| Just a note to let you know that I have visited Dr. Scott Zeitlin at his
offices in Westwood, Los Angeles, and
I have been helped enormously by
his particular brand of prostate massage.
I developed a severe case of prostatitis
following a prostate biopsy. The biopsy
was negative for cancer, but left me
in severe pain. My PSA was ever so
slightly elevated, so my HMO insisted
on a biopsy. If I'd known then what I
know now about the prostate, I would
*never* have let them near me with
that needle, at least, not at this time.
I've never had prostatitis before. The
condition was definitely precipitated by the biopsy.
After four months of varying agony, and no
help to speak of from two different HMO
docs (who both recommended 6 months
of Cipro, which I refused), and no help
from a private urologist I consulted, who
wanted to biopsy my bladder, after Levaquin
treatment failed (just what I needed, another
invasive treatment)...I went for 6 weeks without
any drugs (other than Motrin, and Urol-Q, which I believe
did actually reduce the inflammation somewhat).
Then, I went to Dr. Zeitlin--who worked with
Dr. Shoskes when both were at UCLA--who
gave me an *extremely* vigorous prostate
massage and drainage. He took a 5-day
culture of prostate fluid. No pathogen was found.
During that initial visit, Dr. Zeitlin had to
massage my gland *twice* to get the fluid
out, and I think this accellerated my
improvement. I felt much improved (say,
60% better) one week after the massage.
I went back for a second massage one week later.
It was painful, but he did drain more fluid...and
today, one week later, I feel about 85% improved.
After four months of agony, this is nothing short
of miraculous to me. My bladder symptoms are
all but gone. My perineal pain is all but gone. I still
have urinary hesitation that I did not have before
the biopsy, but I have hope that with additional
massages that symptom too may resolve. I'm
using Uroxatrol to relax the gland. I hate the stuff,
but Dr. Zeitlin wanted me to try it for two weeks,
until he returns and I can have more treatments.
Uroxatrol is better than anything else I've tried though,
FLOMAX nearly knocked me out every time I got up
from a sitting position..likewise Terazosin. The chance
of syncope is much reduced with Uroxatrol..
Zeitlin recommended Proscar, but I'm reluctant to
use the drug for several reasons. Dr. Zeitlin
feels that it can shrink the gland and reduce
inflammation in some instances. We'll talk further
about it I'm sure.
For now, I'm just overjoyed that my condition has
improved to the extent it has. I was near despair
before I went to see Dr. Zeitlin.
For those who might benefit from repeated prostate
drainage, I can recommend Dr. Zeitlin without
hesitation. He really knows what he's doing when
it comes to prostate massage.
I tried draining myself, but my finger isn't long enough
to do the job right. I can get some contact with the
gland, and that does seem to have a mild pain-reduction
effect, but it's nothing compared to a real prostate
massage.
Massage can make prostatitis worse, it's true. But it
has nearly resolved my problem. So clearly, it can
help some sufferers.
I've been on two 30 mile bicycle rides in the last two weeks,
which is pretty amazing, since I've been unable to ride at all
for the last four months. I'm using the Selle-Anatomica
leather saddles, which can be found on the web.
I recommend them highly. The Spyderflex saddle
is also a usable product if you really are hurting, but you
want to ride.
I also changed my diet completely the last four months, but that's
another story, and the changes did not have any obvious effect
on my condition. Massage is really the only thing that has
resolved the problem.
I think it's possible the biopsy gave me an infection, an infection
the Levaquin killed, but the inflammation remained. The
massage seems to have made all the difference in
resolving the inflammation. I'll be going back for more
treatments, until this thing is gone. If that can be
achieved.
My warning to *anyone* considering a prostate biopsy: don't
get one immediately. A month, or even three months,
will likely make no difference if you have a slightly elevated PSA. That is,
under 4.0, but over the age-adjusted minimums--PSA velocity
is a far more predictive test. I'd get a biopsy on the basis
of PSA velocity (0.7-1.0 ng/L over-one-year-increase) in a heartbeat.
Try other
methods of reducing PSA/gland-size first. Urologists are trained to
cut, or give drugs. I'm convinced now that most have no clue
about other methods of reducing PSA. PSA is also highly volatile,
as other info on this site suggests. I would never get a biopsy on
one PSA reading only, if it's below 4.0. Get another PSA test in a month,
after you've changed your diet, had a couple of prostate massages, and are
taking something like PEENUTS or Urol-Q. At some point you may have
to get a biopsy to rule out cancer, but be careful about it, that's all. I
wasn't careful enough, and I paid for it.
Note: I am NOT a doctor! I'm just saying what I think, that's all.
If you must get a prostate biopsy, make sure you take the antibiotics
before and after as prescribed, and don't do ANYTHING to annoy your
gland for at least six weeks after the procedure. Use the gland-reducing/
pampering methods detailed elsewhere on this site. After a month or so,
consider a gentle prostate massage by an expert to clean things out.
Once your prostate is healed
(6 weeks to two months), get a couple of prostate massages on general
principles, if they make you feel better.
Based on my reading, and experience, most urologists would biopsy every
damned male on the planet if they could. This is clearly wrong. It's also
clear why they want to do it; but that doesn't make it right. There should
be a far more nuanced approach to the problem of slightly elevated PSA
than most urologists seem to use.
Fwiw, I told two different highly experienced internists that I was biopsied
on
one PSA reading of 3.19 (I'm 48), and they both looked at me like I'd grown
a third eye, and said something like "you were WHAT????" Clearly,
current urological protocols in this area are not universally accepted, if ya
know what I mean.
Just one man's opinion. Worth exactly what you paid for it. It is
absolutely
true that prostate cancer is a potentially hideous disease, and if you have
a good urologist, and they really believe a biopsy is the best thing for you,
then do it. But try to find yourself a good urologist! Not all uros are
created
equal by ANY means.
Anonymous sufferer in Los Angeles.
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