I'm interested in conversations about and I want to talk about
Know exactly what you want?
Show search

Notification

Error

Does ED following RARP ever improve with pills alone

Email this conversation Print this conversation
User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 12:28

3 months post-op  my OH is about to start taking taladafil 20mg as prescribed. I know there are other things to try (pumps, injections) but he's resistant to the idea of those. If the drugs don't work  to begin with do things ever just improve nagurally after several months?  The saddest thing is that he feels embarrassed about the situation and sad, he apologises a lot.

 

 

User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 14:47

Yes, he had nerve sparing robotic surgery and the surgeon seemed pleased with how it went. Incontinence is not a problem but he did say ED was very likely. I was hoping he was just trying to manage expectations.

Thanks for replying to me.

User
Posted 09 Aug 2024 at 09:53
It did improve for me after years not months AND with the help of all those things you say he won't try.

He has to accept the reality of his situation and if he wants a more normal sex life he will have to work at it.

Show Most Thanked Posts
User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 14:39

Hi Cathy.

Welcome to the forum.

Do you know if your husband had nerve sparing surgery?

Mine was non nerve sparing. ED was the most devastating side effect for me. I was told by my surgeon that I would never have a natural erection again. Tablets for ED had no effect whatsoever. It made me very sad and I too was always apologising to my wife. I was thrilled when Invicorp injections worked for me. I know your husband is reluctant to go that route but please assure him that it is a good safety net. I'm 18 month post op and think I'm occasionally feeling stirrings down below, but I'm not sure whether or not that's just wishful thinking. We can only live in hope.

I think its fantastic that you care enough for him to post on here.

Best of luck to you both.

 

User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 14:47

Yes, he had nerve sparing robotic surgery and the surgeon seemed pleased with how it went. Incontinence is not a problem but he did say ED was very likely. I was hoping he was just trying to manage expectations.

Thanks for replying to me.

User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 15:06

Providing nerves were spared then yes Tadalafil will help things to heal (even it can't yet generate erections). It will also help erections to work sooner. 3 months is probably too soon for much hope of erections yet, but it should be used anyway to help with the healing. Has he got them twice per week? That will give continuous dosing with Tadalafil which is the main healing benefit.

It is important to get regular erections, so if the Tadalafil can't do that yet, using a pump regularly is also good to preserve penile tissues, which do need regular erections to remain healthy.

User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 15:27

Hi Cathy, 

I agree with the above posts. It's important to keep taking the tadalafil even if at times you & your OH might feel as though it isn't working. The nerves have had a battering during surgery and therefore can take several months for them to start healing. 

I was a good eight months post op before my erections started to return.

If you get the opportunity to try injections, I would highly recommend you give it a try. It was a huge boost to my confidence (and a lot of fun) while my nerves were recovering. I'm now over four and a half years post op and my erections are really good, I still take tadalafil but no longer need the injections. 

Good luck. 

Kev.

User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 15:47
Hi Cathy , you could read my profile. I had partial nerve sparing. I had to beg for the gold-standard of treatment of 5mg daily along with regular pump usage. I even self funded for a while. It made huge improvements, but if I’m honest with Tadalafil alone it took 1 1/2 years to regain usable erections. And this improved up to the 3 year mark. In the meantime I self funded Invicorp injections for a date night which are amazing. Just tell him to be patient. It can happen but it’s a long slog tbh. Time soon passes with other forms of sex
User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 20:04

I had RP nearly 2 years ago with full nerve sparring. It's taken all this time with tablets, pump and sex to get things back to some sort of normal. The rate of recovery from ED varies greatly. I hate using the pump but see it as necessary. Lucky that he has been prescribed anything. I had to buy my own pump and it took just over a year to get tablets. Patience is the watch word.

User
Posted 08 Aug 2024 at 21:15

Hi Cathy

There is no simple answer but one thing is certain: You don't have to give up sex, there are many solutions. Have a look at the following link which shows our approach:

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t28948-Re-establishing-Sex-Life

Good luck,

 'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.'                    Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

 

 

User
Posted 09 Aug 2024 at 06:57
Cathy

I had a nerve-sparing RARP 19 months ago. Once the catheter had been removed I was put on Sildenafil to get the blood flowing where it was needed. Having a contact who had undergone the same procedure he advised me to buy a cheap penis pump to get things moving again which I did prior to being prescribed a medical-grade pump. Both have help in my recovery which is not yet there, but with the tablets and a ring I get a useable erection. As Pratap says, there are many solutions to maintaining your sex life while recovery continues.

User
Posted 09 Aug 2024 at 09:53
It did improve for me after years not months AND with the help of all those things you say he won't try.

He has to accept the reality of his situation and if he wants a more normal sex life he will have to work at it.

 
Forum Jump  
Email this conversation Print this conversation

Join the online community now.

Click through to become a member and gain access to support, information and real time replies.




MenuTop ▲
©2024 Prostate Cancer UK