I am a 62 year old Canadian man, very active and healthy, retired and happily married for over 35 years. I have had urinary obstruction issues for many years. I used various medications over the years to treat my condition but as time progressed, they became less effective.

I briefly attempted to use Adavart, but it affected my ability to get an erection almost immediately. It should be noted that up until recently I was on testosterone replacement(Androgel)which I imagine played some role in my condition.

My wife and I were planning an exciting expedition to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador in January 2014, when I went into almost total urinary retention. A brief catheterization opened my urinary tract enough to get some flow.I consulted with my family Doctor and I new it was time for surgery. I researched my options and chose a Greenlight Laser surgery to remove the obstruction that was impeding my flow of urine.(prostate was only 40 grams)

The surgery finally took place on April 28, 2014. Six week post surgery I was urinating normally and with great vigor. I noticed over the summer months that there was some slowing and hesitancy in my urine flow, with more difficulty at night.

Ironically I had I had a check up with my Urologist in early September. I arrived at the clinic with a very full bladder, voided into the flow machine and the ultrasound showed that I had emptied my bladder. The urologist was very pleased, although I did say to him that I was having intermittent symptoms with urinary retention.

Between September and October this condition degraded further. A few weeks ago, (I believe it was a Friday) after a lovely and intimate rendevous with my wife,I could barely pass any urine. I took myself to emergency, and finally after about 6 hours, I walked out with an indwelling catheter.

This remained in place for 12 days until the time when my urologist could fit me in for a cystoscopy. He was very disappointed not to find any obstructions impeding the flow of urine out of the bladder, thus coming to the diagnosis that I have an Neurogenic Bladder. He said there was nothing he could do and that there are no cures or real treatments for this disease. I was devastated!

He very quickly set me up with a health care agency that showed me how to self-catherterize. I am still able to void with varying degrees of success on my own, and I am not sure what role the catheterization is supposed to play my in treatment and daily life.

I have stopped using the androgel and I take one 4mg dose of Flowmax daily. Finally, the urologist is going to refer me to a specialist for urodynamic testing.

– MG, November 2014