When my patients send me a description of what they experienced I publish it here. And a couple of my patients have done me the favor of emailing other men who are trying to decide what to do; these are their words
PAE has benefited me beyond my expectations and given me back so much freedom that I thought was gone.
- David
Jaime
I am a 69 years old male with an enlarge prostate or BPH. For years I suffered with a frequent need to urinate, low flow and incomplete emptying.
Nighttime was especially bad with the need to wake up every two or three hours. My quality of life, due to my enlarge prostate, was terrible.
I spend years researching a solution. Every procedure, surgery or therapy came with different degrees of side effects.
One day while I was actively searching for a remedy, I came across a YouTube video explaining a procedure called Prostate Artery Embolism. To my surprise this procedure was done by a Radiologist not a Urologist. Further research led me to Dr John Thomas, one of the few Radiologists in Texas that performs this procedure.
I met with Dr. Thomas and discussed the procedure, side effects and possible outcome. Two weeks after surgery I had little or no side effects, I was waking up only once a night, no longer rushing to the bathroom and experiencing a strong stream and full emptying of my bladder.
This procedure has been life changing for the better and I would recommend it without hesitation to all men seeking relief of BPH.
May 2023
Nighttime was especially bad with the need to wake up every two or three hours. My quality of life, due to my enlarge prostate, was terrible.
I spend years researching a solution. Every procedure, surgery or therapy came with different degrees of side effects.
One day while I was actively searching for a remedy, I came across a YouTube video explaining a procedure called Prostate Artery Embolism. To my surprise this procedure was done by a Radiologist not a Urologist. Further research led me to Dr John Thomas, one of the few Radiologists in Texas that performs this procedure.
I met with Dr. Thomas and discussed the procedure, side effects and possible outcome. Two weeks after surgery I had little or no side effects, I was waking up only once a night, no longer rushing to the bathroom and experiencing a strong stream and full emptying of my bladder.
This procedure has been life changing for the better and I would recommend it without hesitation to all men seeking relief of BPH.
May 2023
Johnnie
Note from Dr. Thomas: When Johnnie came to see me he was miserable; he had been forced to have a catheter in his bladder to empty his urine for 3 months. This can happen to men with BPH; your symptoms have been annoying but you feel like you can get by until one day, without warning, you find you just cant pee. As you can imagine, this is an emergency. You find yourself in the Emergency Room and a catheter is placed up your penis into the bladder. Once this happens, you often are stuck with it until you do something to shrink your prostate: surgery or PAE.
To throw salt on the wound: you are not going to have sex as long as you have that catheter.
One week after his PAE the catheter was removed and Johnnie was able to urinate and resume his life. He gave me this Thank You card at our 3 month follow up visit and gave me permission to post it here on my site
To throw salt on the wound: you are not going to have sex as long as you have that catheter.
One week after his PAE the catheter was removed and Johnnie was able to urinate and resume his life. He gave me this Thank You card at our 3 month follow up visit and gave me permission to post it here on my site
David
Today is the two month anniversary of my PAE procedure. I have a good report for you...
I am seeing increasingly positive results from the procedure. I continue to improve on a regular basis. The biggest improvements since month 1 are in flow rate, urgency and frequency. It just gets better and better.
Overall, I am now well past the point of satisfaction and am constantly reminded of just how annoying and incapacitating BPH is...I already feel as if I am close to "as good as new."
The bladder retraining I am doing is because I went into acute retention twice and heard about it from my urologist. With just about two weeks into this exercise program, I can now completely empty my bladder without straining, and wait until it is convenient to empty again in almost all cases. This is true even when I am over-drinking and flushing. I am still 'flushing' with water and Vitamin C, D, etc. which is designed to clean out my kidneys and liver. I appreciate that ability as much as any.
Both the incomplete emptying and frequency are just about gone. I can control either by drinking differently. I flush every day that I can. On days that I don't, I usually urinate 5 times, which is approximately 10 times less that before PAE. On days that I drink over 110 ozs, I go about 8 times, or half as often as before PAE and limited drinking.
Intermittency is completely gone. I never think about it.
I have not checked the flow rate other than noticing it as I go. It is definitely getting stronger, and more often than not is stronger than it has been for years. After bladder retraining, I am going to work on George's "5 strand fence" challenge!
I measured volume three times in the past 5 days. It averages about 500mls when I am purposely waiting, and about 400 when I am flushing as often as I get the urge.
I want to thank you again for your guidance and cooperation John. Your attention and expertise are exactly what I needed. Anyone with a bothersome enlarged prostate would do really well to consult with you and hear your thoughts.
The PAE procedure deserves to be a standard offering in every urologist's office instead of a 'secret.' It has benefited me beyond my expectations and given me back so much freedom that I thought was gone.
I am seeing increasingly positive results from the procedure. I continue to improve on a regular basis. The biggest improvements since month 1 are in flow rate, urgency and frequency. It just gets better and better.
Overall, I am now well past the point of satisfaction and am constantly reminded of just how annoying and incapacitating BPH is...I already feel as if I am close to "as good as new."
The bladder retraining I am doing is because I went into acute retention twice and heard about it from my urologist. With just about two weeks into this exercise program, I can now completely empty my bladder without straining, and wait until it is convenient to empty again in almost all cases. This is true even when I am over-drinking and flushing. I am still 'flushing' with water and Vitamin C, D, etc. which is designed to clean out my kidneys and liver. I appreciate that ability as much as any.
Both the incomplete emptying and frequency are just about gone. I can control either by drinking differently. I flush every day that I can. On days that I don't, I usually urinate 5 times, which is approximately 10 times less that before PAE. On days that I drink over 110 ozs, I go about 8 times, or half as often as before PAE and limited drinking.
Intermittency is completely gone. I never think about it.
I have not checked the flow rate other than noticing it as I go. It is definitely getting stronger, and more often than not is stronger than it has been for years. After bladder retraining, I am going to work on George's "5 strand fence" challenge!
I measured volume three times in the past 5 days. It averages about 500mls when I am purposely waiting, and about 400 when I am flushing as often as I get the urge.
I want to thank you again for your guidance and cooperation John. Your attention and expertise are exactly what I needed. Anyone with a bothersome enlarged prostate would do really well to consult with you and hear your thoughts.
The PAE procedure deserves to be a standard offering in every urologist's office instead of a 'secret.' It has benefited me beyond my expectations and given me back so much freedom that I thought was gone.
More from David 5 months after PAE (he is writing to a man who is trying to decide what to do about his BPH; explaining why he chose PAE)
First, 2 things drove me to decide to use PAE. It yields the same result as literally every other procedure, and, without certainly most and possibly any side effects.
Second is that it allows for any other treatment, or its own re-treatment, in the future if it is less than completely successful. Those 2 together are only true of PAE. They alone would have done it for me.
Another aspect of PAE that really attracted me was the minimal regime of medicine that it requires over the time that it affects you. Those are all just to relieve pain over the first three or four days and to avoid infection. There is no hormone, genetic, or harsh chemical aspect of the pharma portion of this entire procedure. There is also no need for prolonged use.
Last, in general is the chance to speed your own recovery and to enhance your total outcome with 'therapy' and activities added back by you, for you, on your schedule and with the Doctor's direction. If you have suffered from BPH for a long time, you may need to retrain your prostate and bladder in order to get the maximum results. I did. I am still doing it, and getting far better results than I expected. I am in month 5 of 6 in the recovery program. As a matter of fact I started recording urinary frequency and volume today for John's records. I want him to have as much information as he can to pass on. I want others to benefit from this as much as possible. My current IPSS score is at or near 0.
Last, I started with John Thomas because his credentials are impressive and he is truly enthusiastic about his work. I never discount a positive attitude. I stayed with him because he uses his hands like an artisan, and uses his head like a true physician. i was working where I am now, in Virginia, when I made the 'which doctor' decision. I drove away from one world class PAE specialist and past two others in order to get to San Antonio. If you decide to go ahead with this, you will be in good hands.
Chuck
Dr Thomas,
I wanted to take the time to describe some of the things that impressed me with the Prostate Arterial Embolization procedure that you performed.
First, on my initial consultative visit, I was amazed that you took the time to answer all my questions. It felt, and was evident, that you truly listened to my concerns and desire for information.
Second, the results have been amazing. I understood it could take up to two months to start experiencing improvement with my urinary symptoms, but it was only two weeks before I had improvement.
Three, it was evident that the team participating with you in the IR Procedure room respected you. When we complimented you, you turned that around into praise for the whole team. That humility and servant leadership was wonderful to see.
Fourth, your interim communication by personal email was superb.
Five, the patient education materials were user friendly.
Six, the information provided matched the procedure and the recovery side effects from the PAE. There were no surprises.
Seven, while you were on your way to the procedure room, you took the time to personally help my spouse find the cafeteria.
Thank you for being such an excellent physician, and also a caring individual.
Thanks
Chuck
I wanted to take the time to describe some of the things that impressed me with the Prostate Arterial Embolization procedure that you performed.
First, on my initial consultative visit, I was amazed that you took the time to answer all my questions. It felt, and was evident, that you truly listened to my concerns and desire for information.
Second, the results have been amazing. I understood it could take up to two months to start experiencing improvement with my urinary symptoms, but it was only two weeks before I had improvement.
Three, it was evident that the team participating with you in the IR Procedure room respected you. When we complimented you, you turned that around into praise for the whole team. That humility and servant leadership was wonderful to see.
Fourth, your interim communication by personal email was superb.
Five, the patient education materials were user friendly.
Six, the information provided matched the procedure and the recovery side effects from the PAE. There were no surprises.
Seven, while you were on your way to the procedure room, you took the time to personally help my spouse find the cafeteria.
Thank you for being such an excellent physician, and also a caring individual.
Thanks
Chuck
More from Chuck, he is writing to a man who is trying to decide if he should choose PAE for his BPH
Dr Thomas said you would like to talk to someone who has had the PAE experience.
I had a large prostate for many years, and it was creating problems. I was up in the night many times to go to the bathroom. I knew where every public bathroom was where I lived because the urgency was overwhelming at times. I was starting to use a large pad in case of accidents. I studied choices of how to treat a large prostate. I had been using medications for over 20 years and they were not helpful at this point. My research led me to the PAE procedure. Urologists seem to always end up recommending a TURP; I was not excited about a TURP as there was much evidence that there was nerve damage in almost every case that affected other functions. The TURP also did not have as good an outcome as PAE: there always seemed to be a remaining dribble after a TURP.
I chose the PAE because of no nerve damage, better outcome, and shorter recovery time.
My experience led to improvement within 2 weeks (although it can take a little longer in some cases.) There was little pain with the procedure. The results felt miraculous and my life has changed in a very positive fashion. My prostate has shrunk. There was no nerve damage. The procedure is done in an outpatient setting and did not require an overnight hospital stay. I no longer have the urgency during the day or at night. Rather than being bound to the urgency of the enlarged prostate, I can urinate on demand.
I want to make a couple of comments about Dr. Thomas. I grew up on a farm, but my profession ended up in hospital administration. As a result, I have known literally hundreds of doctors. I would rank Dr. Thomas at the very top based on the following: First, his bedside manner and concern for me as a patient was unbelievable in my experience. He takes the time to answer every and all questions. His manner is such that you feel that he cares about you. Second, Dr. Thomas has lots of experience performing the PAE procedure. That meant, to me, that he was a clinical expert in this field. While PAE is relatively new (approximately 15 years), Dr. Thomas has done his homework and has performed the procedure often compared to other physicians. Although the procedure is relatively new, studies have confirmed its positive outcomes.
I had a large prostate for many years, and it was creating problems. I was up in the night many times to go to the bathroom. I knew where every public bathroom was where I lived because the urgency was overwhelming at times. I was starting to use a large pad in case of accidents. I studied choices of how to treat a large prostate. I had been using medications for over 20 years and they were not helpful at this point. My research led me to the PAE procedure. Urologists seem to always end up recommending a TURP; I was not excited about a TURP as there was much evidence that there was nerve damage in almost every case that affected other functions. The TURP also did not have as good an outcome as PAE: there always seemed to be a remaining dribble after a TURP.
I chose the PAE because of no nerve damage, better outcome, and shorter recovery time.
My experience led to improvement within 2 weeks (although it can take a little longer in some cases.) There was little pain with the procedure. The results felt miraculous and my life has changed in a very positive fashion. My prostate has shrunk. There was no nerve damage. The procedure is done in an outpatient setting and did not require an overnight hospital stay. I no longer have the urgency during the day or at night. Rather than being bound to the urgency of the enlarged prostate, I can urinate on demand.
I want to make a couple of comments about Dr. Thomas. I grew up on a farm, but my profession ended up in hospital administration. As a result, I have known literally hundreds of doctors. I would rank Dr. Thomas at the very top based on the following: First, his bedside manner and concern for me as a patient was unbelievable in my experience. He takes the time to answer every and all questions. His manner is such that you feel that he cares about you. Second, Dr. Thomas has lots of experience performing the PAE procedure. That meant, to me, that he was a clinical expert in this field. While PAE is relatively new (approximately 15 years), Dr. Thomas has done his homework and has performed the procedure often compared to other physicians. Although the procedure is relatively new, studies have confirmed its positive outcomes.
Bill
After suffering from BPH for the past 20 years and all of its associated problems, I decided to have surgery to reduce the size of my prostate. Although the procedure involved only three or four small incisions and the use robotic tools, it was advertised as bloody and painful. After a consult with my family Doctor, I sought a second opinion about a “lift” procedure the Urologist use to resolve the problems of frequent urination, incomplete emptying, frequent UTI’s, etc. Because my prostate was unusually large, the second opinion Urologist said his procedure would not work.
He then told my about a new and innovative procedure used by Dr. John Thomas, an Interventional Radiologist at the South Texas Radiology Imaging & Interventional Center in San Antonio, Texas and arranged a consult. This interventional procedure involved blocking the arteries supplying blood to the prostate thereby, over time shrinking the prostate.
Impressed with the simplicity of the procedure and the skill of Dr. Thomas, I had the procedure done and am elated with the results. First of all, it was done over an afternoon and I went home that night. There was only one small incision, the size of a pencil lead, and I remained awake during the procedure.
Within five days I was free of any discomfort associated with the procedure and within two weeks I began to experience the benefits of a shrinking prostate. Now, three months later, I only get up once during the night to urinate, I empty quicker and completely, and there is no straining or stopping and starting.
My message for those suffering with BPH is don’t wait any longer. Meet with Dr. Thomas and let him evaluate your particular situation. His procedure is truly innovative and very results oriented and you avoid invasive, bloody and painful surgery.
I could not be more pleased with my outcome.
Bill M.