Retrograde ejaculation

[Swede]

I had low anterior resection 2013-04-29 for a rectal carcinoma 10 cm up. I have no problems with libido, erection or orgasm. However there is retrograde ejaculation into the bladder. Nothing comes out of the penis at orgasm. That is a major problem since we are trying to make babies. My sperm quality was good before operation.

I have heard that retrograde ejaculation usually reverses spontaneously, but that it can take a long time. Does anyone here have any experience with that? How long did it take?

Duloxetine (Yentreve) is recommended for retrograde ejaculation. However that made me completely anorgasmic, which is a common side effect of duloxetine. Now I am trying phenylpropanolamine instead. Does anyone have any experience of drugs to reverse retrograde ejaculation?

[CRguy]

Our discussion forum here has had the following posts, which you can follow from clicking on this search hotlink below :

search.php?keywords=ejaculation&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sr=posts&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

There is also a primarily ED site called http://www.franktalk.org/ which may have other resources for you, but it is primarily more for impotence issues I believe ?
I have experienced both complete and partial RE post surgery (LAR) but have no experience with medications for it.

HTH
CRguy

[Swede]

Thank you for answering.

How long did it take for your RE to reverse spontaneously?

[Rockovage]

I had my LAR in march and I have it too . I e-mailed my surgeon and he told me to give it some time and if it doesn`t get better then see a urologist .

[raym]

My urologist said there was nothing he could do. I experienced RE after my first surgery 2 years ago and it has not improved. Though with my 2nd surgery (HIPEC) more damage done so things overwall are not like they used to be...but can't complain and has gotten better over time though chemo is a labido killer overall.

[stevieb]

Mine reversed itself after about four weeks post surgery.

[Swede]

Someone else with experience of retrograde ejaculation? Now it is 5 weeks and 1 day since surgery. Still no sign of spontaneous reversal.
Very frustrating and a major problem since we are trying to make babies.

I tried phenylpropanolamine in high dose (50mg *6). That gave a few drops of semen, nothing more. After that I tried reboxetine (edronax), which initially gave a few more drops of semen. However if I increase the dose of reboxetine it also makes me anorgasmic. Any other suggestions?

How long can I expect it to take before it reverses spontaneously? Two months? Three months? Half a year? Never?

[Ehut]

I have had ejaculation issues since my surgery 15 months ago. Initially there was no discharge for several weeks, then a little came back. I had a semen analysis performed in January and it was low volume and NO sperm. I don't know if I have retrograde or if it's something else, since I don't see cloudy urine. My urologist requires 2 semen analyses before scheduling a checkup, so I'm planning to have another analysis around August. We're not in a big hurry to get it resolved since I want to wait ~2 years after radiation before trying for another kid. I did bank a sample before chemo so IVF is always a fall back plan.

Just curious, how do you know it's retrograde and not another problem?

[SkiFletch]

Is it a fertility specialist whose prescribing these drugs for you Swede, or your onc? If your onc, perhaps a fertility specialist could offer better help? Just spitting here

[Swede]

I have no problems with erection or orgasm (when on no medication). The ejaculations feel completely as before, with strong rhythmic contractions and pumping movements in the pelvis and penis.

I gave a urine sample after ejaculation, and the urine was full of sperm when examined with a microscope. So no doubt it is retrograde ejaculation.

My fertility specialist has suggested those drugs. I will see a urologist tomorrow.

[NHMike]

I had this after surgery (October 2017) and mentioned it to my surgeon and she suggested seeing a urologist. I found several others on another CRC forum that experienced the same thing. I had meant to go see a urologist but I really don't like going to see a doctor given that I've had a lifetime's supply of doctors visits already.

We had output two days ago though which was quite a pleasant surprise (we're too old to have kids but it is nice when your body works normally). As far as what I've done recently which might have helped:

Deadlifts, squats, shoulder press (barbell)
Increased time doing balance yoga poses (Tree Pose, Warrior I, II, III, Half-Moon Pose)
A bunch of other dumbbell exercises
Floorwork and Abs

Though I have done all of these in the past. Maybe it was time passing, some increased core strength, a nerve healing. I don't really know. But it's working now. I would guess most men really aren't thrilled to hear that it took me three years but it's another data point.

I started a thread on that other forum with the title: "An issue for men only". So of course a lot of the women on the forum looked at it and chimed in. There is no such thing as a private thread.

I hinted at this in my long thread and I posted the end result here.

Back to working out.