Skip to main content

Sexual Wellbeing



While some women experience positive changes to their sexual wellbeing or sexual relationship after breast cancer, for others breast cancer can have the opposite effect.
"I love my husband very much and our relationship is good but my physical body does not respond like it used to." -- Woman, 51 years
Sexual wellbeing is a complex and personal issue. Some women may experience physical changes such as fatigue, hot flushes or weight gain, while other women experience emotional changes such as  depression, or not feeling confident about their body. We know that for many women vaginal dryness can also be an issue due the effects of chemotherapy or hormonal therapies which can cause discomfort, especially during sex. Other women tell us that they often lack energy and desire for sex due to fatiguing treatments or changed hormone levels. Very often it's a combination of many of these different issues.
"Tiredness, muscles and joints aching from Arimidex, fatigue, emotional exhaustion from coping with family and friends' anxiety and being away from home for extended time have all contributed to my lack of interest in sex"  -- Woman, 58 years.
It's important to know there are lots of things that you can try to help you manage the effects of breast cancer and its treatments on your sexual wellbeing.

Managing your concerns

If you do have sexual wellbeing concerns, it can also be beneficial to discuss these with your GP or breast care nurse. They may be able to suggest things you can try and tell you what has worked for other women. As a starting point you may want to get in touch with your GP or breast care nurse. They may also be able to recommend a counsellor, sex therapist or psychologist who can provide further support. You may also like to read more about how to find a sexual wellbeing expert.
Dr Sandra Pertot, a clinical psychologist and sex therapist, spoke to The Beacon in March 2010 about sexual wellbeing issues for women with breast cancer. She told us that many women experience sexual wellbeing changes and that it's important to accept that the feelings and responses you experience are normal and are appropriate for you.
In The Beacon article, Dr Pertot, also gave some tips on managing relationships with partners:
  • Talk to your partner about how you are both feeling - if you are sad about losing your sex drive and the sex life you once had together, tell him so.
  • Tell your partner if what you need is affection, such as a hug, cuddle or massage, but not sex.
  • If you do want sex, be clear about what you do and don't want -- you may not want your breasts touched, for example.
  • Maintaining a loving and supportive relationship with your partner will help your sexual relationship return when you are feeling better.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Hard nipples" - areola or nipple skin

Someone once wrote"... when i get really cold, or get goosebumbs all over my body, the whole things really scrunch up, like, my entire areola scrunches itself up into a wrinkled little mound. it looks really weird and ugly, and i haven't ever seen other people's breasts do it. what is wrong with my areola/nipples??" The answer: Well nothing is wrong. This is what my areola does too. It's a normal reaction to the coldness or to irritation / stimulation. The little muscles in the areola do a similar goosebump thing as your other skin can do. People often call this phenomenon "hard nipples". Also note that skin on areola has less feeling or sensation to it than other areas of your body. If the areola was very sensitive, then breastfeeding would probably be quite uncomfortable because the baby pulls and tugs it! The nipples are sensitive but the sensitivity changes with hormonal changes, such as occur at mestrual cycle or pregnancy. Also this v...
8 comments
Read more

Mastectomy Drain Breast Cancer Treatment

The  purpose of drains after mastectomy  is to drain away the fluid that can gather in the armpit region or around the scar on the chest wall. Some people after mastectomy also find that fluid gathers around the shoulder blade area on their back - this seems more common if the muscle from the back has been used for  breast reconstruction  at the time the mastectomy was done. When mastectomy is done - and especially if the lymph nodes are removed from the axilla or armpit - then there is a lot of tissue fluid and lymph fluid left with no where to go. This fluid normally flows through the lymph channels but if they are cut then it can escape into the normal skin and muscle tissues. Your surgeon will place drains under your skin after mastectomy. These drains gather up the fluid and remove it to a bottle (or bottles) that you carry around with you. Some people use a  belt clip to attach the drain  to their waistband - making them more mobile. Others car...
8 comments
Read more

Pancreatic Cancer breakthrough

Published Today By  Ana Sandoiu Fact checked  by Jasmin Collier New research now published in the  Journal of Natural Products  shows that a vine compound is highly effective in the fight against treatment-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. #cancer #cells #pancreaticcancer #breakthrough #natural #journalofnaruralproducts #cure #survivor #iamstillawoman #Anasandiou #jasmincollier A type of rainforest vine may hold the key to effective cancer treatments.  Pancreatic cancer  is notoriously difficult to treat, and the condition has a poor outlook. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the 5-year survival rate for people with early-stage exocrine pancreatic cancer is  12–14 percent . A  new study  explains why that is and offers a potential solution. Gerhard Bringmann, a professor of organic chemistry at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg in Germany.  Specifically, human pancreatic ...
9 comments
Read more