Image by shutterstock

Sex After Prostate Surgery

May 21, 2019 | Health | By Amanda Johnson

Those who receive prostate cancer treatment worry about their future and especially their sex life. For sure, it is inevitable to opt for a prostate cancer cure, but what after that? Actually, many men want to know- Will I be able to enjoy intercourse after prostate cancer?’ OR ‘Will the sex experience be different in any way and if yes then how?’

The answer lies within your choice of cancer treatment methodology. For instance even after robotic prostate surgery you should be able to enjoy sex after the initial recovery period. Though from numbers perspective the success probability may not be high and may not be the one to be completely relied upon. Taking advise from a reliable and experienced surgeon for the surgery will increase chances of success.

LETS CLEAR ALL YOUR QUERIES ABOUT SEX AFTER PROSTATE SURGERY

What can you expect after prostate surgery?

You will be in the sexual recovery phase for a period of time after surgery. Remember your doctor will work closely with you and your partner through this phase. After the prostate surgery your doctor would advise and prescribe medicines to promote a faster recovery and its important to follow the advise and schedule.

What about Impotence and erectile dysfunction (ED) after prostate surgery?

Some erectile dysfunction is to be expected after the prostate surgery, but though you are more likely to experience dysfunction but for a lot of men, it is temporary. There are medicines like Calis and Viagra that can help in the recovery phase and your doctor is likely to prescribe them through the recovery process.

What can you expect an Orgasm after prostate surgery?

While erectile dysfunction is common after prostate surgery, but that doesn’t lead to a degraded orgasm. Whether you will reach an orgasm or not will depend on many aspects including a lot on you and your partner. You will definitely enjoy sex after prostate surgery and there are a number of people who have reported even better orgasms and at times without an erection. Penetration isn’t required to reach an orgasm. Experts opine that the sexual experience after prostate surgery very much depends upon the treatment and choice as well.

Doctors will usually let the men and their partners know the possible consequences after the surgery. Hence, they need to accelerate the recovery and work together for an overall better experience. As soon as you are ready for intercourse, and have a go ahead from your doctor, sexual activities must be resumed. There are certain temporary and few long term complications to watch out for but they can all be overcome.

Those opting for robotic prostatectomy are more likely to experience the same pleasure in orgasm after treatment as they did before but it can be an orgasm without ejaculation which might feel different.

What Are The Changes One Should Expect Post Surgery?

No more ejaculation: Ejaculation won’t happen if there is no prostate gland or seminal vesicles hence orgasm might feel different but the pleasure will remain same as before.
Leaking urine during sex: A condition which is temporary and doesn’t happen to all men, you can expect this right after the treatment.
Emotional traumas: During the recovery period, it is very common to expect emotional trauma and anxieties. You are most likely to worry about your sexual experience after the surgery hence it is advised to be open with your doctor and partner, as this will go a long way.
Mood swings and libido changes: After the surgery, you might get a number of thoughts that may lead you towards no mood for sex and also you may feel tired and irritable after the surgery. It is advised to start developing intimacy slowly and soon you will see your experience return back to normal.

Recovery of your sexual life after surgery depends a lot on your overall health, age, and your erectile dysfunction status. Nerve-sparing surgery can become very difficult or even impossible if prostate cancer tumor bulges to either side of the prostate gland. To restore sex and regenerate the penile nerves for sex, nerve graft can also be performed after the surgery.

Post-Robotic Surgery

If you have opted for robotic prostate surgery it is advised to resume your sexual activities once you are ready. Be sure to keep your doctors advise in mind though.

How to start Sex after prostate surgery?

Masturbate:

Yeah think it over isn’t it the way you started in your first experiences of young age. It will help you in building sexual confidence and also you will get to know about your stimulation requirements.

Kegel exercises:

You can improve your orgasm and urinary control by trying out pelvic floors exercises. The way to accomplish these can be easily found on-line or on You Tube.

Ask your partner to join:

Take physical and emotional help of your partner. Your partner will become your biggest support understanding you as a person and your requirements and soon things will be normal.

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) After Prostate Surgery:

ED is very common after prostate surgery and can even last for more than 2 years but treatment and suggestions from the doctor can help you in the process.

Medications for Erectile Dysfunction:

You can definitely use medicines to improve your erectile dysfunction. The doctor is expected to take note of the condition and suggest not just medicines but also exercises. Have patience as you might not need these medications for long.

Practice sexual intercourse:

Don’t take a long pause and start practicing once you are ready and soon things will get normal. Don’t be disappointed if it isn’t easy to begin with.

Penile injection therapy for sex after prostate surgery:

The penile injection can be prioritized if medications are not working to recover back to normal. Erections are improved with injection therapy and things begin to get normal quickly.

Penile implants for sex after prostate surgery:

If your ED complication has remained permanent and medication as well as exercises aren’t helping, you can opt for a penile implant and this will help you and your partner to reach the ultimate satisfaction. Consult your doctor for more information on the implant.

Spouse/Partner

Partners play a major role in the recovery of their husbands or partners. Partners can encourage the males to talk and share concerns, thoughts and feelings. Together the partners have to explore ways to develop intimacy and start again on sexual activities. Slowly but surely encourage him and help in recovery back to normal.

The entire family could suffer an emotional trauma after prostate cancer but the journey is short and soon you will start to experience healthy and happy life. Sex is integral to relationships and this is true for any age and post recovery from most ailments.

Surgery plus erection drugs

Erection drugs can be helpful for erectile complications but only after nerve-sparing prostatectomy. Let us understand why:

Erection medications basically transfer more blood to the penis but if there are not enough active connecting nerves in the penis then the quantity of blood won’t matter, hence erection drugs can be helpful only in the nerve-sparing surgery.

Recovering from surgery of any kind takes time and patience. Post prostate in senior age, recovery and becoming sexually active again becomes a priority. With points we dwelled upon and support from your partner and doctor the recovery should be quick and effective. Go on and start working on getting active again with our tips on Sex after Prostate Surgery.