Relief after a decade of urinary troubles – Robert’s story

A decade of discomfort

“Everything began about 10 years ago,” says Robert, who’s now in his early seventies. “I mentioned to my GP that I was getting up in the night to pee a lot more.” After some tests, it was found that Robert had raised PSA levels. Raised PSA is often a sign of prostate cancer, so Robert was put under investigation to ensure this wasn’t what he had. While Robert’s PSA levels continued to increase, biopsies and scans showed that he didn’t have prostate cancer – which came as a huge relief. What Robert had instead was benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common non-cancerous condition that affects a large number of older men, where the prostate gland grows larger and starts to interfere with urinary functions.

While he was cancer-free, Robert’s BPH was leading to urinary issues that were causing him more and more discomfort. “By my late sixties, it was really starting to impact on my life,” Robert recalls. He would frequently need to urinate, often with a sudden urgency and with a poor flow. He never felt like he could fully empty his bladder, and he would sometimes have small issues with incontinence due to the urgency. This constant discomfort was very disruptive to his day-to-day life, impacting his social activities and overall wellbeing. It was even stopping Robert from enjoying one of his great loves, going to the theatre. “I’d always have to get seats at the end of the row as I knew I’d need to go to the bathroom before the interval,” remembers Robert. Alongside this, the frequency of him needing to urinate also meant that Robert’s sleep was badly disrupted. “I was getting up several times a night, every night,” he says. “I never felt like I slept properly.” 

Feeling empowered to choose

After struggling with the urinary problems caused by BPH for almost all of his sixties, Robert decided it was time to make a change. “It was an ever-present issue, and it wasn’t getting any better,” he says, “so that led me to thinking I should do something, rather than just managing it.” Robert saw a urologist, who he hoped he could discuss his options with. The urologist recommended Robert have a HoLEP procedure (holmium laser enucleation of the prostate, where a laser is used to remove parts of the prostate), but as someone who had done their research, Robert wanted to discuss his range of options to see what was best for him – something that he wasn’t given the chance to do.

If Robert chose the HoLEP procedure, he was told there was a surgery slot in about eight months. But wanting to feel empowered to understand all his options and choose what was right for him, Robert instead sought a second opinion. “I did a lot of online research to see who’s near me and what they do,” Robert says. This research led him to Professor Richard Hindley, Consultant Urologist at The Prostate Centre. With a referral from his GP, Robert booked his appointment. 

Finally feeling listened to

Robert’s appointment with Mr Hindley gave him the confidence that he was being listened to. “It was precisely what I wanted,” recalls Robert. “He was someone who was open to having a conversation and was open-minded as to what the best thing might be.” Robert discussed his treatment options with Mr Hindley, who presented him with a table showing all the different procedures to treat BPH and the benefits of each. “It was the best piece of paper I’ve seen on the entire subject!” says Robert. “Anything was up for discussion, which was great.”

Offering what’s best for every individual is Mr Hindley’s priority. “No two patients are the same,” Mr Hindley says. “It’s important for patients to be aware that there are a range of treatment options for BPH,” he explains. “We should try to tailor what we offer to suit the needs and requirements of each patient.”

The main things that mattered to Robert were how invasive the treatment was, its effectiveness and its longevity. “I come from a long-lived family,” Robert explains, “so I wanted a treatment that would last a long time, or one I could have again in 10 or 15 years if needed.” With a straightforward explanation of the variety of treatment options from Mr Hindley, Robert and Mr Hindley came to the joint decision that Aquablation therapy, an innovative minimally-invasive treatment for BPH, would be the best fit for Robert’s needs. “This is a versatile technology,” explains Mr Hindley. “It’s particularly beneficial for those men with larger prostates who are suffering from troublesome urinary symptoms.” 

A welcome relief

Robert’s Aquablation therapy was booked in for February 2025 at The Princess Grace Hospital. Coming in for his procedure, Robert was feeling relaxed, informed and ready. The procedure involved first using ultrasound and a tiny camera to create a map of Robert’s prostate to precisely guide the treatment and prevent complications, which helps restore urinary function while preserving sexual function. Then, under general anaesthetic, a robotically controlled water jet was used to remove the excess prostate tissue. 

Waking up after the surgery, Robert was feeling absolutely fine. “I can’t remember any pain or discomfort at all due to the surgery,” says Robert. “It was remarkably pain-free.” After an overnight stay in the hospital, Robert was back home the very next day, and he was feeling the benefits of his treatment almost immediately. “I was concerned it could take a while to notice the benefits,” Robert recalls, “but right away I noticed an improvement in my ability to both urinate and control my urination.” He was sleeping well again as he no longer needed to get up in the night, had no incontinence and his sexual function was preserved. “Something I noticed remarkably soon was the improved strength of my urinary flow, which I hadn’t had for years,” Robert says. “It made me feel like a much younger man again!” 

Things continued to improve for Robert, and any post-operative effects were largely over within a few weeks. Seven months on, Robert has vastly improved urinary flow and control and now feels like he can properly empty his bladder, letting him enjoy what he loves again. “My sleep is largely uninterrupted - and I can enjoy going to the theatre again, sitting in the best seats I can get, not just those at the end of the row!” Robert says.

We’d like to thank Robert for sharing his story with us, and we wish him all the best for his continued good health.

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