RECOVERY AFTER PROSTATE SURGERY: What to Expect after a TURP for Enlarged Prostate

I put this video together to share with my patients what to expect in terms of recovery following their transurethral resection of prostate procedure for BPH or enlarged prostate. The exact POST OP TURP instructions that I give here may be very different from what your specific surgeon will do and how he manages the recovery after TURP surgery. However, I wanted to share just so that guys might have some picture of what the recovery period will look like.

Here are the highlights:

You will be sent home from the hospital with a catheter. Clean around the tip of the penis daily with a warm washcloth and soap and drain the bag when full as your nurse has instructed you.

It is normal to see blood in the urine for a few weeks after a TURP surgery. If the urine looks like thick red (ketchup) rather than clear red or pink (like cranberry juice) then please let me know

After a TURP surgery it is common to have some burning with urination, increased frequency of needing to urinate, and feeling that you have to get to the bathroom urgently. This is usually just from the irritation of surgery and may last a week or two.

DIET: No special diet is required. Drink more liquids to keep the urine dilute and flushing the bladder to prevent clots. Adding fiber or over the counter laxative like MIRALAX or metamucil can be helpful to keep from getting constipated.

ACTIVITY: No lifting above 10 pounds, strenuous physical activity (greater than gentle level walking) or sexual activity for two weeks, or until urine is clear yellow for several days in a row. The more straining that you do, the longer the bleeding and the recovery will take. Showering and bathing are ok, even with the catheter in place

MEDICATIONS: You can resume your previous medications. If you were on prostate medications, you can stop taking them (tamsulosin, flomax, finasteride, avodart, rapaflo, terazosin, doxazosin).

BLOOD THINNERS: If you are normally on blood thinners (warfarin, coumadin, plavix pradaxa) continue to hold these and do not take them until your followup visit when Dr. Chan will tell you when to restart them. Aspirin is ok. When you restart these medications, it is common to have blood in the urine

PRESCRIPTIONS: You will have been called in an antibiotic and pain medication to your local pharmacy. Take the antibiotic until it is gone and use the pain medication only as needed

FOLLOWUP VISIT: We will likely have scheduled you for a postoperative visit already when we set up your surgery. If you don't have a visit scheduled, please schedule one for 4 days after your surgery.

PROBLEMS: Call to report a fever above 100.4, feeling that you cannot urinate, heavy bleeding, chest pain, or shortness of breath.

Disclaimer: This video is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. Information obtained from this video should not be taken in lieu of your own medical provider's advice and treatment plan. Please consult directly with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any diagnosis or treatment plan options. Content provided on this Youtube channel is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. The statements made about specific products throughout this video are not to diagnose , treat, cure or prevent disease.

[peteb]

I had TURP done here in Abilene Texas on 30 Dec2021. They keep you in hospital for 3 days afterwards thank God. I couldn’t imagine going home the next day, I was wiped out. It’s been 10 days and I’m peeing like a champ now. May God continue to bless smart doctors and caring nurses. 🙏

[craighalper]

I had this surgery 5 days ago. I was in the hospital for about 24 hours. I was not sent home with a catheter. All of the irrigation was done on the hospital by the nurses. I saw none of it except changing bags and pouring out the old liquid. I have spotty blood in my urine since being released. I have walked about 3 miles a day in the past four days. I have used a stool softener and psyllium husks. I have eaten mostly meat and vegetables since my release. I have driven my car every day. I had no pain that required medication except in the recovery room. The doctor, nurses and staff at Rose Medical Center in Denver were amazing! I am 62 and in very good health. Every body is different!

[craigleon]

Thanks Doctor Chan, just what I needed after recently going through prostate surgery. Thank you from Australia.

[MrARai]

Thanks Dr. for your informations, as same thing I was told on my discharge the next day of my TURP. I am feeling so great, now it is fifth day no blood but the urine is slightly more yellow that I can see there is very very little blood content. No urgency, not much burning sensation only slightly at end of urination, powerful flow, emptying bladder smoothly. Happy to watch your video uplifting me psychologically . Thanks again.?

[conmigocarolinadelnorte]

I had TURP done on 10/02/2023 the best thing I have done. My other doctors were just giving me pills for years. They just about destroyed my bladder. I was having to use catheters sometimes to pee. Just find a good surgeon who knows what they are doing. That is what I did was to find a good doctor, who told me what I needed. I pee so good now, I wonder why they made me suffer for so long. Pills do not work they did nothing for me.

[earlgreco]

This made me feel better. Now i know what's normal. Thank You.

[leeroyholloway]

8th day after TURP for me. With a holiday weekend and rescheduling of post-op I kept the catheter for a week. I can't say that it was the most pleasant side-kick to live with, but it's out now and the past 24 hours have been glorious relief with the expected mild bleeding and burning. I slept great last night for the first time in years. Just running through a few videos for any advice on healing quickly. Thank you for posting.

[mikemoroni]

I got more information from this video that I did from my doctor. I was not told anything about aftercare. Now that I’ve seen this video I know that what I am experiencing is normal thank you.

[grahampearce]

I had my TURP op last Friday (I'm 63), operation was at 12:00, I stayed overnight, catheter (a two way one, flushing in saline and it was pretty clear) was removed 08:00 (was then urinating a fair amount of blood, and painful, very), went home at 14:00, very

Passing a fair bit of blood for first 2 days, pain slowly subsided (using paracetamol, it takes the edge off it). This has now largely stopped, just small amounts of pain and blood now. It is now Tuesday, and starting to feel normal'ish.

Just continuing to rest and drinking plenty of water and using stool softener, no longer need pain relief, pain is minor.

Fingers crossed that I avoid blockages or ;-)

[shark]

I wish you were closer. I'm not looking forward to having a TURP but need one. Mine was scheduled then called off due to disagreements between my cardiologist and urologist over how long to be off aspirin. I now have a green light but we just lost all of our hospital urology team to a competing hospital. I am enjoying your videos. Just found them today.

[irismoody]

I can’t hardly believe what I’m reading in all these comments.
My husband had his TURP surgery on May 24th 2022 his Prostate was larger then a big size grapefruit and still growing in size, he had a Foley catheter for 5 months until the surgery date because he could not urinate on his own and was in severe pain. Long story short he had lots of complications and problems with his prostate. I was shocked that he was sent home the same day of surgery and was allowed to return to work in a couple of days but light duty for 2 weeks ( he is a FedEx driver/ delivery) he was good for 2 weeks with clear urines after the blood cleared and then very little pain but on week 3 he started with bad pains and cramping in the pelvic area and pressure in the penis unable to urinate again and when he pushed he passed a few blood clots.
He ended up in the ER and admitted for four days the nurses did bladder irrigation to clear the bladder of clots but they kept coming and getting larger in size.
Today he just had surgery the hospital doctor found that he was bleeding internally from the TURP surgery, she found open blood vessels and she cauterized them and closed them up .

[virtualinfluencer]

Hi Dr. Everyone, did Turp 5 weeks ago and I gotta say my experience is quit dull. I am 40 and have been having BPH for 7 years with treatment on and off until I had enough of it. Dr from Emory advised that it was time to get Turp done. After removing the catheter on day 3, I experienced difficulty passing urine and that was resolved with medication several painful hours of trial. 5 weeks in and the pain is getting worse. I can describe the pain as a burning and tightness around the

[bradpierce]

This was most informative. Most You Tube videos focus on incontinence and sexual functions. This video discusses those and also the healing process with timelines for post-op recovery. Having just gone through a prostatectomy it was helpful to get those recovery details.

[paulboulter]

Having my TURP surgery tomorrow @ WVU Hospital, Martinsburg, WV..Cant wait .Looking fwd to a new lease of life!!

[gillies]

thank you . I'm having the procedure in the fall .

[MICHAELCAMPBELL]

I got TURP surgery last week .
Much easier than I expected .
Was out after 2 days and now in my 9th day.
I am passing blood in urine but told this is normal.
Also I am frequently still going to toilet but not as bad as before surgery.
I was told to do bladder training by my surgeon.
Just wondering is bladder training done by all that have this procedure?
My quality of life certainly much improved and expect it to even get better.
Would I do it again ?
Most certainly.

[malikshabazz]

Nice Video and to the point l had my TURP 4 days ago.

[NewParentsInTraining]

Good to know a base line of what to expect, great info!

[johnmoran]

Very helpful, thank you. I had TURP 5 days ago, it's Saturday so clinic is closed until Monday so I hope they will get the catheter out as soon as possible as it's very uncomfortable. I'm told the surgery went well and I went home that night maybe because of the pandemic and the hospital is very busy. I was given an antibiotic before the TURP but nothing after which concerns me since I've been given post-op antibiotics after other procedures. But, as you've said, I'm taking great care about being clean and avoiding infection.

[jasonkingcapistrano]

ill be undergoing TURP this week, i hope it all goes well