Thanks for sharing and best of luck.
^ One thing us men can't escape with age is an enlarging prostate; it's a growing organ. A miracle of bad engineering, so much for creationism. Only a moron engineer would design an organ prone to swelling, around a collapsible pipe and against a collapsible tank (urethra and bladder).
I get yearly blood tests for PSA levels among other things and after starting a new job I noticed I was urinating a lot compared to the other workers so I feared my prostate could be enlarged (or worse). My doctor didn't even do a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam), he sent me for an ultrasound and I learnt I'm at the upper limit of normal size. That's a relief for now. I do actually drink a lot more and eat more fruit than my co-workers so that would explain the frequent urination.
A lot of guys fear the DRE but as I learnt, it seems they no longer do that for prostate issues; it seems blood tests and ultrasounds are the modern techniques.
However, not long after that I decided to consult my doctor for another issue, incessant itchiness around the anus and he sent me to a specialist. I then had a young doctor go where no man has gone before and I'm glad she was petite with thin fingers. At least in Aus. you don't have to pay for that experience ... if it's for medical reasons that is, lol.
She didn't feel any piles and said a DRE can only detect so much and even if she had felt piles; for any bowel issue, you go for a colonoscopy. She made me feel old by saying, 'at your age you should be having one anyway'.
Gather around children, let me tell you the story of:
The day before a colonoscopy, you can't eat solid foods and can only drink clear non red drinks. Lemon jelly is as solid as they allow. You drink 3 sachets of Picoprep the afternoon before to evacuate your bowels, it tastes like dissolved chalk with a bit of a citrus tang. If you ever have to, it's a lot better at tea drinking temperature than it is cold. After the first sachet I evacuated as usual, after the second sachet it got runnier. After the third, the bum wees wouldn't stop. I was waking in the middle of the night every half hour or so, to basically do a piss out of my rear.
The colonoscopy went well, bowel all clear. The procedure takes about half an hour, they put you under and you're in and out of hospital in a day. I don't remember any of the procedure, they wheeled me in, the anaesthetist said, now for the happy juice. The next thing I woke up in quite a bit of pain and wondered what the hell camera did they stick up there.
The pain wasn't from the colonoscopy, they found three inflamed internal haemorrhoid piles and banded them. That's where tight rubber bands (tiny O-rings) are placed around the base of the pile, the piles eventually shrivel and fall off and I can tell you, strangled angry haemorrhoids feel exactly as one would imagine, lol. I mentioned I was in pain, given panadol at first, then a few doses of fentanyl and it helped considerably.
I was quite sensitive for a few days. Had the procedure on a Friday, went in to work on the Tuesday, it was uncomfortable so took the rest of the week off.
This banding procedure is similar to what they used to do to lamb and puppy tails, the band cuts off circulation and the tail falls off. These days vets frown at anyone doing it as it's a redneck method as bone would be left sticking out of the tail; the correct way is to use a scalpel and a few stitches to cover the wound with the skin.
A few weeks in and I'm now feeling so much better, the itchiness has gone and there's also a rather unexpected benefit. for a few years prior to the bandings my turds were always runny and I often had explosive diarrhoea which I just dismissed, thinking it was due to eating lots of fruit, coffee, spicy food, etc. My diet hasn't changed, I'm still eating lots of fruit, etc. but now I'm pressing grogans like a champ!
All I can say is, if you have any urinary or bowel issues, see a doctor. Simple tests can allay your fears and if there is an issue, early detection could save your life.
s