Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Side Effects & Sexual Change

• Cool off with water, a fan and wear light or layered clothing.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, spicy food, and hot drinks as they may bring on a hot flash.
• Feeling upset or worried may make hot flashes worse.
• Talk to your doctor about medications that can help.

• Wear loose shirts made of soft fabric.
• Apply a cold or warm compress.
• Take over the counter pain medication.

• Work with your family doctor to track your health.
• Eat healthy – limit fats, sugary snacks and foods high in salt.  Eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low fat protein.
• Stay active – aim for 30 minutes of activity each day.
• Do strength exercises to keep your bones strong.
• Discuss with your health care team about taking calcium and vitamin D.

• Talk with your partner, family, or a close friend- sharing your feelings can help others get a sense of what you are going through.
• Ask your health care team to refer you to a social worker.
• Join a support group – talk to someone with prostate cancer who may also feel the same way.
• Do things that make you feel good about yourself.
• Eat healthy and stay active.
• Make the effort to stay close and sexually active with your partner – learn new ways to show you care.

• Prostate cancer and its treatment often affects your sex drive and your ability to produce children.
• You may have less desire for sex due to feelings about having cancer, or from the treatment itself.  It may return in time.
• Orgasms (peak of sexual excitement) – you will still feel the pleasure of an orgasm, but little or no fluid is released.

• Talk with your partner – be open and honest.
• Bring your partner with you to the Doctor so you can both stay informed.  Write down your questions before the visit.
• Plan to have sex when you are well-rested. Empty your bladder before sex and wear a condom if you are worried about leaking urine.
• Be willing to try new ways to show you care.  Hugging, kissing, and holding hands can help you stay close without having sex.
• If you want more support, ask your health care team to refer you to a social worker

Prostate cancer and its treatment often affects your erections and your ability to produce children.  Damage to nerves and blood vessels from your cancer treatment may make it difficult for you to have an erection.

• After Surgery – your erections may be weak for the first few months.  If the nerves near your prostate were not removed this may improve over the next two years.
• After Radiation Therapy – for many months your erections may not be as hard as they used to be.
• After Hormone Therapy – Unless you were on hormone therapy for many years your erections may return to normal after a few weeks or months.
• Orgasms (peak of sexual excitement) – you will still feel the pleasure of an orgasm, but little or no fluid is released.

Talk to your doctor about what options are best for you. Types of treatment include:

• Medication taken by mouth –If you are able to have a partial erection this may be a good option.  These work best after radiation therapy or if nerves were not removed during surgery.
• Medication used in the penis – You insert a pellet of medication in the opening of the penis, or inject a liquid in the base of the penis.  Your erection should start in a few minutes, and last 30 to 60 minutes.
• Vacuum erection device – You will place your penis into a tube attached to a pump.  The pump will act like a vacuum pulling blood into your penis to create an erection.  Your penis is kept hard by placing a ring at its base.
• Penile implants – Surgery is needed to place a pair of tubes inside your penis.  The tubes are then filled with fluid to create an erection.