I had a PVP in New York on Dec 16 by Dr. Te. It must have been done
just after Al, who laughs whenever he pees, got his done. Unlike Al, I
stayed overnight in the hospital with a catheter, which was removed
the next morning by a doctor from the urology department. He gave me a
urine bottle and told me that after I urinated 300 ml I could go home.
My first pee was a great relief but I didn't laugh. It looked like
mud. But I was astounded by the lack of pain or burning, since the
cystoscopy I received on a previous visit had caused intense burning
for two days whenever I urinated. It took me a couple more tries after
drinking much water to produce the required amount.  The nurse said
this muddy liquid was OK and I was released by mid-morning.

My history:  I'm 71 and first developed symptoms of urgency in 1984.
I was able to get along fairly well till around 1995 when the symptoms
worsened enough to where I was afraid of going into retention. By then
I was taking saw palmetto, which didn't help much, and my MD put me on
Hytrin, and later, Cardura, which I was taking right up to last week.
All that those drugs did was give me a stuffy nose. In 1995 I went to
a local uro, who recommended a TURP but didn't push it. A year or so
ago the local uro got a microwave machine for TUMTs and wanted to try
that on me, but by than I had been reading in this newsgroup about the
adventures of you guys and finally got up enough nerve to go ahead
with the PVP.

For me, getting to Dr. Te's office and the hospital involved a
three-hour train ride and a short taxi ride. After I was released, I
went home escorted by a relative, but I felt so good I could have
easily made the trip by myself. The only pain I had for a few days was
a slight ache where the spinal was injected, but that has disappeared.

The cystoscopy showed that I had an enlarged medial lobe, so I guess
that's why the saw palmetto and the Cardura didn't help much, if at
all.

At present I still have urgency when I accumulate 4 to 6 oz in my
bladder, same as before the operation. But now I can start immediately
with no hesitation. The flow seems to be two or three times what it
was, and everything comes out without stopping and starting. My urine
is still dark and cloudy. I'm sure things will get better as my
bladder acclimates to the reduced back pressure. Also, since I stopped
the Cardura a week ago I can breathe as well as  I can pee. Life is
good!
--  
Uncle