Many men with prostate problems worry about the effect surgery will have on their sexual health. They may be concerned they will no longer be able to enjoy sex. Doctors assure patients that sexual function is rarely affected after prostate surgery. It may take a while for your sexual function to return to completely normal, but most men are able to function normally and enjoy sex after surgery.
Complete function may take up to one year but the normal time is dependent on how severe the symptoms were and how long they were experienced before surgery. If you were able to keep an erection before surgery, you will probably not have a problem with erections after the surgery. Surgery will rarely cause a loss of ability to maintain an erection.
Most men are able to have an erection after surgery but some may unable to father children. This is caused by what is known as a dry climax or retrograde ejaculation. This is a result of the cut made during the procedure. The muscle where it widens into the neck of the bladder is cut and makes it weak and unable to keep the semen out of the bladder. Normally this muscle would block off the entrance of the bladder and the semen is expelled through the penis. The semen is then flushed out of the bladder with the urine. This condition can be treated with pseudoephedrine that is commonly found in cold medicines. This drug will improve muscle tone at the neck of the bladder and keep semen from entering it.
After prostate surgery the patient should not have any change in feeling sexual climax. If you are experiencing retrograde ejaculation it may take time to get used to that feeling but you will soon find sex as pleasurable as ever. Some men may experience sexual problems from the fear of problems after surgery instead of the surgery itself. If you are concerned about your sexual function, talk to the surgeon before surgery. Men find it helpful to talk to a counselor during the period shortly after surgery. It should make any transition easier and ease any worries.
After surgery, you should continue to have a yearly exam and have any symptoms checked by your doctor. If you have had surgery for an enlarged prostate it will still leave behind a large part of the prostate gland. It is still possible to have more prostate problems. Surgery will often provide relief from BPH for about 15 years. Statistics show that only ten percent of the men who had surgery to correct an enlarged prostate needed to have a second surgery. Scar tissue can cause a second surgery because sometimes the bladder opening becomes scarred and shrink. This causes an obstacle and may need another surgical procedure to remove the scar. Doctors may also try to solve this problem by stretching the urethra during an office visit. A stent that expands after it is inserted into the urethra may also be used for this problem.
