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Some men ask if it is alright to use Cialis after prostate surgery. The fact of the matter is that doctors may even give patients a prescription either for Viagra or Cialis after the said medical procedure (1).
Note that according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, 75% of the men who use these pills (i.e.,, Cialis and Viagra) after prostatectomy were able to successfully achieve erections (2).
Note,, however, that doctor will not always prescribe erectile dysfunction medication. This is particularly true of men with heart conditions since taking ED medication can put them at risk of severe complications.
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Getting Erectile Dysfunction after Prostate Surgery
Men can indeed experience erectile dysfunction after undergoing prostate surgery. However, it should be noted that for many patients who have prostate conditions, they may already have some form of ED before surgery (3).
Note that even while just taking a biopsy for prostate cancer and other related conditions may already have its detrimental effect. For instance, doctors report that men may lose the ability to ejaculate after such a biopsy.
Why does this happen after a biopsy or after RRP (radical retropubic prostatectomy) or RP (radical prostatectomy)? This is because the organ responsible for ejaculation has been affected, or, in the case of actual operation, it has been removed.
Experts have explained that recovery from this condition will be slow. After the surgery, you will also experience ED immediately. Treating erectile dysfunction after prostate surgery using medications such as Cialis may not work immediately.
You should understand that treatment is possible, but it will take a few months for ED medication to take effect. Studies suggest that it may take as long as 6 to 9 months.
It is important to understand the above-mentioned causes of erectile dysfunction after prostate surgery. The body will need time to recover and adjust to new conditions.
Improve ED after Prostate Surgery Using Cialis
We have established the fact that erectile dysfunction is a complication that patients will have to face after radical prostatectomy. Doctors almost immediately prescribe PDE-5 inhibitors like Cialis or tadalafil (4).
Using such medication is usually considered as the first line of treatment as help for ED after prostate surgery. There are several reasons why medical practitioners routinely prescribe these drugs (5).
Here are some of those reasons.
- Minimal morbidity
- They are widely available
- These medications are easy to use
- They have a record of being effective as an ED treatment
As it was stated earlier, it will take months of penile rehabilitation before patients recover from ED after prostate surgery. However, to set expectations correctly, you should note that it may take up to 12 months to see any meaningful recovery.
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How Cialis or Tadalafil Helps Patients Recover after Surgery
Studies show that the primary role of Cialis or other PDE-5 inhibitors in penile rehabilitation (i.e., getting erections back) is to restore the levels of early oxygenation to the muscles in the penis (6).
One question that was asked during this study was whether patients should use Cialis on-demand or as a daily treatment regimen. According to this study, on-demand use with 20 mg doses produced significant improvements after 12 weeks.
On top of that, there were no adverse side effects that were experienced by trial participants. However, it should be pointed out here that 5% of patients that participated in that study reported some form of mild side effect (7).
Cialis Side Effects
Yes it is true that taking Cialis for ED after prostate surgery can be part of an effective overall treatment. However, we should emphasize that patients may still experience side effects.
Cialis or tadalafil can be used as a form of long term treatment option. According to one study, it is safe and tolerable, even when used for as long as 24 months (8).
However, there are some side effects that men who use it should be aware of:
- Back pain
- Nasopharyngitis
- Dyspepsia
- Headache
Cialis is available in a variety of doses from 5 to 20 mg. The most common on-demand doses are 10 mg and 20 mg. It can be taken as needed, and there are no food restrictions when taking this drug.
According to one study, when taken on demand, men with ED who take Cialis experience a 68% success rate in getting an erection and intercourse attempts.
Note that this drug will remain active after dosage for up to 36 hours. This seems to be the case for all patients regardless of age and medical conditions they may already be experiencing (9).
Once a Day vs. On Demand Dosing
Take note that once a day dosing of Cialis or any PDE-5 inhibitor for that matter is a regimen for long term treatment. Remember that this method may not be suitable for everyone.
The introduction of Cialis into the market in 2003 created a lot of interest in routine dosing. This wasn’t possible with the other PDE-5 inhibitors like Viagra. Cialis can be administered even if you have eaten fatty meals or have taken some alcohol (10).
Its effects also lasted longer, which meant that it was more suitable for daily dosing. In other words, the intake of this medication is separate from engaging in sexual activity. You can take it daily as a treatment for ED without planning to have intercourse.
In 2008 the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Cialis or tadalafil for daily use (11). As such, it was viewed almost like it was more of a supplement that can be taken regularly.
However, the dosage was reduced if you were planning to take this medication routinely. The FDA authorized the 2.5 mg and 5 mg doses for daily intake routines.
In this view, erectile dysfunction was no longer a situational problem for men. This paradigm shift meant that ED is now viewed as a chronic condition in men.
Conclusion
You may want to talk to your doctor about getting prescriptions of Cialis after prostate surgery. It is better suited for daily dosing regimens and is seen as a long term solution for erectile dysfunction after such an operation.
