Shrinking penis after surgery and radiation

Thanx, sage advice.

I expect her indifference to intimacy is multi faceted....physical and mental. The physical may be the easier to address, the mental is the issue.

I have weighed my choices, not willing to throw away 32 years of marriage, she has been with me through the highs and lows, raised two great daughters and much more.

I have broached the subject around penile rehab therapy and intimacy after each of my three separate treatment regimens but the response in the consult room before seeing my urologist about Cialis almost brought me to the point of asking her to leave the consult.

You're right, we need professional help, just not sure how to get us both there!

Thanx

Kevin

Thanks for your candidly honest comments. I am in a similar circumstance to yours but I’m probably 20 years older. I don’t have much to add to what’s already been said; however, regarding your relationship with your wife, I would get a good couples and/or sex counselor. If your wife won’t go, then you go. There are many reasons a woman gives up on sex. Some, perhaps most, can be overcome, if she’s willing. You seem willing to communicate openly about this. I truly hope your wife is. If she’s not and sex is really that important to you, then you may have another decision to make. You’re young yet. I wish you and your wife well.

Interestingly, I "discovered" that masturbation and orgasm is not tied to erection.

It took a good 12 months after my surgery before I began to have any hint of erection but under the use it or lose it part of penile recovery therapy I "masturbated" 2-3 times a week. Though flaccid, I did orgasm. That's when I learned an erection was not necessary for an orgasm. Even when I was on 18 months of Lupron and my genitalia shrunk to it's pretty-pubescent phase I could masturbate and achieve orgasm though certainly no erection. I

I am one of the fortunate ones, by 18 months after nerve sparing surgery I was able to achieve an erection albeit not what it was before.

I was one of the 20% or so who do not lose their libido while on Lupron,

Today, over eight years from my surgery I can achieve a pretty good erection with Cialis and stimulation. There is no intercourse with my wife though, she quit awhile back

It may be early given your surgery to begin having erections orgasms but both are possible though you may find only one, orgasm.

Do much depends on your pre-surgery function, whether your surgery was nerve sparing, the skill of your surgeon and your rehabilitation therapy.

I am probably outside the norm in terms of my recovery of function, sadly, I am probably well within the normal when it comes to my wife of 32 years and no sex, and I mean none!

Interestingly, I "discovered" that masturbation and orgasm is not tied to erection.

It took a good 12 months after my surgery before I began to have any hint of erection but under the use it or lose it part of penile recovery therapy I "masturbated" 2-3 times a week. Though flaccid, I did orgasm. That's when I learned an erection was not necessary for an orgasm. Even when I was on 18 months of Lupron and my genitalia shrunk to it's pretty-pubescent phase I could masturbate and achieve orgasm though certainly no erection. I

I am one of the fortunate ones, by 18 months after nerve sparing surgery I was able to achieve an erection albeit not what it was before.

I was one of the 20% or so who do not lose their libido while on Lupron,

Today, over eight years from my surgery I can achieve a pretty good erection with Cialis and stimulation. There is no intercourse with my wife though, she quit awhile back

It may be early given your surgery to begin having erections orgasms but both are possible though you may find only one, orgasm.

Do much depends on your pre-surgery function, whether your surgery was nerve sparing, the skill of your surgeon and your rehabilitation therapy.

I am probably outside the norm in terms of my recovery of function, sadly, I am probably well within the normal when it comes to my wife of 32 years and no sex, and I mean none!

My urologist was not a font of information either. My PSA levels went from 4 to 11 and he decided that I would have the robot assisted surgery. I told him to calm down; I wanted to research my options. After a week I told him to go ahead and set up the robotic surgery.
I had read that my penis might shrink by a half inch, but I'm 70 years old. My penis had been shrinking slowly throughout my 60s. My roommate of 25 years is no longer interested in sex so not being able to get an erection is not a cause of strife. I'm 15 years older than her so I knew the difference in our ages would catch up with me sooner or later.
I had my prostate cancer surgery on June 16th of this year. I am still a bit incontinent and have gotten resigned to wearing Depends when I go out - which is not often.
I would like to be able to masturbate, if nothing else. So far my favorite sex videos don't produce any physical reaction at all. I am not going to get Viagra or anything similar. If I never get hard again I guess I'll get used to it, but I doubt I'll ever really be at peace with that condition.

Yeah, not exactly something your urologist tells you about the surgery, shrinkage in the penis, both length and girth. My urologist and radiologist both discussed the possibility of ED as a side affect but not the shrinkage. I have never had it explained in layman's terms but mine and many other men on various forums mention it as a SE and that their medical team did not discuss it as a SE.

So, like may things with this disease, you simply move forward and adapt as an individual and couple. Sex changes, if you are fortunate enough to have erections wit medical assistance (Viagra, Cialis, VEDs, MUSE, Implants...) and you have a partner interested in still having intimacy and sexual relations, then you can. It may take more foreplay, different positions...

Is the penile shrinkage an issue with only surgery?

You're correct @jakedduck1, the RestoreX device was originally developed to treat penile curvature due to Peyronie's disease. It works by applying gentle, dynamic pressure to stretch and shape the penis. The length gain is in part due to curvature correction. Research is now being conducted to see if the same approach could be used to improve penile form and functioning after prostate cancer surgery. Here's an article about a preliminary study:
- New device helps restore penile length and sexual function after prostate cancer surgery https://www.newswise.com/articles/new-device-helps-restore-penile-length-and-sexual-function-after-prostate-cancer-surgery

And the full study
Efficacy of a Novel Penile Traction Device in Improving Penile Length and Erectile Function Post Prostatectomy: Results from a Single-Center Randomized, Controlled Trial https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000001792