Your Sex Life After COPD Diagnosis
Enjoy Sex Again!
From About.com
About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD
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A COPD diagnosis doesn’t mean your sex life is over. If you have found that your sex life has decreased since your COPD diagnosis, here are a few helpful tips for rejuvenating and keeping your sex life alive:
- Talk to your partner openly about your feelings and concerns about having sex
- See a sex therapist or talk to your doctor about what you can do to improve your sexual relationship
- Join a support group to get advice about sex and answers to your questions
- Have sex at a time during the day when fatigue is at its lowest
- Take a bath or shower together
- Clear your airways before havign sex
- Use your bronchodilator before having sex and keep it within arms reach
- If you are oxygen-dependent, get additional tubing (longer tubing) to allow for placing the oxygen tank away from the bed (or even out of the room!) and out of the way
- Do not eat a large meal or perform a strenuous activity prior to sex
- Avoid consuming alcohol before sex
- Cool the bedroom prior to and during sex
- Facilitate and focus more on hugging, kissing and cuddling rather than the actual sex act itself
- Incorporate sexual aids (only after both partners have discussed and agreed to it)
- Strive for intimacy rather than sexual gratification
- Begin an exercise program (approved by your doctor) to gain stamina and reduce shortness of breath
- Try to relax and free your mind of worries about harming your COPD partner
- Expect fewer and shorter erections, and delayed orgasms. This is a natural “side effect” of getting older!
- Rest before, during and after sex. Let the well partner do all (or most) of the work
- Use sexual positions that allow you to rest during sex and do not hinder your breathing
FREE book – “Being Close” from the National Jewish Medical Research Center can be ordered by calling 1-800-222-LUNG.
Source: Coping With COPD by Elaine Fantle Shimberg
http://lungdiseases.about.com/od/copingwithcopd/qt/copd_sex_tips.htm