prostatectomy side effects

what are the side effects of prostatectomy?

The most common side effects of surgery are leaking urine (urinary incontinence) and problems with getting or keeping an erection (erectile dysfunction).

Your risk of getting these side effects depends on your overall health and age, how far the cancer has spread in and around the prostate and how likely it is to grow, and your surgeon’s skill and experience.

Urinary problems after surgery

Leaking urine

Most men can’t control their bladder properly when their catheter is first removed. This is because surgery can damage the muscles and nerves that control when you urinate.

You might just leak a few drops if you exercise, cough or sneeze (stress incontinence). Or you might leak more and need to wear absorbent pads, especially in the weeks after your surgery.

Leaking urine usually improves with time. Most men start to see an improvement one to six months after surgery. Some men leak urine for a year or more and others never fully recover, but there are things that can help and ways you can manage it.

Difficulty urinating

A few men (less than five out of every 100 men) may find it difficult to urinate after surgery (urine retention). This can be caused by scarring around the opening of the bladder or the urethra (the tube you urinate through).

Some men find they suddenly and painfully can’t urinate. This is called acute urine retention and it needs treating quickly to prevent further problems.

Erection problems after surgery

After surgery, including nerve-sparing surgery, most men find it difficult to get an erection strong enough for sex. It can take anything from a few months to three years for erections to return and they may not be as strong as before. Some men will always need medical help to get erections, and some men might not be able to get erections even with medical help.

Penis shortening

Some men notice that their penis is a bit shorter after surgery.

Dry orgasm

The seminal vesicles, which make some of the fluid in semen, are removed during surgery. This means you won’t ejaculate any more. You may have a ‘dry orgasm’ instead – where you feel the sensation of orgasm but don’t ejaculate. This may feel different to the orgasms you’re used to.

Having children

After your operation, you won’t be able to father a child naturally. You may want to think about storing your sperm before having surgery so that you can use it later for fertility treatment. Ask your doctor or nurse about storing sperm.

Loss of sensitivity

If you receive anal sex, a lot of the pleasure comes from the penis rubbing against the prostate. Some men who receive anal sex find their experience of sex changes after surgery

10 common questions about prostatectomy side effects

1What happens when you have your prostate removed?

Side effects of prostate surgery The major possible side effects of radical prostatectomy are urinary incontinence (being unable to control urine) and erectile dysfunction (impotence; problems getting or keeping erections). Urinary incontinence: You may not be able to control your urine or have leakage or dribbling

2How does prostate surgery affect you sexually?

Nerves damaged during surgery may result in erectile dysfunction. ... Both treatments may affect sexual function, resulting in no ejaculate or the ability to attain erections.” The goal of hormone therapy is to reduce the level of male hormones in the body, or to stop them from fueling prostate cancer cells

3How long does erectile dysfunction last after prostate surgery?

After about three years, though, men with the most severe erectile dysfunction showed almost no improvement, Schiff says. But men who had partial erections that were occasionally sufficient for intercourse (level 2 or 3) continued to make progress for up to four years after surgery

4How long will I live after prostate cancer surgery?

Almost 100% of men who have local or regional prostate cancer will survive more than five years after diagnosis.

5Can the prostate grow back after surgery?

Yes. If prostate surgery was performed to treat benign (noncancerous) prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the entire prostate is not removed. The prostate gland can regrow. As the prostate regrows, the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can increase

6Can you be sexually active after prostate cancer?

While many men experience sexual issues following prostate cancer treatment, these issues are not often due to prostate cancer itself. ... More active treatments for cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy, may lead to sexual dysfunction. Nerves that run close to the prostate gland control erections

7Does viagra work after prostate removal?

Viagra is an effective treatment for impotency in men who have their prostate removed. For men whose nerves have been spared, the drug improves the ability to have an erection by nearly 60%, but the effectiveness drops to 20% in those with no nerves spared

8How soon after prostate surgery can I take Viagra?

“I tell men that it often takes three or four attempts with Viagra to have a true response that will allow penetrative sex.” This doesn't usually occur within the first couple of months after surgery, “but usually men see the most meaningful recovery around 9 to 12 months after surgery,” Bivalacqua notes

9What age does a man stop getting hard?

Most older men suffer not ED but erection dissatisfaction. Starting around age 50 (often earlier among smokers and, or, diabetics), erections change. In some men, the process is gradual, in others, it happens more quickly. Either way, older men lose the ability to raise erections solely from sexual fantasies.

10Is the sphincter muscle removed during a prostatectomy?

There is a muscle called the external sphincter which can be voluntarily controlled to stop the urine in midstream. Generally, this muscle is well preserved after a radical prostatectomy. ... The pressure within the bladder must be less than the resistance provided by the sphincter or urine leakage may occur.

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prostatectomy side effects