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Tips to be Fit: When Racing to the Bathroom Can Signal a Larger Problem



Tips to be Fit: When Racing to the Bathroom Can Signal a Larger Problem

Corey Blassingame, 52, of Blandon, Penn., isn’t shy. When he finds something that he’s passionate about, the musician wants to tell the world. The importance of men’s health recently took Corey to the Pocono Raceway NASCAR event on behalf of sponsor Teleflex. There he shared his story about benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate.

Corey Blassingame

Corey’s personal BPH health issues began a decade ago when he started waking up in the night to go to the bathroom. Over time, the urge to go to the bathroom became more frequent and unpredictable. He found himself limiting his work because he had trouble making it through concerts that lasted 2-3 hours. Client meetings became nerve-racking.

His wife encouraged Corey to seek out treatment options for his urinary symptoms. His diagnosis? BPH.

BPH is a condition in which the prostate enlarges as men get older. BPH is a common condition that leads more than 14 million men in the U.S. to seek treatment every year.1 Over 40% of men in their 50s and over 70% of men in their 60s have BPH.2 While BPH is a benign condition and unrelated to prostate cancer, it can greatly affect a man’s quality of life.3

As the prostate enlarges, it can press on and even block the urethra, causing bothersome urinary symptoms including:

  • Frequent need to urinate both day and night
  • Weak or slow urinary stream
  • A sense that you cannot completely empty your bladder
  • Difficulty or delay in starting urination
  • Urgent feeling of needing to urinate
  • A urinary stream that stops and starts

Corey and his urologist discussed a variety of treatment options, which included medication and various surgical options. Like many men, he started on medication but didn’t feel like it worked well, and he didn’t like the side effects. Yet he also didn’t want to have invasive surgery.

After consulting with his physician, Corey ultimately decided to go with a minimally invasive treatment option called the UroLift® System.

“I suffered from BPH for nine years and within a few days, my symptoms were improving. I no longer made frequent trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and I was able to watch a movie in the theater all the way to the end,” Corey said. He also noted that date nights with his wife were back on now that they weren’t interrupted by bathroom trips.

Corey with other Ambassadors at NASCAR event dinner

Corey was pleased with his experience, which led him to join the UroLift® Patient Ambassador program to share his BPH experience with men who might be experiencing similar symptoms.*

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many people to put their routine health screenings on the back burner: an estimated 40% of U.S. adults delayed or avoided medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.4 To help raise awareness of the importance of getting checked for BPH, Teleflex, the makers of the UroLift® System, sponsored a booth at the NASCAR race at the Pocono Raceway in July. Once unable to travel long distances, Corey jumped at the chance to share his BPH story with NASCAR fans as a UroLift® Patient Ambassador.

“Men shouldn’t be embarrassed to talk about this common problem,” Corey added. “I’m proof that there is help available and that it’s important to talk honestly and openly with your doctor.”

Do you have BPH symptoms? The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) is a common method for screening and diagnosing BPH. The survey asks eight simple questions to help determine the severity of your BPH. Take the quiz at UroLift.com, and share your results with your physician.

Most common side effects are temporary and can include discomfort when urinating, urgency, inability to control the urge, pelvic pain, and some blood in the urine (Roehrborn, J Urology 2013). Rare side effects, including bleeding and infection, may lead to a serious outcome and may require intervention. Speak with your doctor to determine if you may be a candidate. Rx only.

* UroLift® System Patient Ambassadors share their personal experience – they do not provide medical advice. Individual results may vary.

  1. S. 2022 estimates based on US Market Model 2022-24 (5-17-22 FINAL), which is in part based on data provided by Symphony Health PatientSource® data. This information is provided as is and Symphony Health makes no representations or warranties of any kind, including with respect to accuracy or completeness. PatientSource is a trademark of Symphony Health.
  2. Berry, et al., Journal of Urology 1984
  3. Speakman, BJUI 2014
  4. Czeisler MÉ, Marynak K, Clarke KE, et al. Delay or Avoidance of Medical Care Because of COVID-19–Related Concerns — United States, June 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1250–1257. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6936a4

 

MAC02562-01 Rev A

Christine Crosby

About the author

Christine is the co-founder and editorial director for GRAND Magazine. She is the grandmother of five and great-grandmom (aka Grandmere) to one. She makes her home in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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