Like to share my experience as a 72 year old healthy male going for Rezum to reduce prostate BPH with a timeline of facts :
brilliant surgical procedure, non existent aftercare and abandoned. Huge discrepancy between Surgical and Outpatient service :
May 2019 The doctor gave clear and balanced analysis and I took up the Rezum procedure.
October 2019 Rezum treatment done by brilliantly efficient and caring surgical team. Aftercare in recovery : very perfunctory guidance discharged with goodie bag of drugs and catheters.
Next day after operation: catheter fell out. Blood & mess.
Called urology telephone numbers as given and also emailed for help. NO REPLY from either for ONE WHOLE WEEK even after leaving voicemail re mishap.
One week after operation: Follow up appointment Nurse just 'could not comment' on my queries about drugs and taught me self insert catheter.
November 2019. Rang to query about blood and pain while urinating & whether I still need to insert catheter. Speciality Nurse on annual leave. Given another number. No reply after voice message.
Saw my GP, he says the Urology Charing X should give advice as he is not familiar with subject.
December 2019. 8 weeks after op. Tried ringing about whether it is normal to be urinating debris and has pain while urinating and also report now unable to control urinating.( Hence wearing incontinence pants all the time.)
Receptionist spend 20 minutes relating my enquiries to a speciality nurse near her, but the nurse would not speak to me.
Advice came back for me to go to A & E ! Also checked on my 3 months follow up appointment in January would only be for a flow test, never to see a doctor regarding any of the problem mentioned.
I had an operation and it seems that the moment it was done, the doctors and surgical team disappeared forever, and all the aftercare or advice over the phone is NON-EXISTENT, either no answer from the numbers or just the poor receptionist relaying a message from the Speciality Nurse to ask me to go to A & E. My own GP feels advice should come from the team who operated on me.
At the moment, I do not know whether this state of discomfort after 8 weeks is 'normal'. Tiny blood clots and debris in the urine and the stinging sensation and the lack of control with the improved flow meant I need to wear incontinence pants - for how long? Forever ?
Just a few words of conversation with the Speciality Nurse or a doctor who saw me before the op would have been helpful. And the follow up appointment after 3 months is just for a flow test, never with a doctor. It is NOT a case of underfunding, it is a case of deeply flawed management of a service. I reiterate how brilliant the initial consultation and the surgical procedure was, but then YOU ARE ABANDONED. If I knew that I would never speak or see an urology doctor the moment after my operation is done, I doubt whether I would take up the Rezum procedure.
"Beware of taking Rezum Treatment at Charing X..."
About: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London W2 1BL
Posted via nhs.uk
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