Penis

Hi, both my scrotum and member have shrunk to a time when I was a slip of a lad but for me I see it as a ‘small’ price to pay for either a cure or in my case as I’m metastatic, years added to my life. 

Hello Minimx5 

This is a known side effect of Hormone Therapy. It affects everyone in different ways and depending on how long you have been on Hormone Therapy and if you have taken any "precautions" to try and prevent this during your treatment. Long term Hormone Therapy can cause permanent damage to your penis.

This old thread has some useful comments and links to information.

 Penile size shrunk 

As you are obviously worried about this issue I would advise you to contact your GP who can pass you onto either urology or the local sexual health clinic.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Minimx5

Before my biopsy I was given a form to complete which seemed innocuous enough but asked details about penile performance. I answered as truthfully as I could .  The letter I had after the biopsy contained reference to me meeting certain standards which I researched and found to be related to the penile performance questions.  Basically at that time I was a total failure!!!! (However I also hadn’t put two and two together and realised the connection to PCa!).

Anyway - after being on HT for nearly a year and having seen various discussions on this and other fora I dropped my CNS an email to ask what I needed to do about rehabilitation and ‘maintenance’ .  He immediately forwarded this on to the Andrology clinic. Out of the blue I got an appointment!! I attended and was met by a technician from a company called iMediCare who proceeded to give me a full (but not live) demonstration of their Vacuum Erection Device.  He then said that a letter would be sent to my GP and they would issue a prescription.

The prescription has this week been issued and I am awaiting the device.

I have certainly had shrinkage and as I am on life long HT I am glad I took this preemptive step - no discussion at all from medics about long term HT use.

I did join a brilliant discussion on Prostate Cancer UK a few weeks back about living with ADT and the discussion did include issues such as this - if you can get onto one I would recommend it (I believe they run them at fairly regular intervals) but be prepared for some honest and frank discussion!!

Hope that helps - bit of a ramble?

And I agree with Sads - it is a ‘small’ price to pay

Have a great day

KrisPy

Thank you KrisPy for an insight into your views/treatment on this subject.

We do have an interesting thread - link here

 Sex and cancer - Let's talk 

and although this was started a few years ago, there are some interesting posts. (you can tell it's an old thread - I was on a "curative pathway") and most of the comments / information are still true / applicable.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thanks Brian - that is such an honest and open discussion thread.  Pity that comments about lack of knowledge regarding HT and shrinkage etc are still going around today - is it a lack of willingness or a positive omission from medics?

regards

KrisPy

Hello KrisPy 

KrisPy said:

is it a lack of willingness or a positive omission from medics?

I think it's caused by something else entirely - and that's the pressure on the NHS to "process and diagnose" people more or less on a conveyor belt system.

It's one of the reasons I volunteer on the Community - I don't want to see anyone come through the diagnostic system and just accept treatment without having any choices or knowledge as to their treatment and possible life going forward.

I am one of the "lucky ones" - given a diagnosis my wife is a retired nurse and in a great place to fill in the gaps left by the NHS - I have made personal choices in my treatment - so far refusing treatment to stop penile atrophy, to stop my "moobs" growing and one of the "bone strengthening" medications. My choice, I am on enough medication to make me rattle!!

I am also I lucky to live in The Christie catchment area and have an amazing Consultant and Team.

Sadly many men - don't get the help and advice they need. I do my best to help and so does everyone on the Community. Lets keep it up! (no pun intended).

Kind regards - Brian.

You should be able to get a vacuum pump on the NHS which you can use to prevent atrophy of your penis which can occur during hormone therapy..

I would also recommend tadalafil which can help preserve sexual function while on hormones.

Rob (Sandberg)