RetroGrade Ejaculation

[Already Bald]

To all post RPLND'ers!
There has been some recent discussion on who has retrograde ejaculation post RPLND. There may be some of us who have had function return several months or more after surgery, some with no fluid at all (like me), and some with normal function from the beginning.
So please reply to this poll, it may very well be the most complete survey our surgeons can get on the subject!

[Mom]

Joe, you should add the chemo element into the poll. I think that could make a difference. Dianne

[Already Bald]

Dianne,
I'm certainly okay with changing the parameters of the poll. Adding the chemo element or other options... I just don't know how to go in and change it, maybe Scott can help with that. Also, let me know if there is anything else that sensible should be added.

I really hope that we get a good response on this- going into the RPLND I was real concerned about losing sensation due to retrograde, and just the whole idea of this surgery scared the hell out of me. All the guys out there facing RPLND need to here it from the "veterans" that retrograde does not change things.
So, for the newbies, please respond to the poll.
Joe

[Lori]

I'm not sure how to answer the poll, so just thought I'd tell you my husband's outcome. We were told going into the RPLND that he would have retrograde ejaculation - and he does. However, sexually speaking all is well. I love my husband more than ever and this outcome of the surgery has never been an issue!

[Fish]

I voted above, but also wanted to relay the following info.

My doctor performed what he called a "nerve sparing" RPLND; this was in 1988. But before surgery he told me that if there was a lot of nodal involvement, he would opt to get the cancer rather than preserve ejaculation. Luckily I had no enlarged nodes and normal ejaculation was present right away. So the outcome might also depend on the extent of the spread/size of the nodes

[BouncingChris]

L-rplnd

I had a L-RPLND on April 9th, 2007 and have since had severe retrograde ejaculation to the extent that there is no fluid what-so-ever. My doctor prescribed to me today a drug called Imipramine, a mild antidepressant that has been known to restore function to patients with retrograde ejaculation. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

[dadmo]

BouncingChris:
Don't lose hope. It took my son almost a full year to get back to normal.

[justinsmom]

Just saw this thread, hopefully my son won't mind me sharing but he had 4 X BEP and a full-bilateral RPLND to remove a large teratoma post chemo, & Dr. told us up front he could not do nerve sparing due to the size of teratoma, so Justin expected & got retrograde...the surgeon was Dr. Chris Nichols' guy in Oregon so we felt confident Justin had no option, just thankful his surgery went miraculously well!!!!! Lanette ><>