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Erectile disfunction 6 months post op

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User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 13:20

Hi all,

My husband had the radical prostatectomy on 8th March, with only 50% of nerves sparred, he is 53.

Incontinence was fine within a couple of weeks of catheter coming out, however, still no good news regarding erectile disfunction. He is trying daily medication and a pump, however, there still seems to be no connection between the brain and the physical reaction at all. He is getting more and more depressed about it and this is obviously having an effect on us too.

Are there any treatments anyone knows of that actually work? There is a doctor on Harley street who does some soft of electrical shock treatment and injections and says it has a good success rate, but it is very expensive to do and not something anyone would go into lightly.

Thanks in advance for any replies

S x

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 17:01

Sophie,

I'm not a doctor so only relating my own experience.

I took 5mg of cialis daily (Taladafil) and this helps with blood flow/ penile rehabilitation and I used this regardless. I then used 50mg of viagra (sildenafil) when I thought I might get "lucky" with the girlfriend. I'm not sure there is any point in just taking the viagra daily but someone may correct me.

BUT it wasn't an instant fix and we kept things light hearted and didn't stress at all if things didn't quite work. The mind plays a big part in the ED issue and we experimented a bit with things to try and keep eveone happy. I was relatively lucky (and 100% nerve sparing) but it was probably well over a year before I'd say things were virtually back to normal.

User

Posted 10 Sep 2021 at 04:02

Don't waste your money on Harley Street, if the NHS isn't for you (it can be hit and miss in this area) any private Urologist who specialises in ED should help.

I had partial nerve sparing and for the first 2 years I got nothing more than a little swelling by natural or via pills. If he really is getting nothing at all it's probably time to give something like a pump and constriction rings or the injections a go.

He needs to build his confidence and to come to terms with being sexually handicapped. I found the injections did this for me, once I had reset my own expectations and had access to garuanteed erections things looked up. Now I don't need anything apart from a cock ring and my sexual rediscovery means I (and my wife!) am now having the best sex of my life even with a dick that can no longer be described as rock hard.

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 15:54

A friend of mine said the injections work really well once you get used to them and they are not painful at all.

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 20:36

Sophie, has he been referred to a proper ED nurse or clinic, or is the GP just trying to manage this? If under an ED nurse, they would usually start talking at this point about taking 3 tablets together if he is feeling randy, or Viagra or Levitra instead of Cialis and then if no success, trying the injections.

The daily tablet isn't really for the purpose of getting an erection, it is to encourage repair of damaged tissue. With any of the tablets, he has to feel up for it or they won't work. My husband made most progress in years 2 to 3 post op - this thread describes our experience:-

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/m226323-One-wife-s-story-of-ED#post226323

When he uses the pump, can he get engorged enough for penetrative sex?

The Harley St option is extreme and has little science to support its use in men who have had prostatectomy- try your NHS specialist ED services and tried & tested treatments first!

Edited by member 09 Sep 2021 at 21:07 | Reason: to add hyperlink

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

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User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 15:54

A friend of mine said the injections work really well once you get used to them and they are not painful at all.

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 15:58

Hi Sophie,

It's still relatively early days so hopefully things start to improve. I assume the daily dose is Taladafil? Has he tried viagra (Sildenafil) ? I found that far more effective for "events"

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 16:03

Hi Mike,

It is Sildenafil he takes. It's not even for ''events''. There is just nothing.

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 17:01

Sophie,

I'm not a doctor so only relating my own experience.

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 17:07

One of my friends sent me an article from The Times newspaper. You won't be able to read the full article unless you subscribe.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/shockwave-therapy-promises-remedy-for-erectile-dysfunction-to-prostate-cancer-patients-hfd9kj8qj

I presume the article would be similar to this one.

https://www.healthline.com/health/shockwave-therapy-for-ed

A similar thread came up on this site recently

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t27437-Shockwave-therapy

I presume the Harley Street guy is talking about the same thing, BTW it is not electric shocks it is sound waves. As Lyn says in the other thread, it may work for vascular problems but there is little reason to think it will work if the nerves are the problem (despite the Times article suggesting it may work for Prostate cancer).

I think you probably need to add anxiety to the list of possible reasons, once you start worrying about erections they don't happen.

What about night time erections? If these still happen then the problem is psychological.

https://www.dw.com/en/impotence-test-would-you-stamp-your-penis-like-a-parcel/a-45590572

I think a lot of our members who have had prostatectomy will say it can take many months up to a couple of years to recover.

Dave

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 18:01

I will have a read, thanks. Nothing happens, day or night, or ever.

Thanks

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 18:11

I was eight months post op when I had any success, and that was with tadalafil. Even now, after almost two years it's not to pre-op standard.

Caverject injections work for me without fail, a little painful sometimes but I find it's well worth it. Some guys on here find it too painful and use invacorp instead.

Hope this helps.

Kev.

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 18:21

Thanks. I will show all this to my husband and research into this further.

Much appreaciated

User

Posted 09 Sep 2021 at 20:36

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/m226323-One-wife-s-story-of-ED#post226323

When he uses the pump, can he get engorged enough for penetrative sex?

The Harley St option is extreme and has little science to support its use in men who have had prostatectomy- try your NHS specialist ED services and tried & tested treatments first!

Edited by member 09 Sep 2021 at 21:07 | Reason: to add hyperlink

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 10 Sep 2021 at 04:02

Don't waste your money on Harley Street, if the NHS isn't for you (it can be hit and miss in this area) any private Urologist who specialises in ED should help.

User

Posted 10 Sep 2021 at 20:10

3 years on from surgery and radio therapy, I have no natural ability to raise an erection. I use a pump daily to keep tissue healthy and some blood circulating.

Invicorp injections are amazing. Strong erection, painless and zero side effects. I had a few failures cause (I think) my injecting in the wrong location. I seem to have got over that now, plus the confidence that reliabilty gives all makes for good sex.

User

Posted 22 Sep 2021 at 17:17

Hello S.

I had Robot ass rad op on march 11th 100% sparing was what i was told but I still have Erectle D. I am on 25grm Viagra daily with the veiw that it will slowly wake the bugger up as you say the brain and the penis are not talking at the moment .

Its easy to say dont get depressed but that is not usually any help , we have had to become more adventurest and at 53 you could give new stuff a go , time is on your side .

Good Luck.

Barry

User

Posted 24 Sep 2021 at 11:20

I had 50% nerve sparing and my surgery was June 2020 (age 55).

I have been on 5mg Tadalafil (bought privately) since approved after my surgery. Also using a pump from time to time.

Now after 15 months I can get an erection from masturbation but have lost length and girth. It's no longer spontaneous but pleased to see life still down there. Mentally it did and does still affect me.

It's a slow process but age is on your side. I would ask to join the ED clinic.

User

Posted 24 Sep 2021 at 14:37

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

I had 50% nerve sparing and my surgery was June 2020 (age 55).

I have been on 5mg Tadalafil (bought privately) since approved after my surgery. Also using a pump from time to time.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer you can get free NHS prescriptions, so why are you paying for Cialis? Some busybody with a clipboard at your local authority may have decided 5 mg a day is ‘too expensive’ for the bottomless pit which is our Covid Health Service, despite Tadalafil being out of patent and relatively cheap, and may try and palm you off (had to chuckle when writing that whilst thinking of ‘masturbation’ mentioned above), with 4 x 20 mg a month.

Ultimately, I believe your GP can over-ride any such guidelines, and prescribe what he thinks is best for you.

Good luck.

Cheers, John.

Edited by member 24 Sep 2021 at 14:38 | Reason: Not specified

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