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Life After Prostate Cancer: What Can You Expect?

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Prostate cancer has a high survival rate, and for most men, the treatment can completely eliminate the cancer.

doctor holding light blue ribbon.However, although completing your cancer treatment is definitely a reason to celebrate, life after prostate cancer can be a little bit challenging.

The good news is that many of the side effects of surgery, hormones, and radiation therapy are temporary. Even if the side effects don’t go away on their own, there are other treatments and procedures medical professionals can recommend to increase your quality of life.

We asked our urology specialist, William Brant, MD, FACS, FECSM, all about life after prostate cancer. Read on to find out what side effects you may experience, as well as what management therapies can counteract these side effects.

Side effects of radical prostatectomy

Radical prostatectomy, or the surgical removal of the prostate gland, stops cancer from spreading. While this surgery is life-saving for many, it can pose some challenges throughout the recovery.

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is a common side effect of prostate surgery, although typically it is mild or even goes away within a few months. If you’ve had your prostate removed, you may experience stress incontinence, which means you may leak urine when you cough, sneeze, or laugh.

Some people experience stress incontinence only in the first three months after the surgery, whereas others may experience it for longer and may benefit from pelvic floor exercises. If the urinary incontinence persists (for around 10% of men after prostatectomy), you also have the option of implanting a male sling[this should link to the sling portion of the website] or an artificial sphincter, depending on your situation and the severity of the incontinence.

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is another common side effect of the surgery. All men who undergo a prostate removal will experience ED for at least a short period, due to nerve mobilization during the prostatectomy. However, if you experience persistent issues, Dr. Brant can determine which treatment method can best help you return to a healthy sex life.

He may recommend one or a combination of the following:

  • Medications
  • Penile injections
  • Penile implants
  • Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy
  • Vacuum erection device (VED)

Side effects of radiation therapy

After completing radiation, you may see a change in your bowel movements anywhere between two to six weeks. You may also notice a burning sensation or other issues when you urinate, erection dysfunction, fatigue, and lymphedema (swelling around damaged lymph nodes).

Dr. Brant is here to help recommend the best treatment methods for your symptoms, with a focus on noninvasive treatment methods such as training exercises to strengthen specific muscles and lifestyle changes.  Side effects such as erectile dysfunction have many solutions that he can offer.

Side effects of hormone therapy

Androgens stimulate cancer cell growth, so many people undergoing cancer treatment also need androgen deprivation therapy.

However, when the production of androgens is partially blocked, you may experience symptoms such as:

  • Weight gain
  • Depression
  • Hot flashes
  • Low libido
  • Growth in breast tissue (gynecomastia)
  • Anemia
  • Fatigue
  • Erectile dysfunction

The good news is that after you’re done with androgen deprivation therapy, your body may return to producing enough androgens on its own. Your age, lifestyle, and overall health play a role in how long it takes for your androgen production to normalize.

Learn more about life after prostate cancer

Beating prostate cancer is difficult enough. You shouldn’t have to deal with the aftermath of the treatments as well. Dr. Brant specializes in helping prostate cancer survivors get much-needed treatment for side effects related to urinary and sexual health.

Contact our Salt Lake City, Utah, office by calling 801-207-7922 or by sending a message on our website to learn how you can experience a smooth and healthy recovery after prostate cancer.

How to Know If a Vasectomy Is Right For You

Posted on by William Brant, MD in

Are you looking for a hormone-free contraception method? Many men have partners who can’t tolerate birth control pills or simply want an alternative to female birth control.

A vasectomy is one of those alternatives, and unlike other contraception methods, it doesn’t impact your hormone levels. In many cases, the procedure can even be reversed if you change your mind down the line.

To help you get a better grasp of the pros and cons of a vasectomy, we asked our men’s sexual health specialist and skilled urologist, Dr. William Brant, the following questions: What is a vasectomy, and what are the benefits of getting one? Keep reading for the answers.

Vasectomy 101

Tablet with the text Vasectomy.Vasectomies are a widely used form of male contraception. In the United States alone, 1 in 10 males opt for a vasectomy.

During a vasectomy, Dr. Brant cuts, separates, and seals the vas deferens, the sperm-carrying tubes, so the sperm doesn’t end up in your semen. Instead, the sperm gets reabsorbed by your body without any side effects.

You may have read or heard about vasectomies being linked to heart disease, cancer, or autoimmune diseases. However, the risk of developing these as a consequence of a vasectomy is extremely low if it exists at all.  This remains a controversial subject but, for the vast majority of men, the benefits of a vasectomy far outweigh the risks.

Vasectomy recovery and long-term benefits

The procedure takes about 30 minutes to complete, and it’s done on an outpatient basis. Some patients may experience some swelling after the procedure, but most men can go back to their daily routine.

That said, playing sports, lifting heavy weights, and doing any high-intensity activities on the days following the procedure isn’t recommended, because these activities may cause bleeding in your scrotum. Additionally, you can resume having sex with your partner within about a week.  Overall, Dr. Brant recommends taking it relatively easy for around 2 weeks.  Enjoy the rest!

A few weeks after your procedure, Dr. Brant will ask you to come back to his office for a test to see if there’s any sperm in your semen so you can be certain that the procedure was successful. He recommends using a backup form of birth control during sex until you receive testing confirming that your semen is free of sperm.

Vasectomies are one of the contraceptive methods with the highest success rate, as it doesn’t rely on following a pill schedule or remembering to put on a condom to prevent pregnancy.

Can it be reversed?

A vasectomy is often thought to be irreversible. That’s actually not true. If you do change your mind later down the line, Dr. Brant does offer vasectomy reversals to restore fertility.

Success rates (depending how you define success) after a vasectomy reversal range anywhere between 30% to 90%, depending on how long it’s been since you had the procedure, as well as your age and overall hormonal health. Pregnancy, which is the outcome that most couples care about, is actually more dependent on the age, health, and fertility status of the female partner.

If you still have questions about getting a vasectomy or want to schedule a consultation with Dr. Brant, contact our Salt Lake City, Utah, office by calling 801-207-7922 and find out if a vasectomy aligns with your goals.

 Schedule a Vasectomy consultation at the office of William Brant, MD, FACS, FECSM, online or call the office today at (801) 965-2767.

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