In the weeks following the operation

After leaving hospital you will be back in the care of your GP who will eventually receive a full report on your operation. You do not need to call your doctor unless you think there is something wrong. It is seldom necessary to take any new medication after your operation.

When you return home you should take things easy for a fortnight. It is common to feel a bit flat or depressed for a few days when you first get home. This is natural and will quickly pass. Tiredness is very common and will last longer than you think; up to a full month after leaving hospital.

During this convalescence you may have:-

Blood clots in your urine
This may continue for a number of weeks after the operation and is due to wound healing. A little extra bleeding is common around the second week after the operation. But you may find blood in the urine 4-5 weeks later, even if you have had several clear days in-between. Do not worry and ensure you drink more fluids to flush the system. If you notice heavy bleeding or blood clots which block the flow of urine, contact your GP.

Leakages/passing urine
You may find you ‘leak’ a little when straining of coughing. This can be managed by wearing a small pad inside your underpants. Frequent visits to the toilet and having to get up in the night are also commonplace and will slowly settle down.

Constipation
Fruit, vegetables and other high fibre foods will help avoid constipation. Try not to strain, as this may cause the internal wound to bleed.

Catheter and leg bag
Sometimes when the bladder muscle has been stretched for a long period of time, it is necessary to rest it. A small proportion of men have to be sent home with their catheter in place for about a month. You will be given full instructions on catheter care in this event. Very rarely, some elderly men (less than 1 per cent) need to have a catheter in place for good.

Guidelines to recovery
You will usually have an outpatient meeting 6-8 weeks after your operation to check that you are progressing well. Recovery from the operation usually takes one month, although some symptoms may take longer to go away. Recovery is usually complete 3 months after the operation, though this may take up to 6 months. So it may be some time before you see the full benefits of the operation. Be patient but contact your GP or surgeon, if you are still not happy about your progress by this time.

Driving
Do not drive for the first 2 weeks after the operation.

Work
You may return to work a month after the operation unless you have a heavy manual job, when the recovery time may be longer.

Eating and drinking
You can eat and drink what you please. Drinking helps speed recovery by producing more urine to wash away the blood and stop infection. Continue to drink 2 litres each day for the first week. After this continue to drink more than you usually would. Alcohol is permitted and may even be regarded as beneficial in moderation. Try to avoid drinking after 6-8pm to prevent having to get up during the night.

Exercise
For the first 2 weeks after leaving hospital you should keep all physical activity to a minimum. Short walks (less than a mile) are safe. Anything more active like digging and lifting should be totally avoided. Sports such as golf, cycling and swimming may be resumed after a month or so.

Antibiotics
If you require antibiotics ensure you take all the tablets in the course as instructed. This stops the infection returning.

Certificates
A DSS sick note can be supplied on request. Once this has run out, ask your GP for a further certificate.

Sex
You should not have sex for 3 weeks after the operation, as this may cause the internal wound to bleed. After this time you should be able to resume normal sexual activity.

What can go wrong?

Retention
If you are suddenly unable to pass water at all, this will be very painful. Call your GP or visit your local hospital Accident and Emergency department.

The symptoms listed below may indicate an infection, in which case consult yoru GP

• You have a high temperature
• It continues to be painful to urinate
• Your urine becomes thick, cloudy and smelly
• Your testicles become swollen or painful