erection and dysfunction

Dear Doctor,

i am actually don't know how to start , my husband has just had a hernia surgery since 1 week ago and after the day one from the operation he felt no erection and he's very desperate he feels that he cant do any sexual matter so my question is if they did something wrony in the operation or is it normal issue after this kind of operation eventhough we are happy together

[Janice M Epp, PhD]

Hello.

I can't comment on hernia surgery because I'm not a surgeon. I'd suggest that you post your question in another expert forum to receive answers about surgical issues.

However, no one can know whether the operation has gone awry without a thorough examination of your husband. So it's important that he see a urologist to determine if there has been any damage.

It's also possible that there has been no physical damage at all, and that your husband has just worried himself into this situation.

Let me get this straight: after only ONE week, you two decided to be sexual? This could put lots of physical strain on your husband during his recovery.

Think about it: after surgery, we all need time to recuperate, and most of our energy goes into that process. Yet most men expect that they'll just be able to respond immediately to sexual stimulation as before. Most men don't recognize that they need time to recover from illness, injury, etc. And when that erection doesn't happen EXACTLY as before, they begin to worry. Once they worry, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy: the more they worry, the more their penis won't cooperate.

If you curl up with your husband, hold him and reassure him that all is well and that what's most important is that he give himself time to heal, my guess is that all will be well. It takes time to recover from surgery. Help him to realize that he may have unrealistic expectations of his body, and that you're not putting any pressure on him. After a month or so, if he's still having erection concerns, then it's time to see a urologist. Best of luck to you. Dr.