The type of anaesthetic that's used will affect how long it takes to recover from a cystoscopy. It is also normal to experience some side effects for a few days afterwards.
Anaesthetic
If you have a local anaesthetic before having a cystoscopy, you will be able to go home as soon as the procedure has finished.
If you have a spinal anaesthetic (epidural) or general anaesthetic, it usually takes one to four hours to recover from its effects, so you'll need to arrange for someone to accompany you home.
After having a spinal or general anaesthetic, you should rest for the 24 hours following the procedure. Avoid driving, operating complex or heavy machinery and drinking alcohol during this period of time.
Side effects
Most people will experience a burning pain when passing urine during the first few days after a cystoscopy. This is normal and should stop within a few days.
Having blood in your urine or bleeding from your urethra is also common in the first few days after a cystoscopy, particularly in cases where the procedure is used to carry out a biopsy. Drinking plenty of water (usually 6 pints a day) can help to ease both of these symptoms.
You should only be concerned about bleeding if:
- your urine becomes so bloody that you can't see through it
- you notice clots of tissue in your urine
- it lasts for more than a few days
If any of these occur, you should contact the hospital staff for advice (you'll be given a contact telephone number before you're discharged for this purpose).
Read more about the complications of a cystoscopy.
