– At the moment I have no life, says Kristian Finstad. At the start of 2020, he began to feel extreme discomfort in his lower abdomen. The 43-year-old quickly sought help. He has carried out investigations both at Ahus and at private healthcare organisations. Finstad describes himself as the “classic throwing ball in the system”. – I have been to eight urologists. But I don’t get a deeper investigation, I never get an answer. After several rounds, Finstad has been informed that he suffers from an overactive bladder. But it has stopped with a diagnosis. Today, he is without a treatment plan in the Norwegian healthcare system. Kristian Finstad’s day mostly consists of spending the working day on the sofa. Too much activity causes the pain in the lower abdomen to worsen. Photo: Amalie Fagerhaug Evjen / news Takes morphine every day Finstad lives in Jessheim with his partner Laila Rossbø. She says that as a couple they were previously active and social. – In addition to being his girlfriend, I have been a psychologist and nurse. We haven’t done normal boyfriend things for a long time, says Rossbø. Now Finstad describes life as meaningless. – If it hadn’t been for Laila, I might not be here today. No one would have been able to stand in this fight alone, he says. Every morning and night he has to take morphine to ease the pain. – I experience a burning sensation as if it is going to explode. Even morphine does not help with these pains. Physiotherapist at C-Medical Majorstuen, Linda Sørby, believes there is too little knowledge and too few treatment options when it comes to neuropathic pain in the pelvic floor, especially for men. She now has regular follow-up with five men who have the same problems as Finstad. Linda Sørby, Physiotherapist at C-Medical Majorstuen believes that Finstad’s illness needs more research. Photo: private – They are frustrated and feel it is difficult to get answers and help. When it comes to these problems in women, I know that some gynecologists have knowledge of this, but I currently do not know of anyone who can help the desperate men. Thinks the professional environment is too bad The head of the urology department at Ahus, Stig Müller, says that some patients must have more examinations. He believes that it is often a question of difficult issues. According to Finstad, he has been in and out of Akershus University Hospital up to several times in the past two years without getting adequate help. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news – We fully understand that the ailments affect the quality of life of the individual patient and that it can take time before a treatment is found that improves the patient’s ailments. Müller will not comment on Finstad’s treatment. The 43-year-old has on several occasions asked Ahus to check his prostate, but has repeatedly been told that it is an overactive bladder that is the problem. Now he hasn’t heard anything from the hospital since April. – If they do not have enough expertise in this area, then it must at least be admitted, he says. – Men’s health is as complex as women’s health. When it becomes complex and it is not straight forward, it is not addressed, as there is no professional environment for this in Norway. You hear about testicular and prostate cancer, but there is little research and expertise on my diagnosis. Hoping to get their lives back Now the family must use their savings to receive treatment abroad. The couple have spent much of their time within the house’s four walls in recent years. Photo: Amalie Fagerhaug Evjen / news Last week Finstad had an appointment with a specialist in Belgium. There it emerged that the symptoms were compatible with pudendal neuralgia, and that Finstad would benefit greatly from an operation. – I was told that this cannot be fixed instantly. But since there is a lack of expertise in this field in Norway, this is my chance to get my life back. He hopes his openness will help other men who may be suffering the same. – There must be more people than me who experience this, but who may be in it alone. The result can be that the patients do not receive the correct treatment and, in the worst case, become disabled. Hi! Do you have opinions on the matter, or know of someone else I should write about? Feel free to send me an email!
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Wants more knowledge about genital problems in men – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
