Take it easy for the first month or so while you heal after transurethral resection of the prostate.
During the first few weeks, you may feel burning when you pass urine. You may also feel like you have to urinate often. These sensations will go away. If your urine becomes bright red, it means that the treated area is bleeding. This may happen on and off for a month or so after a TURP. If this occurs, rest and drink plenty of fluids until the bleeding stops.
While you are healing
To help prevent problems during the first month after your surgery, follow these tips:
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Don't do strenuous exercise.
- Don't lift anything over
10 pounds. - Don't have sex.
- Don't strain at passing stool. If you are constipated, take stool softeners or laxatives for a few days.
- Talk with your doctor about when you can return to work.
- Ask your doctor when you can start driving again.
- Don't sit for more than
60 minutes without getting up. - Check with your doctor before taking over-the-counter pain relievers. These include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
Follow-up care
You will visit your doctor to make sure you are healing without problems. If tests were done on your prostate tissue, your doctor will discuss the results with you.
When to contact your doctor
Contact your doctor right away if any of the following occur:
- You're not able to urinate, or you notice a decrease in urine flow.
- You have a fever of
100.4°F ( 38°C) or higher, or as directed by your doctor. - You have severe pain that is not relieved by prescription pain medicine.
- You have bleeding that doesn't stop within
12 hours or as your care team has instructed. - You have bleeding with clots, or blood plugs the catheter. (A little blood in the urine is normal.)
- The catheter falls out.
Getting back to sex
BPH and its treatments rarely cause problems with sex. Even if you have retrograde ejaculation, your erection or orgasm shouldn't feel any different than it used to. Retrograde ejaculation can result in infertility, as the semen will not come out of the penis. If you notice any problems with sex, talk to your doctor. Help may be available.
Trouble controlling your urine
Some men will have trouble controlling their urine (urinary incontinence) after this surgery. This may last for a few days, weeks, or months, but it will improve with time. You may also pass your urine more often (urinary frequency), like you did before the surgery. This will also improve as you start to heal.
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