# What did old timers use for BPH before Flomax? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788 "2009-12-18T20:19:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/21 "2009-12-19T22:30:10Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > I think I might have been the subject of a trial run; that particular urologist now uses laser; i really wish he had used it back then. Laser surgery to remove prostate tissue has been available for about six years only. Mine was done in early 2005, and it was new then. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/22 "2009-12-20T03:29:43Z")
> [@Rysdad](#): > > Finasteride (aka, Propecia. Yes, the stuff that grows hair.) It’s supposed to help reduce prostate size and has the possibility of hair growth as a side effect. > > I’ll let you know if it works in another four months or so. Well, I can tell you for sure it’s not helping the hair growth thing. And because of the possibility of birth defects, they won’t take my blood anymore. As for the OP, the original treatment for BPH was to go to the bathroom every hour or so, day and night. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/23 "2009-12-20T15:22:51Z")
Before medical treatment for BPH, there were [urethral sounds](http://www.dundee.ac.uk/museum/medical/DUNUC8362.jpg) of varying sizes, to dilate open the prostatic urethra. I actually saw a set of sounds used back during my urology rotation, in the early 1980’s. With the patient lying supine, the doc would slip a small one in, rapidly remove it, then insert the next larger size. This was repeated until the sound inserted was very large indeed. The effects might last for a few days to a few weeks, or even a few months, before needing another treatment. Some patients would go to the black market to acquire their own set and use them at home on themselves. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/24 "2009-12-20T15:35:27Z")
My dad took minipress for years. It’s a blood pressure medicine, and it also was used to help urination. I’d assume flomax has eliminated the need for minipress. > [@](#): > > Prazosin is also useful in treating urinary hesitancy associated with prostatic hyperplasia by blocking alpha-1 receptors, which control constriction of both the prostate and ureters. > **[Prazosin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prazosin)** > > Prazosin, sold under the brand name Minipress among others, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure, symptoms of an enlarged prostate, and nightmares related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is an α1 blocker. It is a less preferred treatment of high blood pressure. Other uses may include heart failure and Raynaud syndrome. It is taken by mouth. > Common side effects include dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, and heart palpitations. Serious side effects may include low blood pre... > [@](#): > > Another common side effect of prazosin (and doxazosin) is priapism. Odd, I don’t recall dad mentioning this side effect. 😉 Pee better and have a boner. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/25 "2009-12-20T16:18:38Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Before medical treatment for BPH, there were [urethral sounds](http://www.dundee.ac.uk/museum/medical/DUNUC8362.jpg) of varying sizes, to dilate open the prostatic urethra. > > I actually saw a set of sounds used back during my urology rotation, in the early 1980’s. With the patient lying supine, the doc would slip a small one in, rapidly remove it, then insert the next larger size. This was repeated until the sound inserted was very large indeed. The effects might last for a few days to a few weeks, or even a few months, before needing another treatment. > > Some patients would go to the black market to acquire their own set and use them at home on themselves. I had a Navy urologist use those to clear up a urethral stricture in the mid 80s. I’m not sure what was worse: the guy reaching for steel rods thicker than a pencil or the fact that they had invited in fifteen corpsman students (male and female) to stare at the whole procedure. Made a good piss go like a fire hose, though. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/26 "2009-12-20T17:18:03Z")
> [@janeslogin](#): > > I remember hearing of prostate problems when I was a kid about the end of WWII or so. What was the treatment back then? Pretty much what has been posted: prostatectomy, but it was a risky procedure. It isn’t all that great now, and almost all patients have impotence and incontinence afterward for months or years. Depends widely on the patient and the skill of the surgeon. I understnad Viagra helps. At my age (82) that is no longer a problem. Unfortunately. Now there are a wide range of other choices, including “watchful waiting,” brachytherapy (inplanting of radioactive seeds), shaped external radiation and others. I had the external radiation eight years ago and my PSAs were around 0.01 for years, but a few months ago, it jumped. Bioposy showed the damned cancer and returned. I’m now investigating all the possibilities, but will probably go with the brachytherapy. Bummer! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/27 "2009-12-20T17:26:22Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > Bummer! Bummer for sure. ☹ Keep us posted, man. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/28 "2009-12-20T17:28:47Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I had a Navy urologist use those to clear up a urethral stricture in the mid 80s. Heh. Sailors… Yeah, the sounds were used more often on non-BPH related strictures. Many of which were caused by STDs. A friend of mine who used to be a urologist in the Ukraine tells me a good chunk of his practice was caused by urethritis, which some guys just kept getting over and over and over… ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/29 "2009-12-20T18:51:08Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > Pretty much what has been posted: prostatectomy, but it was a risky procedure. It isn’t all that great now, and almost all patients have impotence and incontinence afterward for months or years. Depends widely on the patient and the skill of the surgeon. I understnad Viagra helps. At my age (82) that is no longer a problem. Unfortunately. > > Now there are a wide range of other choices, including “watchful waiting,” brachytherapy (inplanting of radioactive seeds), shaped external radiation and others. > > I had the external radiation eight years ago and my PSAs were around 0.01 for years, but a few months ago, it jumped. Bioposy showed the damned cancer and returned. I’m now investigating all the possibilities, but will probably go with the brachytherapy. > > Bummer! You are referring here to prostate cancer. This discussion has been on BPH. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/30 "2009-12-20T20:34:20Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > You are referring here to prostate cancer. This discussion has been on BPH. If you will look at the OP you will see he also asked, “I remember hearing of _ **prostate problems** _ when I was a kid about the end of WWII or so. What was the treatment back then?” So I wrote about a prostate problem. What bothers you about that? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/31 "2009-12-20T21:04:46Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > You are referring here to prostate cancer. This discussion has been on BPH. Prostatectomy has been a treatment option for BPH for many decades now, even before WW II. **KlondikeGeoff** ’s comments as such are quite germane to the topic at hand. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/32 "2009-12-20T23:18:11Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Laser surgery to remove prostate tissue has been available for about six years only. Mine was done in early 2005, and it was new then. In that case, lasers were available when my little procedure was done; I’ve no idea why a laser wasn’t used. ---
**Author:** ![banjoDavid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@banjoDavid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/banjoDavid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/33 "2009-12-21T14:17:33Z")
Has anyone tried Flow-max or other Rx drugs and had negative side effects, i.e., loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, etc.? The saw palmetto doesn’t seem to do anything, and the list of side effects on the Rx drugs is scary. The side effects of the surgery sound way worse, however. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/34 "2009-12-21T15:04:37Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > If you will look at the OP you will see he also asked, “I remember hearing of _ **prostate problems** _ when I was a kid about the end of WWII or so. What was the treatment back then?” > > So I wrote about a prostate problem. What bothers you about that? I’m sorry to hear about your prostate cancer. It doesn’t bother me, but the discussion up to this point had been about BPH. banjoDavid, I used Flomax without negative effects, but this, apparently, did not help. Saw palmetto also did not help. When I was unable to urinate, my tp was shocked -shocked!- that I had gone off Flomax and was relying upon saw palmetto, but that was all right with my prior urologist (who had since relocated). My tp gave me a handful of Flomax and expected that would resolve my problem, but it didn’t. Both Flomax and saw palmetto use the same biological pathways and their effects should be similar. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/35 "2009-12-30T03:50:43Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Laser surgery to remove prostate tissue has been available for about six years only. Mine was done in early 2005, and it was new then. Any adverse effects? ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/36 "2009-12-30T22:17:11Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > Any adverse effects? None whatsoever. Following that surgery, my urologist told me to discontinue Flomax. I have not been on any medicine since. ---
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/37 "2009-12-31T15:41:15Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Before medical treatment for BPH, there were [urethral sounds](http://www.dundee.ac.uk/museum/medical/DUNUC8362.jpg) of varying sizes, to dilate open the prostatic urethra. FYI, there’s a sexual fetish involving sounds, called appropriately enough, “sounding.” Generally a gay thing, but you’ll also find it in medical BDSM scenes. I assume that like many things, when it’s done in the doctor’s office for medical reasons it hurts like hell but when you do it on your own it feels much better. The internet has shown me waaay too much in my lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/38 "2009-12-31T21:17:31Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Heh. Sailors… > [@davekhps](#): > > FYI, there’s a sexual fetish involving sounds, called appropriately enough, “sounding.” Generally a gay thing, but you’ll also find it in medical BDSM scenes. > > I assume that like many things, when it’s done in the doctor’s office for medical reasons it hurts like hell but when you do it on your own it feels much better. > The internet has shown me waaay too much in my lifetime. Not sure what the good doctor is implying above, but I can assure you that _my_ urethral stricture existed long before I entered the Navy 🙂 Anyway, the most surprising thing about the … urethral dilation … was how _little_ pain was involved. As you watch the doctor picking up a device that is thicker than a pencil, you brace yourself for the worst agony, but I don’t remember any pain at all. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/39 "2009-12-31T23:24:20Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > Not sure what the good doctor is implying above, but I can assure you that _my_ urethral stricture existed long before I entered the Navy 🙂 Historically sailors of all varieties are stereotyped as picking up STDs at their ports of call. These invariably cause a certain number of cases of urethritis which result in urethral strictures, and the need for dilation. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788/40 "2010-01-01T00:57:24Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Historically sailors of all varieties are stereotyped as picking up STDs at their ports of call. These invariably cause a certain number of cases of urethritis which result in urethral strictures, and the need for dilation. A urethral stricture is different from bph, right? Could a simple NSU cause a stricture 20 years later? Does the Green Light Laser treatment involve anesthetic? Hospital admittance overnight? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-old-timers-use-for-bph-before-flomax/521788.md?page=3)