Rather negative here, I'm afraid. In spite of both nerves being spared, and being young and healthy, there wasn't time for them to recover before I started radiotherapy just 6 months later. That, of course, was that. Injections worked a bit, but never for orgasm, and hurt quite a lot, so I stopped. Use pump now, but again, never anywhere close to orgasm, but it sort of works. But it really is pretty useless, tragically.
Apparently, you have to learn to 'put it in a box' and carry on. I do do that, but it's always there. Keep busy, and keep enjoying life. We are lucky to have been able to retire (since aged 57, 2 years after diagnosis) so we have many holidays and it's all good fun. You should do likewise, or keep busy with work, because it's along road ahead to enjoy life. I got scared and depressed when PSA hit 1.0 because it was a sort of landmark. Sure, it means I wasn't cured, and won't be, which is spectacularly 'annoying' that I've got more treatments (the dreaded hormones etc), as I really could have been caught early enough, like nearly everyone can - IF we got tested early enough. Possible to do, but the 'officials' don't think so.
Sex After just 5 years of marriage, a first marriage, that was it. Not totally, but compared to what we had had, its rubbish, and SO sad. It's particularly sad, because, like I've said, it could have been avoided SO easily IF I had been aware enough to have demanded a PSA test maybe just a few months earlier. Certainly if I'd had one aged 50, 51, 52, 53 or 54. Too late. Just; one cell had already escaped without me knowing it. Scandalous. So GET A TEST - NOW!
Yes
It gets rid of the cancer, or nearly. Of course a cell had already escaped, so it was too late, but at least the main 'source' had been removed, so I've not had cancer growing into the bladder area etc. The PSA went to 'undetectable' after surgery, but registered just 3 months later, so I was only JUST too late. Radiotherapy should have tidied it up, but as said - a cell had already escaped. Now, 6 years later, scans picked up one bit of bone metastasis, which was zapped last September. That has helped, but I'm on the way to hormones very soon. All avoidable. Please don't wait for symptoms or 'family history'; ANY man is at risk of Prostate Cancer, so get a starting point/baseline PSA test now, and keep an eye on it, for your LIFE's sake!
I tried injections for a year or two but it got painful, and hurt until the effects wore off. The crown didn't swell, so although penetration was possible, never an orgasm, for me. I switched to the pumb. This worked ok, but again never close to climax.
I was conscious about the sex aspect. This bothered me more than my wife! I expected the side effect as my surgery didnt get it all so needed radiotherapy just 3 months later. Then I knew that was it; nerve-sparing surgery wasted.
The thought of never having full sex again, aged only 56, and only married 6 years. Brutal.
Yes
I had no choice at my age; it had to be removed.
Injections worked but never led to climax, for me. They hurt too, until it wore off, after an hour or so. So I stopped. I tried, and still try, the pump. It works but is 'inconvenient' and no climax.
The emotion is from the fact that 1) I will never have proper sex again, now aged only 63, and at the time after only 6 years marriage. 2) Something we enjoyed, and would certainly be doing...gone forever, if I'm being honest. 3) The fact that 2 years after the surgery and radiotherapy, the PSA started rising again. So, I knew I was now 'advanced' and incurable. After the hope of a cure, twice, with nerves spared, this is sledge-hammer stuff. And knowing that, aged only 59, when the PSA started to rise again, that I am likely to die much younger than hoped. Emotional with a high degree of anger; my PSA dropped to undetectable after surgery. This means that I was THAT close to being cured....except ONE cell had already escaped. NO symptoms, NO family history. And, crucially - NO SCREENING. I was SO close to being OK, and because of NHS 'policy', I was never offered a test. Then, when I asked for one, it was obviously, JUST, too late. So my advice, guys, is GET A TEST - NOW! That way you will likely avoid the misery I now have, and the hormones that I have just started. ALL unnecessary. It's tragic that we, men, with the biggest killer around, are DELIBERATELY left with a silent killer inside us. Scandal. Don't let the NHS let you die - GET A TEST!
Mostly said earlier: sex (gone, when it looked highly hopeful); worry about what's coming next (hormones just started), early death, preparations for death, leaving my wife, and the love of life I still have. ALL avoidable. Also, my faith is seriously 'questioned'. so I am very sad about this too. Incontinence has not been a big issue. That's the only positive out of this mess. A few drops when I exert myself, sneeze etc, so I have to wear a tiny pad just in case. Sometimes I let out too much, which has potential to be embarrassing and is annoying - and a constant reminder of my situation. Also, because I have E.D., I have to use the pump EVERY day, so I have to slot that into my daily routine. Again, due to JUST too late diagnosis. 7 years of daily use, and for the rest of my life. It would have been avoidable.
Yes
Like the surgery (failed due to just too late diagnosis), and my youngish age, I had no choice. It's rubbish, because it destroyed my saved nerves, but better than death.
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