The Importance of Health Checks

Top Things to Know About Recovering From Prostate Surgery

18 April 2022 by Roberta Craig

If you have prostate cancer, then you and your doctor might have decided that you want to treat it as aggressively as possible. Because of this, your doctor might have scheduled prostate cancer surgery. Depending on the type of surgery that you are having, you might have your entire prostate gland removed. You might be a little bit nervous about the surgery, even though you might know that it's the best decision for your health. One thing that you could be worried about is what the recovery process is going to be like. This is a common and legitimate concern, and you'll probably find that the information below will help you be better prepared for what is to come. Of course, your doctor should give you more information about what to expect, too.

You May Have to Spend Some Time in the Hospital 

Because prostate surgery is considered major surgery, it is not usually an outpatient procedure. Instead, you will probably need to spend at least a few days in the hospital. This will allow you to get the care and monitoring that you need while you're beginning your recovery journey. Because of this, you might want to make arrangements for things like taking some time off of work and finding someone who can care for your children and pets.

You'll Probably Be Given Pain Medication

You might be worried about the pain that will go along with recovering from your prostate surgery. While you are in the hospital, you will probably be administered pain medication through an IV. This will help you keep as comfortable as possible in the initial days after your surgery. You might experience some pain and soreness for a few days or even weeks after your procedure. However, your doctor might prescribe you a prescription pain medication that you can use for pain management during this time period. If you find that the medication doesn't really seem to be helping for pain management, you can always let your doctor know, and they might prescribe you a more effective medication.

You May Have to Use a Catheter

While you're in the hospital, you will probably be hooked up to a urinary catheter. Since you might find the catheter to be a bit uncomfortable, you might be hoping that you can ditch it as soon as you head home. However, you might be given a catheter to use at home while you're recovering. Luckily, you should only have to use it for about a week, and a medical professional will show you how to use and clean it before you go home.

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