prostatectomy recovery

what you should do after prostatectomy?

Typically, patients stay in the hospital overnight after surgery and then need to recuperate at home for a month before returning to work. Most men can start to drive a few weeks after surgery. You should avoid heavy lifting for several weeks after surgery. It usually takes about six weeks for most men to feel back to normal.

Pain control

While you are in the hospital, you will probably be given pain medication by mouth and through a vein (intravenously) in your hand or arm. Your doctor also will probably give you a prescription for a pain medication that you can take at home once you are released from the hospital. Most patients can manage pain at home with acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil).

Wound

If you have had an open prostatectomy, you will have a wound on your tummy or a wound between your scrotum and your back passage. If you have had a laparoscopic prostatectomy, you will have a few small wounds. You may have a small tube in the wound to drain any fluid coming from it. This is usually removed after a few days.

Constipation

The combination of anesthesia, lessened activity and narcotic pain medicine often creates problems with bowel function. You may be prescribed stool softeners or laxatives. Drinking fluids, walking and eating frequent, small, easily digestible meals and fruit will help relieve constipation.

One month after surgery:

Doctors recommend no strenuous activity or heavy lifting for at least one month after surgery. Most people take off work for three to four weeks. If you work from home, you could return to work sooner.

By one month after surgery, your life should start getting back to normal. Some men experience side effects, including:

Urinary incontinence (urine leaking)
Erectile dysfunction

Recovery from surgery takes time. These side effects are often temporary. However, if they are affecting your quality of life, ask your doctor about options that can help.

10 common questions about prostatectomy recovery

1How long does it take to recover from prostate surgery?

The catheter needs to be in place until your urethra heals, usually about two or three weeks. Within a few hours of the surgery, most patients are able to move around and eat a normal dinner. You can probably go home in two or three days. What can I expect when I get home?

2Is a prostatectomy major surgery?

The main type of surgery for prostate cancer is a radical prostatectomy. In this operation, the surgeon removes the entire prostate gland plus some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles

3What to expect after prostate is removed?

What to Expect After Radical Prostatectomy. Most men stay in the hospital for one to three days after radical prostatectomy. A urinary catheter is inserted during the surgery, and some men may need to wear the catheter home for a few days to a few weeks

4How long does it take to regain continence after a prostatectomy?

Continence After Your Prostate Robotics Surgery Most people regain control in the weeks after we remove the catheter. The vast majority of men who had normal urinary control before the procedure achieve it again within 3 to 18 months after the surgery

5How long does it take to recover from prostate surgery after catheter is removed?

three to four weeks It takes three to four weeks for the abdominal incisions to heal completely, so you should avoid heavy lifting during that time. You may have some swelling in the scrotum and penis after surgery, which will resolve with time

6How long does pain last after prostate surgery?

The incisions may be sore for 1 to 2 weeks. Your doctor will give you medicine for pain. You will have a tube (urinary catheter) to drain urine from your bladder for 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. You may have bladder cramps, or spasms, while the catheter is in your bladder

7How long will I live after prostate cancer surgery?

Almost 100% of men who have local or regional prostate cancer will survive more than five years after diagnosis

8How serious is a Gleason score of 7?

The higher the Gleason Score, the more likely that the cancer will grow and spread quickly. Scores of 6 or less describe cancer cells that look similar to normal cells and suggest that the cancer is likely to grow slowly. A score of 7 suggests and intermediate risk for aggressive cancer.

9Can a prostate grow back after being removed?

Yes. If prostate surgery was performed to treat benign (noncancerous) prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the entire prostate is not removed. The prostate gland can regrow. ... If the prostate gland was totally removed to treat prostate cancer, a new rise in the PSA level may indicate a recurrence of the tumor

10What's a normal PSA level by age?

The use of age-specific PSA ranges for the detection of prostate cancer is helpful to avoid unnecessary investigations in older men with larger prostate glands (typically walnut-sized). Median PSA value for men aged 40 to 49 years is 0.7 ng/mL and for men 50 to 59 years is 0.9 ng/mL

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prostatectomy recovery