Bph: We’ve Got A Pill For That. . .
. . . but there’s a catch. Keep reading to find out what it is.
You’re a man and waking up at night. Your stream is slowing down, and you’re becoming more aware of the locations of the restrooms every time you leave the house. You likely have a growing prostate, also referred to as BPH or enlarged prostate.
If this is your first article at Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas.com, start by filling out your IPSS questionnaire so we can figure out how serious your symptoms are. This is an important step, as we will touch upon later in this article.
Done? Perfect. Now that you know your score, let’s talk about options. In this article, we’ll focus on medications.
BPH medications are broken down into two categories: alpha-blockers (prostate muscle relaxers) and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (prostate shrinkers). Over the last few years, Cialis (an ED medication called a PDE5 inhibitor) was also noted to have some benefit for BPH.
There are over-the-counter medications available as well, but unfortunately, most of them have not proven to be very effective. But we’ll get to that in a future post.
What About Flomax? I've Heard Of That
Flomax is an alpha-blocker, both simply relax the smooth muscle part of the prostate and open the urine channel, thus making it easier for the bladder to empty. Remember that urine travels through the prostate, and the tighter the channel, the more difficult it is for the urine to flow.
Most of these drugs are very similar (see list below), but with the release of Flomax in 1993, the race was on to produce a medication with fewer side effects. This continued until recently, when the latest BPH medication (Rapaflo) went generic. Fortunately, all of the current alpha-blockers are generic.
Current alpha-blockers include:
- Terazosin (Hytrin)
- Doxazosin (Cardura)
- Tamsulosin (Flomax)
- Alfuzosin (Uroxatral)
- Silodosin (Rapaflo)
So Do Alpha-blockers Work?
Here’s the catch with alpha-blockers: Roughly 50% of men may see a benefit from an alpha blocker, but unfortunately, the results are disappointing. This is where that IPSS questionnaire comes into play.
While there are ways of evaluating a man’s urinary flow and bladder emptying, the easiest way is to have them fill out the IPSS score before and after a medication trial.
The improvement in the IPSS score for men taking alpha-blockers was roughly 6-7 points. So this improves urinary function slightly but not as effectively as some of the other options, such as procedures that open the prostate.
I Heard Men Get Dizzy With Medication Or Have Ed Issues
Just as importantly, these medications all have side effects, and they don’t prevent the growth of the prostate, thus leading to worsening symptoms later in life. Therefore, you need to take them every day to maintain their efficacy. There is also a high likelihood that men will need some type of intervention later to relieve the obstruction.
The most common side effects include asthenia (lack of energy), dizziness, headache, and nasal congestion. They can also cause ejaculation dysfunction with decreased ejaculation volume or retrograde ejaculation (meaning the semen travels back into the bladder instead of out through the penis).
Some men respond well to the medication without side effects, and that is truly encouraging. However, it is extremely important that these men be followed closely, as there is a high risk that the meds will stop working at some point
What About Cialis? Could That Be The Answer To My Prayers?
So That's A Win-win, Right?
Want to show it to your family via Print?
To Med Or Not To Med; That Is The Question!
If you have been taking these medications with a good response, then great; keep taking them. But Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas recommends you follow with your urologist closely, as there is a higher risk that the bladder or prostate could have further problems down the road.
If you have taken the meds and had side effects or are looking for other alternatives, please read about your BPH options. Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas treats all size prostates from the very small to the enormous.
At the end of the day, it’s your body and your decision. Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas and his team want to give you the options to get you back on track again – alert, alive, and with a better stream. 😉
