Alprostil injection

User

Posted 20 Nov 2022 at 20:02

Hi just thought id share my experience since prostate removal.

Best advice was drink loads of water and as soon as you can get walking by my surgeon.

Five milligrams of viagra for six weeks then penis pump once a day. Had some nerve sparing and hoped to possibly see an erection in due course. Three years later no erection although desire and all other feelings were intact. So spontaneity was not going to happen pump and rings x 50mlg viagra and fun is ok but not obviously same as pre op.

Long story short sexual health nurse gave me a call for an appointment for Alprostadil injection. Made appointment and got demo of 5mlg and within 5 minutes we had lift off !!! Went back a week later for me to do it nothing happened at all. However was given prescription for four injections to take home. So self and partner got the mood music on and tried 7.5 mlg and result hour of erection and much fun felt like a new man.

Alls I can say its worth a try and to me its the nearest iv been to much more spontaneous sex. There my well be some times it won't work but if you can get it to work why not. Plenty guidance beforehand.

Brgds

User

Posted 21 Nov 2022 at 07:45

Failures are usually "user induced" eg fumbling the technique.

You get a feel for when it's hit the spot from the tactile feedback of it going in and also how easy it is to squeeze out.

So just like sex in general!

User

Posted 25 Nov 2022 at 21:20

Hi. I'm new to using Alprostadil, and have also had mixed results. The first 2 times it worked fine. The third time, I got no reaction whatsoever. I think I injected too near to the base of the penis (near the scrotal sack). I've since read that it should be injected in the bottom third of the penis, so that gives a larger area to aim for. It also suiggested that, after injecting, it is best to massage both sides of the penis near the injection site (?presumably to spread it around more evenly?). I've also read that you should switch to alternate sides of the penis each time you inject, to reduce risk of scarring.

Happy injecting to all.

User

Posted 26 Nov 2022 at 00:16

When I needed it I used Invicorp as the others caused long lasting pain. I injected eventually half way down the length alternating sides. That worked best for me. Good luck 👍

User

Posted 05 Dec 2022 at 17:34

After a year and a half of absolute no shows, I, too, went to the ED clinic. Caverject on prescription and it works. One failure due to wrong injection site. 7.5 does the job for a two hour erection. FAB U LUSS.

User

Posted 07 Dec 2022 at 10:26

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

My experience was "rock hard" and it stays that way for about two hours. Stopped me rolling over and falling asleep in more ways than one! It's quite a strange experience to be fully satisfied with a hard-on...

Can you not bring down the dose so the 2 hours would reduce? Could you elaborate on why it is a strange experience to be satisfied with a hard on?

User

Posted 11 Dec 2022 at 17:42

2.5mg isn't much my urologist started me off on 20mg. After a few months I was down to 2.5 but certainly didn't start on that...

User

Posted 12 Dec 2022 at 20:59

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

How long after surgery did it rehabilitate you?

2 years

User

Posted 12 Dec 2022 at 22:13

Hi Gee,

I did it incrementally, 2.5 to 5 etc. no side effects…one time I got a a bit of a dark red mark under the skin, think maybe I nipped a vein or something, felt like a little pinch for a bit

User

Posted 10 Jul 2023 at 21:57

Hi Gee Baba,

I believe that the injections don't require any nerves to have been spared, but more knowledgeable people on here may say otherwise.

Increasing the dose may well give you a firmer erection, but there is the chance of increased discomfort as well. I would suggest trying 15 mcg. first and then increase to 20 mcg. another time if the results make it worthwhile.

Good luck with experimenting.

JedSee.

User

Posted 10 Jul 2023 at 23:46

No nerves required. I was told to start at 20!

User

Posted 04 Aug 2023 at 16:17

My pharmacy could not get hold of the the caverject dual chamber, however they managed to get the Viridal duo, 20mcg. It looks a bit more daunting than the Caverject tbh. I will try 15mcg dosage, when I can sum up the courage and see how it goes.

User

Posted 04 Aug 2023 at 17:09

Hi Shelkrav

We have been using pumps for 12 years very successfully since my prostatectomy. Here is how we incorporate a pump in our love making session, which often happens in the afternoon or in the morning on waking.

VEDs have been incredibly successful in re-establishing our sex life. I have written at length about how to choose a suitable VEDs, how to use it and incorporate it into love making on Prostate Cancer UK website. We had to not only accept the new normal, but we also our imagination, creativity and sense of humour to reclaim our intimate life. It has been team work. By sheer serendipity, ie the discovery that while enjoying the pump induced erection, no leakage is possible because of the constricting ring/s at the base of the penis, we discovered that oral sex became a more attractive option. This was a Eureka moment for us.

The introduction of a VED in our relationship posed a small challenge as to how to blend its use into our love life. Noting that if you use a VED, once you put on the ring/s (sometimes I use two rings, large one on top of the small one to maintain a strong erection) on you have half an hour of foreplay and sex, in whatever position you choose. Bear in mind when you have the rings on, the penis is rather floppy at the base of the penis because of the hinge effect. This puts a major limitation on foreplay because you have to make sure that you don’t cause damage to the penis. So for us it is foreplay first. During foreplay my wife tells me when to go and use the pump, when she is sufficiently aroused. Before I disappear into our en suite bathroom we decide which we’ll do… ‘Penetrative or oral’. We enjoy both, but I admit I tend to lean towards oral! This discussion about the choice is important because if we choose oral sex I use only one large ring and do not inflate my penis to its maximum because my wife finds my full erection unmanageable. I use the bidet to clean myself up to remove any traces of urine, dry myself and return to our bed with my ‘designer erection’. We arrange ourselves in the 69 position, with the aid of pillows for comfort, and dim the lights. Needless to say, I enjoy oral sex but my wife does not so I use a vibrator on her. When we began this practice I thought my wife would not benefit as much as I would. But surprisingly, she finds this whole scenario very erotic and sensual. The most amazing aspect of this repertoire is that I am in control not only my own orgasm but more importantly also hers. The teasing can continue for up to half an hour (time limit for the rings to be on) and I can tip us into the most ecstatic orgasms we have ever experienced. This, amongst others, has been an unintended benefit of this challenging episode in our 60 years together. It has made us appreciate each other’s needs even more and has brought us closer together, thanks to VEDs, rings, a vibrator, and of course our imagination and sense of humour.

Since there is an 'unnatural' interruption during a love making session to go and pump myself up I have had to master the art of achieving an erection quickly. If you are interested I can send you a video clip I have produced showing a short-cut to achieving an erection with a pump in under three minutes. For obvious reason you need to give me your email address so the video is for your (and your wife's) eyes only.

Also there is another post on this site which you may find useful:

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t28948-Re-establishing-Sex-Life

Edited by member 04 Aug 2023 at 17:14 | Reason: spellings

'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.' Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

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User

Posted 21 Nov 2022 at 07:45

Failures are usually "user induced" eg fumbling the technique.

You get a feel for when it's hit the spot from the tactile feedback of it going in and also how easy it is to squeeze out.

So just like sex in general!

User

Posted 25 Nov 2022 at 21:20

Happy injecting to all.

User

Posted 26 Nov 2022 at 00:16

When I needed it I used Invicorp as the others caused long lasting pain. I injected eventually half way down the length alternating sides. That worked best for me. Good luck 👍

User

Posted 05 Dec 2022 at 17:34

User

Posted 06 Dec 2022 at 23:21

Guys can you tell me, after injecting is the erection as stiff as it was prior to operation? is the erection proper and really hard as if you were young again or just "OK" ? Lastly after climax does the erection fade at all or it always stays at the same stiffness?

Edited by member 06 Dec 2022 at 23:37 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 07 Dec 2022 at 06:32

User

Posted 07 Dec 2022 at 10:26

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Can you not bring down the dose so the 2 hours would reduce? Could you elaborate on why it is a strange experience to be satisfied with a hard on?

User

Posted 08 Dec 2022 at 06:53

Reducing the dose does reduce the come down time but in my experience if you had enough for sex it always took about 2 hours after the injection (not the climax) to soften.

Re strange experience: having a swollen member but no desire...

User

Posted 11 Dec 2022 at 08:25

Thanks for sharing your experience. I also was prescribed caverject 2weeks ago, we tried 2.5 at the hospital and there was some erection, however not hard. My position is I am sure not unique, as before my surgery I more often than not initiate sex, and since the initiator (me) is now out of action nothing else happens. It does not help.that my darling wife is at the onset of menopause, so my lack of ability in a perverse kind of way suits her. So now I have a stash of tadanifil not been used, a pump gathering dust, and now caverject prescription unopened. The threat of my roving eyes also has dissipated, now losing the will to try anything as it pertains to improving our sexual function. As before my surgery, I could initiate sex, knowing I would rise to the occasion!

User

Posted 11 Dec 2022 at 17:42

2.5mg isn't much my urologist started me off on 20mg. After a few months I was down to 2.5 but certainly didn't start on that...

User

Posted 11 Dec 2022 at 18:14

Thanks a lot, does 2.5mg now do the trick?

User

Posted 11 Dec 2022 at 19:38

Using the injections rehabilitated me enough so all I need now is a durex cock ring.. Been good for a few years now 😃

User

Posted 11 Dec 2022 at 19:42

How long after surgery did it rehabilitate you?

User

Posted 12 Dec 2022 at 14:40

Hi all, thought I would share my experiences so far on here...

Diagnosed 16 months ago, T3b 4+4 Spread to local lymph nodes.

Started HT straight after diagnosis, (LHRH injections every 3 months , then additional daily Enzalutamide)

RT to pelvis in June , PSA down from 52 to 0.01

I started using cialis soon after diagnosis after reading about penile rehabilitation on here(Thanks guys!) 5mg daily and 20 mg for "event nights". This was working, but diminishing gradually up until RT, when everything went downhill rapidly...I kept taking it, and at first could manage very fragile erections, that disappeared immediately with the slightest interruption or distraction...

I managed to get a referral to the local ED clinic a couple of months ago, who recommended going straight to caverject injections, starting at 2.5 and increasing, now at 20...

the results? well, at 2.5 there was something there for sure, just a semi for about an hour, but encouraging enough to keep going... up to 10 more or less the same, but became more usable for sex... then 10 gave me a good erection for over an hour and we were able to have nearly normal sex for the first time this year, wasn't able to climax, so was all 1-0 scores, after all this time i'll take that though!!

But... Penis is noticeably shorter than before, and has a definite slight curve to it, I know that shortening is normal after RP, but I didn't expect it after RT, is this normal?? I thought that maybe increasing the dose would help with this so tried 15...same result but lasted longer, then, this weekend I thought i'd go for it and try 20...length still the same, but OMG! managed to climax! at long last a 1-1 !! was incredibly intense, felt fantastic, but stayed hard for a worrying 3 hours...could have managed extra time, and penalties :) but partner had been to her staff xmas do so promptly fell asleep... very strange experience to be laying there actually distressed about having a hard on!! be careful what you wish for!! took a couple of sudafed in the end and it quickly subsided. will start dialing back now

So, all in all really happy...its a bit of a faf injecting, I always pour a little glass of wine for afterwards as a reward! We are going to have to experiment a bit with positions to take into account my new shape and size, but going from expecting celibacy for life, this is a problem I'm more than happy to have!

To anyone thinking of taking the plunge I would say, Do it! Do it! Do it!!!! The thought of injecting yourself there is far far worse than the reality!

sorry for the long read, but one last thing, I don't know if it's coincidence, and I know it shouldn't be happening with HT, but in the last few weeks i've started having night erections again...not full on, just tiny semis, but definitely something there, has anyone else experienced this? i'm still taking 5mg of cialis mon-thurs, then injecting at weekends.

User

Posted 12 Dec 2022 at 20:59

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

How long after surgery did it rehabilitate you?

2 years

User

Posted 12 Dec 2022 at 22:03

So you went from 2.5 to 10 then to 20? Did you suffer any side effects?

User

Posted 12 Dec 2022 at 22:13

Hi Gee,

I did it incrementally, 2.5 to 5 etc. no side effects…one time I got a a bit of a dark red mark under the skin, think maybe I nipped a vein or something, felt like a little pinch for a bit

User

Posted 21 Dec 2022 at 14:31

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Hi Gee,

I did it incrementally, 2.5 to 5 etc. no side effects…one time I got a a bit of a dark red mark under the skin, think maybe I nipped a vein or something, felt like a little pinch for a bit

We tried 7.5mg, the erection was not usable at all. We would increase it to 10 and see if it makes any difference.

User

Posted 21 Dec 2022 at 15:05

Keep going! I’m sure you will find the right dosage…

If you need over 10mg you can get a 10-20 mg pre filled injection. For me I think 15 is optimal, so I now have 2 boxes of 2.5mg - 10mg that I don’t know what to do with!! Good luck! I hope you and your partner get a good Christmas present!!

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