If you are one of the thousands of men who have undergone the removal of your prostate (otherwise known as a radical prostatectomy) and are now suffering ED, there IS hope.
This procedure is being performed at an ALARMING rate – driven by fear of the “C” word (cancer) and the need for Big Pharma and specialty surgeons to make money from the VERY EXPENSIVE equipment that performs this procedure.
(and if you HAVEN’T had this procedure yet, make sure you read this WHOLE article before you do – there are often other options).
But RP (radical prostatectomy) can have some pretty alarming consequences and men are starting to look at the consequences and ask more questions – this is a very good thing.
Men are going into radical prostatectomies concerned about the consequences
Many young and sexually active men are undergoing radical prostectomy surgery and are thus expressing concern about preservation of erectile function after the procedure, a fact that is true for older men as well.
In response to this push by men who aren’t just accepting that prostate treatment has to mean ED for the rest of their lives, surgeons have developed new techniques that are “supposed” to help.
Nerve-sparing technique they described is widely employed and believed to improve postoperative erectile function
But these “nerve-sparing” radical prostatectomies STILL CARRY tons of risk.
Optimal sexual functioning often requires 18 to 42 months to return, even among men in whom bilateral nerve sparing was performed, with reported recovery rates varying from 16% to 86%
18 to 42 months is a year and a half to 3 and a half years. This is NOT an acceptable outcome.
And that is WITH the nerve sparing techniques that are supposed to HELP with sexual function. Meaning that if you get a traditional procedure the outcomes are even WORSE.
As if that’s not bad enough if a guy has ED to start with the outcomes get more terrible.
Men who report some degree of ED or use phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors before surgery are more likely to develop severe postoperative ED
But I hate to tell you, that is not even ALL of it.
Because the body is a complete system and you can’t just excise the prostate without affecting the rest of the reproductive system an RP has some pretty dire consequences for the penis – and not just ED.
RP changes the penis in RADICAL ways.
The postprostatectomy penis changes in several important ways: it is often more fibrotic, it is frequently smaller and it lacks erectile capacity.
Shortening of the penis is often reported among patients who have undergone RP.
I’ve heard from SO MANY men who have undergone this procedure and it not only inhibits their ability to have normal sexual function it screws up their penis as well. Making it shorter and bumpier and lumpier.
The best thing to do is consider a different approach
Here’s what the docs probably aren’t going to tell you.
MOST prostate cancer DOES NOT spread to the rest of the body. There are a few aggressive types and those need to be treated differently, but most of it you can just leave WHERE it is, and it doesn’t pose a threat.
So if you haven’t had a prostate procedure yet, consider a “watch and wait approach” before you do. This means that you leave the cancer alone, and have regular checkups to see what is happening with it.
This approach may save yourself a lifetime of pain without additional risk.
(please remember I’m not a doc and I can’t give you medical advice, I’m here to share the research with you so you can make your own decisions)
But even if you HAVE had a radical prostatectomy there is hope.
Many men have found that vacuum devices that you can get on Amazon can help them get erections back.
Vacuum constriction devices (VCDs) act by promoting engorgement of the penis through negative pressure effects on the corporeal chambers. When used with a venous constriction ring to maintain tumescence, there is documented evidence showing adequate erections.
These devices seem to “encourage” the penis to get the blood flow working the way it’s supposed to again. And are certainly worth a try.
Before you ever let a doc cut into your prostate, make sure you understand your options and consequences AND make sure you know that there are options for recovering function EVEN if you have had ED for a year or more.
Never give up hope.
