They say only 30-50% of men fully recover their erectile function and it could take 2 years.  I have one friend who is back to normal after one year.  Another who isn’t after more than 2 years. How long will it take and how do you speed it up?

It’s all a bit of guess work from what I can gather.  The research is certainly not conclusive. The specialists give you no certain approach.

I’m on drugs (Cialis every second day) and Viagra once a week.  Why? These drugs work within the tissues of the penis helping the sexual chemical response and thus erection. None yet for me – not that I am expecting any yet – it’s early days.

Vacuum pump: This keeps blood in the right tissues of the penis, though doesn’t create an erection.  But I need to keep these tissues functioning – so they tell me.  It’s “use it or lose it.” I use it most days. (No photos of this!)

Penile injections – well – not yet.

My men’s health doctor (politely referred to as the “Dick Doctor”) tells me that there are 3 sets of nerves that create the sexual experience. They are all part of the cavernosal nerve system which comes from the lower spine (see diagram courtesy of Amicus Visual Solutions). They are the:

• Somatic nerve: which as far as I can gather controls sensory feelings, such as touch – though I’m a bit unclear about it.
• Parasympathetic nerve: this is the one that was wrapped around the prostate and has been damaged or traumatized.  It’s the one that creates the erection. My surgeon tells me that there was little damage to it but it will still take time to recover.  How much? Time will tell.
• Sympathetic nerve: this one creates the orgasm. So orgasm without erection is possible. I’ve experienced this in the past, but not sure how to make it happen now.

There is really little literature or advice on how to get these nerves functioning.  You’d think you would be encouraged to work on the 2 that haven’t been damaged, but how.

Then there are all the alternative approaches available here in Bali.  More on them later.