I can feel like my penis wants to extend longer but have the feeling that the urethra has been pulled up too tight restricting me from getting my original length back. I can actually feel the tightness pulling when I attempt an erection.
I have lost fullness and do have a degree of curvature now after surgery. Prior to surgery my penis was very straight. Now I have an upward curvature that makes it difficult to have sex.
I have used viagra and cialis as well as a vacuum pump for over a year to regain my size. I am now 19 months post surgery. Nothing seems to work.
In addition, my flaccid appearance looks like I’ve never been circumcised due to my size reduction. Any help is appreciated.
On a good day my penis also looks like I had never been circumcised. On a bad day my penis goes entirely turtle and is covered entirely by the scrotum. Before a doctor's exam I need to press down on my scrotum and fat pad for my penis to pop out and look normal. My shrinkage was caused by having both radiation and a prostatectomy, plus it has been several years since using Cialis or a pump for rehab.
Thanks guys. No, I was not offered vacuum assist or Cialis, but that was 15 years ago and I had biofeedback physical therapy before surgery. I learned to exercise the sphincter muscles, which I did before and after surgery, but I don't think it was any help for the incontinence. I will be seeing my urologist in 4 days, so I will ask about using Cialis just for maintenance.
For anybody that plans RP - please watch suggested video and start with Cialis before surgery and be ready to use pump to stimulate proper healing.
If your urologist does not mention this very important part of rehabilitation than find another one OR make sure to insist on those treatments being available to you regardless of if you wish to have active sex life after surgery or not.
This rehabilitation helps with better healing and less scar formation as well as less atrophy.
Most people will have minimal changes in size even without this protocol, but why take chances ? Be proactive.
The apparent change happens without surgery too (if you're on ADT, for example), so it's unlikely it's related to the surgery itself.
Think of the difference between a fully-inflated balloon (erection), a limp ballon that still has some air in it (your normal state before prostate cancer), and a balloon with almost all the air let out (your normal state now). The balloon's mass itself is always the same, but there's less filling it so it seems smaller.
In reply to question: What causes penis size to change after prostate surgery, the explained that from a Dr. at the University of Virginia states: "due to detaching the prostate from the urethra and having to sew the urethra back together, the penis will decrease in length by 1/2 inch to 1 inch.
Not sure if this was mentioned here yet, but RestoreX is also highly recommended on top of a pump. It was made at Mayo and has some great studies behind it, it's a traction device you use 2x daily for 30 minutes each session, starting around 1 month post-RALP and continuing for approximately 6 months.
Not sure if this was mentioned here yet, but RestoreX is also highly recommended on top of a pump. It was made at Mayo and has some great studies behind it, it's a traction device you use 2x daily for 30 minutes each session, starting around 1 month post-RALP and continuing for approximately 6 months.
In reply to question: What causes penis size to change after prostate surgery, the explained that from a Dr. at the University of Virginia states: "due to detaching the prostate from the urethra and having to sew the urethra back together, the penis will decrease in length by 1/2 inch to 1 inch.
I think that it depends of a surgeon's precision and also of extent of the surgery. If there is local spread to vesicles and nerves and even bladder neck, there will be more trauma to the organs and tissues and thus more shortening of the urethra. There are studies in Australia that found shortening of 1 cm on average, which is about 1/3 of an inch and basically invisible. All in all, it is very individual and depends of several factors.
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Hi Wagner 1557,
On a good day my penis also looks like I had never been circumcised. On a bad day my penis goes entirely turtle and is covered entirely by the scrotum. Before a doctor's exam I need to press down on my scrotum and fat pad for my penis to pop out and look normal. My shrinkage was caused by having both radiation and a prostatectomy, plus it has been several years since using Cialis or a pump for rehab.
Thanks guys. No, I was not offered vacuum assist or Cialis, but that was 15 years ago and I had biofeedback physical therapy before surgery. I learned to exercise the sphincter muscles, which I did before and after surgery, but I don't think it was any help for the incontinence. I will be seeing my urologist in 4 days, so I will ask about using Cialis just for maintenance.
For anybody that plans RP - please watch suggested video and start with Cialis before surgery and be ready to use pump to stimulate proper healing.
If your urologist does not mention this very important part of rehabilitation than find another one OR make sure to insist on those treatments being available to you regardless of if you wish to have active sex life after surgery or not.
This rehabilitation helps with better healing and less scar formation as well as less atrophy.
Most people will have minimal changes in size even without this protocol, but why take chances ? Be proactive.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsThe apparent change happens without surgery too (if you're on ADT, for example), so it's unlikely it's related to the surgery itself.
Think of the difference between a fully-inflated balloon (erection), a limp ballon that still has some air in it (your normal state before prostate cancer), and a balloon with almost all the air let out (your normal state now). The balloon's mass itself is always the same, but there's less filling it so it seems smaller.
In reply to question: What causes penis size to change after prostate surgery, the explained that from a Dr. at the University of Virginia states: "due to detaching the prostate from the urethra and having to sew the urethra back together, the penis will decrease in length by 1/2 inch to 1 inch.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionNot sure if this was mentioned here yet, but RestoreX is also highly recommended on top of a pump. It was made at Mayo and has some great studies behind it, it's a traction device you use 2x daily for 30 minutes each session, starting around 1 month post-RALP and continuing for approximately 6 months.
Thanks so much for this information :).
I think that it depends of a surgeon's precision and also of extent of the surgery. If there is local spread to vesicles and nerves and even bladder neck, there will be more trauma to the organs and tissues and thus more shortening of the urethra. There are studies in Australia that found shortening of 1 cm on average, which is about 1/3 of an inch and basically invisible. All in all, it is very individual and depends of several factors.