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Penis size

User
Posted 02 May 2019 at 11:14

I was diagnosed in Jan 2017, treatment was 7 weeks radiotherapy and 3 monthly implants. I have noticed over the months that my penis appears to have shrunk in size. What can I do about this? Do pumps work? Any advice/info gratefully received.

User
Posted 02 May 2019 at 14:21
I have lost around 2” of length from my penis and now have complete erectile dysfunction following my prostatectomy.

Would I want my cancer back instead......?

Cheers, John.
User
Posted 04 May 2019 at 00:38

DarkRainbow,


Thanks for your comments. Shrinkage on HT was something the urology consultant told me about at the outset (although he didn't think to tell me there was anything you could do to avoid it or reduce the impact). It was somewhat alarming for me, so I went and read everything scientific I could find on the topic, and discovered there are things you can do to limit some of the causes of it. It seems from what I've read on this forum many people are not told any of this, and some avoidable damage results. Shrinkage due to RT was something my onco mentioned to me only a few weeks ago.


By the way, I doubt penile rehabilitation can increase length, but it can prevent formation of fibrous tissue inside the erectile tissue, which is the cause of shrinkage if you don't use it.


As my ED nurse said, "use it or lose it" (although I'd already done my reading long before the ED appointment came through).


 

Edited by member 04 May 2019 at 04:29  | Reason: Not specified

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User
Posted 02 May 2019 at 11:42

Three things cause this.


Actually having regular erections is necessary for the erectile tissue in the penis to continue working properly. Even when not having sex or masturbating, healthy men have many nocturnal erections each night and occasional spontaneous erections, and this is good enough to maintain the erectile tissue. However, hormone therapy (HT) tends to stop the nocturnal erections and occasional spontaneous erections, and removes libido so you don't have any desire for sex or to masturbate.


When you are not having erections, fibrous tissue starts to grow in the erectile tissue, and this reduces the extent that it can increase in size, reducing length and girth of erections. Ironically, it also causes the flaccid penis to be a bit larger, although mostly that's not noticed.


So to get around this, you must regularly generate erections even when you have no libido and no enjoyment in doing so. If you are physically unable to do so but hope to be able to in the future, span this gap with the use of a pump.


The other thing that can help is a regular low dose PDE5 inhibitor, such as 5mg tadalafil, although this is expensive and not all areas will provide it.


You can ask for a referral to an Erectile Dysfunction (ED) clinic, and they should go through this in detail. Your hospital team may be able to get you an appointment faster than you GP can. In my case, the Macmillan nurse organised it before I had any issues, and the ED nurse went through what to do to protect myself.


This is known as Penile Rehabilitation. Look it up for more details and get working on it now, even before you get an ED appointment. I don't think it can recover lost length/girth, but it should stop it getting any worse.


The second cause of this is that the RT can damage the erectile tissue in the base of the penis, and then you lose the length that would previously have extended by. It can also cause veinous leakage and/or damage the nerves that generate erections, reducing strength of erections, and this can show up a long time later. I don't think there's anything you can do to recover this, but there are some workarounds.


The third cause is a radical prostatectomy (although not relevant in your case). Some of the urethra is lost with the prostate, and penis length is lost where more urethra needs to be drawn in to reconnect with the bladder. In the case of nerve sparing where erections controlled by the spared nerves take some time to recover, it is important to continue having erections during this recovery period using Penile Rehabilitation or further shortening will occur for same reason as with HT. This could involve using pumps and possibly a PDE5 inhibitor - either a daily low dose (which is unlikely to generate erections but improves blood flow which provides some protection from damage), or a periodic normal dose to generate erections.

Edited by member 15 May 2019 at 18:19  | Reason: Add the third (radical prostatectomy) reason, for completeness.

User
Posted 02 May 2019 at 14:21
I have lost around 2” of length from my penis and now have complete erectile dysfunction following my prostatectomy.

Would I want my cancer back instead......?

Cheers, John.
User
Posted 02 May 2019 at 17:20
I get your point John and I thank God every day that I am still here, irrespective of any side effects. However, in an effort to make the very most of my luck it would, inter alia, be nice to resume a sex life of sorts.
User
Posted 02 May 2019 at 17:23
Are you still on hormone treatment, cream?
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 03 May 2019 at 08:50
Had my last implant 2 months ago.
User
Posted 04 May 2019 at 00:00

I'm not on here to pretend Mr Knows everything have no idea about Prostate related problems, Seems Andy62 is a well educated gentleman in every department of ED.(thanks for the Details Andy)


Had RP last year December, was offered pump to use it daily around 10 minutes each time Yes I have been using it everyday but more than 10 minutes, beside  yes after RP my little fellas seems lost one or two inch length of it but when I use the pump seems OK same length as before. 


I was given Soma pump. L.  Size 


But after a month of exercise I noticed that my little fellas got stuck in it, during the exercise was difficult to take it out ...so I phoned the company that supplied the SOMA pump, than they asked me to returned the cylinder than after a week or so I received the XL size cylinder. I'm happy with that.


But in my opinion masturbation doesnt help to increase the size...but pump doesnt either ...I mean those pumps doesnt makes the Willie's bigger but it does keep them healthy and helps for the bedroom life.


Good luck


 


 

User
Posted 04 May 2019 at 00:38

DarkRainbow,


Thanks for your comments. Shrinkage on HT was something the urology consultant told me about at the outset (although he didn't think to tell me there was anything you could do to avoid it or reduce the impact). It was somewhat alarming for me, so I went and read everything scientific I could find on the topic, and discovered there are things you can do to limit some of the causes of it. It seems from what I've read on this forum many people are not told any of this, and some avoidable damage results. Shrinkage due to RT was something my onco mentioned to me only a few weeks ago.


By the way, I doubt penile rehabilitation can increase length, but it can prevent formation of fibrous tissue inside the erectile tissue, which is the cause of shrinkage if you don't use it.


As my ED nurse said, "use it or lose it" (although I'd already done my reading long before the ED appointment came through).


 

Edited by member 04 May 2019 at 04:29  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 04 May 2019 at 08:31

Good Morning Andy 


 


Yes your right before the operation they don't tell us everything 


In my case I had MRI scan ,than biopsy and RP surgery operation they all done in such a short time,seems medical staff forced me to have the surgery they asked me (a doctor) if I'm ready for the operation for that week?I said WELL I HAVE NOT SEEN THE RADIOTHERAPY PEOPLE YET I WANT TO KNOW THAT WHAT THEY THINKS ABOUT MY CASE. So I was not happy at all ...Shame that I had to go ahead with the operation(stupidly), seems something was not right. Oncology appointment did not last even for 5 minutes straight away I was told RP operation is the right treatment for me,ohhh by the way the way I was told that I have a cancer was so ridiculous! A nurse told me that I have a cancer same time twice she as if accidentally hit my foot:)


I had nothing wrong with my prostate all I said to my GP was  that when I go to the bathroom I do feel that I dont fully empty my bladder that is all. 


But I did get that feeling that even when I was in my late 20,s early 30,s I think because of so much consume of tea,coffees and alcoholic beverages!


Before the RP operation I was not getting up of the bed for Bathroom duties night time.


None of my close and extended family members had a prostate related illness at all.


I had no pain before the operation. 


I wasn't suffering from anything at all.


My sex life was over the moon too.


Also I was given a choice before the operation if I wanted my sperms to be saved ?I said yes.but no action taken at all !


So we must not trust always Doctors medical staff etc.remember that they all get £££££££ because of us.


Also recently on this website a gentleman told us that he had nothing wrong but because of they mixed up with his medical results with someone else's than he had to go ahead with RP surgery. 


D.R

Edited by member 06 May 2019 at 07:54  | Reason: Correction

User
Posted 04 May 2019 at 11:26
Thanks all. I think the best way forward is via pump plus a touch of use it or lose it! Will report back once I've got the pump.
User
Posted 20 Mar 2020 at 08:26

diagnosed Dec 2014 PSA52. Happy Christmas! Age 51


I had radiotherapy and HT for 3 years. Lost length and girth and erections during HT. HT made me very emotional as well. 
erections have come back but not like before. I was never informed about any help for ED or offered any meds to help. Never informed about the pump. 
orgasms are strange now. Dry with a bit of leakage after. Feels different, not painful but different.

User
Posted 01 Aug 2020 at 05:22

Prostatectomy cost me about 1.5 - 2 inches from length. Kind of funny going from having a circumcised penis all my life then suddenly having a foreskin back. Later radiation treatment and hormone therapy reduced it by another couple of inches and testicles to size of grapes. So went from 6 inches plus to 2 inches or less some days. Could actually poke it in so it virtually disappeared. Bit of a laugh really. After coming off HT 12 months ago  testicles have regained to probably 60%. Penis only back to about 3 inches really and no useful erections. Too short for useful intercourse anyway. Orgasms are actually really good though, better than ever but different. 

 
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