These days I struggle with libido. I love him dearly and enjoy sex when we have it but I rarely can be bothered. I do to keep us both happy as intimacy is important for not just physical but our emotional relationship too. Because I want him to be happy/satisfied

I'm not sure if it's my age (42) being a busy mum or tx or a combination of all three. I miss feeling aroused and wonder if I should just accept it and just keep a tube of lube in my bedside draw. Will my MIA libido come back?

Anyway I feel it is important to maintain initmacy probably more for your partner as I think maybe as women "we may just grow out of it" Any thoughts?

I totally agree with Turtles post about it being the furthest thing from my mind.  Sx have made it near impossible.  No secretion to speak of anywhere. I do however worry about post treatment. I guess Ill have to cross that bridge when I come to it.

SteffieHoney wrote:

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I totally agree with Turtles post about it being the furthest thing from my mind.  Sx have made it near impossible.  No secretion to speak of anywhere. I do however worry about post treatment. I guess Ill have to cross that bridge when I come to it.

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Hi Steffie, just a suggestion... it might be worth using a lubricating gel to help with that while you`re on tx.  You`ll probably be able to get some from your local pharmacy. 

It's sober not somber.  Have a nice day.

Malcolm,

 I too thank you for bringing this up.

It's been an issue with me more than with my wife i think.

  I'm in my 9th week and my sex drive hasnt improved, to say the least.

 The good news is my coordinator told me Viagra was not on the list of restricted meds.

  I think those that seem to not walk softly with this sort of stuff  dont "carry  big sticks."

(tourquoise 2 Abbott)

I'll give up posting on matters I think are important. Obviously many others don't. Thanks for the genuine replies- replies that are sarcastic or witty belittle the topic and the poster. I'll stick to pleasantries from now on.

Malcolm

Please don't give up on your important posts.

You are one of the most insightful members on the forum.

Sometimes people use humor to express themselves, and it can very good way to get a point accross. Sometimes its just plain funny, and sometimes its just dum.

One of our members Scout had a very humorous way of responding to the thread from a few weeks about drinking after having HCV, its was funny but effective.

I guess the point is, we all grew up dealing with issues both serious non serious in different ways mostly like our parents did. Humor has its place but so does being somber. Sometimes its the only way for certian people to express themselves.

Matt 

P.S. Malcolm, nice to see you have enough energy to interact after your move.

-- Edited by Matt Chris on Tuesday 2nd of April 2013 03:30:54 PM

I've been having SX three or four times a day since starting treatment. It is almost unbearable to have so much SX and so often.

I certainly hope that after the 48 weeks I can get back to only having SX once or twice a month.

Capt. B. Rash

We were able to keep things going around here during the treatment months, but many days I felt too bad to even think about it. I finished the medicine in early August 2012 and during Fall and Winter I noticed appetite for sex increasing slightly. I don't notice any long term sexual side effects from the treatment. I hope this remains the case. We 60 year olds don't need any more negative effects.

alan

mallani wrote:

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.....This is just a brief overview of a common, complex subject. Thanks.

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 Malcolm, thanks for opening the topic, it's not only complex but for most men pretty difficult to talk about, in a direct manner...it's just is what it is.      The "is it low T" commercials that bombard the airwaves(West Coast region) every day are painful to view- you suspect that the commercial is irresponsibly peddling a 'snake oil' solution, but still you wonder.     I think that most of us here understand what a double-edged sword that testosterone replacement therapy can be, so as Malcolm's post recommends- giving your physician a shot at exploring possible causes & cures is a prudent starting point.

BTW Vernon- those sx sound pretty rough, hope things get back to normal soon.   

SVR. Check

Poor attention span.  Check

ED. Sometimes I wish I did. lol....uncheck.

I'm getting tired chasing my wife around the dining room table.  She is getting easier to catch though, she has a bad knee.

Unlike some women, sex is never too far from a man's mind. My wife says we are pathetic. She might be right!

Have a great day or evening!

Hi Jim,

Thanks. We'll put you down as an SVR who has ED and a poor attention span.

I had an erection but by the time I finished reading your post it was gone.  

Sex, hello! whats that lol everything goes against women of a certain age I think or it could just be me :(  but since achieving SVR in 2010 my libido is non existant :( and I really dont think I can be bothered to see therapists ect. Apart from that everything else has returned to normal only better :)

Jan x

Matt,

Testosterone supplementation was once thought to help ED, in patients with low testosterone levels. It has now been shown that supplementation causes complete suppression of natural testosterone production, a reduced sperm count/ infertility, permanent testosterone dependence, raised liver enzymes, increased blood clotting, prostatic enlargement and increased prostatic cancer risk.

Malcolm 

The question I have after reading the piece is, will Testosterone supplementation help with at least the physical aspect SP?

Obviously this is a multi part scenario , physical (chemically?), emotional, and the other persons mate influence on the situation.

Receiving help via counsel and a doctors care for the physical component seems to be a start. Be I am totally out of my league on such areas.

Just a thought no facts

Matt 

 belive me, while I was on treatment, sex was the last thing on my mind.

WARNING: If offended by the topic, please do not read and press the 'Back' button

This is a topic which is taboo on most Forums and has been rarely mentioned on this Forum. I'm not sure why, as I regard a satisfactory sex life as part of a normal healthy lifesyle.  'Satisfactory' may have different meanings for different people!  Sex problems are common in chronic Hep C, and this post was partly the result of my doc saying he was tired of writing prescriptions for Viagra for his EOT patients. My wife is 21 years younger and this may be part of my interest. The aim of the post is to explain the variety of 'sex problems', the causes, and how help may be obtained.

Sex problems ( let's call them SPs, to save me typing sex all the time) include decreased libido (sex drive), lack of interest in sex, unsatisfactory sex, erectile dysfunction (males) and decreased secretions (females). Patients may have some or all of these, in different degrees. Research has shown that SPs occur in up to 60% of patients with chronic HCV (who are not on treatment).

SPs are common in any chronic disease, particularly when associated with fatigue and depression. Alcoholism, anxiety, cigarette smoking, advancing age, various drugs (eg valium), drug addiction are all part of a very long list. Fatigue is the most common symptom of HCV, and other factors may be present as well.

SPs are caused by an imbalance between testosterone and oestrogen. In males, testosterone is produced by the testes and regulated by the pituitary hormones L.H. and F.S.H. (the names are not important), and oestrogens are produced by the adrenal glands. In females, oestrogens are produced by the ovaries and regulated by F.S.H. from the pituitary, and testosterone again comes from the adrenal glands. Testosterone drives libido in both sexes. Psychological factors are an additional factor and can cause SPs with normal hormone levels. However, in surveys of HCV patients, all who had SPs were found to have low testosterone levels. Patients with advanced liver fibrosis had more severe SPs. Both testosterone and oestrogen are metabolised in hepatocytes. Oestrogen metabolism is most impaired, so males experience the 'feminising' effects of increased oestrogen levels, such as testicular atrophy.

When HCV is treated, SPs worsen or may appear for the first time. This is mostly due to direct action of antivirals, particularly interferon. There is depression of pituitary and adrenal function so levels of testosterone and oestrogen decrease. Anxiety and depression are common during treatment, lethargy increases usually as a result of anaemia so a vicious cycle starts that includes inactivity and overall lack of interest. It is not known how the new DAAs will affect SPs. With the existing antiproteases, drugs like Viagra are contraindicated. SPs due to treatment resolve after treatment finishes.

Patients with SPs are encouraged to discuss them with their doctor. Treatment for depression or anxiety may help, counselling may be useful but it is important to realise this is a common problem and don't stress about it. Unfortunately I could find no reference to the effect of SVR on SPs. Perhaps some Forum members with SVR could help?

This is just a brief overview of a common, complex subject. Thanks.

Thanks for opening this discussion, Malcolm, I`m sure it`s a topic which will be of interest to many of our members.  We`ve talked about sex and HCV many times before on the forum, but it`s mostly been in the context of `risk factors` and we haven`t really examined it from this point of view.

Speaking personally, I`ve been single for so many years that I can`t really comment, apart from adding that I`m very comfortable with my single status, and that in itself probably says quite a lot!  And of course I`m getting older too so I`m guessing that`s part of it, as Jan also mentioned.

Cheers, Jill

ps - Hi Jan, glad you`re doing well!