Your Recovery
Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is surgery to remove prostate tissue. It is done when an overgrown prostate gland is pressing on the urethra and making it hard to urinate.
You may need a urinary catheter for a short time. It is a flexible plastic tube used to drain urine from your bladder when you can't urinate on your own. If it's still in place when you go home, your doctor will give you instructions on how to care for your catheter.
For several days after surgery, you may feel burning when you urinate. Your urine may be pink for 1 to 3 weeks after surgery. You also may have bladder cramps, or spasms. Your doctor may give you medicine to help control the spasms.
You may still feel like you need to urinate often in the weeks after your surgery. It often takes up to 6 weeks for this to get better. After you have healed, you may have less trouble urinating. You may have better control over starting and stopping your urine stream. And you may feel like you get more relief when you urinate.
Most people can return to work or many of their usual tasks in 1 to 3 weeks. But for about 6 weeks, try to avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activities that might put extra pressure on your bladder.
Most people still can have erections after surgery (if they were able to have them before surgery). But they may not ejaculate when they have an orgasm. Semen may go into the bladder instead of out through the penis. This is called retrograde ejaculation. It does not hurt and is not harmful to your health.
This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse advice line (811 in most provinces and territories) if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter W155 in the search box to learn more about "Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP): What to Expect at Home".