ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Prostate problems are common among many men as they age.  The symptoms make starting the urinary stream harder.  The urine is retained in the bladder and doesn’t empty,  so you have to go more often.  Routinely waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom is not considered normal.  And that urine hanging around in your bladder can lead to infection. 

You may have a condition termed lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Basically, urinary problems are simply due to an enlarged prostate.

Good news! Well Life ABQ has two options for our members.  One is an herbal combination, and we are now carrying Tamsulosin for only $7-$8 per month… WITHOUT INSURANCE. Allow us to tell you why it’s effective and safe, how it works, and why it’s a better option than other therapies.

Prostate Solution: Tamsulosin is Effective and Safe

• Tamsulosin has been the first-line therapy for LUTS/BPH that does not interact with hypertension medications. 
• It’s fast-acting in people with moderate to severe symptoms at a dose of 0.4 mg once daily. 
• Many studies with BPH show its efficacy at doses of 0.2-0.8 mg taken once daily. It’s safe and effective for short-term treatment. Studies noted no serious side effects. It took 12 weeks of treatment to improve symptoms, and improvements lasted up to one year. 
• Tamsulosin combined with dutasteride proved to be therapeutic with observed sexual side effects. But its tandem reduced the risk of symptom progression and retention of urine in the bladder. 
• Tamsulosin is as effective as alfuzosin and silodosin in improving LUTS linked to BPH. Moreover, the researchers noted it as acceptable, tolerable, and with the least adverse reactions on blood circulation.
• According to a study, Tamsulosin at 0.2 mg is suitable as an initial treatment of BPH. At a daily dose of 0.4 mg, the efficacy continued for up to six years. 

How it Works: Three Pathways to Explain its Mechanisms of Action

1. Five (5)-alpha pathway

Both the herbal combination and Tamsulosin push back on something called the 5-alpha pathway.  This push back is what we call the “mechanism of action.” Let’s back up a smidge, though.  An enlarging prostate causes all these urinary retention symptoms.  And the prostate enlarges in response to a hormone called 5a-DHT, which is a metabolite of testosterone. 

If your body is genetically predisposed to prefer the 5-alpha pathway, you will have more chances to get prostate symptoms. A 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor reduces the size of the prostate. As an inhibitor, it blocks the primary hormone responsible for the prostate’s growth. 

2. Five (5)-bravo pathway  

In addition to this 5-alpha pathway, there is a 5-bravo pathway. This pathway behaves itself. It’s a weaker androgen as compared to the 5-alpha pathway that is most androgen-potent. Androgen is a group of hormones, including testosterone, responsible for male characteristics and their development. This group is responsible for the growth of your facial hair, sex organs, and muscles.  By pushing back on the 5-alpha pathway, we encourage the 5-bravo pathway to solve your problem.

3. Aromatase pathway

There is a third pathway called aromatase.  This pathway typically occurs when the bucket overfloweth.  So, this overflow happens with testosterone replacement or testosterone abuse.  Aromatase causes testosterone to turn into a form of estrogen called estradiol.  This aromatization is why men, especially testosterone abusers – grow boobs or gynecomastia.  Gynecomastia differs from a 5-alpha preference.  Aromatase inhibitors specifically address this condition.

If you are experiencing this symptom, we can help. We see this a lot with men receiving testosterone replacement from clinics promoting and providing this high-dose replacement. The two most popular programs are BioTe and Testopel for hormonal imbalance.

What are BioTe and Testopel? | Addressing Prostate Symptoms 

BioTe is a bioidentical testosterone pellet therapy that brings depleted testosterone back to its optimal level. It works by replicating and replenishing the hormones in men and women alike. Testopel is another pellet brand similar to BioTe. Men (and women) have these kinds of pellets implanted under their skin.

We agree it feels great to feel superhuman, but there is a dark side.  These super-high levels lead to too many red blood cells and increase inflammation.  This little duo of side effects increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes.  

Adverse Effects of High-Dose Testosterone  Replacement  Therapy

15,401 men aged 45 years and older participated in a study about the adverse effects of high-dose replacement therapy. It revealed men who took testosterone replacement therapy or TRT were 21% more at risk of heart-related incidents. Men who continuously used TRT were at high risk between 6 months to 2 years of continued use.

This super high replacement therapy also causes prostate enlargement in a high percentage of men. The FDA mandated a warning about TRT among men with BPH because it increases the risk of aggravating symptoms of an already enlarged prostate.

We recently had a new member at the clinic that had been to the ER due to prostate enlargement. It was so severe, he had a complete urinary blockage, and he needed catheterization.   Not fun!  Probably in the top 10 of men’s worst nightmares.  

We reviewed his medical history and found he had started high-dose testosterone replacement about 12 months prior.  Polycythemia or high red blood cell counts lead to this same person being instructed to donate blood regularly.  Never once was he told this could all be related to him starting testosterone replacement!  We started him on tamsulosin (the 5-alpha blocker) and decreased his testosterone levels to an optimal range.

Tamsulosin is a drug classified as a selective alpha-blocker. It’s used to treat symptoms of BPH but not to shrink the prostate. Rather, it relaxes the muscles of the prostate, including the bladder. This relaxation of the muscles is why it helps to relieve your difficulty in starting the stream of your urine, weak stream, and your need to pee often at night.

Before you start taking Tamsulosin, tell us about the other medications you are taking or planning to take. Include your allergies to specific medicines, if any. Let us know if you have or had kidney or liver disease or prostate cancer.

Is Tamsulosin For You? 

At the start of the therapy, you may feel lightheaded or dizzy, but it gets better. This “first dose phenomenon” was observed among men aged 45 to 80 years old in the US. A total of 383,567 new users served as subjects in this Tamsulosin drug study. It included 2,562 hospital admissions linked to severely low blood pressure. 

The researchers concluded that hypotension occurred during the first eight weeks at the start and restart of the therapy.  Therapy starters were able to tolerate the low blood pressure if they were aware it was temporary. 

Like any drug, you have to consider its potential side effects and its benefits. The more common side effects are pain or difficulty in passing urine. You may experience lower side or back pain with or without fever or chills. Coughing, hoarseness, and chest pain are also side effects. Some of these side effects don’t need medical attention and go away as you progress with Tamsulosin.

Let Us Know

Don’t let your problem get any bigger. As a primary care provider, we treat, improve and prevent many conditions, including prostate enlargement.  We are also able to provide hormone replacement therapy safely and effectively.  All Well Life ABQ at 505 585 2345 today.