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whats the normal chain of events in return to normal erections?

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Posted 12/10/2010 4:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone,

I am new to the group, 44 years old

August 2010 PSA 4.32

DRE negative

12 needle biopsy: one needle 5%

gleason 3+3

Retropubic Prostatectomy 9-28-10

gleason 3+3=6

pathology report good

5 weeks post op PSA 0.02

complete urinary control at 4 weeks post cath removal

So I am VERY happy with the first two parts of the tri-fecta; Cancer gone, and bladder control back!

 Now for my question... nocturnal erections are not stiff but "enlarged" or engourged by about 40-50% of normal flacid state.

No spontanious erections at all yet. But if I masterbate I can get about 50% firmness and about 5" length I was nearly 7" prior to surgery.

with the pump and ring can get full size and thickness/firmness. Is this the normal progression to full recovery?

Posted 12/10/2010 4:28 PM (GMT 0)
Natural, sounds like you are on your way. Everyone is different in that recovery. Some lucky guys got erections while still in the hospital, others were a slow gradual progress. Others never recover completely. Your age is an advantage.

What are you doing for recovery? Usually it is Pump (VED) , Pills (viagra, Lavitra, Cailis), Injections

Hope this helps. I would recomend that you take a look at franktalk.org it is a site that deal specificly with ED.

Good luck with your recovery.

Cajun Jeff
Posted 12/10/2010 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Natural,

I've cut and pasted a posting from the "blue" area when you sign on.  It was posted in June of this year ... I think it will address your questions:

"Here's a link to an excellent video presentation whose viewing should be required of all new arrivals seeking options for PCa treatment. A video presentation titled "Sexual Problems in the Male Cancer Patient", concerning Erectile Dysfunction by Dr. John Mulhall of Memorial Sloan Kettering and author of the book "Saving Your Sex Life." Consisting of 4 parts, total time of about an hour and a half, it contains an address to a PCa Cancer Patient group and contains of of the most through and up to date information available. Well worth the time for anyone who is contemplating their method of treatment after a PCa diagnosis. "

www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/94910.cfm

Posted 12/10/2010 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
Natural,
This recovery is a LONG process. You are doing great. Think of recovery in terms of a big improvement at 9 months to a year. At Two years, there is often another big leap. I was 47 at surgery. 3 years later, still improving. You are in great shape. Anxiety will only make it worse. Relax, invent some new sex for yourselves and have fun until erections return. You WILL be just fine. Don't worry about it. Have your tried viagra? If you have not, it sounds to me as if that might be all you need.
Paul
Posted 12/10/2010 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Natural,
Sounds normal or a little better. Other than the pathology it sounds like we're twins. Your path is the same if not a little faster than mine. Starting at 4 months it was usable, at 9 months out I can attain a full erection with only 20mg Levitra (generic) and a little stimulation, pill free it's 90%. I'd say you're ahead of average and well on your way to 100%

I made sure to do nightly "exercises" to remind it what it was for, keeping the blood flow is important according to most Doctors.
Posted 12/10/2010 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
I have tried viagra and levitra couple times with no responce at all as of yet, I have read that I may still respond to it later so not to give up on the meds. I have been masterbating to achieve some kind of an erection daily and using the pump daily or every other day to achieve erections that way also....If meds do not work now for me how long till they will work for me do you think? I know there is not an absolute schedule fo rany of this but just trying to see if there is a chain of events and time line that leads to full recovery...
Posted 12/10/2010 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
Natural, it sounds like you are doing well. The experience of achieving fullness initially without real stiffness initially is quite common. That's why my early recover was like, and the Doc said it's normal. I'm at about 10 months post RP and it's come back a lot further since then, both in terms of rigidity, length, and duration.

I was told that practice helps, whether alone or with a partner. It seems like you are the path to a good recovery. "Keep up" the good work.
Posted 12/11/2010 3:19 AM (GMT 0)
Natural,
The gold standard indicator for early (or later if not so lucky) ED progress would be nocturnal erections. If you notice some then the nerves are doing their job and are healing.

That is one area where The Big Three ED drugs come in handy. Take one at bedtime (and probably on a mostly empty stomach by that time) or even take one during your middle-of-the-night trip to the john ( and even more empty stomach). As long as you will get back to some REM sleep you might get some. If you are a heavy sleeper you might not even realize you have them. That is a shame. The old country doctor method to tell was to put a ring of Green Stamps around the penis and if it had broken the band during the night, well, an erection must have come to town!
That was how they checked for ED in the old days. One other way to detect em would be to have your dear wife check regularly during the night ;-)

( Us mostly old guys still remember green stamps I am sure -- very weak paper savings stamps your mother collected in stacks of redeemable booklets. Not sure what would be an equivalent today. Don't use postage stamps! Too strong paper and too expensive!)

J
Posted 12/11/2010 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Natural,

Sounds like you are on a very similar time line schedule as me. I had the catheter removed on June 2/10. At 6 weeks I had nothing...nada, then with stimulation from my wife, at 7 weeks I noticed a bit of swelling and a lopsided erection, maybe 10%...not much to be excited about but I was pretty happy. I bought an Osbon pump at 2 months out and used it with success to have sex. It worked but I often lost much of the firmness during the act. At 3 months out I started using Viagara (Manly) from All Day Chemist, no reaction the first time but then I learned to take it on an empty stomach and wait 1 1/2 hours, with stimulation in the shower it gave me maybe 80%, this continued to improve and at 4 months from surgery I was able to get it stuffable. Its been nothing but improvement since then. I can now have normal erections with no aids but require stimulation, it will occasionally go softer while "performing" but I can live with that. I'm not quite back to pre surgery levels but getting closer by the week. 

I often have the sensation of a nocturnal erection but when I "check" down there it seems no bigger then normal, I think this will come though. Its been a very gradual process but at 7 months out I'm a happy cancer survivor. I had open, nerve sparing surgery with a surgeon that has done many prostates.

Posted 12/11/2010 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone! great information here for the most part! Arch please reply again with an email if u dont mind I would love to chat more with you about your progression back to normal Thanks!
Posted 12/11/2010 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
Natural, I do the same as JStars does. I take my pill in the middle of the night during my pee run. Works out ok, I sleep thru the side effects and have an empty stomach then. No results, but I still take it.. confused shakehead :-)
Posted 12/12/2010 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
You are doing very well it took me several months to get it right.
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