Hernia Surgery and Erection Difficulty

Dear Ask The Doctor: I had open linguinal hernia surgery 3 weeks ago and am doing fine except my flaccid penis size is smaller and am having trouble getting an erection. Is this normal? Could it be a blood flow problem? I do have some numbness under the incision. Never had a problem before surgery! Is this normal? If it is temporary how long will it last?

Dear Rick: If the only procedure you underwent was a hernia repair then this should have no effecto nt he size of your penis or your ability to have an erection. The numbness at the incision site is as a result of a nerve being severed during the operation but this nerve is not important in the erection of the penis. I note that you are taking Lipitor and triameterene which are most often used in Hypertension and high cholesterol. These conditions increase the likelihood of erection problems as one gets older. I suggest seeing your local physician and explaining the problems that you are having. There are a number of medications that can help.