I am 69 and very healthy. Symptoms of BPH started when I was 50 in 2001 and progressively got worse over the years despite various medications and other natural remedies. I had two previous procedures for BPH, in 2013 Prostate Artery Embolisation and in 2016 Standard Urolift both with different Urology Consultants prior to meeting Neil Barber in 2020. Neither of the two previous procedures made any meaningful difference and for good reason, I did not have a typical BPH constriction problem, it was exacerbated by an enlarged protruding Median Lobe which neither of the previous procedures could properly rectify. I had avoided having TURP and other procedures which most likely would have worked but risked unwanted side effects. Flow was literally down to an embarrassing and uncomfortable trickle and there were a few occasions when I thought I may go into Acute Urinary retention but fortunately didn’t.
I was an enthusiastic supporter of Urolift even though the standard version of their procedure had not fixed the problem. I had read about a pioneering variation of Standard Urolift developed by Peter Chin in Australia for BPH Median Lobe patients. I also read that Neil Barber was one of only a few consultants in Europe who had been working closely with Peter Chin on this innovative development. It took a few years for this variation to get to regulatory approval so I waited until it did. I contacted Neil early 2020 and got an appointment with him in just a few weeks. He gave me total confidence that he knew what needed to be done relative to my condition with this new pioneering variation, he has a great manner and brings a bit of humour – great guy! Remarkably I was booked in for the procedure within 6 weeks through the NHS at Spire Clare Park but then Covid happened and it got postponed till late September. The procedure has now been done and has been an incredible success, I had a general anaesthetic but was out of the hospital within 5 hours and peeing like a horse – no catheter needed! Within two days I was cycling again and a week later spent a few days on holiday in the UK. Two months in now and all is great, flow is like it was in my twenties and everything else works perfectly. No side effects and all normal sexual functionality preserved. I get up just once a night now and I expect with a bit more self-discipline and not drinking coffee late in the evening I could probably go through the whole night.
Can’t recommend Neil highly enough, he’s absolutely at the top of his game as a Urological consultant and an absolute delight to meet.