Erections

Options
Trout3856
Trout3856 Member Posts: 1
in Prostate Cancer #1

I am four years out from radiation therapy for prostate cancer.  I am unable to achieve an erection sutable for intercourse.  I am able to obtain ejaculation by watching my wife and self stimulation.  What is the experience of others regarding this issue?

 

 

Comments

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 CSN Member Posts: 3,830 Member
    #2
    E.D.

    Trout,

    Has yor doctor mentined the E.D. drug Trimix ? 

    You give yourself a shot (I am told the needle is 'what diabetics use', and it is extremely small) into the erectile glands that run along the sides of the penis. A nurse will teach you exactly how to locate these glands for correct insertion. I have been using the drug for five months, and the needle pain is very minor, and lasts only a few seconds following injection.

    Erection occures in 85% of users within 8 to 15 minutes.  Depending on dose, these can last an hour to several hours.  You will learn to adjust dosage over time, within a range allowed by your doctor.

    I got my first injection in the doctor's office three months after surgical removal of the prostate.  I was wholly and totally impotent at the time, and a full erection occured within ten minutes.   The drug allows my wife and I to have normal relations any time, but expect the erection to last around an hour, minimum.  Use only once every 24 hours, and no more than 3 times per week.  My nurse said that to prevent bruising, to insert on alternating sides of the penis each time (left one time, right the next). Men like me with removal of the prostate and seminal vesticles can never again have ejaculation (the plumbing is all gone), but orgasam is acheivable.  Male "sex" consists of three componets, each of which is somewhat independent of the others: erection, orgasam, and ejaculation.  (Their "independence" is why ejaculation can occur in sleep, without an erection being necessary.)

    Trimix is perscription-only, and can only be filled at a compounding pharmacy (it won't be available at the corner CVS, in other words). My doc says it is at least ten times more potent than Viagra and similiar drugs, partially because it does not go through the digestive trac and entire bloodstream.  I have read that since it is just a vascular dialator, the condition of the erectile nerves is irrelevant.  And the erection occures regardless of stimulation.  I have not encountered much discussion of Trimix here, so it may not be a popular drug in the E.D. field.

    I suspect that there are some guys for whom Trimex is unsuitable, which only your doctor could determine.  I am not deeply read on this drug, but know the basics explained to me by the urologist, and I know what it does for me.  It works very well in many cases where nothing else will.

    I am willing to give the injections, knowing that they work, but personally would never get an "implant" device; I would do without instead -- just me.  I have seen the models of the implants in my urologist's office, and it is just not something I could do.  Trimix is a lot easier and less radical than an implant, for certain.

    max

    http://www.thecompounder.com/alternative-treatments/erectile-dysfunction/triple-mix-injection

  • Swingshiftworker
    Swingshiftworker CSN Member Posts: 1,017 Member
    #3
    What Kind of Radiation Treatment?

    Sorry to hear this. 

    What kind of radiation treatment did you receive?   Have you been trying any drugs or other theraputic methods to attempt to overcome the ED?  

    It doesn't help you but I received CyberKnife (SBRT) radiation treatment in Sept 2010 w/o any such problems.   I take 5mg daily cialis; have been for years starting before my CK treatment.  Don't take it for any ED issues specifically related to my CK treatment; mostly as a palliative/preventative measure due to my age and temp ED issues that I had in the past before CK treatment.  

    I've heard of Timix injectable ED meds that Max mentions but I have never used them myself.  There are 3 different vasodilator drugs used in such medications - papaverine, phentolamine and/or alprostadil.  So, if you try one and it doesn't work for you, one of the others might.  Just Google "ED injectable drugs" for further info.

    I've also read that the use of a penis pump soon after treatment has been helpful to some but it may be too late for you to try that.  I use a penis pump "recreationally" from time to time, but not for ED therapy.  Beyond that, if drugs don't work, you're only recourse would probably be a penile implant, which won't help you ejaculate but will at least allow you to go through the motions of having sex w/your wife (who hopefully will be able to come even if you can't).

    Good luck!!!

  • Beau2
    Beau2 Member Posts: 261
    #4
    Penile Rehabilitation

    Trout,

    Sorry to hear about your radiation induced ED.

    Max has given you some good information that I feel is spot on. 

    If you are interested in examining other possibilities for penile rehabilitation , you may want to consider obtaining a copy of Dr. John Mulhalls's book, "Saving Your Sex Life: A Guide for Men with Prosate Cancer".  I found the book to be very helpful.

    You may also want to consider googling "Dr. John Mulhall ED". You will be able to see his presentations on Penile rehabilitation,. They are on YouTube.

    My bottom line is you probably want to get in to see a good penile rehab urologist. If you are in the northeast USA you are lucky because it could be easy to see Dr. Mulhall.

      Best wishes.

  • CraigGrant
    CraigGrant CSN Member Posts: 4 Member
    #5

    Hello, Had radical prostatectomy in August of 2024, getting close to a year later and I am still having issues with incontinence and I am very disappointed in the erections I have had post surgery. When I take 20mg of cialis and use a penile pump I can get a fairly descent erection, I have had something that feels similar to an orgasm which I usually have leakage at the same time. I would say it is 15% of an original one. I have been using a vibrator to achieve this. I am saddened by this because I really enjoyed having an orgasm prior to surgery. I suffer from anxiety and depression and haven’t felt the best these last month because I am getting close to a year since surgery and I thought I would have improved. Any help would be deeply appreciated.
    Thanks

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy CSN Member Posts: 1,336 Member
    #6
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1723381#Comment_1723381

    Hi,

    At a year out you still could be healing depending on how much trauma your nerves were exposed to during surgery. If it was me I would keep up with the Cialis and pump with the main goal of getting blood flow in you member. I plateaued out at about 1.5 yrs with my recovery which is about 75-80% of what I used to be. Was reading there is an over the counter non prescription external cream out on the market called Eronxon I think, might help………

    Dave 3+4

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt CSN Member Posts: 1,653 Member
    #7

    Yes, you are still healing. The process is age-dependent with older men having a harder time with recovery.

  • JackWest
    JackWest CSN Member Posts: 78 Member
    #8
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1723391#Comment_1723391

    So some of us may never recover.

  • CraigGrant
    CraigGrant CSN Member Posts: 4 Member
    #9

    I appreciate the responses and just reading about every ones experience - thank you - I'm really lost without an orgasm - really tough for any man.

  • On_A_Journey
    On_A_Journey CSN Member Posts: 161 Member
    #10
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1723422#Comment_1723422

    No, not really.

    Although I was experiencing nocturnal semi-erections during my recovery from RP in hospital (which stretched my catheter and gave me great pain) and I was capable of penetrative sex just a few weeks later, subsequent treatments and surgical interventions over the past 10 years destroyed my pudendal nerve. I also experienced a total loss of libido, and nowadays, my resultant atrophied and permanently flaccid remnant of a penis is nothing more than a conduit for pee. Orgasm barely enters my mind now. The fire has gone out. By the way, I'm only 62.

    Although I look back with fondness, every guy sooner or later realizes that sex in any form and the pleasures that it brings is NOT vital to their own life.

  • Josephg
    Josephg CSN Member Posts: 515 Member
    #11
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1723424#Comment_1723424

    I'm in the same boat as you are, and I have been so for well over a decade. People should get over the thinking that a man is not a man, if he cannot achieve an orgasm. It is simply shortsighted thinking for which there are no good outcomes for the man and all the folks that he interacts with.

    Things change in life, that the faster you get over it and move on, the happier you, and those around you, will be.

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt CSN Member Posts: 1,653 Member
    #12

    Craig: Things may still change. In the meantime, you might want to get some names of urologists who specialize in ED issues.

  • CraigGrant
    CraigGrant CSN Member Posts: 4 Member
    #13

    Thank you, they talked about a shot, I take 20mgs of cialis 2 to 3 times a week but i'm not having an orgasm so my penis can be hard which I get from the penis pump, but all i have is a hard penis, that's what is so disappointing, but I do this regularly to keep the blood flow going. I may have said this in an earlier post. The nerve damage will heal and things will get back to normal. I have to think positive about this.

Discussion Boards