Potential Side Effects of a Prostatectomy
Any man who is thinking of having a prostatectomy should understand the pros and cons of doing so. Just like any surgery, there are potential side effects involved with removing the prostate. That being said, this surgery is necessary for thousands of men each and every year. Despite the potential side effects, removing the prostate is often necessary in order to eliminate cancer in the area. Of course, this does not mean that you should not be aware of these side effects. The more that you know going into this surgery, the more comfortable and confident you will feel in the long run.
The main side effect associated with the prostatectomy procedure is incontinence. This is a common problem, and one that many men experience. However, a good surgeon can go a long way in keeping the risk of incontinence to a minimum. Also consider that even if this does occur, it can routinely be corrected at a later date with a second surgery. While not always fun, this second surgery has been proven an effective way of fixing this issue.
You should know that incontinence is quite common after almost any prostatectomy; no matter the extent of the surgery, the type of surgery, or the surgeon. Fortunately, this usually subsides after a couple weeks at the most. Your doctor may also be able to prescribe medication which can help with this problem.
Generally speaking, most men become impotent after receiving a prostatectomy. The only way to protect against this is by having a nerve-sparing prostatectomy. If this is something that you are interested in, you will want to discuss the details, pros, and cons with your surgeon. They will be able to give you further information on whether or not this is a good idea for somebody in your position. If a nerve-sparing prostatectomy is not in the cards, speak to your surgeon about medications that can help with impotence.
Another very important side effect to be aware of: If you have a prostatectomy, you are going to become infertile. In other words, you will lose your ability to have children. If you are worried about this due to your age or family plans, for example, speak with your doctor about procedures such as freezing your sperm before the surgery. If you want to father a child but need to have a prostatectomy, it is important that you take the proper steps before the procedure.
Although less serious and common, there are other potential side effects of a prostatectomy. They include: blood clots in the legs, extreme blood loss that may require a transfusion, risk of infection, and of course, pain. Although most of these side effects are rare, (excluding moderate pain), your doctor will still discuss these possibilities with you.
Every surgery comes with the risk of side effects; prostatectomies are no exception. But even though some of the side effects are serious, it is usually worth taking the risk in order to regain your overall good health.