It'll take some time to get better after a radical prostatectomy.
It can help to know what to expect and how you can help your body recover.
The catheter that was placed during surgery will help your body heal.
You may have it for 1 to 2 weeks.
Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions for catheter care, including how to keep it clean.
Your scrotum may be swollen and bruised.
It usually gets better in about a week.
To help with pain and swelling, put ice or a cold pack on your groin for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
Your doctor may give you medicine for pain.
It can take several weeks or longer to heal and recover depending on the type of surgery you had.
Follow any instructions you were given about activity, diet, or medicines.
Here are some key things you can do to help yourself heal sooner and avoid problems.
Get plenty of rest.
But also, it's important to get some activity.
Try to do light activity, like short walks.
Do more a little at a time, as you feel better, but avoid hard exercise and heavy lifting.
You may shower if your doctor says it's okay.
After you shower, pat dry any incisions.
If you have strips of tape on your incisions, leave them on for a week or until they fall off.
Use warm water and nothing else to keep the area clean.
If you want, you can cover the area with a bandage or gauze if it's oozing or rubbing against your clothes.
Call your care provider if you have a problem with your catheter, such as your urine has stopped flowing or looks cloudy or bloody.
Other problems to watch for: new or worse pain, bleeding ...
signs of a blood clot like pain in your calf, back of the knee, thigh, or groin ...
redness and swelling in your leg or groin ...
or having your incisions come open ...
or signs of infection, such as increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness ...
red streaks leading from an incision, pus draining from an incision, or a fever.
After surgery some men may have difficulty getting an erection and may not be able to control when they urinate.
Medicine or other treatments often can help these problems.
Recovery and healing takes time, but if you have any questions or concerns, especially if you're worried about urinary or erection problems, you can always call your care provider.
Taking care of yourself after surgery can help you heal and stay out of the hospital.
