ED Corner

References to zinc are mostly in relation to zinc levels in men with treated hypertension. Try looking in The International Journal of Impotence Research. You may find some very useful information on the subject.

Swim

Ok, I am up researching the half-life of avodart:

This one says:
"The terminal half-life of dutasteride is approximately 5 weeks at steady state. The average steady-state serum dutasteride concentration was 40 ng/mL following 0.5 mg/day for 1 year. Following daily dosing, dutasteride serum concentrations achieve 65% of steady-state concentration after 1 month and approximately 90% after 3 months. Due to the long half-life of dutasteride, serum concentrations remain detectable (greater than 0.1 ng/mL) for up to 4 to 6 months after discontinuation of treatment. "

Could it be that Avodart is still in his system? and that could possibly be contributing to his lack of libido?
Anyone with better of understanding of medicine can explain this? Or is that way to small an amount that could be possibly left to affect anything?

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Age: 63
Diagnosed: 10/30/06
PSA: 3.7 (2005: 3.4, 2004: 4.0)
Biopsy: 1/10 cancerous, 5% of one core, right apex.
Gleason: 3+3=6
Da Vinci: April 10, 2007, Denver CO
Path results: 1% of prostate involved. Very small tumors on both right and left apex. Negative margins, negative seminal vessicles, lymph nodes left intact. Gleason upgraded 3+4=7.

Izzy,

My sex life prior to surgery was a call of arousal.

Now, in Week 14, it seems more a call to keep the tissues viable and nerves rehabilitating..... keeping the "call of arousal" option open.  It is work.

While I have never been married, I empathize with all of you working on this aspect of the relationship.  My previous attempt at a joke about Alfalfa bemoaning his loss of his "personality" doesn't seem funny here as the fragile male ego is not the critical issue in marriage.  Loyalty and toleration seem paramount.

Research of couples married over 50 years indicates only one thing they all have in common.  They are married to their best friends.

Wishing all of you couples are forever best of friends - and in perfect health.

C^Cedar

 

I am a recent surgical graduate. I have had little to no problem with continence but must admit I am very worried about the ED. My surgeon says both neerves spared, great procedure. I have had "stirrings" but no erection at all. Granted its only been two weeks and one dose of 100mg Viagra but am I way off to have expected to see a little something? No ED problems pre surgery and for the most part was able to achieve an erection at the drop of a hat (or anyother article of clothing!)

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Diagnosed 1/26/07

Swim,

I'll make this brief: What about those on HT? Does trimix work for someone who was having "stirrings" but had to start Lupron 7 months after surgery?

Susan

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Husband Diagnosed 11/17/05 Age: 63 No Symptoms
PSA: 7.96, Positive DRE
Biopsy Right: 6 of 6 Cores Positive Biopsy Left: 1 of 6 Cores Positive
Gleason: 4+3 = 7 Stage: T2B N0 MX
2/09/06: LRP Restage: T3A NX MX
3 mo. PSA Post Surgery: 11.8, 12.9, 13.9 Bone scan, CT scan, Endorectal MRI, Chest XR - neg.
9/06/06: 6 mo. PSA: 18.8 CT shows distant lymph node involvement Start HT Lupron 3 mo. shots
12/06/06: PSA 0.8
03/07/07 - PSA 0.3

Hi Jim,

I totally agree with Swim re. timing. Excellant advice for everyone.

I'm sure that the low T (for us a DESIRED result of the HT) has to do with what is going on. Myman isn't a candidate for T shots as his cancer is systemic.

Your 2 cents is really 4 cents!

Susan

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Husband Diagnosed 11/17/05 Age: 63 No Symptoms
PSA: 7.96, Positive DRE
Biopsy Right: 6 of 6 Cores Positive Biopsy Left: 1 of 6 Cores Positive
Gleason: 4+3 = 7 Stage: T2B N0 MX
2/09/06: LRP Restage: T3A NX MX
3 mo. PSA Post Surgery: 11.8, 12.9, 13.9 Bone scan, CT scan, Endorectal MRI, Chest XR - neg.
9/06/06: 6 mo. PSA: 18.8 CT shows distant lymph node involvement Start HT Lupron 3 mo. shots
12/06/06: PSA 0.8
03/07/07 - PSA 0.3

And someday I will learn how to spell.....

Myman,

I am 18 months out from my surgery. I get erections at night, in my sleep, but can't seem to hang on to them long enough after I wake up to do anything with them. This has been going on since about 2 months after my surgery. You can imagine how frustrating that can be. I used a pump for a while but gave that up about 8 months ago and got started on the shots. Then again my cancer wasn't systemic.

You will have to talk to your Doc, but everything I have been told or read says they work for just about everyone. Hardest part is figuring out which solution to use at what dosage. I encourage you to explore this area.

Would I rather have natural erections? You Bet!! But.... These shots are just about as good and infinitely better than trying to convince my wife she has to jump me while I'm asleep and ready. (hahah) Actually, I'm at the point where I can control my dosage well enough to predict how long it will stay up. Now THAT can be very nice for both of us.

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I sure do wish I had found this site pre-surgery!! RRP 10/25/05 I don't remember all the scores. Have had clean checks ever since. Never had to use the pads!!

Rheeb,

You can read much of the material from these journals on line. I occasionally will buy a new article however, so many of them can be found for free. Medsacpe Urology and Urology Times feature full articles on line frequently. I frequent journals as a part of my job and admittedly get drawn to those that hold special interest for me a little too often probably :>)

Swim

The wives that are frustrated with their husband's lack of desire right after the surgery must understand that for us men the desire goes along with the ability to perform.  My urologist told my wife and I that it is common for the desire to not be there until a method of intervention for acceptable performance is achieved.  This is probably definitely the case for those of us that are older.  If your husbands do not like the vacuum pump, as was my case, then they should consider using the injections.  With the near normal erection I get with the injection I am in the mood more and more.  My wife and I were intimate before the injections but it was mostly for the purpose of providing sexual stimulus to her and satisfying me that I could still perform my partner role for her even though we could not have intercourse.  With the injections it is almost back to normal.  We do miss the sponaneity.

Tamu

Courtney,

Is Kurt taking any medications for depression?

I have battled with episodes of depression before PCa and was taking depression meds. . Some of the meds can affect different people many different ways. The nuero doctor that I went to was very knowlegable about different side affects of the different meds and was able to dial me in to two types at a lower dosage that both helped the depression and did not hamper libido or performance.

Ray

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pasayten

hi everyone, since this subject to close to us, I thought I would add our experience. Jeff was able to have orgasms without an erection after the catheter was removed. we spent several months "playing" around and then started missing having intercourse. Jeff was and still is taking cialis, so we bought a pump. it works really well - getting an erection worthy of intercourse - but we don't use it all the time. it is a nuisance, the ring is hard to get off at times. we try and laugh about the process - using Arnold's accent, "we're going to pump you up!" we notice that the erections without the pump are getting better so we know that the healing is continuing. There are times that both of us think about getting intimate, then decide it's not worth the effort. I know - hugs and kisses and cuddling should be good enough! but Jeff and I get discouraged and just want it to be way it used t be. will it? we don't really know. we try to be patient and keep reminding ourselves that we have to give it time - time is something we do have now that the cancer is gone. Jeff's next appointment will be his one year anniversary (Aug 30) and we'll see where to take it then. he says he doesn't want to do the shots, maybe he will by then. let's keep up the good battle.... 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, 2nd post-surgery PSA test <0.1, 3rd PSA <0.1
no more pads Oct 12, 2006
first "real" erection with use of pump 12/16/06
3/07 - occasional dribbles and erections with Cialis and pump