Prostate Cancer: sex drive after surgery or other treatments

Greetings,
I’m a very fit, healthy 63 y/o that has always lived healthy, exercised and eaten relatively healthy and never smoked. I’ve pretty much been the same weight since high school. Recently I’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer. PSA 7, and a Gleason score of mostly 6 with two areas of 7. I’m blessed with a very active love life with a beautiful, wonderful girlfriend and we love and enjoy our intimacy frequently. That stated, I’m leaning towards surgery and one of my concerns is, after everything is healed and say a year down the road, how does the surgery effect my libido? I’ve come to terms with most of the other side effects of surgery, but I’m not finding any information what the surgery does to one’s sex drive. Can any post prostate cancers surgery men share your experience with regard to this?
Thanks to all and be well!!

Thanks so much to all that have provided insight and sharing your experiences, both privately and on the open forum. It's really put my concerns at ease and I look forward to getting on the other side of this.

Cheers!!

When is your surgery scheduled @pda?

Good morning, I just finished 2 years of Lupron treatments. Without testosterone in your body you will experience not only less sex drive - you will have no sex drive. It is a long road for sure. Talk to your doctor about the other side effects as they arise.

Hi Collen. Radiation or surgery. I'm leaning towards surgery especially if I don't have to have to have the hormone shots. Active surveillance was floated as a possible option but since have two areas with a Gleason 7 score, it wasn't reocmmended

I had two Gleason 7s out of twelve, with 5 % of the two cores showing cancer. I opted for active surveillance for about six years, with regular PSAs and biopsies every couple of years. PSA never went over 3, and the biopsies didn't change until the last one, when only one core of 5 % was cancerous. However, a second opinion from John Hopkins thought it appeared more like an 8 rather than a seven. That was enough to move me to radiation, which I completed in January, 2019, without apparent complications. So far, everything seems good - all but the sex drive. Before the anti-androgen shot, sexual function was good, but since then, sexual desire has been absent. That was in December of 2018. So, from that point of view, I may as well go into the priesthood. Maybe it's a sign from God, but my lovely wife of 55 years might object - or maybe she wouldn't. We haven't discussed that possibility. But, lately, there have been some twinges that gives us hope of resurrecting our sex lives, such as it might be at 79. I'll keep you posted, or maybe I won't. If you believe that I treat this too lightly, I believe that sex is just one small part of a relationship. Just because that small part is missing for a while, it can enrich other parts of the relationship, like hugging, empathy, sharing, yelling at each other, throwing things, slamming doors, and other things that couples in love do. So, be patient with your body. Avoid focusing on that which is uncontrollable at the moment, and concentrate on what you can control.

I had two Gleason 7s out of twelve, with 5 % of the two cores showing cancer. I opted for active surveillance for about six years, with regular PSAs and biopsies every couple of years. PSA never went over 3, and the biopsies didn't change until the last one, when only one core of 5 % was cancerous. However, a second opinion from John Hopkins thought it appeared more like an 8 rather than a seven. That was enough to move me to radiation, which I completed in January, 2019, without apparent complications. So far, everything seems good - all but the sex drive. Before the anti-androgen shot, sexual function was good, but since then, sexual desire has been absent. That was in December of 2018. So, from that point of view, I may as well go into the priesthood. Maybe it's a sign from God, but my lovely wife of 55 years might object - or maybe she wouldn't. We haven't discussed that possibility. But, lately, there have been some twinges that gives us hope of resurrecting our sex lives, such as it might be at 79. I'll keep you posted, or maybe I won't. If you believe that I treat this too lightly, I believe that sex is just one small part of a relationship. Just because that small part is missing for a while, it can enrich other parts of the relationship, like hugging, empathy, sharing, yelling at each other, throwing things, slamming doors, and other things that couples in love do. So, be patient with your body. Avoid focusing on that which is uncontrollable at the moment, and concentrate on what you can control.

Thank you for your insight JRubicon (Jeep Rubicon?) and congratulations on 55 years a marriage! I finally have a date - 7/28. Focusing on the positive. Excellent health (other than the prostate), great family, great friends, and more! Be safe and be well!!

hello rubicon and god bless you on 55 yrs of marriage. i had my surgery back in october, i had my whole prostate removed as a 57 year old man i have very little sex drive. which is ok by my wife since she is past menopause. good luck to and stay well