Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP): Home Recovery

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 healthcare provider about when you can return to work.

• Ask your healthcare provider when you can start driving again.

• Don’t sit for more than 60 minutes without getting up.

• Check with your healthcare provider before taking over-the-counter pain relievers. These include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

Follow-up care

You will visit your healthcare provider to make sure you are healing without problems. If tests were done on your prostate tissue your healthcare provider will discuss the results with you.

When to call your healthcare provider

Call your healthcare provider right away if any of the following occur:

• You’re not able to urinate, or notice a decrease in urine flow

• You have a fever of  100.4°F ( 38°C) or higher, or as directed by your healthcare provider

• You have severe pain that is not relieved by prescription pain medicine

• You have bleeding that doesn’t stop within 12 hours

• You have bleeding with clots, or blood plugs up 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 healthcare provider. 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.