Cystoscopy and Warfarin

Guest · May 11, 2006

I agree with Dr. Allan.

Computec · May 12, 2006

I have since talked to my surgeon and my PCP. They both believe that the Levaquin will suffice if it is given both before and after the procedure. I have to point out that this was NOT the urologist's original intention. I agree with you, Al and Dr. Allan. The man could not possibly have been well informed about the danger to a high risk mech valve recipient.

For now I have the one 500 mg dose to be taken 1 hour before the procedure and I will demand a second dose to be taken after.

A curious thing... The surgeon said that garamycin is rarely used now that there are many broad spectrum, effective oral antibiotics available.

Tomorrow I will do a final consult with my cardiologist for his opinion. I suspect that he probably should have been consulted first but when I spoke with him earlier this week the intention was to determine if it was necessary to stop the warfarin.

As they say, "Caveat emptor." This is especially true when dealing with one's health.

Thanks to all for, fortunately, giving me questions and doubts that I had to follow up on.

Jerry

Guest · May 12, 2006

The urologist has probably been listening to sales reps and not infectious disease docs. Levaquin is a big seller with a big sales force, gentamicin is a generic but still very widely used. The problem as Dr. A pointed out - it has to be IV and is not easy to use in an office procedure.

I took Levaquin when I had my prostate biopsy but then I'm not a valver.

Computec · May 13, 2006

One final post regarding this matter.

I had the procedure done yesterday. I took Levaquin 500 mg an hour and a half before the procedure and was given another to take today.

There was no blood but you never know if the guy nicked a pipe with his tools.

He wasn't kidding when he told me "If you don't know exactly where your prostate is you will shortly." Nor was he kidding when he said that I'd feel a "Zing" when the scope entered the bladder. Thank goodness it's over and, providing I don't get endocarditis, I have a clean bill of health and the mission was successful.

Thanks to all for their advice and support.

I can hardly wait for my next colonoscopy! Joy. Joy.

My immediate goal is to get started on the home testing. All the paperwork is done so now I just wait and make a pest of myself at Aetna and QAS.

Obla Di Obla Da ... Life goes on.

Jerry

Guest · May 14, 2006

My account of a prostate biopsy

My account of a prostate biopsy

First you try to give yourself an enema. There is a tiny little tip that is lubricated but it doesn't seem to want to go anywhere.

Then you go to the doctor's office and get in an examining room. Sitting on the counter is a thing about the size of your thumb. The next thought is, "I'll bet that they are going to try to put that thing where that tiny little enema tip wouldn't go." Then you notice that there is a thing in a sterile wrapping that seems about as long as a golf club on the counter. Then you notice that the little thingy the size of your thumb has a hole through it. Your next thought is that the golf club thing goes through that hole while the thumb thing is where the enema tip wouldn't go.

But is that the end of it? Nooooo. The golf club turns out to have a "pistol grip" and every time the doc pulls the trigger, the needle on the other end shoots through the wall of your intestine and into your prostate. When you hear the doc mutter, "There is some calcification over there. Lets get it". You know that the thing is going to scrape around on the wall of your intestine until it gets lined up for another salvo.

Besides that, when you have hung out around health care places as long as I have, you know that calcification is a code word for, "I'm pretty sure that is cancer," so you don't even have to wait for the results of the biopsy ...