Philip's Story

Ethnicity
White British
Age
60-69
Work
Retired
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Geography
North West
Relationship status
Married/In a Civil Partnership

Radical Prostatectomy (Surgery)

Tips and advice for any sexual side effects of treatment

Relax. Don’t rush. Ensure you get a Pump and use it regularly. Overtime the sex urge will return. I was prescribed Sildenafil. In the early days this was to stimulate blood flow but later it did help with the pump to engage in sex.

How this treatment impacted my life the most

My main concern initially was about incontinence. How would I deal with it. NHS gave no advice or support regarding dealing with this. Luckily Prostate Cancer info was very useful. Pelvic floor exercises must have helped. I found after a few weeks I could cope on a daily basis using bought Pads. NH.s supplied pads were ridiculous and were thrown away. On a daily basis I have learnt to limit my fluid and foods to regulate toilet urgency. It is still a problem requiring careful planning if venturing out and about.

If I had to do it all over again, would I choose the same treatment?

Yes

Why did I give this answer?

Given my cancer was still early detected and localised, removing the cause seemed most logical. The Da Vinci robot operation is very accurate and limited. Side effects are limited and recovery is swift. Lastly I note that no mention has been given to constipation which is a recurring side effect. I recommend Senna tablets which can be purchased cheaply.

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