Very early days, but is this a good sign?

Thanks guys. I've woke up this morning to a full erection, it was blooming painful though. Yesterday was a tadalafil day, so I'm guessing this has brought this on. I was told in the hospital that this very early treatment would not cause this. Catheter is coming out tomorrow, im going to be proactive from the off. I've asked my GP for a prescription pump, he's getting back to me, but if not I'll just put my hand in my pocket. I have been advised that early use of the pump will minimise the shrinkage effects of the surgery, I've seen reasearch that backs this up. 

Gareth, 

I was in a similar state to you in early days after surgery. Same stage 3a as you too. Also started getting some swelling even before catheter was out, and within about a month managed to have penetrative sex and at least one orgasm during the sex. 

Sad to say, about 6 weeks after surgery, those erections faded to zero. Not saying this will happen to you! I know others who went literally from strength to strength right after surgery. But in my case it has taken to month 14 to get back to where I was in Month 1, and I am not alone in this experience of erections fading a month or two post surgery. 

Not complaining because I can definitely see signs of improvement, can sometimes get fully hard with no mechanical aids, and confident it will still get better than this. I have also been using mix of Cialis (5 mg daily) and Vacurect pump (at least 5 times a week) plus targeted pelvic floor physiotherapy.

Warm regards and best wishes

Mish

Pierre I also felt that aching kind of pain during my first few orgasms after surgery

Yes! Isn't it wonderful to have one's old friend returning! I am now 15 months post RP and celebrating first times to be back to full hardness and penetrative sex - sometimes without any chemical or mechanical aids, for the first time in over a year. And orgasms are just as good as they were pre-surgery

So glad to hear your positive report from 2 years out! I want to be there by the time I get to two years. 

And about orgasms - I found during the darkest period of total erectile dysfunction from month 4 to 8, that some of my orgasms were particularly intense. Maybe this is because they were so rare. Maybe it is because it took exquisite attention to coax them forth. I wonder what other men's experiences are? 

Pierre and Gareth, so glad to be hearing the voices of younger men in this group. If I have understood correctly you both had RP in your 40s and I love the way you stand up for the importance of healthy sex lives! How are you getting on Gareth? I find most doctors treat our sexual function as an on/off thing when actually the experience is generally a gradual, stop-start, bumpy path towards the new normal.

In response to Pierre's latest post about missing ejaculate - yes, and I am still grateful to have gotten rid of cancer and this seems a relatively small price to pay. You are right about it being weird not ejaculating and I miss that visible and tactile expression of my climax. Another aspect is that my genitals have smelt different since there were no more sexual fluids - wondering if others noticed this? 

The good news for me is that at 15 months after RARP, I am sometimes able to get fully hard without any chemical or mechanical aids, although I am still pumping regularly to build up resilience. 

And on the fluids - I am beginning to produce small amounts of sexual fluid again. I am pretty sure it is pre-cum, in other words produced by Cowper's glands which connect with the urethra below the part that was cut out. It definitely helps with the "dry" missing feeling @Pierre71 mentions. And it shifts the smell into more of a familiar sexual smell rather than the urine smell that dominated for the last year.

How about other men - any sign of precum fluids after surgery?