I think the first holiday year is the hardest. If your treatment choice was successful and the fear of dying has subsided, it's less challenging to feel gratitude on year two. I appreciate all those...
Here's a blog I wrote last year about coping with PC during the holidays: In the month of November, Hallmark began the countdown to Christmas with special holiday movies. I skip all the movies about...
I found sticking a "tiny" needle into my penis infinitely more traumatic than going in for penile surgery. Not only did I hate injecting, the 12 hours of aching pain after the injection was so...
I don't know how others with implants feel, but solo pleasure with an implant is not appealing or pleasurable activity to me. You have rods inserted on both sides of your penis and when they are...
I would say this to anyone considering implant. If you have a partner who might find themselves annoyed with your new found abilities, or you don't plan on having an active sex life, in my opinion,...
I wasn't going to respond to this because I suspect no good will come from it, but there were so too many misconceptions here to leave things unsaid. "I often fail to understand what seems to me to...
Rudy Thank you for your service to our country. Studies show that as many as 33% of those dx with cancer will suffer from PTST. If you google "PTSD and cancer" you will find hundreds of articles and...
A number of people seemed offended because they got the impression I said PTSD was the ONLY reason SOME men live in misery with ED and won't consider an implant. My point was base your decision on...
Even though I've been a Medical Social Worker I had no clue I'd been suffering from PTSD, short for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. How and why would I experience PTSD when I made a choice which...
Peter, We will need to keep in touch. If the surgery suit isn't available on Jan 16th (I won't find out until Jan 9th) my surgery will be pushed back until April. So you might jump ahead of me. I'll...
After 4 years after double nerve sparing surgery, with penile rehab which included the vacuum pump, penile injections, & ED medications I've become unresponsive to every form of rehab. I had to...
I'm 3.5 years post a robotic prostatectomy. I've been through the vacuum pump, ED meds and injections. I've made the decision to get an implant. A couple of concerns: 1. My surgeon told me this isn't...
I appreciate all who've shared their story on how they received the news. It's certainly a day that's burned into all our memories. I wonder if anyone was told about getting outside support from...
Before my biopsy my PSA doubled and I had a palpable lump. I was 100% certain I'd get the news I had prostate cancer. I thought is was very thoughtful when my Urologist asked me where I'd like to get...
RCS I have a number of codes for kindle editions and I'd be glad to give away some of these codes to men/couples who are interested in reading the book. That said, I have a feeling we are violating...
RCS, You can mention the title I can't, and I understand why. This forum can't degenerate into threads of people promoting whatever it is they are selling. In some ways it's frustrating because there...
RCS You received some great and very practical help! It's funny you should mention both those books. After I was dx with prostate cancer I took out many books from the library and purchased a few as...
Thanks for sharing a touching and meaningful conversation with your son. PC provides us with a vivid reminder our time on this earth is finite. The time for meaningful interactions with friends and...
It's amazing how insensitive people can be. I wonder if I should start another thread about the wonderful things people said. It's down right depressing to hear so many thoughtless and/or hurtful...
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I agree people mean well. No one gets preparation what to say to someone with cancer. That said compasion isn't something you teach to adults by then you have it...
Thanks I'll try that on a post...
Tim, Great Blog. I blog as well. Can someone tell me how to use the formatting here? Every time I highlight something like this link the URL appears at the bottom of my post and the link doesn't work...
I heard that too. For a while I beloved it. However after years of ED and leaking urine I've come to the belief there is no such thing as "a good cancer."...
I wonder if it's possible to educate healthy folks about things to say and not to say to those with PC. For me, it's easier to recall the things that caused either pan or emotional upset. Each of...
Thanks...
TC, I watched some of the same You Tube videos. Guys bragging the went out golfing weeks after surgery. They were all praising surgery and the fast recovery process. I never saw a video made by...
I appreciate those who took the time to share their story as well. Receiving the initial diagnosis of prostate cancer is frightening. For those who choose aggressive treatment, whether it's surgery...
In my case it wasn't one or the other. For a while I was bitter, and then I got better. In a survey on my website 275 men answered the following question: How has surgery effected your relationship...
I found it was necessary for me to grieve the loss of my pre-surgery sexuality before I could enjoy and make the best of what I have. This process took longer because I became so angry and sad about...
Billy You are right on. Didn't need to know. But I think those in the medical field shouldn't assume we know this....
I appreciate those who are sharing their post surgery issues with the lack of desire or the desire but lack of ability. I suppose I could consider myself fortunate that my lack of ability coincided...
You didn't make me cross I quoted it back because it was only portion of your response that wasn't relevant to the purpose of my thread. I didn't write it for a review I wrote it to share what I've...
I've taken every pill there is to take and used penile injections. Neither of those options restored libido. At times, both options a allowed for usable erections. More often than not both failed....
Thanks Gedman, I agree low T can certainly cause a drop in sexual desire. That said after a prostatectomy testosterone levels go up. According to Johns Hopkins, the increase in testosterone is not...
Following surgery I find my libido dropped to zero. Four years later it's still at zero. I suspect there are many reasons for this and these represent my thoughts about this issue. I know my own lack...
The newspaper in my town, the Modesto Bee was not interested in giving a single inch of space for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. I tried to write a letter to the Editor where the paper puts...
Here's part of a Presidential Proclamation about prostate cancer: This month, I encourage all Americans to lend their support to family, friends, and neighbors whose lives have been touched by...
Explorer This is a very valid point "I will point out though that the 2+ years from before diagnosis to present day may well involve some loss due to simple aging. As a result a straight up before...
Purgatory, I'm amazed at all you've been through, and yet where you landed with life long changes. It is good to hear some men regain everything back and/or better. To the Moderator, Thanks for...
Krugzz, I wish you the best in your recovery and learning to adjust to life without out a prostate. There's a joke about prostate cancer that isn't true it goes like this: Doctor: I have good news...
Phenom Thanks for the very candid answer. I do wonder if whether your satisfaction with the decision is greatly dependent upon where you land with urinary control and erectile functioning. 31 months...
Casey59, You raise a great point. I'm leaning toward believing most men react to the news of PC based on their own experiences with other people living and dying from a diagnosis of cancer. I think...
Wow, It's great to see so many men who said "yes" After hearing the answer yes x's 3 I wonder if men would include whether they were getting support from this forum prior to surgery. Meaning they...
I'm conducting a poll on my website, but I'm sure it's against the rules to put a link to my poll, so I'll ask the question to every man who've had their prostate removed. Here's the question:...
Ever since my prostate surgery 2 years ago, I've been looking for ways to help men cope with life before and after prostate surgery. I'm wondering if those here would give me feedback on my pre and...
Thanks for all the good wishes. Writing the book is one thing, having it sell is quite another. The average self published book sells 150 copies. A man is dx with PC every 2.1 seconds and more than...
This week a book my wife and I co-authored was published. The Title: I Left My Prostate In San Francisco-Where's Yours? Subtitle: Coping With The Emotional, Relational, Sexual & Spiritual Aspects of...
David, I used bi-mix successfully for 4 months. Then I started experiencing failure with injections went to a full needle, nothing. Ordered a new batch of bi-mix, and no response with the new batch....
16 months post surgery I've been trying a variety of ED medications Viagra-Gave me a migraine which lasted for hours Cialis- Back pain so severe, I couldn't walk unless I used a cane. Even then I...
Bronson, I agree an important sex organ is the brain, but without nerve bundle healing, there is a disconnect. What I didn't mention is even my night time erections are sporadic. I've only had 3 in...