FOR ADULTS ONLY: QUESTION ABOUT SEX

Okay, for those of you who have had the ileostomy due to rectal cancer: how long did it take for the men in the audience to regain sexual function? 

I know that the abdominal incision for surgery, the deadened nerve endings, the trauma to the body, etc. cause erectile disfunction.   The surgeon warned us this could and probably would happen.  We are a month out from surgery.  How long did it take for you to be able to get erection?  

Bill and I may be 61 years old but we have always had an active sex life and to be honest we had just gotten it back after the chemo/radiation when he had to have the surgery.  So now we are wondering if and when things will return to normal.  

I am guessing it probably won't be until after his reversal (which will set everything back again) and I am okay with that but we just want a frame of reference.  We may be old but we aren't dead yet!   He has offered to just give me what I need by other means but I feel really bad that I can't do anything for him.

So if you have some experience with this, please don't be shy.....let me know how long I should expect to wait before we should really worry.   Thanks to all who are willing to discuss such a personal issue.

My surgeon said three to six months depending on the surgery conditions and how much had to be removed. He advised your husband ask his surgeon since my doc could only guess based on my description.

I had toxic mega colon, not rectal cancer, but after fully recovering from the THREE surgeries (about two months), I regained erectile function. I would advise patience and not putting on too much pressure too soon. Things eventually do return to normal.