Rediscovering life and manhood after prostate cancer
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the end of 2019 and feared losing my manhood and my life. I was lucky to have my prostate surgically removed before the cancer spread more widely. The most minimal roadmap for recovery was provided. I want to expand the roadmap and the conversation about recovering life and manhood after prostate cancer.
Here, in the blog you can read a variety of survivor’s stories and those of their partners. There are lots of useful resources for your own journey, including videos and my new book. And this is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
The roots of the blog below lie in the step by step sharing of my story as it unfolded over the last five years, together with others who have different experiences right up to the present day. My aim is to mark some points on the rather uncharted landscape, so you can build your own roadmap.
It includes direct and personal accounts of our body, head, heart and soul and partner journeys as well as the inner and outer resources that helped us along the way. Grateful thanks to my wife and an increasing number of other cancer survivors and their partners for sharing stories on these pages. They also helped inspire and inform the book featured on this page.
The goals: rebuild health, expand identities, make the most of what we have.
Before and after my surgery: short videos
Get the lowdown in minutes: click above for short, revealing videos before and after prostate cancer treatment
Journeys of recovery from – and adaptation to – prostate cancer
Below are the thumbnails of the most recent posts – click on each for the full story. For chronological order, please visit diagnosis, treatment and recovery pages. More here every week. I invite you to subscribe (see above and sidebar on the right/below) so you don’t miss a thing.
Guest Post: Partnership for rehab after penile implant
By CJ We have always had a very active sex life and cancer was not going to stop us from our fun. Cancer has affected us both, breast cancer for me and prostate cancer for him. We were both 45 years [...]
Both diagnosed with cancer aged 45 but treated differently
CJ and JL are a creative, joyful loving couple who have been whacked by cancer. Husband JL was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 45, on the 25th anniversary of his marriage to CJ. She was diagnosed with [...]
Guest post 4: My neurodiversity has been a survival tool
By Martin Wells There have been plenty of ups and downs in my cancer journey, but one thing that has made my experience different is the way my brain works. I’m what you might call neurodiverse, with ADHD and autistic traits. [...]
How physiotherapy and mindset helped me regain urine control
By Markus Jager I am 56, in reasonably good shape and health. My prostate cancer was found early and my histology report after the op came back clean. Right now, I am waiting for my 6-week PSA blood test next [...]
Live event July 19: Talking about sex beyond erections
This Saturday July 19 is an opportunity to participate in a live, interactive conversation about sex with erectile differences. [Editor's note: See below for some notes on the meeting outcomes.] The scope includes, but is not limited to those who have [...]
Guest post: My life-changing penile implant
By David Nobody questions when a woman gets an implant after a mastectomy. Why should prostate cancer be any different when functionality is lost? Since I got a penile implant, my attitude in life has completely changed. Three years with [...]
How shockwave therapy helped my ED
Over the last five weeks I received mechanical shockwave therapy (SWT) to help with my ED. It has worked well for me. It's not for everyone, but I think this method deserves more attention and wider discussion. It's not about electric [...]
Improving PSMA PET scan accuracy to pinpoint recurrent cancers
By Rhys Leeming and Mish Middelmann For anybody whose prostate cancer is beginning to come back, a huge challenge is knowing it's back but not knowing exactly where it is. In this post we are sharing some exciting news that might [...]
Exploring shockwave therapy for ED
Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT or LI-ESWT), sometimes also called acoustic wave therapy, is a promising alternative treatment for both erectile dysfunction (ED) and Peyronie's Disease. On the strong recommendation of Dr Jo Milios, I started trying it this week. [...]
Exploring ways to maintain libido on ADT
Loss of libido is one of the many distressing effects of Androgen Deprivation Treatment (ADT) commonly experienced by men with advanced or recurring prostate cancer - and of course also affecting their partners. The experience has been described as "watching [...]
Sexual satisfaction after prostate cancer: new UK study shifts focus
"Research on sexual outcomes in prostate cancer survivors has focused on the restoration of erections after treatment," notes a brand new peer-reviewed article by William Kinnaird and others. "The aim should be to support patients and their partners in creating a [...]
Day 1844: Experience with Levitra (Vardenafil)
My experience with Levitra (vardenafil) has been slightly more positive than with Cialis (tadalafil) or Viagra (sildenafil). It definitely helps the quality of my erections. The side effects are slightly more bearable than with the alternative drugs. Perhaps this is due [...]
Invitation to contribute
Your input is invited
- Please comment on individual blog entries and ask questions. You do need to give your valid email address (to avoid spam) and your contact info won’t be published or abused in any way. You are welcome to use a nickname or even “anonymous.”
- Use the Contact page to open up broader topics
- Consider sharing your story. Example 1 and example 2. Maybe your voice and story also belong here? Let me know or Try this template – you will be surprised how much you learn from telling your story (open to prostate cancer survivors and/or their partners)