Yes! Your capacity for getting and maintaining an erection, pleasure, orgasm, and intimacy doesn’t always disappear after prostate removal.

Pleasure, orgasm, erection, and ejaculation are not a package deal. It’s possible to experience one or more without the others.

“The prostate’s main function is to produce semen, which is the fluid that carries sperm through the urethra and out the body,” said Mohit Khera, MD, a urologist specializing in sexual dysfunction and infertility.

When it’s removed, there’s no fluid to ejaculate, he said. Orgasms and pleasure, however, are still possible.

“Most people will still be able to enjoy penile orgasms after prostate removal,” said Searah Deysach, sex educator and owner of Early to Bed, a pleasure product company in Chicago that ships worldwide.

Nipple orgasms and other types of erogenous play are also still on the table.

“Erectile dysfunction rates following prostate removal vary,” Khera said. Clinical estimates range from 8% to 90%, depending on the type of prostate cancer treatment you receive.

Your age and overall health can increase your risk of erectile dysfunction (ED), he noted. Your surgeon’s skill level and technique can also have an impact.

That said, “your ability to get and stay erect can improve for years following surgery,” said Khera.

According to Cancer Research UK, your ability to have and maintain an erection after prostate removal ranges from 3 months to 3 years.

Plus, there are things you can do to help improve or strengthen your erections, including:

“Kegel exercises have also been shown to help patients recover their function after prostate removal,” said Khera, who recommends working with a pelvic floor therapist.

“The sooner a patient starts to do these types of exercises, the faster they typically recover function,” he said.

“The prostate is heavily involved in the creation and section of the ejaculatory fluid,” said Jordan Soper, PsyD, an AASECT-certified sex therapist with the sexual wellness brand Promescent.

Because of this, ejaculatory orgasms typically aren’t possible after prostate removal.

The sensory experience surrounding orgasm will change, Soper explained. It might take some time to get used to the sensation of orgasm without ejaculation, known as dry orgasm.

The overall impact on sex and orgasm may be more drastic for people who enjoy prostate stimulation.

If you don’t have a prostate, you can’t have a prostate orgasm, noted Evan Goldstein, DO, founder and CEO of Bespoke Surgical in New York City.

However, anal pleasure is still possible.

“There are many pleasure receptors and nerve endings in and around the anal canal,” Goldstein said. “Receptive anal sex can be a great way to experience mind-blowing pleasure with or without a prostate, and with or without an orgasm.”

To start, Goldstein recommends reframing how you define sex — and asking your partner(s) to do the same.

“At the end of the day, how good sex feels and how pleasurable your orgasms feel will vary based on how you define ’sex’ and what you expect to get out of said sex,” he said. “Neither orgasm nor pleasure always needs to result in ejaculating across the room.”

And if you continue to expect your orgasms to be accompanied by a wet, voluminous release, you’ll ruin said orgasm with your expectations.

In other words, your first step is accepting that you’re not going to have ejaculatory orgasms anymore.

“The prostate and ejaculation play just one small part in sex,” Goldstein explained. “So, in the absence of a prostate or the ability to ejaculate, you can absolutely still find sex pleasurable.”

Adopt a beginner’s mindset

“Sexual activity after a prostatectomy is like learning to have sex for the first time all over again,” Soper said. “You get to explore your new body and rediscover tools, sensations, and positions that feel good to you.”

When you permit yourself to find new likes and dislikes, you give your partner(s) permission to do the same, which can totally revolutionize your sex life for the better, she said.

Get experimental

Now is a great time to incorporate parts of your body you’ve never invited into play before. The armpits, neck, ears, and thighs, for example, are often overlooked.

“If you’re looking for alternate ways to receive pleasure that doesn’t involve the prostate, you could also try incorporating the entrance of the anus which typically responds well to touch,” Goldstein said.

Shut down feelings of shame

You may have to do the hard labor of working through shame following prostate removal.

“Many individuals report shaming themselves for erectile and orgasmic dysfunction postsurgery,” Soper said. And that shame can have negative consequences for your sex life, as well as your overall well-being and sense of self.

Learning new ways to have sex can help remove some of that shame and improve self-esteem, self-efficacy, and pleasure, but you may still want to connect with a sex therapist for support.

“Just like any other physical change that can impact your sex life, communication with your partner(s) is key after a prostate removal procedure,” Deysach said.

Exactly how you bring it up will depend on the nature of your relationship, but some options include:

  • ”I’ve done some research online about prostate removal and sexual function, and I want to share some of the things I’ve found. Can we talk about it together and come up with a game plan?”
  • ”Are you available on Tuesday at 2 p.m. to go to my urology appointment with me? I’m going to ask the doctor about how this surgery could affect my ability to have sex, and I’d like you to be there.”
  • ”I know that I need to have this procedure, but I’m really worried that I won’t be able to make you feel desired if I can’t get hard or ejaculate. Can we sit down and think through other ways I can show you how hot I think you are while I’m in recovery?”

No, you will not be able to ejaculate after prostate removal.

Yes, many people are able to get a natural erection within 3 years after having their prostate removed. However, some people also experience permanent ED, so they can’t get an erection naturally.

There are no official guidelines on how long to wait to masturbate or have penetrative sex after prostate removal. You may be able to do either once you feel like you’re ready, according to Prostate Cancer UK. However, there may be some exceptions to consider:

  • if you have a catheter, it’s best to wait until it’s removed
  • if you have keyhole surgery, wait until the wound is healed
  • if you have anal sex, wait at least 6 weeks before having anal sex

Yes, short-term ED is very common after prostate removal.

No, because if you can’t ejaculate, sperm can’t leave your body. And if sperm can’t leave your body, it can’t enter someone else’s.

That said, prostate removal is not a vasectomy. It’s important to talk with a healthcare professional about any contraceptive or family planning needs before your surgery.

It depends on whether your prostate is fully or partially removed. If your prostate is completely removed, it isn’t possible to develop other prostate conditions.

The types of orgasms you may be able to have — and the sensations, smells, and textures typically associated with your orgasms — may change following prostate removal surgery.

But there are many ways for you to continue to give and receive pleasure after surgery, as well as countless treatment options for any sexual or erectile conditions that might occur.