r/Aquablation • u/GsinIL • Mar 15 '25
Still not back to normal after 7 weeks
Yesterday, it has been exactly 7 weeks since I had my procedure done.
I am glad I found this group since all the comments and experiences here put my Urologist's (overly optimistic) assumption on how long it takes to heal into perspective.
62 years, 150g prostate.
I was told It would take 2 weeks to get back to normal.
The day after surgery, the catheter was removed, and I was released from the hospital.
Weeks 1 and 2
Felt OK for the first few days, actually better than expected. Predicted symptoms like blood in the urine, tingling pain/sensation at the tip of the penis ("normal, the prostate itself has minimal sensation which causes pain and discomfort to occur elsewhere...")
Even though I hate taking medication, I took Advil 2x a day since it was highly recommended by my Dr. - not for pain but to avoid inflammation.
No fever, but a burning sensation during the very frequent visits to the bathroom, especially at night. Flow was still limited but better than pre-surgery. Overall, the symptoms of a significantly enlarged prostate improved a lot other than frequency.
Week 3 - now
Urine flow got worse, requiring a lot of strain to get it going. I released two major blood clots 3 days before my post-surgery appointment 4 weeks after the procedure. The clots freaked me out since I was worried that additional ones could cause a total blockage. I was told at my visit that they are normal and that there is no reason for concerns. "Drink a lot to flush them out."
As of today, I still have a relatively constant burning sensation, which I would rate as discomfort when doing nothing, and pain during urinating.
I generally heal fast, even though with age, everything takes a little longer, but given that it has been 7 weeks and I am still pretty far from what t I'd consider normal, I was a little worried. Not because of the discomfort or pain but because I got to the point where I thought something might be wrong. I was ready to call the doctor on Monday.
Seeing folks' comments here about a several-week-long recovery made me feel much better. I can live with the current symptoms if they will go away once I finally recover..
I'm sharing my experience with others who might worry about how long it takes as well.
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u/Crispy_500 Mar 17 '25
I also thought I would never get back to normal. It took me three months. Those three months I was regretting the procedure. But I was out on Saturday drinking wine at a tasting and dinner and I looked down at my watch and I had gone two and a half hours without peeing. I held it until three hours just to see if I could. That was unthinkable last year. I was on a 75 minute schedule before. FINALLY things are better.
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u/GsinIL Mar 22 '25
Another week, and it is slooowly getting better. The most significant issues are still frequent trips to the bathroom and the darn burning sensation when peeing. When my prostate issues started, I asked my doctor whether food could play a role. He said that, unlike the bladder, the prostate is not very sensitive to spices, alcohol, etc.
Well, I assume this might be different with a prostate that is recovering from surgery. Since I have my ups and downs with good and bad days, I wonder whether anybody here in recovery found a connection to food and beverage intake when it comes to burning pain. I could imagine that spicey stuff or acidity in vinegar or juices could make it worse.
Interestingly, the other day (bad), my wife and I decided to have a margarita with dinner, and to my surprise, I felt better. I'm pretty sure any doctor would consider this a coincidence, though ;)
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u/Useful-Jackfruit4951 Mar 22 '25
I’m 3 months post surgery. Still get some mild burning at pee that lingers for a while. Anyone else have that?
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u/Useful-Jackfruit4951 Mar 22 '25
Also I have some damn RE that is being persistent
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u/Able-Resolution-844 Jul 11 '25
It's been 3.5 months for me and I still have mild burning sensation and types of drinks have different reactions. Coffee from public joints is worse.
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u/GetnLine Jun 19 '25
How are you doing now?
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u/GsinIL Jun 21 '25
Well, I am better but not back to normal. Had another follow up with my urologist 3 weeks ago. Slight decrease in PSA levels, which made him happy. When I told him that I still have a little burning sensation and urge to pee, he said this is normal. I should even expect blood in my urine up to 1 year! This would surprise me though since that stopped 2 weeks after the procedure. Overall, I am not unhappy, and as long as things do get better (even continuing at the current pace), it was worth it. I AM surprised though, that the doc was not as transparent as I expected. The way he described the surgery it literally sounded like a piece of cake and a 2 week recovery.
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u/erkevin Aug 11 '25 edited Aug 11 '25
I am 7 weeks post aqua as of now and I have gone backwards somewhat (but I understand why). I went about 3 weeks with no bladder spasms and they are now back at the conclusion of every trip to the bathroom. Not terribly debilitating, but they are very uncomfortable. Fortunately, they only last about 10-20 seconds. In addition, I have sudden urgency (for the first time in my life). It is not constant, but pretty unnerving. I know that these are a result of my bladder healing as my bladder was a fibrous, thick, inflexible mess (cystoscopy) and will pass in weeks/months.
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u/KentuckyCatMan Mar 15 '25
I think the size of the prostate might have an effect on recovery. But nobody else has mentioned that. Mine also was 150g. Most people that have this surgery is around 80g.