HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

ED Question

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/3/2008 3:59 AM (GMT 0)
For those of you who had ED issues and then "healed," I'm curious how the healing occurred. In other words, did you "all of the sudden" get a usable erection or was it a more gradual process of slight improvement over a longer period of time?
Posted 12/3/2008 11:10 AM (GMT 0)
I am interested in the answers too. I am nearly 9 months out from non-nerve-sparing surgery, so I can describe what it is like from a zero base.

No natural erections at all, not even nocturnal ones. Occasionally if I get up in the night, I imagine I might have a little extra thickness there, but more likely it is just wishful thinking.

I can think lustful thoughts and feel some slight movement "down there" -- and sometime non-lustful thoughts have the same effect. Just like the old days, but nothing approaching an erection. With musterbation, I can get some extra length and thickness, but again nothing approaching an erection.

Still, I live in hope. And in the meantime, injections aren't so bad.
Posted 12/3/2008 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
Piano, your reply is exactly mine, except I am at 15 months. Amazing how similar your description is.... rolleyes
Posted 12/3/2008 1:40 PM (GMT 0)

I'm at about a year out, and after months of low dose Cialis and pump use, I can now attain reasonable results with stimulation alone, although Cialis still improves things. I liked the description from another thread:

Bob D said...

 The goal for all post op men is to be "horizontal" while standing up. tongue

That's about where I'm at, and it took me quite a while to get there. It was certainly not "all of a sudden"! It seemed like a very gradual improvement over that year, with quite a bit of the improvement coming after 9 months. Considering your partial nerve sparing, I could see it taking a while... stay positive, and good luck!
Posted 12/3/2008 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
I does take time for those nerves to heal i experinced my first real erection after 12 months and still improving , and sometimes with some setbacks as well...but i am greatful for the progress..

be patient and keep practicing!!! smilewinkgrin

Posted 12/3/2008 11:55 PM (GMT 0)

It took me about 12 months to achieve something useable with viagra.

It was a very slow progression.  For weeks or months at a time I wouldn't see any progression and then I'd get a little change that kept my hopes up. 

Viagra reqiures an empty stomach.  My best results are when I haven't eaten for several hours.

Good luck.  It does take a lot of patience.

Posted 12/4/2008 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
Things recovered gradually for 6 months before I had usable erections without Levitra.
Posted 12/4/2008 6:06 AM (GMT 0)
I am 3 yrs post nerve sparing surgery and still have no natural erections.  I believe that for me the ED is perminant but I get very good results with trimix, so life is good.  More important is my PSA tests are still undetectable.  For those of you who have recovered from ED, congratulations.  Happy Holidays to all.
Posted 12/4/2008 1:25 PM (GMT 0)

You are right Dave it does take a lot of patience and practice :)

i had the same road blocks as you do   i am at my 18 months mark now and hoping for some more progress after that ... i can acheive 80% without any meds and close to 95% with meds  so i hope from here it is only getting better ....

did you notice a greater change after your 18 moths mark ?

Keep UP the good work  lol

Dave7 said...

It took me about 12 months to achieve something useable with viagra.

It was a very slow progression.  For weeks or months at a time I wouldn't see any progression and then I'd get a little change that kept my hopes up. 

Viagra reqiures an empty stomach.  My best results are when I haven't eaten for several hours.

Good luck.  It does take a lot of patience.


Posted 12/4/2008 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
GBINAB-you asked if I noticed a change after the 18 month mark.

What I noticed was more spontaneity.  From about 12-18 months, I had to plan things well in advance, as far as the timing of an empty stomach, the taking of viagra and things proceeding within the next 1-2 hours.  Also, things were affected by my mental state of mind.  If I thought about whether or not I was getting an erection, I wouldn't get one. I had to focus my full attention on my wife, which is probably a good thing.

After approx. 18 months I find that as long as the viagra is taken on an empty stomach, I can usually get an erection  at any time during the next 12-18 hours.  I don't have to plan so much and things can progress more naturally.

It sounds like you are doing well.  I cannot get much of anything without meds in my system.

Best wishes to all.


 

Posted 12/4/2008 9:40 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks for the reply Dave, d you use the brand name Viagra ? or you also order them frm All Day Chemist on  the discounted price for the generic as many on here do ???

thanks again for the nput..

GB

Dave7 said...
GBINAB-you asked if I noticed a change after the 18 month mark.

What I noticed was more spontaneity.  From about 12-18 months, I had to plan things well in advance, as far as the timing of an empty stomach, the taking of viagra and things proceeding within the next 1-2 hours.  Also, things were affected by my mental state of mind.  If I thought about whether or not I was getting an erection, I wouldn't get one. I had to focus my full attention on my wife, which is probably a good thing.

After approx. 18 months I find that as long as the viagra is taken on an empty stomach, I can usually get an erection  at any time during the next 12-18 hours.  I don't have to plan so much and things can progress more naturally.

It sounds like you are doing well.  I cannot get much of anything without meds in my system.

Best wishes to all.


 

Posted 12/4/2008 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
GBINAB- I order from All Day Chemist.  I take 1/4th of a 100mg pill each day.  I've compared All Day Chemist with the brand name and the only difference I find is the cost. I highly recommend All Day Chemist.

Dave

Posted 12/4/2008 11:04 PM (GMT 0)

tHANKS again i figured that  that is who i use  i was wondering if they were safe to use ...

thanks again

GB

Posted 1/27/2009 6:46 AM (GMT 0)
I've looked on AlldayChemist and can't find Viagra, is there a generic brand name or am I just missing it,
Also, Is there a better med that people thinks work better?
Thanks
Posted 1/27/2009 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
Yes i think that ADC calls it  the Blue Pill

GB

Posted 1/27/2009 11:03 AM (GMT 0)

My husband's recovery is almost identical to GBINAB's. No noticeable recovery until 8 months post surgery (just lots of tingling and signs of recovery), then good response with Levitra improving from 8-10 months. At 12 months post surgery, improvements overall steadily with meds,  and at about 16 months return of spontaneous function steadily improving without meds now. Some disappointments from time to time still,  but recent return of spontaneous E's morning and night. Now 3 months off 2 years,  and improving so well that we forgot to take oral meds on recent 3 weeks holiday (!),  and had no problems that we could not deal with. My husband considers himself very fortunate, and he seems to think that the 2 year recovery mark for ED healing is a reality for him personally, but he was lucky that both nerves could be spared. The slow process of healing has been disheartening at times, particularly in the first 12 months,  but he saw a men's health doctor at 4 months when he was quite worried and decided to change oral meds and dosage and this worked. At this time we watched a video and considered injections.  It was his choice however,  not to use injections as he did not want to at the time. This may have been different if recovery had not been forthcoming at about 10 months. After 6 months he gave up the pump as did not work well for him but continued the stimulation and nerve Physio in his own way. I do not usually contribute to these sort of posts as a wife, but as an important topic and the fact that hubby does not use a computer, thought this may help to share given that he is similar age to you. Hope you do not mind the contribution. In answer to your question however,  for my hubby it was slow and sleady healing, but sudden and noticeable improvements noticed at about 10 months and 18 months post surgery.

cheers and all the very best to you Kark60.

Posted 1/27/2009 11:37 AM (GMT 0)
scubadave

Cialis ...... active ingredient........Tadalafil 20mg
Viagra......active ingredient........Sildenafil Citrate 100mg
Levita.......active ingredient........Vardenafil 20mg

creedthree
The perspective given by the wives on the forum are invaluable to us fellas. Thankyou.
Bill
Posted 1/27/2009 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
For those that didn't read about my "event" from a thread further down, I had non-nerve sparing open RP on 11/14/8. The left side was 100% removed, the right side as described as heavily scarred and damaged by my surgeon. This past weekend, started experience errections on their own. By Sunday evening, was able to have "session" with the wife. Would estimate what I had was in the 60 - 80% range of pre surgery erections. I was able to experience what might be described as a mild, distant somewhat, small orgasm.

This has been accomplished with no pumps, no ED pills, or really anything but feelings of normal sexual interest and desire returing to me after being on a catheter for over 2 months.

With any kind of sexula provacation with my wife, even mild, the wee fellow wants to respond. My situation doesnt make any sense even to me, with all I have learned in the past 6 months concerning PCa.

I will be disucssing this with my dr. in less then 2 weeks, in the meanwhile, I am thankful for what is happening. I hope it doesnt go away, and perhaps will improve over time. I am in no hurry, have lots of patience.

David in SC
Posted 1/27/2009 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
Pugatory...

Great News that is a fabnulous recovery at that stage of your  post op... seems that damages are not   as bad as you thought ... way to go !!  keep it UP   (literaly ...lol)

Creed_tree

thank you for your input i was following your hubby progress for a while now  (through  your posts of course...) and you are right we are almost indentical ...after 18 months i feel better progress and i think any open RP experience in reality would be more like  18 to 24 months to get back to normal functioning ... i do have natural erections with the right woman and the right state of mind , at the worse case scenario, i call on the "Little Blue Friend" and enjoy sex life again ...the only worry i stil have in mund  is  my desire level is still low and not back to the High Energy and burning desires for sex as i had pre surgery, but i hope in time (i am now at 19 months post op) i will regain the burning desires for 2 or 3  times a night sex as i used to have ..

keep us postyed as your hubby journey provide an encouragment to all of us ..

thanks again

GB smilewinkgrin

Posted 1/27/2009 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
GB, the original accessment of damage was based on my own surgeons report, that is why I am so curious as to what he thinks. I don't know if he's a brilliant surgeon or I am just plain lucky, or perhaps a little of both.
Posted 1/27/2009 8:52 PM (GMT 0)

Purgatory said...
For those that didn't read about my "event" from a thread further down, I had non-nerve sparing open RP on 11/14/8. The left side was 100% removed, the right side as described as heavily scarred and damaged by my surgeon. This past weekend, started experience errections on their own. By Sunday evening, was able to have "session" with the wife. Would estimate what I had was in the 60 - 80% range of pre surgery erections. I was able to experience what might be described as a mild, distant somewhat, small orgasm.

David in SC

Dave, this makes a lot more sense as it was my understanding that you had to have intact nerve in order to have either spontaneous erections or for that matter even erections with the aid of oral meds.  In some cases a nerve is transplanted, I think from the ankle at the time of the surgery to aid in the recovery of erections.  I continue to be unable to acheive any activity either spontaneously or with oral meds, have to inject.

Scott

Posted 1/27/2009 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
scott, there was no nerves transplanted in my case, when I came out of surgery, he told my wife that he removed by nerve bundles, but later, said the right side was left in some type of damaged state, again due to some of the difficulties he had in the operation.
Posted 1/27/2009 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
I had my surgery 3 weeks ago and my catheter out last week. I'm taking Levitra to try to stimulate the blood flow. I'm not getting full erections (and from reading the posts, it might not be for a while now), however I am able to self-stimulate and obtain orgaism. Once I get over the incontience issue....
Posted 1/27/2009 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hello and welcome, iam. sounds like at least you have activity going there on the ED pretty early on. Incontinence part, in the same club, but slowly getting better each day. Never fast enough for me.

David in SC
Posted 1/27/2009 10:47 PM (GMT 0)

iam144 said...
I had my surgery 3 weeks ago and my catheter out last week. I'm taking Levitra to try to stimulate the blood flow. I'm not getting full erections (and from reading the posts, it might not be for a while now), however I am able to self-stimulate and obtain orgaism. Once I get over the incontience issue....

Hi 44

You are wayyyy   early in the process  .. take your time ... do your  Penile rehab , and  be VERY patient ...seems like you doing well and i am sure you will get there  before you know it   Realistic tim frame is between 6 and 24 months ...

Good Luck   an keep us posted

 

GB

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12