For many men with prostate cancer, prostate removal is never needed because the cancer is often slow-growing and managed with non-surgical treatments. But, if the cancer has grown beyond the prostate, the oncologist may recommend prostate removal surgery, also called a prostatectomy. If you are going to have prostate removal surgery, this information can help you in your discussion with the doctors. Adjusting to life after prostate cancer treatment can take time. For some men, the emotional impact of what they have been through may not hit them until they have finished treatment. For others, working through the physical side effects is their immediate focus.
Facts About Prostate Removal Surgery
Prostate cancer surgery can be extremely concerning for many patients. You may be wondering how your surgery will be performed because of your prostate gland’s location. You’ll probably have questions about pain and the side effects — including questions about your sexual life afterward and your ability to control urine.
Not every man who needs prostate removal surgery will be a candidate for robotic surgery. Each prostate cancer patient’s situation is unique, with some patients requiring a different surgical method — either traditional open surgery or, less frequently, radical perineal prostatectomy.
What are the major side effects of prostate cancer surgery?
Prostate surgery removes not only your entire prostate gland, but it also removes some tissue surrounding your prostate, including the seminal vesicles. These small glands produce the fluid which carries the semen. Some pelvic lymph nodes are usually removed.
There are two major potential side effects of prostate removal.
Urinary incontinence is the inability to control your urine flow, leakage, or dribbling. Not only is incontinence a physical problem for patients to cope with, but it’s an emotional and social problem too.
Most men gradually regain control of their bladder over time, ranging from weeks to up to six months. Men over 60 may experience incontinence more often than younger men.
Don’t despair if your incontinence doesn’t go away. Talk to your urologist or other medical team members. They are trained professionals who understand your anxiety and distress. Your doctor may order additional tests to determine the exact cause of your incontinence.
Treatment options for urinary incontinence can include:
Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get and maintain an erection long enough for satisfying sexual activity. Two small bundles of nerves control your erections. These tiny nerve bundles run along each side of the prostate gland.
Every man experiences erectile dysfunction for a while after prostate removal. Whether you experience longer-lasting ED depends on your age, your general health before surgery, if you experienced ED before your diagnosis, or if those bundles of nerves were affected during surgery. Your surgeon will do everything possible not injure these vital nerves during surgery. This procedure is known as a nerve-sparing approach. However, prostate cancer sometimes grows into those nerves or extremely close to those nerves. In this case, your surgeon may need to remove them.
Most prostate cancer specialists believe that regaining your ability to have sex as soon as you heal is an important step in maintaining your ability to get an erection long-term. Your doctor may refer to this process as penile rehabilitation.
Other prostate removal side effects include:
See if Emsella® would work for you. Make an appointment with one of our professionals to discuss your concerns, and to devise a comprehensive and personalized treatment plan. Be A New Creation Spa is helping men and women from all over the Pacific NW treat their incontinence and improve their sexual health! Call (206) 533-9999 or request your Emsella consultation today.
Facts About Prostate Removal Surgery
Prostate cancer surgery can be extremely concerning for many patients. You may be wondering how your surgery will be performed because of your prostate gland’s location. You’ll probably have questions about pain and the side effects — including questions about your sexual life afterward and your ability to control urine.
Not every man who needs prostate removal surgery will be a candidate for robotic surgery. Each prostate cancer patient’s situation is unique, with some patients requiring a different surgical method — either traditional open surgery or, less frequently, radical perineal prostatectomy.
What are the major side effects of prostate cancer surgery?
Prostate surgery removes not only your entire prostate gland, but it also removes some tissue surrounding your prostate, including the seminal vesicles. These small glands produce the fluid which carries the semen. Some pelvic lymph nodes are usually removed.
There are two major potential side effects of prostate removal.
- Urinary incontinence
- Erectile dysfunction (ED)
Urinary incontinence is the inability to control your urine flow, leakage, or dribbling. Not only is incontinence a physical problem for patients to cope with, but it’s an emotional and social problem too.
Most men gradually regain control of their bladder over time, ranging from weeks to up to six months. Men over 60 may experience incontinence more often than younger men.
Don’t despair if your incontinence doesn’t go away. Talk to your urologist or other medical team members. They are trained professionals who understand your anxiety and distress. Your doctor may order additional tests to determine the exact cause of your incontinence.
Treatment options for urinary incontinence can include:
- Pelvic floor physical therapy. These specialized physical therapists are trained to help men strengthen their pelvic floor muscles. These muscles help you control the flow of urine. The exercises are called Kegel exercises —just as you might do bicep curls to strengthen your arm muscles; Kegel exercises help you learn to tighten and relax the muscles that control your flow. This is where Emsella is essential.
- Bladder training. The bladder is a muscular organ that can be trained. A pelvic floor physical therapist or your urologist will provide simple behavioral changes to help retrain your bladder.
- Medication. Prescription medicines help the muscles in your bladder and sphincter (the muscular valve that controls the opening of the valve from your bladder). These medications work well for men with urge incontinence.
- Surgery. Surgery may be scheduled if you have a blockage. Other surgical procedures include injecting collagen to strengthen the urinary sphincter that controls urine release or implanting an artificial urinary sphincter.
Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get and maintain an erection long enough for satisfying sexual activity. Two small bundles of nerves control your erections. These tiny nerve bundles run along each side of the prostate gland.
Every man experiences erectile dysfunction for a while after prostate removal. Whether you experience longer-lasting ED depends on your age, your general health before surgery, if you experienced ED before your diagnosis, or if those bundles of nerves were affected during surgery. Your surgeon will do everything possible not injure these vital nerves during surgery. This procedure is known as a nerve-sparing approach. However, prostate cancer sometimes grows into those nerves or extremely close to those nerves. In this case, your surgeon may need to remove them.
Most prostate cancer specialists believe that regaining your ability to have sex as soon as you heal is an important step in maintaining your ability to get an erection long-term. Your doctor may refer to this process as penile rehabilitation.
Other prostate removal side effects include:
- Changes in orgasm
- Loss of fertility
- Lymphedema – swelling in one or both legs after the removal of lymph nodes during prostate removal
- Change in penis length
- Inguinal hernia – a bulging of fatty tissue or a loop of the small intestine protrudes through a weak area of your groin
See if Emsella® would work for you. Make an appointment with one of our professionals to discuss your concerns, and to devise a comprehensive and personalized treatment plan. Be A New Creation Spa is helping men and women from all over the Pacific NW treat their incontinence and improve their sexual health! Call (206) 533-9999 or request your Emsella consultation today.
Be A New Creation Spa
1207 N 200th St Ste 107
Seattle WA 98133
206-533-9999
Info@TreatYourIncontinence.com
1207 N 200th St Ste 107
Seattle WA 98133
206-533-9999
Info@TreatYourIncontinence.com