You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
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5Quiz |
6Your Summary |
Urinary symptoms include needing to urinate often, having a weak urine stream, or having trouble starting a urine stream.
Watchful waiting and medicines are usually the first things considered for an enlarged prostate.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is better known as an enlarged
An enlarged prostate is usually harmless, but it often causes problems with urination. About half of all men older than 75 have some symptoms.
The most important thing in deciding whether to get treatment is how much the symptoms bother you and how much they affect your quality of life.
Medicines are sometimes used to help relieve bothersome, moderate to severe urination problems caused by an enlarged prostate. If you stop using medicine, the symptoms will probably return.
Medicine choices include:
5-alpha reductase inhibitor |
Alpha-blocker |
---|---|
|
|
If you don't want to take medicine, you can try watchful waiting while managing your symptoms at home.
Watchful waiting means you have regular checkups to be sure that your symptoms aren't getting worse. And you try making these small changes to your lifestyle to control your symptoms:
Some men try dietary supplements for BPH, such as saw palmetto or beta-sitosterol. But scientific studies don't show that saw palmetto helps with urinary problems or that beta-sitosterol is safe or helps over the long term.
About 4 out of 10 men find that their symptoms improve without treatment. This means that 6 out of 10 men need medicine or surgery to help their symptoms.
Your doctor may recommend taking medicine for BPH if:
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What are the benefits? |
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What are the risks and side effects? |
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These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
I've been having a lot of trouble getting a good night's sleep now that I have this enlarged prostate. I'm up 4 or 5 times a night to go to the bathroom, and then both my wife and I are tired all day. My doctor said these medicines often help with that problem, so I'm going to try them. Even if I still had to get up a couple of times a night, I would get more rest and have more energy during the day.
Jake, age 61
When I started having problems urinating, my first thought was that it had to be cancer. My brother-in-law had similar symptoms, but he ignored them for a long time and eventually was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I decided not to ignore them, so I went right to my doctor. He did a rectal exam and a PSA test and said that he was confident that my prostate was just enlarged and that it did not appear that I had cancer. He said if I wanted something to treat the symptoms, he could prescribe medicine. But I was just happy that the problem wasn't from cancer, so I decided to manage the symptoms on my own for now.
Jim, age 65
I've been able to manage my BPH symptoms on my own for a couple years. They didn't bother me that much at first, and the tips my doctor gave me about limiting fluids and avoiding nonprescription decongestants really helped. But these days, my symptoms seem to be getting worse, and I'm tired of dealing with them. I know the medicine can have side effects, but I'm going to give it a try.
Michael, age 54
Several months ago, I started taking medicine to treat my prostate symptoms. The doctor said that most men don't have serious side effects, but I guess I'm one of the few who do. Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, and tired was affecting me more than my prostate symptoms were, so I decided to stop taking the medicine. I found that my symptoms actually got a little better by themselves. For now, I'm managing okay with home treatment. My doctor and I will keep talking about other options if my symptoms get worse and I decide I want to try something different.
Carl, age 58
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to take medicine
Reasons not to take medicine
I have symptoms that really bother me.
My symptoms don't really bother me.
I would rather live with side effects from medicine than have my symptoms.
I worry about the side effects of medicine.
I don't mind taking medicine every day.
I don't want to take medicine every day.
I'm not worried about how much the medicine will cost.
I really worry about how much the medicine will cost.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Taking medicine
NOT taking medicine
Check the facts
Decide what's next
Certainty
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
Author | |
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Clinical Review Board | All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals. |
Urinary symptoms include needing to urinate often, having a weak urine stream, or having trouble starting a urine stream.
Watchful waiting and medicines are usually the first things considered for an enlarged prostate.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is better known as an enlarged
An enlarged prostate is usually harmless, but it often causes problems with urination. About half of all men older than 75 have some symptoms.
The most important thing in deciding whether to get treatment is how much the symptoms bother you and how much they affect your quality of life.
Medicines are sometimes used to help relieve bothersome, moderate to severe urination problems caused by an enlarged prostate. If you stop using medicine, the symptoms will probably return.
Medicine choices include:
5-alpha reductase inhibitor |
Alpha-blocker |
---|---|
|
|
If you don't want to take medicine, you can try watchful waiting while managing your symptoms at home.
Watchful waiting means you have regular checkups to be sure that your symptoms aren't getting worse. And you try making these small changes to your lifestyle to control your symptoms:
Some men try dietary supplements for BPH, such as saw palmetto or beta-sitosterol. But scientific studies don't show that saw palmetto helps with urinary problems or that beta-sitosterol is safe or helps over the long term.
About 4 out of 10 men find that their symptoms improve without treatment. This means that 6 out of 10 men need medicine or surgery to help their symptoms.
Your doctor may recommend taking medicine for BPH if:
Take medicine | Don't take medicine | |
---|---|---|
What is usually involved? |
|
|
What are the benefits? |
|
|
What are the risks and side effects? |
|
|
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
"I've been having a lot of trouble getting a good night's sleep now that I have this enlarged prostate. I'm up 4 or 5 times a night to go to the bathroom, and then both my wife and I are tired all day. My doctor said these medicines often help with that problem, so I'm going to try them. Even if I still had to get up a couple of times a night, I would get more rest and have more energy during the day."
— Jake, age 61
"When I started having problems urinating, my first thought was that it had to be cancer. My brother-in-law had similar symptoms, but he ignored them for a long time and eventually was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I decided not to ignore them, so I went right to my doctor. He did a rectal exam and a PSA test and said that he was confident that my prostate was just enlarged and that it did not appear that I had cancer. He said if I wanted something to treat the symptoms, he could prescribe medicine. But I was just happy that the problem wasn't from cancer, so I decided to manage the symptoms on my own for now."
— Jim, age 65
"I've been able to manage my BPH symptoms on my own for a couple years. They didn't bother me that much at first, and the tips my doctor gave me about limiting fluids and avoiding nonprescription decongestants really helped. But these days, my symptoms seem to be getting worse, and I'm tired of dealing with them. I know the medicine can have side effects, but I'm going to give it a try."
— Michael, age 54
"Several months ago, I started taking medicine to treat my prostate symptoms. The doctor said that most men don't have serious side effects, but I guess I'm one of the few who do. Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, and tired was affecting me more than my prostate symptoms were, so I decided to stop taking the medicine. I found that my symptoms actually got a little better by themselves. For now, I'm managing okay with home treatment. My doctor and I will keep talking about other options if my symptoms get worse and I decide I want to try something different."
— Carl, age 58
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to take medicine
Reasons not to take medicine
I have symptoms that really bother me.
My symptoms don't really bother me.
I would rather live with side effects from medicine than have my symptoms.
I worry about the side effects of medicine.
I don't mind taking medicine every day.
I don't want to take medicine every day.
I'm not worried about how much the medicine will cost.
I really worry about how much the medicine will cost.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Taking medicine
NOT taking medicine
1. I may not need to take medicine if my symptoms don't bother me very much.
2. I may find that my symptoms improve without treatment.
3. Medicines can cause side effects that may be worse than my symptoms.
1. Do you understand the options available to you?
2. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
3. Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
2. Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
By | |
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Clinical Review Board | All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals. |
Current as of: November 15, 2023
Author:
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
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