Procedure prep
Fasting Before a TURP (Prostate) Surgery
A TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate) trims an enlarged prostate from the inside to help you pass urine, with no external cut. It's done under a spinal or general anesthetic, and the main things to understand are the catheter afterward and a few specific side effects.
Fasting for this procedure
→ Get your exact fasting times with the calculator
Medicines to check
- Blood thinners (aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, Eliquis, Xarelto) — usually stopped, as a TURP can bleed; follow your team's stop-and-restart plan. See medications to stop.
- Diabetes medicines & insulin need a fasting-day plan. See diabetes tablets.
- Blood pressure medicines — confirm which to take with a sip of water.
- Alpha-blockers (tamsulosin) and finasteride — ask whether to keep taking them.
When this surgery may be delayed
- A urine infection — treated first, as operating through infected urine risks serious infection
- Blood thinners that haven't been paused as planned
- Fever, a new cough/cold, or a chest infection
- Very high blood pressure or blood sugar
- You ate or drank outside your fasting window
Reports & documents to carry
- Photo ID and your insurance or hospital paperwork
- A current list of all your medicines, doses, and allergies
- Recent urine tests, prostate (PSA) results and any scans
- Details of recent infections and antibiotics
- A bag for a short stay (often with a catheter) and a ride home
What to ask your anesthesia team
- Will I have a spinal or general anesthetic?
- Which blood thinners do I stop, and when do I restart them?
- How long will I have a catheter and bladder washout afterward?
- Is blood in the urine normal, and for how long?
- Will this affect ejaculation or sexual function?
Your prep checklist
Tick things off as you sort them — saved on this device only, nothing is sent anywhere.
A general guide — your hospital's own instructions always come first.
Frequently asked questions
Will I have a catheter after a TURP?
Yes, almost always. A catheter drains the bladder and allows a gentle continuous washout (irrigation) to keep urine clear of clots for a day or two while the raw area settles. It usually comes out before you go home, once your urine has cleared. Some blood in the urine for a couple of weeks afterward is normal.
Why must blood thinners be stopped before a TURP?
The prostate has a rich blood supply and a TURP creates a raw inner surface that can bleed, so blood thinners are usually paused beforehand to lower that risk, then restarted on a plan. Don't stop them on your own — your team balances the bleeding risk against why you take them.
What is retrograde ejaculation after a TURP?
After a TURP, many men find that at orgasm semen passes backward into the bladder instead of out — a 'dry' ejaculation — and is later passed harmlessly in the urine. It's common and not harmful, but it can affect fertility, so ask your surgeon if that matters to you.