Now that your radical prostatectomy has been performed and you are back at home, hopefully you are doing well and not having any problems. The following are a few instructions to make sure your recovery goes smoothly.

• Feel free to shower every day and wash your incision and your catheter with soap and water in the shower. You can cover your incision with a light gauze dressing, if it is more comfortable for you; otherwise, you can leave it open to the air.
• The catheter in your bladder should be hooked to a bag that attaches to your leg. This is called a leg bag and most people find it comfortable for daytime use. You may have been given a larger bag that hangs over the side of the bed, which is more convenient to use at nighttime.
• It is normal and expected to have some pink-tinged or red urine from time to time. If you have continuous dark red urine with clots, that would be abnormal and you should call our office for advice.
• It is also common to have some urine leak around the catheter from time to time. While this is a nuisance, it is not a sign of any problem.
• If your catheter stops draining for a prolonged period of time, especially if your bladder feels full, you should contact us.
• The catheter will be in for approximately two weeks from the day of your surgery. Our office will be contacting you to set up a time to come into the office to have both your catheter and your skin staples removed.
• Until we see you in the office, you should take it easy around the house. You may shower and you may take a walk around the yard or go up and down stairs as much as necessary. You should not drive or do any strenuous, heavy lifting. It will take a full six weeks for the incision to completely heal and at six weeks from the date of surgery, you may resume normal activities.
• Take your pain medications as necessary and take the antibiotic pills you were given until they are all gone. Many men have problems with constipation after this surgery, because of the pain medications. You should take some Milk of Magnesia or a stool softener of your choice so that you do not get constipated and you do not have to strain to urinate.
• When you come into our office two weeks after the surgery to have the catheter removed, remember to bring some sort of a pad or diaper with you, because after the catheter comes out, you will have a period of time with urinary leakage. You will feel more comfortable if you bring something with you to wear home.
• At the time of your office visit, we will have your pathology report. We will review your pathology report and the necessary follow-up appointments.

Once again, I hope you are doing well. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office 810.232.8888.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Macksood, D.O., F.A.C.S.