After being treated for prostate cancer: Why is ED my only friend?

Here’s a 2023 presentation out of Stanford University that’s titled “Penile Rehab: Optimizing Recovery of Erectile Function after Prostate Cancer Treatment.” They talk about things to do before and after surgery:

have you tried smoking a joint beforehand ?? that used to always work for me- right now, somehow I feel betrayed by sex and not really interested..I just havent been in the mood at all..I do wonder if that will cahnge someday..I was once quite the swordsman !

Injections of Trimix Seems to work for a lot of people. In some cases, people can’t maintain an erection because they’ve got Damage to the tubes that hold the blood and they just can’t stay erect because they leak.

The answer to that is the implants. They work very well and have a very high popularity, almost 90% of people really like the results.

Unless the policy has changed the Veterans Administration Medical Centers provides implants for non-service connected injuries; whereas the pump device may be also selected for service connected injuries.

@jeffmarc

If your testosterone does not recover nothing works very well and libido and ED will likely be a problem. The majority of men like me, over 80 after Lupron treatment and poor testosterone recovery suffer from low libido and have major ED issues. None of my friends have recovered. Trimix may help and has been suggested by my urologist but my wife's vaginal atrophy due to age may cancel all sexual activity anyway.

You’re not alone which doesn’t help , I’ve posted many times in frustration after almost 2 yrs post surgery. Nothing works for me and the few times injections partially worked there was no feeling, it’s like my penis was dead . If you have a wife who can still enjoy sex I would try an implant but my Dr . Agreed with me that no guarantee that my ability to feel pleasure will return so I give up. I hope you have better luck, not the way I wanted my golden years to end

@pesquallie
The estradiol patch can increase your libido. Low testosterone can reduce the amount of estrogen in your body, and that can restore it, Increasing libido. People who are on ADT can also use estradiol patches to increase libido and reduce hot flashes.

This is a bit off-topic but related.
In my case, a couple years younger that the OP, I still have libido and can get something of an erection, but it's a bit mis-shapen, pointing off to the left some, and somewhat barrel-shaped.
Shall I post a photo?

...kidding...

I am 73, post RP, Lupron therapy and post pelvic radiation. Since my RP 10/21 I have had total ED. Pills didn't work. The vacuum device with a cock ring was unsatisfactory. My urologist prescribed Trimix. That worked great for several years but became gradually ineffective despite increasing the dosage. I graduated to Quadmix, the most potent penile injection medication. Works ok most of the time, but still not ideal.

I still want a sex life. I have a younger, willing, understanding partner. I am tired of injections which eliminates any spontaneity and are uncomfortable. Not to mention they are becoming less effective.

I have throughly researched penile implants. I have had consultations with 2 urologists who have implanted thousands of implants over many years. From what I have learned the satisfaction rate exceeds 90%. Hard to find anything with that satisfaction rate! There is a blog, franktalk.org, that discusses everything having to do with ED. Very informative.

If you aren't ready to give up sex there are multiple options available for ED. Good luck to you.

Sorry to hear of this. I am in the same boat, and I am REALLY angry with my urologist who strung me along for the first year post-op, and now entering year #2. In my pre-op meeting with my urologist, I asked about sexual function post-op. He said: "Most men are able to achieve an erection at about 3 months, but occasionally up to 6 months." At my 3-month follow-up appointment, I asked him again stating that I have not even had a twitch "down there." He said, "Ya...well you'll likely take up to that 6 months, but perhaps as long as 9 months." At my 6-month follow-up he said the same thing stretching to a probable 9 months, with "some men" taking as long as a year to recover, because "everyone is different." At my one year follow up, he said: "It can take some men up to two years before they are able to get an erection, 'but for those who can't' there are alternatives like Trimix." I was like: "whoa, whoa, whoa...you initially said 3-6 months, then stretched that to 6-9 months, then perhaps a year, and now you're saying up to two years with an inference that it may never happen, so I'll have to do injections for the rest of my life." He has this infectious smile...like a kid a Christmas...and he just said: "Like I said, everyone is different...be patient." I am entering post-op month #14 with ZERO results. Cialis every other day has done nothing for me. Having had my divorce finalized one month before my surgery, I was looking forward to finding someone new eventually, and to enjoy a full sex life with her. I am not even trying to date now. It would be too humiliating to move a relationship along far enough to find myself in bed with my new girlfriend, and then have to say: "Oh...BTW...I can't perform for you." What is really frustrating too is that I am pretty good looking, and look 10-15 years younger than I am (or so I am told). At age 71 now, I still attract women in their mid-40's and 50's, but I can't do a damn thing about it. It's killin' me.