Most Men With Prostate Cancer Avoid Treating Erectile Dysfunction

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer earned the dubious distinction of being identified as the group least likely to treat their erectile dysfunction. In a 2013 study, Brian Helfand, MD, PhD, an assistant clinical professor of urology at Northshore University Health System and the University of Chicago reviewed the medical records of more than six million men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction. Among those diagnosed with prostate cancer, he found only 15% of the men given a prescription for ED medication actually filled their prescription, which means 85% did not.

Those dismal statistics are about the men who actually went for help. It doesn’t include the group of men who don’t seek help. If you add in the number of men who refuse to get help, you are left with the inescapable conclusion that the overwhelming majority of men with prostate cancer, who also are coping with ED, do not get any form of treatment for their erectile dysfunction.

This is bad news since ED affects a man’s self esteem, confidence, manhood, relationship with his partner, and also his performance at work.

I was in the small group of men who decided to aggressively treat their ED, I used the following:

• A vacuum pump
• A variety of ED medications at various dosages
• Penile Injections
• Testosterone

I did not try:

• Muse

Here are two links that may help you get started on the journey to treat and overcome erectile dysfunction:
Nine Popular Ways to Treat ED
Dealing With Erectile Dysfunction  

Four years after double nerve sparing surgery, and active participation in penile rehabilitation , I flunked out. I was told I’d be impotent for the rest of my life. I was seriously depressed before we reached the parking lot to drive home.

After my failures with with traditional methods to treat erectile I felt such a total loss of self-esteem I was certain my wife would be happier with a husband whose manhood was intact, or more bluntly with a man who was capable of achieving an erection. Nothing my wife could say could alter this belief.

I wanted my wife to leave me. In fact I encouraged her and gave her my blessing to file for divorce. Thankfully my wife thought my offer was ridiculous. She had no intention of leaving me, which was shocking and puzzling to me.

Not a single Doctor who saw me (even a Doctor who performed implant surgery) informed me of the option of an implant. I had to discover that surgical option on my own.

What I later discovered was the terror I would experience going to see a surgeon, when a surgery was the cause of my erectile dysfunction.

I had to fight an internal battle between the part of me that never wanted to see another surgeon in my life which said:
“Don’t see a surgeon, that’s what got you into this mess to begin with!”

And a second voice of fear, which said:
“You don’t want a surgeon going near my private parts, to place rods into my penis.”

And the third voice of discouragement which said:
“I’ve failed enough times to last me a lifetime. Surgery would probably fail too!”

I couldn’t imagine a positive outcome, but I was desperate to get back what cancer too away. My ability to enjoy the sexual pleasure  and intimacy of love-making.

So here’s my advice to all men whose sense of shame, fear, embarrassment, and hopeless, prevents them from seeking treatment:
“Stop living in misery! Don’t let shame prevent you from seeking treatment for one of the worst things that has occurred to you in your lifetime-erectile dysfunction. GET HELP!

I’ll say it one more time.

If you hate living with ED, as most men do, don’t let prostate cancer win. DO SOMETHING! Take back what treating prostate cancer took away from you. When all of my treatment options failed, my rehab specialist failed to tell me about an option that works when all other treatment options fail.

It’s an option that most men don’t know about, or get frightened once they hear about it. It’s called penile implant surgery. Penile Implants have the highest user and partner satisfaction rates. Medicare and many private insurance companies will pay for this surgery.

Will you accept the challenge to see your physician, your urologist, or cancer treatment center in order to discuss the most effective way to treat your erectile dysfunction?

Why live with ED, if you don’t have to?

Note: This article appeared in Prostate Cancer News Today 

Rick & Brenda share their experiences coping with four devastating years of erectile dysfunction which led to a loss of self-esteem, and marital conflict.
Additionally, we share why we chose to seek professional help to save our marriage. 

Last but not least we provided a detailed account of how and why we went the penile implant route, and how that changed everything. This is a life changing book. Don’t take my word for it, read the Amazon reviews.

The title of their book is:

Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Implant

Rick Redner and his wife Brenda Redner also wrote a comprehensive guide to the physical, personal, spiritual, and relational issues, that every man and couple will face before and after prostate surgery. The title award winning book is:

I Left My Prostate in San Francisco-Where's Yours?