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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.

Profile picture for bkizer
bkizer | @bkizer | Aug 14 7:11pm
In reply to @brian5837 "I'm a month off of Orgovyx, 5 months since 20 weeks of Proton radiation ended, and..." + (show)
Profile picture for brian5837 @brian5837

I'm a month off of Orgovyx, 5 months since 20 weeks of Proton radiation ended, and started daily Cialis about 5 days ago . I thought I would test things out even though my doc said it would take 3-6 months before T recovery. (Cialis seemed to already be generating some new responsiveness.) That's when I experienced no orgasm reached when I felt like I would. And that's what sent me to here and elsewhere where I read, in effect, that dry orgasms are the norm, so to speak, post radiation. And also that several comments suggest that's no big deal.

Well it feels like a huge deal for me especially because it would be totally unexpected. I was never told of this. So it's a shock. I went back over all the consent forms and the pretreatment info and they cover just about every unfortunate outcome but not this. The closest I could find was a reference to sterility (but to my mind that's different).

There was no cancer in my seminal vessels per the MRI and thankfully no metastasis. So the margins should have been small.

Questions: 1) Is there no hope of restored orgasms as things continue to heal and the Orgovyx effects dissipate?
2) For those here who have reconciled themselves to dry orgasms, I get that it's better than the cancerous alternative, but how did you get to acceptance? I'm a long way from that and it's very troubling.

Many thanks all.

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I’ve had dry orgasms for 14yrs now perfectly normal, I’m 78 and still having good sex, really helps with the right partner

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jc76 | @jc76 | Aug 14 5:49am
In reply to @goblue364 "I’m coming up on one year since I finished my 28 sessions of radiation treatment for..." + (show)
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I’m coming up on one year since I finished my 28 sessions of radiation treatment for PC. I’m dry too and never was told this was a side effect. I thought I did a lot of research but have to blame myself. I’m working on getting over it but it does make me hesitate for sex. Thanks everyone in this group.

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@goblue364
This happened to me exactly as you posted.

I really did not remember being told this was a common side affect. But another poster reminded me you are being told so much it could have happened and you just did not remember.

But for me did not remember and immediately contacted my R/O and told common as radiation hits the seminal and prostate vessels. That did not help as was kind of dramatic even at my age.

I agree with you about the sex part. It really put a negative on me even trying. I did though talk to my wife about it so we try to stay intimate in other ways.

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goblue364 | @goblue364 | Aug 13 12:07pm

I’m coming up on one year since I finished my 28 sessions of radiation treatment for PC. I’m dry too and never was told this was a side effect. I thought I did a lot of research but have to blame myself. I’m working on getting over it but it does make me hesitate for sex. Thanks everyone in this group.

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1 reply
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ededed | @ededed | Aug 12 7:09am
In reply to @brian5837 "Thanks so much, Scott! Very helpful." + (show)
Profile picture for brian5837 @brian5837

Thanks so much, Scott! Very helpful.

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I had radiation to my prostate and because of local mets also to one seminal vesicle. I mostly have dry orgasms with small amounts of ejaculations every once in a while. Sometimes I think I don't have any ejaculate but when I wake up there is some dried ejaculate on my leg.

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brian5837 | @brian5837 | Aug 11 2:00pm

Thanks so much, Scott! Very helpful.

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scottbeammeup | @scottbeammeup | Aug 11 1:05pm
In reply to @brian5837 "Thanks for some hope! The pelvic floor exercises sound intriguing. Any way to share what they..." + (show)
Profile picture for brian5837 @brian5837

Thanks for some hope! The pelvic floor exercises sound intriguing. Any way to share what they are?

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Most of the ones I was given were among these: https://nafc.org/downloadable-pelvic-floor-exercises/

A lot of them are VERY similar to yoga poses and involve a lot of stretching. Another one I was given was to do kegels but do five VERY quickly with no pause in between and no holding just 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in five seconds several times a day. That's different than the ones for urinary control.

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markstyles | @markstyles | Aug 11 11:46am

I had 5 rounds of radiation in 2020. I had only one ejaculation a week after treatment, it less than usual with a bit of blood in it. My doctor told me to expect a bit of blood the first couple of times. I had pre-cum many times (a small amount of clear liquid). Then nothing. The stimulation of my member feels normal, but as I get close to ejaculation, nothing happens. I've come to accept it, being grateful to be alive, and mostly functional. This happened when I was 70. Now I am 76 years old. It would have been better if your doctor had told you what to expect. My doctor told me all the possible outcomes. I take Cialis every day; it makes my dick more meaty and much easier to urinate. I tried trimix, but was uncomfortable with injecting. Too much can be painful, and you might have to go to the emergency room if it doesn't return to normal size.

Leakage and uncontrolled urination can happen. I do pelvic floor exercises regularly; otherwise, the symptoms will return. Again, I have to accept this, like becoming bald, arthritis issues, and having digestion issues due to various medical issues.

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graybeard46 | @graybeard46 | Aug 10 4:50pm
In reply to @brian5837 "I'm a month off of Orgovyx, 5 months since 20 weeks of Proton radiation ended, and..." + (show)
Profile picture for brian5837 @brian5837

I'm a month off of Orgovyx, 5 months since 20 weeks of Proton radiation ended, and started daily Cialis about 5 days ago . I thought I would test things out even though my doc said it would take 3-6 months before T recovery. (Cialis seemed to already be generating some new responsiveness.) That's when I experienced no orgasm reached when I felt like I would. And that's what sent me to here and elsewhere where I read, in effect, that dry orgasms are the norm, so to speak, post radiation. And also that several comments suggest that's no big deal.

Well it feels like a huge deal for me especially because it would be totally unexpected. I was never told of this. So it's a shock. I went back over all the consent forms and the pretreatment info and they cover just about every unfortunate outcome but not this. The closest I could find was a reference to sterility (but to my mind that's different).

There was no cancer in my seminal vessels per the MRI and thankfully no metastasis. So the margins should have been small.

Questions: 1) Is there no hope of restored orgasms as things continue to heal and the Orgovyx effects dissipate?
2) For those here who have reconciled themselves to dry orgasms, I get that it's better than the cancerous alternative, but how did you get to acceptance? I'm a long way from that and it's very troubling.

Many thanks all.

Jump to this post

I share your pain Brian after a year of surgery radiation and Lupron not a sign of having sex again despite Trimix and Bimix I feel nothing, whenever I see couples out in public holding hands I get very depressed knowing they can enjoy love making when they get home , I might as well be in Prison , not happy

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Profile picture for brian5837
brian5837 | @brian5837 | Aug 10 3:03pm
In reply to @scottbeammeup "I had dry orgasms, too, when I stopped Orgovyx but now that it's almost a year..." + (show)
Profile picture for scottbeammeup @scottbeammeup

I had dry orgasms, too, when I stopped Orgovyx but now that it's almost a year later, I ejaculate a lot of clear pre-cum which feels good. Unfortunately, I only have orgasms about half the time now when I used to have them 90% of the time. I also need 20 mg Viagra when I needed nothing before. Orgasms were pretty weak but I did pelvic floor physical therapy and that greatly improved their quality.

As for how to get to acceptance, I'm still not there. Some days I'm OK, others I'm angry or sad. That's just how it is, I assume. I guess over time I'l get used to it since it seems people can get used to just about anything.

Jump to this post

Thanks for some hope! The pelvic floor exercises sound intriguing. Any way to share what they are?

REPLY
1 reply
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jime51 | @jime51 | Aug 10 2:28pm
In reply to @brian5837 "I'm a month off of Orgovyx, 5 months since 20 weeks of Proton radiation ended, and..." + (show)
Profile picture for brian5837 @brian5837

I'm a month off of Orgovyx, 5 months since 20 weeks of Proton radiation ended, and started daily Cialis about 5 days ago . I thought I would test things out even though my doc said it would take 3-6 months before T recovery. (Cialis seemed to already be generating some new responsiveness.) That's when I experienced no orgasm reached when I felt like I would. And that's what sent me to here and elsewhere where I read, in effect, that dry orgasms are the norm, so to speak, post radiation. And also that several comments suggest that's no big deal.

Well it feels like a huge deal for me especially because it would be totally unexpected. I was never told of this. So it's a shock. I went back over all the consent forms and the pretreatment info and they cover just about every unfortunate outcome but not this. The closest I could find was a reference to sterility (but to my mind that's different).

There was no cancer in my seminal vessels per the MRI and thankfully no metastasis. So the margins should have been small.

Questions: 1) Is there no hope of restored orgasms as things continue to heal and the Orgovyx effects dissipate?
2) For those here who have reconciled themselves to dry orgasms, I get that it's better than the cancerous alternative, but how did you get to acceptance? I'm a long way from that and it's very troubling.

Many thanks all.

Jump to this post

I want to follow your progress. I'm 73, in my eighth month (of 24, supposedly) of Orgovyx, and haven't experienced a normal erection or orgasm all year. I'm cheering for your recovery!

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