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Too early to panic?

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User
Posted 11 Dec 2021 at 16:41

Hi folks, so this is my first post.  I’m 53, was diagnosed in August and had a Radical Prostatectomy Mid October  (right nerve spare and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection).  So I’m now just over 7 weeks since the surgery.  I was prescribed 25mg Sildenafil so 1 tablet a day for 3 months.  I’ve been trying to see if I can achieve anything resembling an erection for the last couple of weeks but with practically no success, so getting a bit stressed about it as I thought the Sildenafil would help to some extent.  Or am I just getting stressed far too early in the process?  Any advice will be gratefully received (struggling to get any kind of response from the Consultant’s secretary so thought I would ask here).  Thank you.

User
Posted 11 Dec 2021 at 16:41

Hi folks, so this is my first post.  I’m 53, was diagnosed in August and had a Radical Prostatectomy Mid October  (right nerve spare and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection).  So I’m now just over 7 weeks since the surgery.  I was prescribed 25mg Sildenafil so 1 tablet a day for 3 months.  I’ve been trying to see if I can achieve anything resembling an erection for the last couple of weeks but with practically no success, so getting a bit stressed about it as I thought the Sildenafil would help to some extent.  Or am I just getting stressed far too early in the process?  Any advice will be gratefully received (struggling to get any kind of response from the Consultant’s secretary so thought I would ask here).  Thank you.

User
Posted 11 Dec 2021 at 20:56

7 weeks is way too soon to be worrying about ED, although trying is no bad thing.

25mg Sildenafil is the lowest dose. It's being used to get blood flowing to the nerves to help them heal. There is no evidence Sildenafil works for this. 5mg daily Tadalafil is the only one where this has been shown to work (and even then the evidence isn't great).

To try for an erection, you would probably want to ask for 100mg Sildenfil or 20mg Tadalafil (and skip the daily dose on days you take one of these, and next 2 days too in the case of Tadalafil).

User
Posted 12 Dec 2021 at 01:32
It can take 2 years or more to recover erectile function if at all; stressing about it is likely to be counterproductive.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 12 Dec 2021 at 12:48

I remember being at 7 weeks, it was incredibly frustrating, but eight months was my penetration mile stone.

As others have pointed out, 7 weeks is early, so relax and try not to let things get you down. I was prescribed 2x 20mg tadalafil per week which although didn't give me any erections at the time, but they do aid nerve recovery. 

Could you get a referral to an ED clinic?

Good luck. 

Kev.

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User
Posted 11 Dec 2021 at 20:56

7 weeks is way too soon to be worrying about ED, although trying is no bad thing.

25mg Sildenafil is the lowest dose. It's being used to get blood flowing to the nerves to help them heal. There is no evidence Sildenafil works for this. 5mg daily Tadalafil is the only one where this has been shown to work (and even then the evidence isn't great).

To try for an erection, you would probably want to ask for 100mg Sildenfil or 20mg Tadalafil (and skip the daily dose on days you take one of these, and next 2 days too in the case of Tadalafil).

User
Posted 12 Dec 2021 at 01:32
It can take 2 years or more to recover erectile function if at all; stressing about it is likely to be counterproductive.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 12 Dec 2021 at 12:48

I remember being at 7 weeks, it was incredibly frustrating, but eight months was my penetration mile stone.

As others have pointed out, 7 weeks is early, so relax and try not to let things get you down. I was prescribed 2x 20mg tadalafil per week which although didn't give me any erections at the time, but they do aid nerve recovery. 

Could you get a referral to an ED clinic?

Good luck. 

Kev.

User
Posted 12 Dec 2021 at 19:37

Thanks folks for the replies, very much appreciated.

 
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