Recovering From Prostate Cancer Surgery

Obviously, as with any major surgery, your body will need time to fully recover after a radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate gland). Generally, you will need to stay in the hospital for two or three days after your surgery. Once you are discharge it will take another three or four weeks of recuperation at home. Someone will have to drive you at first, since it takes about a week before you will be allowed to drive yourself. Usually, you will be told not to have sex for at least three weeks. Even though those times sound fairly quick, most men report that it takes about six weeks, to feel completely normal again. Typically, most patients are released to go back to work after a month of prostate surgery recovery time, but no heavy lifting is allowed for six weeks (heavy meaning anything over twenty pounds).

What about pain? Right after the surgery, you will be hooked up to an IV in your hand or arm. This is connected to a pump that can release pain medication at given times. To a degree, you will be able to control the amount the pain medication by pressing the button. However, it has safety features that only allow the proper dose at proper time intervals so that you can't accidentally overdose yourself. When you are ready to be released, the doctor will prescribe pain medications for you to have at home.

Will there be any special equipment or surprises? You will definitely find that you have a catheter when you come out of surgery. This will allow you to pass urine with no pain or interruption from swelling. It will typically stay in place for two to three weeks after the surgery, so a nurse will have to teach you how to handle the catheter before you are release to go home. Your doctor will remove it later at a follow-up visit to his office. At this point, you may have some bladder incontinence due to having to retrain the muscles, but it is important to keep drinking plenty of water to help maintain the health of your bladder.

Other tubes that you may have include an abdominal drain to remove lymph fluid and/or urine that may have leaked into the pelvic region. This tube will have to stay in for a couple of days, but it will be removed before you are released from the hospital in most cases.

Making the fashion statement of the day, you will have to wear support stockings for a few days to help prevent blood clots. Your doctor will be specific as to the time frame he expects you to wear them. As unflattering as the stockings are, you do not have an option other than wearing them. Once these clots form they can travel through your body causing a heart attack or stroke. Many times they form because you are not moving around. At the hospital they will try to get you to walk as much as you can and to sit with your feet elevated. Keep doing this for at least a week and keep wearing the support stockings.

Prostate surgery recovery will be much easier if you follow everything your doctor tells you to do. Keep in mind if you think you may be having prostate troubles that men who suffered from severe acne and stayed on tetracycline for 4 years or more are 70% more likely to develop prostate cancer. If you know you have family history or other risk factors, do not delay in having it checked out because you are worried about surgery and recovery time. Your life is more important than letting it go for fear or vanity.

Privacy Policy