Talking Counselling And Sex Therapy
Talking to your partner about your erection difficulties can help. Or it may help to talk to a close friend if you are not in a relationship.
Not talking to those close to you could be one of the main barriers to coping with this side effect. You might then find it easier to consider ways that could help.
Counsellors or therapists can help if youre worrying about anything to do with your sex life and sexuality. You can be referred by your GP to a counsellor or therapist within the NHS. You might need to go on a waiting list to see them.
Talk to your GP to find out what is available in your area. Your local hospital or your local Erectile Dysfunction Clinic might have this service.
The drugs used to treat erection problems include:
As drugs work best in men who have sexual desire, they might not help some men who are having hormone therapy. There is limited evidence to say these drugs work when having hormone therapy. But some specialists believe that they are still worth a try if you would like to give them a go.
Talk to your doctor about the best PDE 5 drug for you and the best way to take it. Tadalafil works for 24 to 36 hours, whereas the other drugs work for up to 4 to 6 hours. Its worth knowing that some men need to take 5 to 6 doses before they start to have an effect. You take a daily dose, or when you need them.
Possible side effects of PDE 5 inhibitors include:
- temporary problems with vision
Recovery After Prostate Surgery
After a prostatectomy, you may experience ED for weeks, a year, or even longer. This is because of the trauma caused to the nerves responsible for erection during the surgery.
ED may take longer to recover during a radical prostatectomy compared to minimally invasive prostate surgery. If you had symptoms of ED before the surgery, they would not be resolved after the surgery.
Better techniques and approaches to prostate surgery have resulted in better outcomes for men. Men with a healthy erectile function before the surgery may heal faster after the surgery.
However, around half of the men who undergo this surgery regain their pre-surgery erectile functions within the first year post the surgery.
Men suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, or those addicted to smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, may find it tougher to regain their erectile functions.
Old age is also a major factor affecting ED. The problems of ED can be combatted with a healthier lifestyle inclusive of regular exercise, a healthy diet, and low stress.
Doctors may suggest some ED medications to help you regain your erectile functions. However, these chemical drugs may have some side effects with regular use.
There are some other non-medical options too. Recovery after a prostatectomy is possible. You should talk to your doctor about the possible options. We have discussed the options in the section below.
The Impact Of An Enlarged Prostate On Erectile Dysfunction
It is easy to see a symptom while misunderstanding the underlying cause.
Erectile dysfunction is a common medical condition that impacts more than a third of men at some point in their lives. As men get older, they tend to struggle more commonly with erectile dysfunction . There are many other health issues for men as they get older. Some of these health risks may have an impact on their ED as well.
One common area with troubling conditions for aging men is their prostate. Their prostates can be a source of cancer, but even when they are cancer-free, they may have an enlarged prostate called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia . In this article, we will focus on how BPH impacts mens health and how that may contribute to erectile dysfunction.
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Your Thoughts And Feelings
Changes to your body and your sex life can have a big impact on you. You may feel worried, unsatisfied, angry and some men say they feel like theyve lost a part of themselves. There are ways to tackle these issues and find solutions that work for you.
Getting support
If you are stressed or down about changes to your sex life, finding some support may improve how you feel. There are lots of different ways to get support.
You are not alone. A lot of men, with and without prostate cancer have sexual problems. Talking to other men who have had similar experiences can help.
- Our sexual support service is a chance for you, or your partner, to talk to one of our Specialist Nurses with an interest in helping with sexual problems.
- Our one-to-one support service is a chance to speak to someone whos been there. They can share their experiences and listen to yours.
- Our online community is a place to deal with prostate cancer together. You can talk about whatevers on your mind. Anyone can ask a question or share an experience.
- Our Specialist Nurses can answer questions and explain your treatment options. You can also email or chat online with our nurses.
- Get in touch with your local prostate cancer support group.
Trained counsellors
Counsellors are trained to listen and can help you find your own ways to deal with things. Many hospitals have counsellors or psychologists who specialise in helping people with cancer ask your doctor or nurse if this is available.
Is There Sex After Prostate Cancer Surgery
The surgical procedures that are needed in order to cure prostate cancer are invasive and may lead to long-term side effects. One of these side effects is impotence.
Nevertheless, even in the most severe cases of prostate cancer surgery, the affliction to ones sexual life can be reversible. Through extensive efforts over a period of around 12 months, a man who previously had a normal sexual function can regain potency. This is called penile rehabilitation which usually resorts to drugs or devices in order to accelerate the recovery of erectile function.
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What Have I Learned By Reading This
You learned about:
- Why prostate cancer treatment can cause erectile dysfunction
- What can be done about erectile dysfunction
- How erectile dysfunction may affect your sex life
- What your partner can expect
If you have any questions, please talk to your doctor or health care team. It is important that you understand what is going on with your prostate cancer treatment. This knowledge will help you take better care of yourself and feel more in control. It will also help you manage any side effects you may have from your treatment.
What Are The Current Expectations With Regard To Outcomes After Radical Prostatectomy
Following a series of anatomical discoveries of the prostate and its surrounding structures about 2 decades ago, changes in the surgical approach permitted the procedure to be performed with significantly improved outcomes. Now after the surgery, expectations are that physical capacity is fully recovered in most patients within several weeks, return of urinary continence is achieved by more than 95% of patients within a few months, and erection recovery with ability to engage in sexual intercourse is regained by most patients with or without oral phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors within 2 years.
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Medical Treatments For Ed And Penile Rehabilitation Following Rp
Since the cavernous nerves responsible for erection may take 18 to 24 months to heal post RP, natural erections via sexual stimulation and nocturnal erections may be absent during this recovery period . In a normal state, erections serve the purpose of pulling oxygen rich blood into the penile tissue keeping this tissue healthy . Men who fail to achieve natural erections post RP also fail to oxygenate their penile tissue, which can cause atrophy and permanent structural alterations . This may lead to venous leak which, once present, is irreversible and will cause ED .
Can You Take Erectile Dysfunction Medications If You Are Taking Prostate Problems Medications
Actually, yes. Taking medication for erectile dysfunction may also be useful in treating the symptoms of something like benign prostatic hyperplasia .
In fact, there is a medication thats used to treat both problems with an erection as well as issues that have occurred from an enlarged prostate.
Lets take tadalafil for example. This medication can treat both issues, and it can also treat pulmonary hypertension. This medication is more well-known as Cialis or at Adcirca.
It might also be beneficial to know that some men who have an enlarged prostate and erectile dysfunction often experience alleviation of their symptoms after erectile dysfunction medications.
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Treatment Options For Ed After Prostate Surgery
There are several treatment options for ED after radical prostatectomy, from medications and devices to further surgical options and even penile implants.
Each treatment option carries with it its own benefits and drawbacks, and different treatments may offer different results from one individual to another.
Its best to consult with a medical professional before beginning a series of treatments, to find the best treatment for you.
Here are some options that may be recommended.
Theme : Treatment/provider Satisfaction/dissatisfaction
Some men reported dissatisfaction with the treatment they received, while others were happy with the treatment and the care they received around the treatment. The majority of men talked about being happy they were cancer free. Several men talked about their frustration with their providers sole focus on the surgery and the lack of resources or help with side effects from treatment. Men who were dissatisfied talked about the lack of support and help from their providers while men who were satisfied with their care commented on the support and help they got from the provider throughout treatment. Some men felt the provider did not really understand them in terms of their priorities and their feelings about sexual function. Some patients regretted the particular treatment they received or that they received treatment at all. The participants said the following:
Man 17: Uh, were alive, ok? I was Gleason 7. My statistical life expectancy would be about 12 years, you know, thats average. Could be less, could be more. If I did not get treatment. And, uh, my mentality and still isI got it out, out of my body.
Man 1: I think back. Maybe I shouldnt have done it . And go with the shorter quality of life rather than a long life a longer life with the situation.
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Restoring Sexual Function After Prostate Surgery
Prostate cancer affects nearly 1 in 7 men. Fortunately, its a very treatable condition, especially when its caught early. One of the most common treatments for prostate cancer or having an enlarged prostate is to undergo prostate surgery, also known as a prostatectomy. This surgery comes with a very high success rate, boasting a 10 year survival of nearly 90%, but just like any other surgery it will come with potential risks and side effects.
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, one of the most common side effects of a prostatectomy is erectile dysfunction. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to fight back against erectile dysfunction and restore sexual function while recovering from prostate surgery.
How Is Erectile Dysfunction Treated
Current treatment options for erectile dysfunction for men who have received treatment for prostate cancer include:
- Oral medications, such as tadalafil , vardenafil , avanfil , or sildenafil
- Injections of medicine into the before intercourse
- Use of a vacuum constriction device to draw blood into the to cause an erection
- Penile implants
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Effects Of Prostate Cancer On Sexual Function
In Korea, due to the westernization of dietary habits, the incidence of prostate cancer has shown a gradual increase in the past decade. Not only the psychological stress caused by the prostate cancer itself but also problems such as ED act as factors in the deterioration of quality of life. One study examining the view of prostate cancer patients with regard to sexual function in comparison with that of males without prostate cancer has been reported . The level of stress in regard to the four categories-sexual desire, erectile function, level of satisfaction during sexual activity, and ejaculatory volume-was examined. Psychological burdens in prostate cancer patients were observed to be higher in all categories, and 25% more prostate cancer patients reported having sexual dysfunction than patients without prostate cancer. Furthermore, most males considered preservation of sexual function to be of importance nonetheless, a trend in selection of treatment for prostate cancer first was demonstrated . Sexual function of prostate cancer patients is affected by radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and other treatment methods thus, the effect of each therapy on sexual function is summarized in the next section.
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Physical And Psychological Effects Of Prostate Biopsy And Cancer Diagnosis
The incorporation of prostate-specific antigen measurement and the transrectal ultrasound biopsy probe into standard urologic practice had a dramatic impact on the incidence of prostate cancer in the United States and resulted in a trend toward earlier-stage disease at presentation. No longer were men presenting with late-stage disease or undergoing painful perineal biopsies. The biopsy no longer required an anesthetic or a hospitalization. Within a 7-year period , the annual number of cases diagnosed doubled. Most cases are now detected by PSA elevation, rather than by digital rectal examination.
Though generally well-tolerated when done under a local anesthetic, the TRUS biopsy is not without side effects or complications. In a prospective study of 211 men undergoing prostate biopsies, intraoperative pain was considered severe in 20% of the biopsy events. Preoperative anxiety was reported in 64% of biopsy events and was predictive of intraoperative pain. Anxiety continued post-biopsy and peaked before result disclosure. ED attributed to anxiety in anticipation of biopsy was reported in 7% of cases. The ED incidence doubled to 15% at days 7 and 30 after the biopsy, well after the anxiety associated with the biopsy resolved.4
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Managing Erectile Dysfunction After Prostate Surgery
A common sexual side effect men face after prostate cancer surgery is erectile dysfunction .
It is important to note that this condition can be managed through various treatment options. The time necessary to recover this function is dependent on multiple factors such as the individuals general state of health before surgery, preexisting medical conditions and age and function prior to surgery. A few men may recover their function within weeks or months without the help of any medications or devices. However, most men will see a gradual return of their function over a period of months or years.
Fox Chase Cancer Center offers a unique erectile dysfunction clinic where patients can receive guidance on the advantages and disadvantages of these various treatments. To make an appointment in my clinic, please call 1-888-FOX CHASE.
Communication Between Hcps And Patients
Communication between HCPs and patients was limited, with failures to initiate discussions about ED and/or involve partners in discussions. It was particularly worrying that 12% of men said they were not told that ED was a risk of prostate cancer treatment. Communication barriers between patients and HCPs are known to be a key factor in the under-reporting, and consequent undertreatment, of ED. Understandably, HCPs may be hesitant to enquire into the personal aspects of mens lives, which may explain why, in this study, female GPs were less likely to initiate a conversation about ED after prostate cancer treatment than male GPs. In addition, patients themselves may be too embarrassed to raise the issue, believe that ED is an inevitable result of ageing and/or not know which HCP to ask for help. Factors such as advanced patient age may deter GPs from enquiring about sexual activity.
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How Does Prostate Surgery Cause Erectile Dysfunction
Surgery to remove the prostate is usually offered to men who have prostate cancer that hasnt spread outside of the prostate, or has only spread a small way.
Its possible, if your cancer is confined to your prostate, to have a procedure called a nerve sparing prostatectomy. This means that your surgeon aims to leave the nerves that are either side of the prostate behind. These nerves are responsible for controlling erections. If theyre left undamaged, then theres more chance that youll be able to achieve an erection unaided after surgery.
If the nerves are damaged or removed, then youre likely to experience erectile dysfunction. In some men, this is permanent, in others they are able to achieve an erection within a few months, with or without medical help.
There Are Several Paths To Resuming A Satisfying Sex Life
Its estimated that prostate cancer affects 1 in 9 men, with the average age of diagnosis around 66. If caught early, its a very treatable cancer. Though treatment can save lives, it also comes with serious side effects, one of which is erectile dysfunction .
Depending on the type of surgery required and your recovery, ED can range from the mild to severe. If you or your partner is having trouble getting or maintaining an erection post-surgery, there are several treatments you can explore to return to a satisfying sex life.
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What Are The Effects Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
BPH can cause many physical changes in men. These changes depend on the size and position of the prostate enlargement. If the prostate is enlarged in certain places, it can block or partially block the bladder outlet. The urethra can also become blocked.
These changes can cause many urinary and sexual symptoms in men. However, the effects arent just physical or medical. BPH and related sexual problems can be distressing and possibly cause relationship difficulties.