Sex after Prostate Diagnosis

There is no way to sugar coat it.  If you are diagnosed with any form of prostate disease you will experience some type of erectile dysfunction, even if it is a surgical procedure using the nerve sparing technique.

The information relating to prostate problems and their the treatments is covered elsewhere, but let’s take a moment to review some of the possibilities that are available to men AFTER being diagnosed with prostate disease who experience erectile dysfunction:

• There are now numerous erectile dysfunction drugs (EDDs) available. 
  
• These drugs promote erections by increasing blood flow to the penis.
  
• There is a substance called Prostaglandin E1 that can produce erections.  It is produced naturally and can be injected almost painlessly into the base of the penis before sex.
  
• A penile implant or prostheses can restore an ability to achieve an erection.
  
• There are vacuum devices that are designed especially to create an erection by placing around the entire penis before sex.

While erectile dysfunction will most likely begin immediately following surgery for prostate removal, if the technique of nerve sparing is used there is a possibility of recovery within a year of the procedure.  If non-nerve sparing is used the recovery of erectile function is highly unlikely.

There are studies that report sparing nerves on both sides of a prostate have regained erectile function in 60 – 70% of men.  Also, erectile dysfunction drugs appear to work for up to 43% of men whose prostate was removed surgically.  This shows a promising trend.

There is some difference when radiation therapy is used.  The man will also experience erectile dysfunction but it usually doesn’t happen until six months after beginning treatment.  However, there is also good news here showing that as many as 50-60% of men regain erections with the use of EDDs.

When hormonal treatment is the route taken, erectile dysfunction will usually occur between two and four weeks after beginning treatment and is linked with decreasing sexual desire.   Unfortunately the studies do not show the same results as the previous two treatments having little or no impact on erectile dysfunction.  The good news, however, is that normal erectile function returns when the hormonal therapy is ended.