SEX DRIVE

How does everyone define sex drive? Having erections? Just having
normal interest in the opposite sex? Or the ability to acheive orgasm?
I've lost the ability to have erections after RP but still can acheive
orgasms, thank god.
But I've already started Casodex, soon to have Lupron added...I'm told
I will lose my libido...does that mean lose "interest" or lose ability
to orgasm? .... or both
(what a depressing question........)

skeptic wrote:
> How does everyone define sex drive? Having erections? Just having
> normal interest in the opposite sex? Or the ability to acheive orgasm?
> I've lost the ability to have erections after RP but still can acheive
> orgasms, thank god.
> But I've already started Casodex, soon to have Lupron added...I'm told
> I will lose my libido...does that mean lose "interest" or lose ability
> to orgasm? .... or both
> (what a depressing question........)

The simple, objective, naive answer reported by many men: If you feel
any physical or emotional difference between watching a porn flick and
watching The Golf Channel, your ADT isn't doing its job of driving your
testosterone to castrate levels.

That doesn't into account a loving relationship and a lot of patience,
which some have reported can toss medical science out the bedroom window.

I.P.

"I.P. Freely" <fuhgheddaboutit@noway.nohow> wrote in message
news:GVwKj.354$eC1.162@newsfe02.lga...
..> The simple, objective, naive answer reported by many men: If you feel
> any physical or emotional difference between watching a porn flick and
> watching The Golf Channel, your ADT isn't doing its job of driving your
> testosterone to castrate levels.
>
Only when Tiger's in the lead.....

On Apr 7, 10:06 pm, "I.P. Freely" <fuhgheddabou...@noway.nohow> wrote:
> skeptic wrote:
> > But I've already started Casodex, soon to have Lupron
> > added...I'm told I will lose my libido...does that mean lose
> > "interest" or lose ability to orgasm? .... or both (what a
> > depressing question........)

Depressing indeed.

> The simple, objective, naive answer reported by many men: If
> you feel any physical or emotional difference between watching
> a porn flick and watching The Golf Channel, your ADT isn't
> doing its job of driving your testosterone to castrate levels.

Having had Lupron, I can testify that there is considerable truth
to I.P.'s characterization. I was able to look at a beautiful
woman and still appreciate her beauty in an academic sort of way.
I had trouble remembering why I was interested in any other way.

> That doesn't into account a loving relationship and a lot of
> patience, which some have reported can toss medical science out
> the bedroom window.

And that indeed is the saving grace.

On a number of occasions I engaged in sex thinking that, while I
had no interest in it, I would go through the motions and do my
best to satisfy my wife. To my great surprise, after 15 minutes
or so, I found I wasn't going through the motions any more. I
became genuinely aroused and was able to complete the act in the
normal way.

So, sex becomes harder (everything gets harder as we get older
doesn't it?) but not impossible. The plumbing continues to work,
it's only the motivation that ceases. If you were able to have
erections before, you may still be able to do it. Even if you
were not, if you were able to have orgasms before, you may still
be able to do that, and will still find them every bit as
satisfying. So force yourself to get past the lack of interest.
Force yourself to try. You may well find that after trying for a
while, you're not forcing yourself any more.

Also, when you go on Lupron there is a brief period of several
weeks of testosterone flare. You might have a heightened
interest in sex during that period. Enjoy it and take advantage
of it.

Good luck.

Alan

On April 7, Alan Meyer wrote, in pertinent part:

> Also, when you go on Lupron there is a brief period of several
> weeks of testosterone flare. You might have a heightened
> interest in sex during that period. Enjoy it and take advantage
> of it.

If the medic is skilled and educated, (s)he will take steps to prevent
that flare, which can be dangerous.

Here, from the glossary of the Prostate Cancer Research Institute, is
the definition of "flare": "the transient increase in serum testosterone
for the first few weeks after starting an LHRH agonist. This increase in
testosterone can potentially worsen the signs and symptoms of disease,
especially in those patients with vertebral metastases and/or urinary
obstruction; may be prevented by taking an antiandrogen (Casodex® or
Eulexin®) several days before starting an LHRH agonist or by the use of
an LHRH antagonist such as abarelix (Plenaxis®)."

Seems to me that that's damned serious business.

Regards,

Steve J

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result
of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every
victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the
enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."
-- Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"

Alan Meyer wrote:
> On Apr 7, 10:06 pm, "I.P. Freely" <fuhgheddabou...@noway.nohow> wrote:
>> skeptic wrote:
>>> But I've already started Casodex, soon to have Lupron
>>> added...I'm told I will lose my libido...does that mean lose
>>> "interest" or lose ability to orgasm? .... or both (what a
>>> depressing question........)
>
> Depressing indeed.
>
>> The simple, objective, naive answer reported by many men: If
>> you feel any physical or emotional difference between watching
>> a porn flick and watching The Golf Channel, your ADT isn't
>> doing its job of driving your testosterone to castrate levels.
>
> Having had Lupron, I can testify that there is considerable truth
> to I.P.'s characterization. I was able to look at a beautiful
> woman and still appreciate her beauty in an academic sort of way.
> I had trouble remembering why I was interested in any other way.
>
>> That doesn't into account a loving relationship and a lot of
>> patience, which some have reported can toss medical science out
>> the bedroom window.
>
> And that indeed is the saving grace.
>
> On a number of occasions I engaged in sex thinking that, while I
> had no interest in it, I would go through the motions and do my
> best to satisfy my wife. To my great surprise, after 15 minutes
> or so, I found I wasn't going through the motions any more. I
> became genuinely aroused and was able to complete the act in the
> normal way.
>
> So, sex becomes harder (everything gets harder as we get older
> doesn't it?) but not impossible. The plumbing continues to work,
> it's only the motivation that ceases. If you were able to have
> erections before, you may still be able to do it. Even if you
> were not, if you were able to have orgasms before, you may still
> be able to do that, and will still find them every bit as
> satisfying. So force yourself to get past the lack of interest.
> Force yourself to try. You may well find that after trying for a
> while, you're not forcing yourself any more.
>
> Also, when you go on Lupron there is a brief period of several
> weeks of testosterone flare. You might have a heightened
> interest in sex during that period. Enjoy it and take advantage
> of it.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Alan

I've got some ED going on, which is what got me in for a check up
anyway, and they found the PCa. Urologist said my low testosterone was
the issue. So, are you saying that, even with low T, with the proper
inspiration, I should be able to perform like the good old days?

Dwight

On Apr 7, 10:49 pm, Steve Jordan <mycrofts...@cox.net> wrote:
> On April 7, Alan Meyer wrote, in pertinent part:
>
> > Also, when you go on Lupron there is a brief period of
> > several weeks of testosterone flare. You might have a
> > heightened interest in sex during that period. Enjoy it and
> > take advantage of it.
>
> If the medic is skilled and educated, (s)he will take steps to
> prevent that flare, which can be dangerous.

I might be wrong about this, but I think the steps normally taken
is the administration of Casodex for a week or two before Lupron.
I _think_ that Casodex doesn't prevent the flare. The
testosterone level still goes up. What it does is block the
uptake of testosterone in cancer cells. I don't know if it
blocks the other actions of testosterone.

I had both Casodex and Lupron and did notice what seemed to me an
increase in sex drive for the first couple of weeks. However my
rad onc started Casodex and Lupron on the same day, which is not
the way it's usually done. Maybe others can report their own
experiences.

Alan

On Apr 7, 10:50 pm, doofy <n...@would.nt.be.prudent> wrote:

> ...
> I've got some ED going on, which is what got me in for a check
> up anyway, and they found the PCa. Urologist said my low
> testosterone was the issue. So, are you saying that, even with
> low T, with the proper inspiration, I should be able to perform
> like the good old days?

If by "performance" you mean get hard erections and quick orgasms
like when you were young, the answer is No. But if you mean
being able to get into the act, become aroused, and carry it
through to your satisfaction, the answer may well be Yes.

Sex is partly between the legs, but a whole lot of it is between
the ears.

For me, the trick is to do everything I can to get my wife
aroused and satisfied. Her arousal then stimulates mine. It
works great for both of us.

Alan

Alan Meyer replied to me:

> I might be wrong about this, but I think the steps normally taken
> is the administration of Casodex for a week or two before Lupron.
> I _think_ that Casodex doesn't prevent the flare. The
> testosterone level still goes up. What it does is block the
> uptake of testosterone in cancer cells. I don't know if it
> blocks the other actions of testosterone.
>
> I had both Casodex and Lupron and did notice what seemed to me an
> increase in sex drive for the first couple of weeks. However my
> rad onc started Casodex and Lupron on the same day, which is not
> the way it's usually done. Maybe others can report their own
> experiences.

Please refer to the balance of my post, which seems to have been omitted:

"Here, from the glossary of the Prostate Cancer Research Institute, is
the definition of "flare": "the transient increase in serum testosterone
for the first few weeks after starting an LHRH agonist. This increase in
testosterone can potentially worsen the signs and symptoms of disease,
especially in those patients with vertebral metastases and/or urinary
obstruction; may be prevented by taking an antiandrogen (Casodex® or
Eulexin®) several days before starting an LHRH agonist or by the use of
an LHRH antagonist such as abarelix (Plenaxis®)."

I don't really care about the chemical details; I just don't think that
it is wise to expose oneself to the risk of worsening "the signs and
symptoms of disease" just to feel temporarily sexy.

It is evident that Alan's rad onc was ignorant, as Alan now understands.

Regards,

Steve J

"skeptic" <ribrass@aol.com> wrote in message
news:6e4cb241-0477-4c00-bad1-29ad9b8e12af@59g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> How does everyone define sex drive? Having erections? Just having
> normal interest in the opposite sex? Or the ability to acheive orgasm?
> I've lost the ability to have erections after RP but still can acheive
> orgasms, thank god.
> But I've already started Casodex, soon to have Lupron added...I'm told
> I will lose my libido...does that mean lose "interest" or lose ability
> to orgasm? .... or both
> (what a depressing question........)

A combination of surgery, radiation, and a less than understanding spouse, I
could have no sex. It was very frustrating. But, after ADT, I have no
libido, so I don't care anymore.