Turp experience and questions
Posted , 128 users are following.
Hi there,
JUst wanted to share my experience with my turp surgery. I'm 45yrs old, too young some say for me to having prostate issues but I put it down to my father side of the family (my father and uncles all currently suffer from enlarge prostates)
For the last couple of years been suffering from weak urine stream, having a full night sleep and waking up in the morning with the urge to go wee just to wee a small trickle. I also suffered from time to time having blood in the urine.
Went to see the Urologist, he did some testing, test on the strengh on my urine flow (very weak the doc said) he put a camera up my penis to see inside and we could see clearly that my prostate was enlarge and was putting pressure on my bladder which probably explained why sometimes I could see blood on my urine. I have a benign enlarged prostate, no cancer worries which is good.
While I decided if I wanted to have surgery, doctor put me on Avodart. It did help but I wasn't sure if I wanted to take antibiotics for the rest of my life. Avodart temporary reduces the size of the prostate but if you stop taking it, you will still have the same problem again and it will only get worse.
Dedided to have the surgery, I had it three weeks ago. spinal block, stayed in hospital one full day with a catheter inserted. Catheter was removed the following day in the morning, had to urine a few times into a container, followed by a scan machine pressed to my belly to see how much urine was left in the bladder. Passed the test and was allowed to go home that day at midday.
I can see the immediate benefit of the surgery where my urine stream is very strong. When I get up in the morning with a full bladder, no more urine trickle, just a strong urine flow. On the other side, I'm still suffering from post surgery effects, for example, frequent urges to go to the toilet and pee ( I probably go every 40 to 60 minutes) blood on the urine and pain (burning/stinging) everytime I have to take a piss. The doctor says is normal for this symptoms to happen and it will take weeks before everything is back to normal. how long? it depends on the individual. I can get an erection, it feels a bit different and I will suffer from retro ejaculation ( I was warned about this)
Anyone that had Turp done, how long it took until you where pain free? (no blood and pain) Did you take any medicine to stop the pain or the bledding?
Thanks for reading,
Henry
6 likes, 509 replies
mukesh18756 pty10
Posted
Hi I had turp on 28 Dec in Mumbai India. Was clear want to go home with no catheder so got discharge on 2jan. As per protocol irrigation did remove blood. On 1st early morning in hospital nurse removed catheder. After 8 hrs observations and my passing 8/9 times urine was discharged. Yes blood was there
Coming home in 2 days as advised stopped pain killers and Uripas medicine. Only antibiotics pending course IE Zifi 200 and pan40.
No bleeding. Am fine. Yes burning during urine. Somehow same like you shared.
Am just curious to start going office for 2/3hrs as only table job
Wish you a speedy recovery
tangoTX pty10
Posted
I had TURP on October 24, 2018. I'm now (1/13) on week 11 since the surgery. Today I had a recurrence of blood in my urine. Wondering if anybody has had a similar experience. Also, urges continue . . . not to the same degree as at the beginning, but still there. The most puzzling thing is that when I go, it's always a small amount, never more than 200/225 cc at a time - again, has anybody had this experience? Any feedback will be most welcome. Cheers.
bob120 tangoTX
Posted
tangoTX Yes this happened to me several times after two GL lasers and a TURP.There's two types of bleeding. One is colored urine which is probably just a small bit of blood coloring a larger quantity of urine. Mostly these are benign and just go away on their own. On a couple of occasions these came a day or two before a hemorrhage in the prostate resulting in thick clotting fresh (frank) blood which required an ambulance to the hospital to stop the bleeding with surgery. As a result I don't take blood thinners and am careful with aspirin, etc.
tangoTX bob120
Posted
bob120.... sorry for the delay in responding, but did not see your answer until today. Thanks for the feedback. It turns out that my bleeding was due to kidneys stones. Yes, unbelievable but on to of the Turp surgery last year, I had to go through kidney stone surgery in June (2019). Fortunately, bleeding has stopped and nocturia has improved. One thing is for sure, healing of the prostate after Turp does take a long time. For those having the procedure, be aware of that and be patient.
bob120 tangoTX
Posted
tangoTX..No problem, I'm glad they figured it out and you are doing well now. I also had bladder stones which were removed with a second GL laser. The third time was the charm with the turp. About 6 mos. after my turp a sonogram showed my prostate was still growing quickly (my uro said it grew like a weed) I started taking dutasteride. I've been taking it for 3-1/2 years now and so far so good. Haven't experienced any side effects like growing male breasts or hair on my bald spot. After two GL lasers and a turp in three years (2012-2015) I hit on the durasteride as a way to stop the prostate from growing back and needing periodic turps. My uro was reluctant to give it to me, he wanted me to take finasteride, which is less potent, but I said I wanted the dutasteride (0.6mg capsule daily). MY PSA which was once 8.7 is now 1.2 but haven't felt any less libido etc.
glenn62 pty10
Posted
I am going to reply to Pty10 if i may, because my story is quite similar. I am in the UK by the way.
( excuse me if i write too much).
I was referred by my GP to a consultant at the nearest main hospital for a raised PSA. ( from about 7 to 8).
My history prior to this is needed for clarity. I started PSA's about 3 years prior, as i thought i should being aged 58 at the time. I started with something like a 6 or there about and had a few tests annually. Well the last 12 months i started to get inflammation in the prostate area, like a burning. This went away, but returned. I contacted my GP on the 2nd occasion and was diagnosed with a UTI, and given antibiotics. Ok that cured that one. At the next time, contacted the GP again, another antibiotics; which coincided with a PSA test. As i called the GP about the inflammation, she ventured that the PSA was raised to 8, and would like to refer me for that.
At the consultant interview, he said he thought my PSA was fine, as it was a straight line really. He asked me several questions, and I iterated my issues with inflammation, and up about flow rate.
I was given a Tamsulosin, and a date for a MRI scan of my prostate area. The Tamsulosin helped a small amount but not a lot. My stream was weak but not totally nil.
My scan showed a partial blockage of my urethra, and also bladder stones; hence reduced flow; due to an enlarged prostate.
The consultant put me in for a flow rate test - showed i had a weak flow, and also retention of up to 250 ml.
Then given a date for a TURP. I was asked if i wanted to go on a substitute list, in case people couldn't make it, which i took them up on. Otherwise the waiting list is about 9 months !!
Well i was contacted at short notice on a Tuesday , to have the Op on a Thursday ! I took them up on it.
At the admission ward, i met the surgeon and anaesthetist . I was informed by the anaesthetist i would be given a spinal block, meaning my lower half was numbed but conscious throughout.
In fact i was able to watch almost the whole procedure on a screen...that was bizarre .
No pain whatsoever during. The op too about 40 minutes i think. Then into recovery, my blood pressure and stats being taken at 10 or 15 minute intervals. It was in recovery i really noticed the 2 bags of "saline" or water, that was irrigating my bladder. Even by this stage it was clearing.
But the tube out of my ** looked bigger than something that should have been up there.
After an hour, taken to a ward.
On the ward the taking of blood pressure etc was ever present. The catheter did not feel uncomfortable as such, except for the bladder end, and i guess that was the balloon.
I was asked several times if i needed pain relief, the only reason i too it was for the strange sensations from the catheter in the bladder.
The next morning ( bearing in mind my op was about 1530 the prior afternoon) at about 0800 i had the catheter removed...oh my god , that was the most painful experience i have endured.
( TIP : take as much painkillers as you can 2 hours before they do that - i didn't.) I was told there would be some trauma to the urethra for removing this , as it was a large catheter. And this does cause some bleeding of its own.
The urination for a few times after that, is painful because it stings like ** ** . I was warned it would sting...just not by how much. These are female nurses ( nothing meant here).
I was discharged that afternoon. At home the sting continued at each urination but gradually subsided. Bank on 48 hours ( 2 days) until it finally goes.
There was blood in the urine , more to start with, which after 2 weeks was just a small amount to start with ( like a couple of cc's of red wine), then runs clear.
You will have the odd clot or 2 come out , don't panic. You will also have what looks like small black particles come out every other day, i think this may be scabs from the urethra becoming detached and ejected.
I would also advise the average person to take a laxative when getting home ( something like Movicol, dissolved in water). Because when you go, you do not want to tense your anal or pelvic floor muscles very much, as this causes bleeding too ( everything seems to cause bleeding). After the first week you will not be worried about this.
I may have had it easier than others, I have no idea. But according to the GP, I can probably start work again after the 4th week, just no heavy lifting for a couple more weeks after.
kevin31822 pty10
Posted
Hi.its been a year since i had my Turp procedure.I have never been a great p****r for as long as i remember.I still get the urge to urinate but not as frequent.I usualy go to the toilet once or twice through the night but thats better than going 8 or so times in one night.Apparently its got to do something to do with the receptors and they needed to be retrained.Any how i am able to have a few beers and when i need to go it streams like a garden hose till i empty.Thats gotta be good.Any how i thought i would share my experience over first year since it was done.
zvitusk pty10
Posted
after reading about the results of TURPing, I changed doctors and used the UROLIFT method. all pain was gone in 48 hours and there was no bleeding. I STRONGLY encourage you to explore this method.
tangoTX zvitusk
Posted
zvitusk, just on an opposite side of the spectrum experience, I had Urolift in May 2018, and absolutely did not work in my case. Ended up having Turp in October 2018. Things are finally getting back to "normal" for me. Seems like success depends on the individual, and who knows what other factors.
john13552 pty10
Posted
Hi, John here in the USA. Just an update. I had turp two years ago after undergoing knee replacement and not being able to pee. Always had slow flow but it totally stopped after the surgery. So after six months of in-out catheters I had the roto rooter done. Had to do it again in 4 months which the Doc said was not unusual. Since then it is all good. Yes, retro orgasm is different and takes some getting use to but it still is good. My PSA has always been very low (under 1) so I am a happy boy.
John
P.S. I am going to be 79 years old this month. I have been very blessed.
ian49707 pty10
Posted
my TURP HAPPENED 7 weeks ago. I'm 56 and complications ensued - I collapsed in the hospital toilet the next day - the catheter was only in for about 18 hrs. The reason for collapsing was ( i think) constipation (no enema or laxative before op and an adverse reaction to morphine & codeine afterwards. On going home after three days, my wife put me on strong laxatives and I slowly got better. At one point, my belly was so distended, I looked like I was pregnant but that got better. Anyway, 7 weeks on I'm back at work but feel very tired and i still have a weak urine flow, i need to pee every 2 hrs but can make it through the night with just 2 toilet visits - sometimes I need more. my 1.5 hr commute to work each way on the bus along bumpy roads can be a bit stressful...
Now I feel like there is something stuck in my urethra near the tip of my penis - it feels like a bit of grit or something - it isnt grit I assure you! i also get stress incontinence and if i bend over when I need a pee or to open my bowels, i leak - which isn't great. These symptoms make me feel uneasy and stressed. They are not conducive to an active sex life and as i had problems in that department before, I'm not sure if the TuRp was a wise choice.
Anyone else out there had similar symptoms after 7 weeks and does it improve?
bob120 ian49707
Posted
Ian, I had my turp 4 years ago, preceded by two partially successful greenlight laser surgeries. The turp was the one that worked. It is possible you have something in your urethra, a bit of tissue coming out weeks later is not uncommon. If you still have a partial blockage you should see the urologist to let him look at the whole channel from the tip of the penis to the bladder with a cystoscope. After my first greenlight, a bit of tissue grew over my urethra at the base beginning of the prostate and it was removed with the cystoscope tool in the urologist's office. During my second greenlight, the bladder mouth was trimmed and bladder stones removed. Urgency and frequency was the norm for me after the two greenights and the turp for a period of 6 to 10 weeks. Also I did experience leaking, especially if I didn't wait about 10 seconds or so after urination to be sure it all came out, or if I wait, I will void a little more. The daytime frequency eventually improved to not having to go for several hours at a time. However, upon rising from a chair after sitting for several hours, I do feel the need to urinate. But I'm generally good for 2, 3, or 4 hours during the day. Nigh time urination is something else. I still need to go 3 to 4 times a night. I keep a basket with two one liter urinals by my bedside and generally urinate 1-1/2 to 2 liters a night. However, being able to sit on the bed and go in the dark, lets me get right back to sleep. The leaking also resolved, though I wipe with a bit of tissue after every urination to keep a drop from appearing on my pants.
ian49707 bob120
Posted
many thanks for your advice, Bob. it is much appreciated. i will contact my urology department.
mauricejohns pty10
Posted
came home yesterday 14 NOV 2019 still very sore to sit and peeing is painful but also great to see a flow again as my prostate was very large. as of second day the pink color has gone and now normal which i didn't expect. Feeling very tired though. slept during day and at night. waking to pee every 2 hours is not fun and wearing pads as well. Hope this improve. i was completely blocked so had to have the TURP surgery.
glenn62 mauricejohns
Posted
Morning Maurice,
From what i gleaned from medical staff during my turp scenario, I was told the bladder has to re-learn and tell the brain when it is full etc. Especially as i presume you had a catheter in before the op ? I am sure this will come back reasonably quickly and reduce the times you need to go. The leakage will slowly improve too.
If you came home yesterday, and your stay in hospital was about 24 hours; I would expect painful pee-ing for roughly 2 days - decreasing.
The blood in urine will, i expect, will come and go. In my experience about every 4 to 5 days, i would have some blood in urine, followed by some old clots flushed out.
If you think of the healing cycle of a small cut, blood forms the hard crust, then falls off. Same with the urethra, except it seems to stay on you for less amount of time ( constantly flushed by urine i suppose). So every 4 to 5 days, expect some of this as your pee tube slowly heals,
Just take it easy, and DON'T expect to do too many things too quickly, you will feel fine quickly but take your time... Oh make sure you eat lightly for a couple of days, and take laxative like movicol to keep you free. What you don't want is to strain as you go for a poo, that will kick off the bleeding again. But too be honest it made me bleed a little even with it.
Good luck.
mauricejohns glenn62
Posted
Thanks for the information Glen. ✅ I have been having a hard time taking the antibiotics made me sick in the stomach but know have to take them added to that i have a Pubic Catheter which gets caught on my underwear and is an added painful burden. Each day is just one more step in the right direction.
bob120 mauricejohns
Posted
I recovered from my turp, pain on urinating, leaking, urgency, in about 6 weeks. I had it about 4 years ago. The bladder empties and I have a decent flow, but I still get up about 4 times a night. The way it was explained to me is that 20 years of an enlarged prostate caused my bladder to get muscular, reducing the bladder volume. That makes sense because if I have less capacity (maybe 400ml) then I have to pee more often. I intake about 3 liters of liquid a day and lose about 1 liter in respiration, perspiration, etc. That leaves 2 liters to come out. At my age of 73, the kidneys work better when I am lying down, so I generally pee about a liter and a half per night, or wake up 4 times in 8 hours. What I have done is to have two one liter urinals in a basket by my bedside. The basket has a plastic bag in it. When I have to pee at night I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and sit up in the dark. I snap the lid of the urinal open, pee in about 30 seconds, close the lid and turn on the night light for a second to check the volume in the urinal and replace it in the basket. I retain the knowledge to use the other one if the first one is close to being full, or if it feels heavy. In this way I get back to sleep about a minute after waking up, don't need to walk to the bathroom, turn on lights, etc. Hopefully you will not have my problem with diminished bladder capacity, but if you should (as others have), then the urinals are a good solution to be able to get your sleep at night with minimal interruption. In the morning I empty the urinals and wash them out in the tub with cold water. After a week or so of use I replace them. I buy them by the case of 48 urinals (McKesson male urinal, 1 liter size with snap on lid on Amazon) and they cost about 75 cents each. Last January they were only 50 cents each. Quite possibly the increase is a result of the Chinese tariffs.
Alfie1Roxy2 glenn62
Posted
Hi, had Turps a week ago & all fine pain wise. Bleeding seems to be minimal but although getting an urge to pee, still very little volume & poor flowrate.
I was told to pee normally , measure then self catheterize & measure to check retention 1st thing in morning & before bed. (go naturally during the day)
I seem to be able to pee about 150ml naturally but still retaining 500ml on both occasions after self cathetering, will this get better as I feel a little depressed the operation wasn't successful or am i expecting too much too soon.
Thanks for any advice you can give me
kevin31822 Alfie1Roxy2
Posted
Hi,i had mine done a couple or so years ago.Urinating from that day has been good.I empty out and with a few beers or so urination is good.I do however still need to go frequently at times bit apparently as i had the condition for a long time,i am required to retrain the bladder,has something to do with the receptors.Any how quality of life is 100% better.
The hospital wouldnt let me go until i was able to empty my bladder after the catheter was removed.Flow was good and have not had any issues.
Dont stress,if you think there is a problem,go back to see your doctor.I am sure you will come good.
bob120 Alfie1Roxy2
Posted
It's still early times after the turp as it can take up to a couple of months to fully recover. Why don't you wear a foley cath for a few weeks? A friend of ours wore one for three months (changed once a month) then after getting no results with his urologist (who kept saying it was just swelling from the turp) decided to go to another urologist at a teaching hospital who did another surgery for a diverticulitis in the bladder and now he is doing fine. In some cases the bladder becomes over extended and doesn't get it's elasticity back, so cathing is required for life. In other cases, additional scar tissue or a stricture or extra tissue in the prostate or on the bladder mouth needs to be trimmed, in order to clear the path to urinate properly. Or like my friend, a diverticulitis ctreates a pouch in the bladder than can hold a large quantity of urine. 500ml urine retained after peeing is a total failure at this point. If it doesn't improve within a couple of months I'd go for a second opinion.