What happens after treatment?

When your treatment is finished, you will have check-ups (PSA tests) on a regular basis. If you notice any new symptoms between check-ups, or if you are having problems (side-effects from treatment), you should let your doctor know.

Many of the surgical treatments for early stage prostate cancer are invasive and can cause a number of side-effects that may be permanent. Post-operative problems can include urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, depression and hormonal imbalances.

Erectile difficulties can be permanent or temporary and may not even be caused by the surgery. You should talk to your doctor or specialist nurse, who can help you or can refer you to a specialist counsellor or sex therapist. Erectile dysfunction treatments such as Viagra may help, especially if you still get partial erections.

Treatment for prostate cancer will cause infertility, which can be very traumatic if you were hoping to have children. You and your partner should discuss your options with your doctor before you start treatment, particularly hormone treatment or radiotherapy. Some people bank sperm before these kinds of treatment.

If you have had a TURP operation, retrograde ejaculation after surgery is a common side-effect. This is where your sperm goes backwards into your bladder, rather than out through your penis. The valve that normally shuts off the route to the bladder when you climax can be damaged during a TURP procedure. If you want to have children, it may be possible to harvest sperm directly from your testicles, which can then be used to fertilise your partner directly or with in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).

As many other men will have had similar experiences to you after treatment for prostate cancer, there are a number of charities, support groups and other organisations you can contact. It’s important to remember that you are not the only person living with the after effects of prostate cancer and that help and support is out there.

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