by
ProstaQ, and take some antibacterial supplements like Nutribiotic's
Grapefruit Seed Extract. These are some way's you can try and help yourself
beside's seeing your doctor, and maybe this overall approach might help aid
and reduce symptoms in the long term.

Good luck.

The first thing I'd do is get a second opinion.

hi dave - i, too, have never heard of a 'dead bladder'  

having gone through the entire process of prostatitis, BPH and prostate
cancer and complications that resulted in two more surgeries afterward.
i was told by my  surgeon only once and that was on the last surgery,
there was a 90-95% chance of success and if that didn't work, that i
would have to self catheterize for the rest of my life.  not what a 58
years wants to hear.  but, in my case, it is due to the fact that they
have replaced my bladder valve, and all the scarring from the
reconstructive surgery.  i can understand why the surgeon is saying
this.  it wasn't a scare factor - just a point blank fact of life, but
again look at the hand i was dealt with.

your case is totally different.  you've only had a TURP (boy, did that
sound like  a small procedure - and i know it's not)  they did nothing
to your bladder.  that is the first warning sign that the advice you are
getting is in error.  next, since you still have the prostate, you, like
me could have some kind of complication which could very well result in
the symptoms as you have described.  a self catheter would indeed cure
the symptom - but not the cause.  

given the fact that you are having a hard time peeing,  chances are your
bladder walls have thicken up due to the muscles bulking up from having
to push so hard.  this is a negative factor because when the bladder
muscles get thicker, they lose their flexibility and therefore, will not
hold as much urine.  so, it just adds to the list of symptoms.

it is time - time to change doctors.  get the second opinion.  and a
third if you have to.  i am a firm believer that you have to take
control of your own health and that is what i'm trying to pass on here,
but with a reason as to why.

hope this helps,

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional