Posted

Sep 25th 2007

Mood

Relaxed

Music

None

Over the past two months I have had a prostate disease called "Prostatitis". My original urologist wasn't making any headway so I went to a new doctor today (a JEWISH doctor even, ehe). According to him it is still prostatitis and that I shouldn't worry because, I quote "At your young age you're never going to find anything seriously wrong with your prostate." So that took a HUGE load off my shoulders but then another tiny load got added to my shoulders; he put me on another round of antibiotics and said that he wants to see me back in two weeks. After those two weeks if I'm not better he wants to do a cystoscopy. That is a procedure where they take a flexible, long camera and insert it into the man's penis.

Yes...

They insert it...

Into...

His penis...

Pray that I'm better in two weeks

Also, here's how they do the procedure:

Doctors may have special instructions, but in most cases, patients are able to eat normally and return to normal activities after the test. Patients are sometimes asked to give a urine sample before the test to check for infection. These patients should avoid urinating for an hour before this part of the test.

Patients generally wear a hospital gown for the examination, and the lower part of the body will be covered with a sterile drape. In most cases, patients lie on their backs with knees raised and apart. A nurse or technician will clean the area around the urethral opening and apply a local anesthetic.

Patients receiving a ureteroscopy may receive a spinal or general anaesthetic. (If you know this will be the case, you will want to arrange a lift home after the test.)

The doctor will gently insert the tip of the cystoscope into the urethra and slowly glide it up into the bladder. Men may feel a couple of pinches as the scope passes through the prostate into the bladder. Relaxing the pelvic muscles helps make this part of the test easier. A sterile liquid (water, saline, or glycine solution) will flow through the cystoscope to slowly fill the bladder and stretch it so that the doctor has a better view of the bladder wall.

As the bladder reaches capacity, patients typically feel some discomfort and the urge to urinate.

The time from insertion of the cystoscope to removal may be only a few minutes, or it may be longer if the doctor finds a stone and decides to remove it. Taking a biopsy (a small tissue sample for examination under a microscope) will also make the procedure last longer. In most cases, the entire examination, including preparation, will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

After the test, patients often have some burning feeling when they urinate and often see small amounts of blood in their urine. Occasionally, patients may feel some lower abdominal pains, reflecting bladder muscle spasms, but these are not common. (These problems should not last more than 24 hours. Tell your doctor if bleeding or pain is severe or if problems last more than a couple of days.)