“Don’t wait as long as me.” Nigel Batt’s advice to other men who are struggling with Urology problems. Read on to discover how the TURP procedure cured his enlarged prostate which was making it difficult for him to urinate and was disrupting his sleep.
What urology symptoms were you struggling with?
“I’m a retired Chartered Accountant and I live in Sevenoaks with my wife. The biggest problem for me before my surgery was urinating. I had real difficulty going to the toilet because my enlarged prostate was reducing the flow which meant that my bladder wasn’t emptying properly. This in turn, meant I had to go to the toilet more frequently and sometimes urgently.
“The worst part was at night when I’d wake up and need to urinate but when I’d get there, I couldn’t really do anything, so I’d go back to bed and then wake up again – this happened about four times a night. My symptoms were getting worse over time and I’d been to the doctor a couple of years earlier but I wasn’t happy at the prospect of any surgery. I put it off as most men do.
“I was talking to two of my closest friends who had been suffering from similar symptoms and had recently had the trans-urethral Resection of the prostate gland (TURP) operation. They said they’d seen a great improvement in their symptoms which completely changed my mind and inspired me to do something about it.
Nigel Batt's TURP for enlarged prostate
How did you start your journey with Benenden Hospital?
“When I went to see my doctor there was a long wait in urology via the NHS. My doctor knew I was a member of Benenden Health so referred me to Benenden Hospital for treatment for my enlarged prostate.
“I had my initial consultation with Consultant Urology Surgeon Mr Steve Garnett and he was excellent. He was patient and very professional. Mr Garnett gave me information on the two operations that were available to me and he explained the side effects, the benefits of the operations and what I would experience.
“There was no pressure and I felt very relaxed speaking to him. Overall, the information and guidance I received was very comprehensive.”
What were your first impressions of Benenden Hospital?
“What impressed me was just walking through the entrance doors of Benenden Hospital to a receptionist who was immediately polite! I was then escorted up to the ward, I was shown the room I was to be staying in, the nurses there were very professional and they were kind and considerate.
“What was also very impressive was the catering and the housekeeping staff, they were polite and efficient too. Everything about my visit was a very pleasant experience which is why I wrote to my Consultant to thank him for the professionalism that he and all the staff had shown me.
“I’m not very fond of hospital’s, like most people, but the one thing about this private hospital is it instantly makes you feel very calm and relaxed and that says it all to me. If you’re going to go to hospital, Benenden Hospital is the best-case scenario and a fantastic environment to be in.
“Fortunately, I was never actually unable to do anything because of my symptoms. It was more a question of getting worried about the possibility of cancer, which way it was going, what I was going to do about it and that’s why I put it off for a long time.”
How has your life improved after your TURP operation?
“Having had the surgery, I really am so much better and I don’t have the stress anymore. One of the many benefits of having the TURP, is that they can test the tissue which is taken away from the prostate for any abnormalities. In my case everything came back fine so it was a huge sense of relief and my wellbeing now is excellent. I sleep very well; I do still wake up in the night sometimes but that is normal for someone of my age.
“I would recommend Benenden Hospital because if you do need an alternative, it’s very affordable and my wife, who has also been treated here, and I have had exceptional experiences. I honestly couldn’t fault it.
“If you need to be seen for a urology problem quickly, I would recommend Benenden Hospital for patients.”
Nigel’s advice to men
“Don’t wait as long as me. It is something which is worrying as you get older, you worry about cancer, you have PSA tests and they come back and look reasonably okay but it’s not that satisfactory. But don’t wait too long, it’s like many things, the sooner it’s dealt with the better.”
Access our private urology treatments
We offer a range of private urology treatments and services in a comfortable and reassuring environment. Whether you’re here as a urology outpatient or inpatient, our expert urology Consultants will make sure you have a speedy diagnosis and treatment in one place. That way you don’t have to wait and worry and can get back to being you as quickly as possible, with the minimum of fuss.
For more details about costs, you can visit the Urology section of our pricing page.
You can book an appointment with one of our Urology Consultants by completing our online booking form, contacting us via Livechat or by calling our Private Patient Team on 01580 363158.
Published on 30 August 2022