VIDEO ANSWER
Several prostate medicines: when to review treatment
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What medicines can achieve
Dutasteride and finasteride can reduce prostate size and, in selected patients, the long-term risk of urinary retention or surgery. Therefore, “none of the pills solves the problem” should not be understood to mean that medicines are ineffective.
Taking several medicines does not by itself determine the need for surgery: response, adverse effects, symptoms and complications are assessed with the urologist.
- Roehrborn et al. The Effects of Combination Therapy with Dutasteride and Tamsulosin on Clinical Outcomes in Men with Symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: 4-Year Results from the CombAT Study. European Urology. 2010;57(1):123–131.
- European Association of Urology. Management of Non-neurogenic Male LUTS: Disease Management.
Editorial clarification based on the cited sources. It does not establish a new medical review of the video.
Original video description
Tamsulosin for the prostate, solifenacin for the bladder, tadalafil for erections, dutasteride to slow growth: four pills, each with side effects, and none solves the obstruction. When you need three or four drugs, it is time to consider solving the problem at its root.
Subtitle text
Source: subtitles available on YouTube.
So, what's the real picture? There are patients who take tamsulosin for the prostate, solifenacin for the bladder, tadalafil for erections and dutasteride to slow down prostate growth. Four pills, each with its side effects, each with modest efficacy and none solve the underlying problem, the mechanical obstruction caused by prostatic hyperplasia.
This is what I want you to understand, medication has its place. In the early stages, with mild symptoms, it's reasonable, but when you need three or four drugs to manage the symptoms, or when the side effects affect your quality of life, it's time to consider whether it's better to solve the problem at its root.