Are you experiencing dry orgasm after prostate cancer treatments?

Posted by jc76 @jc76, Apr 7, 2024

For me this is a very embarassing question and subject. I think MCC is a great place to ask.

I have seen some past post but don't remember much about the discussion. I had 30 rounds of proton radiation and no ADT. It will be 1 year since my last treatment in July 2024.

I am not sexually active (intercourse wise due to back and medical problems with both spouse and I). My spouse and I enjoy each other with manual arousal love making.

I noticed orgasms are dry with little or no liquid. I plan to discuss with my R/O in July but would like to see if this is something that has happen with others who did not have RP. I am not sure if I should be concerned about it or that is a common issue after radiation.

Bear with me was not easy to ask. I have found MCC a place where I can ask embarassing (at least for me) questions where I would never do so in person or in a in-person group.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

@seasuite

The only warning I got was from my cousin who had a RP. He made it sound like he was happy to have even that given that ED drugs didn't work for him. My main RO ran thru the side effects list at the same speed as the drug vendors on TV, a total blur of useless details. Regrettably, she did not 'net it out' and tell me those side effects that are most likely and how I should be prepared.

After my radiation and Orgovyx, I am also 'shooting blanks'. I should add that I had an unnecessary orchiectomy, right side, since my Dr. decided that I likely had testicular cancer that turned out benign, and ejaculation was weak to begin with.

I now get about 80% of a normal erection 3 months post completion of all therapies. I was offered a Cialis prescription, but, my pharmacy just sent: Price*
Tadalafil 20mg Tablets
30 $1501.09
Total: $1501.09

I don't know it that is the final price, but, I'll have to decide if it's work it or not.

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Amazon Pharmacy - I pay approx $13.00 for 30 day supply of 5mg - that's what I've been prescribed for daily use.

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@jc76

@cstrutt52
None taken here at all and appreciated others responding to my original post.

I thought it was something unique to me and a serious problem until I got the responses from fellow MCCs. I did talk to my R/O after reading posts and confirmed that it is a common problem. Not sure how I missed that when discussing side effects, but UFHPTI is so thorough I sure they did.

We are not medical professionals or experts on prostate cancer experts and none of us should expect that from others on MCC nor should the attempt to give medical advice. MCC was formed to have others post their experiences with their disease symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, and recovery and provide an inspiration to others.

You are a MCC and thanks for posting your experience. Please keep posting everyone's experience on this subject is very valuable to others.

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I suspect this result was not mentioned to you. I learned about it by being Dr. Google and asked my first doctor about it. He confirmed it like, "yeah, of course," like maybe they think it is common knowledge ("we take out your lungs, you don't breathe" kind of thing). And, to others. After a vasectomy, our sperm is absorbed into the lining of the epididymis (the tube where it is stored). The rest of the unused sperm is absorbed simply and naturally by your body.

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@cstrutt52

Agree. I only meant to say that the semen is “gone” from the ejaculation load. The question was about the amount of material in the ejaculate. I did not mean to get into a discussion about the exact nature of what is going where, only that it is now “gone” from the ejaculated material. You could also dispute what is a “fluid” and what is not, but this was a quick response and not a medical paper. I hope that no one takes this as a full and complete discussion and explanation of the human male reproductive system.

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@cstrutt52
None taken here at all and appreciated others responding to my original post.

I thought it was something unique to me and a serious problem until I got the responses from fellow MCCs. I did talk to my R/O after reading posts and confirmed that it is a common problem. Not sure how I missed that when discussing side effects, but UFHPTI is so thorough I sure they did.

We are not medical professionals or experts on prostate cancer experts and none of us should expect that from others on MCC nor should the attempt to give medical advice. MCC was formed to have others post their experiences with their disease symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, and recovery and provide an inspiration to others.

You are a MCC and thanks for posting your experience. Please keep posting everyone's experience on this subject is very valuable to others.

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@dgd1953

A good summary, though not quite 100% correct. Semen is not gone after vasectomy. A vasectomy stops sperm from entering the semen which is another name for the “seminal fluid” that you referred to.

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Agree. I only meant to say that the semen is “gone” from the ejaculation load. The question was about the amount of material in the ejaculate. I did not mean to get into a discussion about the exact nature of what is going where, only that it is now “gone” from the ejaculated material. You could also dispute what is a “fluid” and what is not, but this was a quick response and not a medical paper. I hope that no one takes this as a full and complete discussion and explanation of the human male reproductive system.

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@cstrutt52

When you cut out (surgery) or burn out (radiation) the prostate you will no longer produce prostatic fluid (up to 30% of the total ejaculate). There are four sources of "fluids" that are produced during sex. Semen (gone after you have a vasectomy), prostate fluid (gone after you get rid of your prostate), the Cowper's glands (about 5% of the seminal fluid produced before ejaculation to prepare a safe journey for the sperm) and the seminal vesicles (two glands that can produce up to 75% of seminal fluid). During surgery or radiation, the delivery paths for the surviving fluid producers are usually damaged and most will experience dry orgasms or not enough "ejection" material from the prostate to push out the other fluids. During long "sex play" you may experience some clear fluid from the Cowper's glands, which appears before ejaculation, but that may also eventually go away (can take years).

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A good summary, though not quite 100% correct. Semen is not gone after vasectomy. A vasectomy stops sperm from entering the semen which is another name for the “seminal fluid” that you referred to.

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When you cut out (surgery) or burn out (radiation) the prostate you will no longer produce prostatic fluid (up to 30% of the total ejaculate). There are four sources of "fluids" that are produced during sex. Semen (gone after you have a vasectomy), prostate fluid (gone after you get rid of your prostate), the Cowper's glands (about 5% of the seminal fluid produced before ejaculation to prepare a safe journey for the sperm) and the seminal vesicles (two glands that can produce up to 75% of seminal fluid). During surgery or radiation, the delivery paths for the surviving fluid producers are usually damaged and most will experience dry orgasms or not enough "ejection" material from the prostate to push out the other fluids. During long "sex play" you may experience some clear fluid from the Cowper's glands, which appears before ejaculation, but that may also eventually go away (can take years).

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year 2018 radiation still no orgasm

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Yes. 44 rounds of radiation and still dry after 4 months.

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@topkat

Intermittent hormone treatment

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@topkat, you may be interested in this related discussion:
- Anyone take a Treatment Holiday? Intermittent use of ADT (hormone Tx)
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/anyone-take-a-treatment-holiday-intermittent-use-of-adt-like-orgovy/

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@jc76

@lookingforward
Thanks for your input. I too just don't remember it.

But just like you I was really getting stressed out about the other stuff and could have missed it.

Quite a shocked to me and of course thought oh no serious problem now with this. So glad MCC is here to say it happens quite commonly after radiation.

And that made me contact my R/O who confirmed that is does happen as a result to radiation that affects the seminal vessels.

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I too have dry orgasms.
I had 28 rounds of radiation & 18 months of hormone therapy. I wasn’t told about that, but it doesn’t bother me. So I guess you are not alone.

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