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Sex After Radical Prostatectomy

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Posted 2/19/2007 11:11 AM (GMT -8)
I had nerve sparring surgery on Feb 5th (two weeks ago). I had my cathetor removed on Wednesday Feb 14th and after these few days have only some minor leakage when I stand up. I have found that I do not need the pads at night and occasionaly wear the light ones when I am out and about. I have not talked to my doctor about the timing to try and have sex after the surgery and have wondered if anyone can help me with this. I have noticed that my penis is quite unresponsive to touching since the surgery, and that I will likely need help at this time if I am going to try to engage in sex.

Please let me know any information on the above would be appreciated.

Tooyoung

PSA on Nov 7 2006 - 12.2, Nov 22 2006 17.8

Biopsy Dec 8 - 3 out 8 cancerous - Gleason 3 + 3

Radical Prostatectomy - Feb 5 2007 - nerve sparring

Cathertor removed and biopsy report (confined to prostate) - Feb 14th

Age 45 years young

Posted 2/19/2007 12:49 PM (GMT -8)
Hey Tooyoung,

My doc told us to have sex 4 times in the next week when he took the catheter out. What a joke! I had a complete "flat tire" for the next month. Only now getting about 50% response but am working on it every day. Keeping the blood flowing and using the blue pill occasionally.

Others have received different instructions so hope they will respond too.

Good luck...

Jim
Posted 2/19/2007 1:57 PM (GMT -8)
My doctor-to-be told me that he does not start ANY treatment on this until six weeks have passed.

I think it is a good idea to let the body heal fully before working on this too much. Just my .02.

Markus
Posted 2/19/2007 2:35 PM (GMT -8)
wow, 4 times in the first week after catheter removal would have been unfathomable for me.

my doctor gave me no specific instructions on this, which I took to mean whenever you are willing and able... but he didn't give me a prescription for viagra or cialis at that point, which I also took to mean that he thought I wouldn't be thinking about it at that point. i had a complete flat tire and bad incontinence, not to mention the occasional pain.

but if you are able, go for it! get back on that bicycle as often as you are able, the way I see it!
Posted 2/19/2007 2:38 PM (GMT -8)
It would be worthwhile discussing the subject with your doctor. Viagra or similar is often prescribed soon after surgery to improve blood flow and help recovery time. Most start modest exercises fairly soon, but nothing to heavy.

A few friends had good results in general after 6 weeks, but as we know there is no specific rule for all side effects to suddenly disappear.
Posted 2/19/2007 2:50 PM (GMT -8)
Do whatever makes you feel right. A little petting party would do most couples some good early on. Go with whatever your body is okay with.
Posted 2/19/2007 4:01 PM (GMT -8)
tooyoung,

My surgeon started me on a penile rehabilitation program at the three week anniversary of my surgery. This included taking 25 mgs of Viagra everyday for six days without any sexual stimulation and then 100 mgs on the seventh day and to try sex. I was still leaking on that first try and only got about a 50% erection which was not enough to penetrate. I did that for the next four weeks but no improvement except the leakage got a lot better. While we did not have intercourse we did do a lot of petting and we both were able to have an orgasm. I am still working on getting back to a quality sex life but have not made it yet. I do see some improvement as I now achieve about a 50% erection without any help. Using the Vacurect pump does allow for penetration but it feels so artificial that it lacks in fulfillment. There are the exceptions on here who were able to get their erections back soon but I believe the average PC guy has got to have patience.

Tamu
Posted 2/19/2007 8:07 PM (GMT -8)
TY:

Your continence recovery sounds a lot like mine. I had minimal drips after my RRP and four weeks of a single pad per day before I went padless for good. You'll be padless before me. You and I are both blessed.

As far as the ED issue, I agree with those posts above...experiment as much as you like. However, don't get discouraged. Your nerves were traumatized during surgery and it takes some time to recover.

Overall, sounds like to me you're on a fast-paced track for a complete and total recovery.
Posted 2/20/2007 5:58 PM (GMT -8)
tooyoung, Jeff had an orgasm with no erection a few days after he had the catheter out. it was very intense and somewhat painful, so he waited another week before doing that again. he is pretty much where most of the guys who have posted are - gets about 60-75% there with an erection, but not enough for intercourse. when he uses the pump, we can have intercourse, but he's not too excited about using it. he takes cialis every other day. he has more feeling in his penis and gets a tingling sensation so we know the nerves are healing. we're very hopeful that he will be able to achieve an erection with no help within the next several months. it's frustrating at times but we have to be patient. kat
Posted 2/20/2007 8:01 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks to all for your insight into the next stage of this journey. Please continue to discuss this topic if there are more experiences to be shared. I am always learning.

tooyoung
Posted 2/22/2007 7:26 PM (GMT -8)
New to the Forum.

I had surgery on December 8th, 2006. After three weeks my wife and I were told to try to have sex three times a week. I was able to have an orgasm, but there was no erection.

I appreciate the discussion, because it is very frustrating to know what is "normal" at this point in recovery. I am taking one-half of a 20mg cialias daily and started using a VED (Osbon) yesterday.

I look forward to joining the discussion.
Posted 2/22/2007 7:45 PM (GMT -8)
Hi ~ BK...

We hope you'll start a new thread to give us a little informatin about you and your journey...

We would really like to welcome you on “your” own personal thread…

Thanks for joining us!!! and Please continue to post!!!! smile

In New Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy

(Direct Link ~ just click on the title below and a new window will open!

Reminder … click on the REFRESH icon once you get there)

Click Here…. > Helpful Hints for New Members... Hope this helps you! smile
Posted 2/22/2007 8:03 PM (GMT -8)
Hi TooYoung,



Good to hear from you! and Great News… about the urinary control. Listen to your body…. smile



Partial Quote from above….

but if you are able, go for it! get back on that bicycle as often as you are able, the way I see it!


Don’t think this means to ride your stationary bike, bicycle, lawnmower, etc. After surgery…. That’s not what he means.



The sphincter muscle is very “important” to your urinary continence and if you damage this little muscle that is sooooo valuable… you will definitely be in trouble.



I put this here for newbies coming along…. They may read this and think oh! I can still ride my bike….. Don’t!!!!!!! At least not at this time … You must heal and then you still have to be careful he's got to last a lifetime.



Keeping you close ~ in our thoughts and prayers.

In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy
Posted 2/24/2007 5:23 PM (GMT -8)
Just to let you know my dh is young too (just a little older than you.) We are 1+ years into the process.

Since the little blue pills and variations didn't work on the ED in the years before the surgery and since they give my dh a heck of a hangover, he wasn't interested in them.

We were having success getting mutual orgasms but without penetration (again, after having years of experience with ED).

But he wanted more so opted to try the injections at the 5 month mark. They are working wonderfully for us, rolling the clock back more than 20 years. It gives us lots of options and while the sensations aren't all there (and probably won't be due to some nerve damage) we are very pleased with the results. As time goes on, he is using less and less to get the same results (now down to about 1/3 dose).

We travel extensively for work and left the needles at home for a trip around the world. Had some success with penetration once, without any pills. But that was just once. Since we travel so much and see the injections as therapy, we have started to travel with the meds in a thermos. That creates new issues (learning where the nearest hospital that uses English is before we start, just in case) and keeping the med from getting too cold (it doesn't work on my dh when it is too cold) but it has led to some great sex all over the world.

Keep at it and keep trying until you find what works for you. My husband was deathly afraid of needles until he started to inject himself. Never in a million years would I have thought he could do this (I had to have my IV covered when I was in the hospital because it made him faint) but he is and it is working great for us.

And bonus, the cost is about $60 per vial, which lasts about 3 months before it gets old. That gives you up to 45 injections. So about 1/10th the cost of the pills.
Posted 2/26/2007 4:21 PM (GMT -8)
Hi TY,
At the risk of sounding repetitious from some of the other posts I've made, I strongly agree and support what Mama Bluebird said about the need for the sphincter to heal.

This operation involves taking out the part of the urethral tube that goes through the prostate (duh!) and then sewing the free end of the tube back to a newly made bladder neck replacement. Since this tube is like a macaroni, you can imagine the careful stitching the doctor had to do.

Have patience. My doctor told me no sex of any kind for six weeks to allow this sphincter area to heal. If it tears, because of exuberant sex or the muscle contractions of orgasm, you could develop an internal leak. I had one anyway, without the sex, and had to have the catheter in for a month. You don't want to have the catheter put back in.

With the delicacy of this part of the surgery, it amazes me that more doctors don't tell their patients to cool it for six weeks. My doctor's nurse educator told me, quite to the contrary of Biker's doctor who said to have sex four times a week after the catheter came out, that if some miracle occurred, if God had given me an erection during that time (which she knew wouldn't happen), just to admire it, but NOT to use it. She gave me an Rx for 25 mg of Viagra to take once a day, but this was to provide a minimal amount of blood flow to continue, not to get it on.

Take care,
dj
Posted 5/18/2007 5:39 AM (GMT -8)
yeah New to the Forum,
Halo to evryone from Down Under,
I hawed Radical Prostatetcomy in Novemb 2006,so to this date is aprxm 6months is pass.I'm 58years old ,very fiit no smoker or drinker all my life involved in some kind of sport activitys. my previous sex life was exelenet i was very proud of that.My doctor was telling me that i wiil be ok after operation in regards of sexual activitys but with slightly lees in strength of erection.So far that is just illusion, have no erection at all.Exept some times during the sleep at night. I hawed try VIAGRA,CIALIS, LEVITRA,MAXIDUS,nothing only what is help is CAVERJET inject. which i dont' liked at all.My recent PSA is 100% clear untraceble so that is OK.My libido is 'GONE WITH THE WIND'
I know that i hawed nerve sparring operation and that still only 12% mans hawed ful recovery from ED, after R.P. iwould like to hear at list one of them on this forum,some one who hawed Radical Prostatetcomy 3-5 years ago .what stage is he nau in regards of sexual activities?? If that person realy exist it wiil be very nice to let us know How he feel nau..

Best Regards to you all.. Denny2
Posted 5/18/2007 6:05 AM (GMT -8)
Hi Denny!
My experience is much like many on this board. My urinary control has improved at a much faster rate than my ED. It's still very frustrating to have a nearly total lack of erection at 4 months post surgery. The erections with the pump allow us to have intercourse, but like some on this forum have noted, it's not particularly fulfilling. I have, in recent days, noted that with viagara and stimulation I see an increase in size (maybe a 25% erection). Nothing nearly hard enough for use, but a step in the right direction that gives me some hope! Hang in there and give yourself time to heal. Take faith in any progress no matter how small!
We're all in this together,
Mike
Posted 5/18/2007 6:27 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks Mike, it is very nice words from you.Still i would like to hear any words from the someone who go trough this 3-5 years ago,or is any one know some one who hawed recovery after Radical prostatetcomy would like to hear from them.

Is any one try APOMORPHINE(UPRIMA) would like to know how is that fell??

Thanks again and I liked this forum very much...
Posted 5/18/2007 6:34 AM (GMT -8)
Denny2,

I had surgery just over 2 years ago. For close to a year erections were poor or not at all. I used viagra, Levitra, a pump and shots in that first year. Today I have good quality, not perfect but good quality erections with 50 mg. of Viagra or Levitra and occasionally with nothing at at all.

Paul
Posted 5/18/2007 6:46 AM (GMT -8)

 Hi SWIMOM,

 Thanks Paul 'you make my day,"beliewed me you are the first person that i hear that  and i do Thank you for that. That is promising,and the give me a bit of hope ..

Greetings from ozzy land...Denny nono

Posted 5/18/2007 7:49 AM (GMT -8)
Hey Denny2, i'm about 2.5 years since the operation. I'd like to be able to tell you that everything is fine, but it's still lacking in that department. I've tried Cialis and am now on Viagra. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. That's the frustrating part. I did get an Osbon ErectAid pump and he definitely helps, it's just awkward to use at the proper moment. So, everyone is different and there are many stories of success here, just keep trying and i'm sure you'll be ok.

Axe
Posted 5/18/2007 8:00 AM (GMT -8)
A huge welcome to Denny2, BK and tooyoung.
I am Kitt and I am the moderator for this forum.
Please feel comfortable on this site and know that I support each and everyone here.
Posted 5/18/2007 9:27 AM (GMT -8)
Denny. You will probably not be happy with my results but here goes. Had radical in Sept. of 1998. Since then been incontinent, but down to one pad per day unless heavy lifting etc. Try to do the exercises but somedays forget.

Have ed since surgery and have tried the two pills but they did not help. The pump is the only thing that works for me. Have not tried the injections so don't know if they would work in my case or not.
Posted 5/18/2007 4:17 PM (GMT -8)
Hi ,WHOIZME8
Thanks for replay, Yes I appreciate you answers and i can tell you that Caverjet inject work for shure,only you hawed to be very carefully,you hawed to start, from very small dosage, and then increasing so you can see what dossage is working for you, not like my self ,my doctor start me from the top of the dossage, 20 microgram and i hawed bloody erect. for 5-6 hours which i don't needed and it was painful for 5 hours ,beside you use tablets like PSEUDOEPHDRINE, then try with ice, etc.. but no help you hawed to wait 5-6 hors to cool down..I don't feel to use that again..
Posted 5/18/2007 4:40 PM (GMT -8)
Lana,

OOPS...dog gone, I think I did that backwards! Sorry Lana and everyone. Now I've highjacked the ED thread and moved it elsewhere by mistake. I'll DC it if ya'll want. It's definately a thread that is needed. Didn't mean to move the wrong subject.

Swim
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