tips on Viagra -PLEASE HELP!

Hey everyone. The Dr. gave Jeff viagra at our 3 week check up, 100 mg. to be used 3 times a week. I guess maybe our expectations were off - or we weren't sure what to expect. We waited about 30 minutes then tried getting some things "started", but not much going on down there. I don't think we were too stressed about it - I was actually on hydrocodone because I had oral surgery, so I was TOTALLY relaxed. Jeff was excited, just not showing it! So we thought maybe we needed to wait a while for it to kick in. So we kind of just cuddled, watching tv and kissing etc. Finally after an hour I said let's try the shower. There was difinitely more "fullness" standing up than lying down (gravity?). So after Jeff had an orgasm in the shower, the darn thing definitely got harder, mostly ot the base, and for about an inch. And it was wierd (I know I'm getting graphic here, I'm so sorry, just want some advice), but his penis pulled to the right, and he's definitely a "leftie". (My sons would DIE if they new their mother was writing such things to stranger).

Also, Jeff started to get congested, and then developed what he said was the wosrst headache of his life. Could this be due to the dosage, and does it go away?

So we were glad that there was some response, mostly because we want to get as much blood flow down there as possilbe to help with healing.

Any helpful tips on timing and expectations would be helpful. I'm just not sure what the norm is for any of this.

thanks,
bec

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husband Jeff 45 years old, diagnosed 8/25/06
PSA 2.1, 2 of 12 samples at 3% & 4%, involving 1 side of prostate
Gleason 3+3=6 in both samples
laparoscopic radical prost. 10/17/06
cancer in both sides of prostate, positive in one area of margin
first PSA in 1/2007

Post Edited (2busymom) : 11/8/2006 5:11:52 AM (GMT-7)

Bec,

It's great that Jeff has  had started recovery after a relatively short time: everyone's different but it often takes 6 weeks or more to experience any response. Many men take ages to get over the side effects, and in some cases it's years.

PS

Hi, 2Busy. Sometimes, one type of ED drug simply does not work or may cause unfortunate side effects. My husband simply can't take Viagra due to the blinding headaches, but Cialis seems to only cause minimal and brief headache after a few hours. A friend of ours tried all three of the big dogs (including Levitra) and said they caused "projectile vomiting."

Even in lesser doses, if he experiences severe headaches, it might be time to consider trying the others. You don't want to get to the point where you dread the side effects so much it limits the actual purpose.

Good luck!

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Husband age 65

Bec,

Did Jeff's surgeon not explain to Jeff about Ed following surgery? He's got a better chance of good recovery than most just because Jeff is young but to expect an erection 3 weeks post-op is expecting the exception, not the rule.
It "can", not will take, 9 months to even begin to see improvement in the average man and up to 2 years continued improvement from there. Early stimulation and early intervention is so important so keep trying. Jeff could take a lower dose nightly or every other night with or without stimulation ...
that part is up to you! Just find other ways to finish what ya'll start until the
erections are good enough.

Paul took a nightly dose of Levitra for a year after his surgery and saw serious improvements begin at about 9 months. Key word,
begin. Paul's recovery was not expected to be the greatest because he had had radiation years ago for something else. He did though....at about the 9 month mark serious improvement could be seen. He got better quickly from there. Today Paul has function he's happy with, usually requiring Levitra or Viagra. I'd say he's still improving a little at a time. It's been 18 months.
If Jeff can see fullness standing up then he's already improving! Yes, fullness standing up is normal.....veinous leakage is the culprit on top of damaged nerves that need to heal. Relax and enjoy one another.

Oh yeah...my report on the alldaychemist.com Viagra..... 100 mgs. works as well as the name brand Viagra we paid 12 bucks for! The generic Levitra I reported on before does too. Paul has always done better with Levitra so I think we'll stick to that one (generic) even though the cost on the generic Viagra is 1/4 the cost.

Bec, the stuffy nose is pretty common as is a head ache.... sounds no fun at all. You're probably right...he needs to start more slowly on the stuff for a while. Paul had to start at 25mgs the side effects were so bad. He can safely take 100 now with a stuffed up nose for a little while. Hang in there, it'll get better.

Swim

2busymom,

Thanks for starting this thread. I certainly have a high interest in it as I am 7 days post op. My suregon has a penile rehabilitation program that will have me starting on Viagra exactly three weeks t the day post op. I will start with 25 mgs(one 100 mg pill split in 4th's) and I am not to try any stimulation. I am to take this at night and do this for six nights. On the 7 th night I am to take the 100 mg pill and try sexual stimulation. This will be repeated for the nest few weeks until my six week appointment. Your graphic details are actually helpful. If you happen to find a particular method that seems to work I am sure that others would appreciate knowing. I imagine that just getting back into the intimacy process means a lot to Jeff.

Tamu

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Diagnosed 7/6/06

Thanks for the pointers, everyone. We didn't want to have our expectations too high and then be disappointed. Our Dr. did talk to us a lot about ED, and we knew that statistically we had a good chance of good recovery, but it'll pobably never be what it was. He also explained how the viagra would work with the blood flow, healing etc. But when I read Shepla's post I thought that maybe it's supposed to bring immediate response. So we were worried if we didn't see that, maybe it wasn't helping with the blood flow, and that would not be a good thing. So Swim, what I get from your post is that it is helping, even if we're not seeing a full erection. I just want to do what we can to promote the best healing, I can live with not seeing results. I read on a different message board a man whose Dr. didn't prescribe anything, and after many months it was too late, things had started to atrophy. I wanted to make sure that didn't happen either.

I tried looking on other websites to see physiologically, what to expect with Vaigra right oafter surgery, and most of them said it was good, and to do it, but no descriptions of what to expect. So hearing your stories I'm relieved. We can enjoy ourselves without having to wait for something specific to happen

So I think we might cut the dosage, and see how that helps with the headaches. I'm interested in the system Tamu's Dr. is using, too. Our Dr. gave us some free samples, but when we need to start purchasing some I'm definitely interested in the alldaychemist .

Again, thanks for all your help and honesty. I'm so glad we found this site.

becky

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husband Jeff 45 years old, diagnosed 8/25/06
PSA 2.1, 2 of 12 samples at 3% & 4%, involving 1 side of prostate
Gleason 3+3=6 in both samples
laparoscopic radical prost. 10/17/06
cancer in both sides of prostate, positive in one area of margin
first PSA in 1/2007

Post Edited (2busymom) : 11/8/2006 11:17:55 AM (GMT-7)

Becky, it's hard not to expect something to happen and strange when it's not like it used to be. Jeff takes Cialis every other night and does not have any side affects. we find that when he kneels or stands, his has more lengthening and thickening. he does not have an erection yet, but we keep working on it. he also stimulates himself in the shower every morning. who says I have to do all the work? :) you will become very creative in your intimacy (and frustrated) but it's fun (and no mess with orgasms!). yes, I used to feel strange talking about this stuff but then realized we're all in this together. take care, kat

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Husband Jeff 56 years old
diagnosed July 27, 2006
PSA 6.5
2 positive areas in biopsy, Gleason 3+3=6
Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy August 30, 2006
pathology report - all clear - cancer gone
1st post-surgery PSA test 0.1
no more pads Oct 12, 2006

Thanks Kat. It is confusing, and we just want to do the healthiest thing for Jeff. I know blood flow helps with healing. At the same time, he does feel achy after an orgasm. It won't even be 4 weeks until Tuesday, so I guess we're rushing it. We noticed the same thing with lengthening & thickening - much more noticeable when he's standing, or leaning against the bed. Tonight we had a good talk about not pressuring ourselves. We split the pill in to 3rds, and he didn't get the horrible headache. We figured he'd keep taking that dosage, and we'd do the stimulation a separate time from taking the viagra, but holding off on the orgasms until he's healed up better. I feel like we're involved in an experiment, and I guess we are. If we wait a little longer maybe he'll have a little more bladder control - it's not bad, but it is awkward having the pad and towel on hand for dribbles.

I'll have to say it is making us much more vulnerable and open with each other. That's been a blessing. And I am enjoying no mess!

I am so glad I found this website - it is so encouraging. Thanks for being so open & honest.

bec

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husband Jeff 45 years old, diagnosed 8/25/06
PSA 2.1, 2 of 12 samples at 3% & 4%, involving 1 side of prostate
Gleason 3+3=6 in both samples
laparoscopic radical prost. 10/17/06
cancer in both sides of prostate, positive in one area of margin
first PSA in 1/2007

Hi 2busymom,

We use viagra too.  We were instructed to take 25mg (1/4 pill) every other night to help with blood flow and healing and a full 100mg if we wanted to try to have sex.  Hubby still gets a little headache with the 25mg dose but not like when he takes the whole pill.  We have found however that 25 mg works as well as 100 mg for sex too and sometimes better than others.  The other thing that seems to really make the difference is hubby really, really has to be in the mood.  As we are still having a tiny bit of urine leakage at times, sometimes that makes it hard for him to get in the mood but usually I can assure him that it is not a problem !!! 

The signs are there for you, keep trying and just give it a little more time.

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Letty,

Hi 2busymom

I had the catheter out yesterday and they gave me samples of Cialis and Viagra to start today, I already have the Levitra. She said to take the full strenght ( do you ever get that one word you can't spell right?) cialis every other day and 1/2 of the viagra and levitra when used. They recommend attempting sex after 4 weeks. I don't know about all the other macho guys but with the slight leaking I am experiencing and the tenderness of the abdoman still, sex is really not at the top of my list right now. Trust me, my wife can go for more than a couple weeks without so no loss to her right now.

Daveed