Stimulus Response sexuality

Grinder
Grinder Member Posts: 487 Member
edited March 2018 in Prostate Cancer #1

moved this from the other thread...

I have noticed something a little different after my RP that i am wondering if anyone else has experienced... I may have to get explicit to discuss this, so be forewarned.

The pre-RP sexual response was: outside stimulus, such as sexually explicit visual stimulus, or the touch of a woman, or even audio stimulus (ASMR or sex phone lines, though i did not do this) and other intimate contact, would be neurally transmitted from the eyes, ears, skin, genitalia, etc. to the cerebral cortex where the information is processed. Then the brain sends neural transmission to the pituitary and genitalia to trigger sexual response and the erection mechanism. 

But now JUST visual stimulus alone does not trigger the erection mechanism anymore like it did before the RP. And genital stimulation alone does not trigger the erection mechanism. Instead BOTH are required to trigger an erection.

I am guessing nerve bundle damage or removal must be the cause, but i dont know enough about it to say for sure. Why is stimulus from both the cerebral cortex and genital stimulation have to be necessary now to trigger that mechanism?

Like I said, ANY stimuli from any of  those sources alone would have done it before the prostatectomy. Now it requires both at least one of the cerebral cortex activities, AND genital stimulation.

This is just an odd side  effect that has mild consequences, but is curious as a phenomena. The neural connections between brain and genitals have been disturbed, but not so much to entirely resjlt in ED. As a matter of fact I dont get nocturnal erections anymore. The only way to get erections is sexual stimulation in the cerebral cortex and genital stimulation at the same time.

If you compare my experience with a different experience of others after RP, it may be because different nerve bundles were affected in different prostatectomy operations.

I told my surgeon, this may be a good thing because all it used to take to trigger an erection response is sitting down next to an attractive women in the movie theater, or even church. Not a good thing. But now I cannot trigger an erection unless... well you know. He doesnt seem overly curious about this like i am. Thats why I'm asking you guys guessing you have more skin in this game than a disinterested surgeon. And you may be more academically curious about these differing results and effects of radical prostatectomy.

Comments

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #2
    Gingerly

    Grinder,

    I had not thought about the specifics of what you describe here,  but I think it has some application in my situation.  I believe (after a few minutes thought) that the issue may be that post-RP, all men remain with some degree of ED, even those who would self-describe as "normally potent." 

    The physical aspect you describe is no doubt affecting the vasculature in the area, more than any neurological effect or benefit.  Just me trying to apply a little reasoning here.  Even if the neurology is perfect, the plumbing still has to be in working order also. 

    max

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,208 Member
    edited March 2018 #3
    Damage or mental?

    Hi All,

    I know before sugery it would not take much to get my engines reving, if you know what I mean.  After surgery and a adeqate recovery time it seemed more mental to me than physical.  I was getting good nightime erections which really helped my mental outlook but when it was time to do the deed I was nervous about loosing the erection so it did effect my physical response to my wife.  As time went on and the erection was more sustainable, the mental nervousness part of it seems to less quite a bit.  Don't know for sure but I probably did have some nerve damage, and as I know from other accidents, nerves can take a long time to heal.  Just my 2c worth...................

     

    Dave 3+4

  • Grinder
    Grinder Member Posts: 487 Member
    #4
    hmmm

    If what you guys say is true, it is possible that i lost the nerve bundle that governs an auto matic vascular response either to the brain or from the brain when a particular sensation was felt in the sphincter area and urethra, namely a full bladder. If I can get a full erection (just shorter) as before, but cannot get one automatically like a nocturnal erection, i am guessing i have lost something.  It will be two years in June, so it may be as healed as it will get. Or maybe not.

    Not a big deal, compared to the misery before RP, but the RP was not as "wildly successful" as i thought. Would still do it again in a heartbeat. 

    Also, I have to empty my bladder completely before any sexual activity or... you get the idea.

    The whole area is a complex superhighway of nerves and arteries and veins and contraction muscles and sphincters and glands... its a wonder how any of it functions after trauma.

  • MK1965
    MK1965 Member Posts: 233 Member
    #5
    Double stimulus

    Grinder,

    From your writing, I can tell that you are not recovered as well as you were telling in your multiple posts.

    In my case, before RP it would be enough to kiss my wife’s exposed back of the neck while she was cooking and my erection would start.

    Post RP, I can kiss her neck and other parts 24/7 and nothing,literally nothing will start, no feelings no stirrings. Not just that visual and physical stimulation is not enough with even pharmaceutical stimulus added, in my case does not produce any effect on my little comatose shorty which for 16+ months I do not even fill he exists.

    MK

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