Urethroplasty recovery – coughing

[London]

Hi All

I’ve had a weak urine flow and the need to urinate frequently for around 15 years (I’m now 36). In October 2018 I decided to get the issue seen to as it was severely impacting my daily life. For example, I couldn’t go on any reasonable length car journey without worrying about where I could stop to pee, I would exit meetings midway at work to pee etc.

Long story cut short, I was meant to go in for a cystoscopy in October 2018 which turned in to a urethrotomy. There were complications and I lost over a litre of blood. I had a urethra and SP catheter installed. Needless to say that was a huge shock to me and my family. Recovery took some time but after 3 weeks I had a urethrogram and both catheters removed, although by now I had been Referred to a very senior urologist who advised that I’d likely need some follow up treatment.

At first things were good. I was peeing with a great force, albeit still too regularly for my liking. However, after a few weeks the flow slowed down as did the regularity. I was hoping the flow would level out but it just ended up worsening. In early January 2019 I went in to urinary retention and had to have an emergency SPC installed to drain my bladder. In February 2019 I had a urethroplasty in my bulbar region which my urologist described as a severe case. I had skin removed from the inside of my mouth to assist with this procedure.

I’m now 4 days post op and at home. I’m able to do most things – walk, sit, lie down etc. I can also eat most things without too much problem.

My testicles are swollen and sore, but this is to be expected.

The only thing that concerns me now is that whenever I’m lying down and about to nod off I have the urge to cough a tickly cough. This is extremely painful around the operation site. It literally feels like someone or something is yanking down on my scrotum.

The pain I can probably put up with for a short while but my bigger concern is I damage something.

I’ve tried cough medicine, anti allergy tablets, gargling salt water, sleeping more upright etc but nothing seems to be getting rid off this cough.

Anyone been through anything similar, or does anyone have any advice?

[poortonykrause]

Hi London,

Yes, I’ve been through the same thing, had to cough all the time while healing and it always made me cringe, but I didn’t damage anything and the healing went well. I had a catheter in for three weeks after my surgery to hold the wound open so the urethra and graft were literally healing around a plastic tube and no amount of coughing could interfere with that. More painful were the erections, which the doctor gave me nitrate for.

Hope it all goes well!

[Author]

Posts