FloMax

[IMBob]

I have BHP . My urologist prescribed this med - generic - tamsulosin .4mg/ per day. Inexpensive for generic - $17 - Costco. I have been taking for 10 days . Minimal improvement - slightly more urine flow . Perhaps 1 less middle of the night trips to bathroom to urinate ( I rarely have trouble getting back to sleep anyway) But still urgency to pee , throughout the day. Last evening after reclining in bed on laptop , I got up . DEBILLITATING LIGHT HEADEDNESS AND DIZZYINESS. I'm still feeling the effects this morning. Just a nasty drug for me . I have experienced the other side effects too ; minimal sperm on ejaculation . coughing and runny nose.

 

[y2kmark]

Nothing like that except, yes, the improvement is only partial. Did your Urologist mention trying no nut Nov to see if that has any impact?

 

[IMBob]

I see the Doc , once every 6 mths . "no Nut November ", never came up in conversation. I'd have to try for no nut December now . PSA test readings elevate post sex and from riding a bike . But, by how much .... ? I never get a straight answer.

 

[hockeyguy19]

Good thread here.

Firstly, I used Flomax as well and found the same thing that there was little improvement. Side effects were similar as well with runny nose and little to no fluid when ejaculating. Your symptoms do sound a little more serious with dizziness and light headedness which could become a problem throughout the day.

Doc switched me to Cialis 5mg daily which is approved for BPH treatment as well as ED (so somewhat of a bonus). I found this to be a better option but it is pricey. Even the generics are not much cheaper if at all. Costs me about $140 per month but, considering the alternatives, is worth it.

I also had the elevated PSA test numbers but once I stopped having sex and rowing for a couple of days before testing, the numbers were within normal range so those activities did artificially raise the numbers.

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is 'no nut November'? Is it not ejaculating for an entire month? Doesn't that go against healthy prostate advice of ejaculating 20 times monthly?

 

[IMBob]

2 years ago - PSA # was 6.6 ---- ( a day after sex .... ? ). Dr was hyped for me to have yet another MRI and biopsy . .... during CoVid ? .... no thanks. The past 2 PSA results have been the usual 6 ( no sex for a few days prior to the test ) for me .

 

[hockeyguy19]

2 years ago - PSA # was 6.6 ---- ( a day after sex .... ? ). Dr was hyped for me to have yet another MRI and biopsy . .... during CoVid ? .... no thanks. The past 2 PSA results have been the usual 6 ( no sex for a few days prior to the test ) for me .

Doc should have explained what could cause elevated PSA besides cancer. Luckily a quick google search helped as I rowed and had sex day of test as I did not know about artificial factors that could elevate PSA. Doc also re-assured me and had me re-take test a few days later after holding off sex and rowing. Numbers were within normal range, about 2.5 and have been low since.
But the BPH is a real bummer and pain in the ass but the Cialis 5mg helps. Doc was nice enough to give me about 3 months of free samples and would throw me a free months worth every time I go see him. Every little bit helps.

 

[IMBob]

I have taken all the ED meds . All work as insurance. Though , not necessary with my semi /fwb. I have been using a fraction of a 100 mg Viagra or generic . 1/8th bite of a tablet . Slight flushed face , more so with a higher dose -and stuffy nose . Are side effects from Cialis similar ? I'll ask about 5 mg daily dose for BPH, next visit with the urologist. Yes , I was diagnosed with prostate Ca , 8 years ago. Not aggressive . My father is a retired Dr and old school . " Why wouldn't you have it taken out ?" Because I'm still using it ( prostate) , that's why . Could there be any problems , say the Surgeon has a bad day , the knife slips ..... I'm hoping to die with prostate Ca. If things take a turn , I would get radiation treatment.

 

[The Oracle]

2 years ago - PSA # was 6.6 ---- ( a day after sex .... ? ). Dr was hyped for me to have yet another MRI and biopsy . .... during CoVid ? .... no thanks. The past 2 PSA results have been the usual 6 ( no sex for a few days prior to the test ) for me .

Doc should have explained what could cause elevated PSA besides cancer. Luckily a quick google search helped as I rowed and had sex day of test as I did not know about artificial factors that could elevate PSA. Doc also re-assured me and had me re-take test a few days later after holding off sex and rowing. Numbers were within normal range, about 2.5 and have been low since.
But the BPH is a real bummer and pain in the ass but the Cialis 5mg helps. Doc was nice enough to give me about 3 months of free samples and would throw me a free months worth every time I go see him. Every little bit helps.

Same with me a few years ago. I noticed my numbers were elevating. Still good but trending upward. Then one test my PSA was back down to almost nothing. Thought about for a while and realized that I hadn't had sex in about a week. Then came to the conclusion that working or running/cardio would probably skew things as well. So have abstained from those activities for 72 hrs before testing ever since and low and behold my test results are great.

Now you think your GP or Urologist would inform you of this ahead of time.......Keep in mind this was 20 years ago as well. Thus is why I always do my own research these days. You can never be to informed.

 

[hockeyguy19]

I have taken all the ED meds . All work as insurance. Though , not necessary with my semi /fwb. I have been using a fraction of a 100 mg Viagra or generic . 1/8th bite of a tablet . Slight flushed face , more so with a higher dose -and stuffy nose . Are side effects from Cialis similar ? I'll ask about 5 mg daily dose for BPH, next visit with the urologist. Yes , I was diagnosed with prostate Ca , 8 years ago. Not aggressive . My father is a retired Dr and old school . " Why wouldn't you have it taken out ?" Because I'm still using it ( prostate) , that's why . Could there be any problems , say the Surgeon has a bad day , the knife slips ..... I'm hoping to die with prostate Ca. If things take a turn , I would get radiation treatment.

So sorry to hear about the diagnosis. All the ED meds gave me similar side effects as well, including Cialis 20 mg, Viagra and Levitra. The good thing about Cialis 5mg is that it is low dose so side effects as you stated above are almost not there, and if they are, no where near what you get with higher doses. I believe there is also a Cialis 2.5mg (or cut the 5mg in half to save $$) which should reduce side effects even more. It is worth the conversation with the urologist for sure. Cialis 2.5 and 5mg dailies were approved for BPH treatment both in Canada and the U.S..

 

[shack]

I have BHP . My urologist prescribed this med - generic - tamsulosin .4mg/ per day. Inexpensive for generic - $17 - Costco. I have been taking for 10 days . Minimal improvement - slightly more urine flow . Perhaps 1 less middle of the night trips to bathroom to urinate ( I rarely have trouble getting back to sleep anyway) But still urgency to pee , throughout the day. Last evening after reclining in bed on laptop , I got up . DEBILLITATING LIGHT HEADEDNESS AND DIZZYINESS. I'm still feeling the effects this morning. Just a nasty drug for me . I have experienced the other side effects too ; minimal sperm on ejaculation . coughing and runny nose.

According to my urologist the gold standard treatment for BPH is a combo of Flomax (tamsulosin) and Avodart (don't know the generic name). That is what he put me on once he became my doc when I had kidney stones. The BPH was a secondary finding.

When I saw him a few weeks or a month later for a follow up app't, I told him that I wasn't ready to give up my sex life because, even with viagra and/or cialis I could not get a decent erection. He said that it was most likely due to the Avodart and took me off it. This was 8 years ago and I've been taking only Flomax. My peeing is sufficient and my erections are acceptable. As for side effects, I don't think I have many but I'm on several meds such that I wouldn't know which is causing which. Nothing that interferes with my lifestyle.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I have BHP also. My urologist said practically all men will suffer to some degree from an enlarged prostate as we age. All part of aging he said. My urologist prescribed this med - generic - tamsulosinFlomax, also. Minimal improvement after taking it awhile. Took Flomax for some time with little side effects but did notice an effect on my mind for being a bit fuzzy and memory not being as sharp as before! Had a Urolift procedure done last year and stopped taking Flomax. My mind/memory issues then cleared up completely! Urolift improved things somewhat but the prostate keeps growing. My urologist suggested going back on Flomax. Told him no because of the Flomax effects on my mind. He agreed that can happen and I did not go back on Flomax. I now usually have to get up once a night to urinate, when in the past it was 2, 3 or once in a while, more times.

YouTube clips have much info on tamsulosinFlomax side effects.