Erection with less girth?

My surgery was 19months ago and I can get a erection with stimulation by myself but I need viagra still for penetration. I have lost girth and I don't understand why, sometimes I think I overdid things (pump stimulation ect). I have definitely lost length but I know that's from cutting part of my uretha away. Does anyone have thoughts or experience regaining girth?

It's a misconception that the loss in length is from cutting the urethra. If anything, the bladder sinks lower into the pelvic cavity due to gravity. The loss of both length and girth after surgery is, sadly, common. It more likely comes from tissue atrophy from lack of use and low oxygenation and the replacement with fibrotic tissue. We hope that early and frequent penile rehab can prevent at least some of the loss.

A urologist I spoke to doesn't think it's much of a problem because it's not tracked on their standard questionnaires and patients don't mention it. Mention it. Otherwise urologists will never pay much attention to it.

- Allen

about 4-months after my surgery my pharmacist got my surgeon to switch from Viagra to ravatio/sildenafil which only cost around $1 per pill, at that point I was able to take sildenafil for nocternal erections and a full dose for a full erections 2xper week. I guess I could have suffered atrophy in the first 4 months but I was able to 60% erections the first week after removing my catheder, out of fear of atrophy I worked on getting a few erections a day because I figured I wasn't getting nocturnal erections in the beginning. I also used a pump to make sure I don't loose size a couple of times a week (after 6months). I don't know what more I could have done, I have wondered if I over did it, I seem to over do everything. I have definitely lost 1" in length, I don't need to ask anyone that is just a fact, and I feel the lack of girth during sex with my wife. I am Ok with were I'm at, more concerned about undetectable PSAs. Thanks for reply's

Penile shortening occurs in about 70% of men after RP (and a similar percent after ADT), worse with non-nerve-sparing, and worse for older men. I haven't seen any stats on girth changes, only anecdotal reports (including many complaints in my support groups).

It's a difficult thing to measure, and there haven't been many attempts to do so. Some use "stretched flaccid length" as a surrogate, which obviously can't address girth changes, and may not be all that accurate in predicting actual erection length. Some use self reports, which may suffer from faulty memory, but have the advantage of indicating real world perceptions and distress about it.

I think most Uros don't think it's a problem because we seldom spontaneously complain about it, and they don't ask.

- Allen

maybe someone could post a poll. DH's surgeon said there would be no loss of size. She was very wrong. Months later I asked the ED doc about it and he said most guys lose length, and with non nerve sparing it will continue to shrink. Very depressing.

InTheShop, no cancer is more important, but I was honestly pretty bummed out for a while, it is what it is! or isn't!! LOL (I guess)

The bladder is like a large bag. It is more likely to move downward under the influence of gravity than for it to be able to pull anything upward.

Peter, I get that and that was I was hoping for before surgery. But I definitely lost length. I did the John Mulhill rehab starting at about 4-months after surgery. Immediately after surgery I took Viagra once a week to have sex with wife and stimulated myself approx. 5 times a day with a 60% erection or more starting the day I had my catheter removed. I guess a question would be how strong of a erection is needed and how often to prevent any atrophy.

Unfortunately for us guys who have had non nerve sparing RP, a reduction in length and girth is inevitable. But it's likely not due to the fact that your prostate was removed, or that there is a space left once your prostate is removed. It is more likely due to the fact that you are not getting frequent and recurring nocturnal erections at night. You know, the kind that wakes you up at night and you only wish you weren't so considerate of your mate. You see the male penis is attached to your pubic bone. None of that changed when you had surgery. What likely did change is your blood supply to your penis. The kind that actually gives you erections. Without it, the penis says, geez, I just don't need to be this big anymore so I think I'' take a hiatus. Then later on you get the scared turtle effect. You know, the one where you can barely see it, and you ask yourself "what the hell are you doing back there. Even worse if you need to go to the bathroom. Then you have to tug on it to pull it out far enough so you don't pee yourself. And then you realize that you didn't even get cured.......Oh wait, now I am ranting about me. Well you know the rest. Time to invest in a pump, some trimix and possibly and implant. I always wanted to be bionic.