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Vacuum erection device/pump recommendations
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (33)Comment receiving replies
The most difficult thing to get a hold of in this Mayo blog, is that we all know that we are the "Outliers"...the guys who did not have the positive, 100% recovery experience that we had hoped for. Those guys aren't on this blog because "everything went well." But what percentage of post-RP guys do they represent?...10%, 25%, 50%??? We own this blog, all have one or more things we didn't expect or want: incontinence, ED, stool/bathroom issues, recurrence, etc.
So, I wonder even within this group, how many post-prostatectomy men have ED...ED that lasted more than one year; when did they regain normal, naturally occurring erections if they did at all?; and how many men have permanent ED? All I am reading all the time is questions and comments about Trimix, pumps, and other interventions, as if we "all" have permanent ED. And "that" ticks me off, because my doctor keeps moving the target on me for when I'll regain my ability to have a natural, normal erection. He went from "3 - 6 months post-op", to "6-9 months post-op"; to "some men take up to a year before regaining erections'; to "it can take some men up to two years post-op"; to now "some men never regain their ability to achieve erections." I am tired of being strung out with these leading statements sprinkled with optimism. Urologists need to be more honest and forthright from the very beginning: "I am sorry to tell you that even despite my successful preservation of your neurovascular bundles, you will likely never achieve an erection again in your life." Then I could have dealt with it, and be in a different place. I am now exactly one-year post-RP, and I haven't even had a twitch in my penis. I am actually trying to grasp the fact that I will be alone for the rest of my life (divorced one month before my RP surgery in April 2025), because I can't fathom dating someone special, without a sexual component to the relationship going with it. And, I do not want to date "platonically." That is just called "friendship." That makes me think that a lot needs to be done with psycho-social counseling/therapy as part of every man's pre- and post-surgical journey with prostate cancer. Women have all kinds of pre- and post-mastectomy or post-ovarian cancer counseling and therapy, plus support groups, etc. Men only have this blog, but no trained professional counselors. Insurance and Medicare should pay for 10-20 sessions to help see us through our new reality of sexual inabilities.
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@rlpostrp
Get the implant. That will resolve your problem permanently, and you have no reason to tell a woman that you have it because you can get erection very quickly without doing much of anything. Very high satisfaction over 85% satisfied with having it.
It is covered by insurance.
You should’ve seen my postings about it in other messages. This will resolve your issue
@rlpostrp Much of what you said is quite true. My recollection from watching Doctor John Mulhall videos is that the nerves get damaged/ shocked during RP surgery and there is a period of time needed before the nerves wake up and work, if they are ever going to, and no guarantee that they ever will either. I do much understand your frustration. I didn’t have surgery. I had radiation, and adt along with it. So the effects of adt are not worn away yet for me either. That is why I wanted to stretch out Mr Johnson to try and preserve some of what I had. As far as using the pump for intercourse, it seems awkward and I question its ability to work for me. Jeff’s idea seems good, from what I know.
@rlpostrp had partial NS RP 2.5 years ago at age 68. Some response returned but not enough for intercourse. For that I need trimix. I dislike trimix but it does the trick.
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@rlpostrp
The thing is - nobody can predict when and if one will have full recovery for any condition in general.
There are however statistics and that is what doctors use when they talk to their patients. Your urologist would have been dishonest the same way if he said that you will never regain your erections. He would have been dishonest if he said "with certainty" ANY prediction.
There is simply no certainty - one has a great chance (about 75 % of patients do ) to regain erections in span of 2 years but only if one uses rehabilitation methods.
All that being sad the wast majority finds help with ED using medications, injections and implants as does the rest of healthy male population. About 60% of 60 year old man have ED , 70% of 70 year olds. So, % of RARP patients that regain erections post surgery is actually remarkable considering that most are over 50.
BUT, if you give up trying - you are lowering your chances as well as the speed of recovery. : (