A healthy woman can’t live without a normal sex life. Sex is good for women to eliminate insomnia, reduce the occurrence of skin diseases, reduce premenstrual syndrome, and slow down aging. However, many breast cancer patients often encounter problems with their sex life during the treatment period, which can be very confusing for both the patient herself and her significant other, so the following may help you:
Does sexual dysfunction, which is common during treatment, go away with the end of treatment?
Some studies have shown that about 70% of breast cancer patients experience at least one sexual dysfunction. Common female sexual dysfunctions include sexual desire disorder, sexual arousal disorder, painful intercourse disorder, and orgasmic disorder, and these manifestations are particularly evident during the treatment period. The results of a survey that included 558 female breast cancer patients showed that 23.4% of patients lacked interest in sex, 37% of breast cancer patients experienced vaginal dryness during sex, and 24% of patients felt pain during intercourse. We can see from these data that it is still common for breast cancer patients to have sexual dysfunction, so will sexual dysfunction disappear with the end of treatment?
In fact, sexual dysfunction is not only present during the initial diagnosis and treatment period, but can also persist long after treatment is completed.
A study comparing US long-term breast cancer survivors (>5 years of survival) with healthy women found that long-term breast cancer survivors had 2.7-3.1 times the incidence of sexual problems and significantly lower sexual function scores than healthy women, as evidenced by lack of sexual interest, inability to relax and enjoy themselves, difficulty with sexual arousal, and difficulty reaching orgasm.
What affects sexual function in breast cancer patients?
Surgery hurts confidence
The causes of altered sexual desire after breast surgery are primarily psychological. After mastectomy, breast cancer patients often have concerns and worries about their physical beauty, even that they are no longer a “complete” woman and that their significant other still loves them. Patients often feel a sense of loss and low self-esteem. The company’s main goal is to provide a comprehensive range of products and services to the public.
In addition, upper limb edema from axillary lymph node dissection can affect the comfort of sexual life, making intercourse difficult or even painful. Overall, these problems not only affect normal sexual health, but also the relationship. Even if the other party does not mind the results of the procedure, women may mistakenly think that the other party is so devastated that they voluntarily give up their relationship and sex. So know yourself correctly, your significant other may not think that the change in your appearance has any impact, believe in yourself and confidence is most important.
Cancer drugs ‘diminish’ sex drive
In addition to surgery, certain anti-cancer drugs can also cause a loss of libido. In premenopausal women, chemotherapy drugs may cause premature or even permanent ovarian failure, causing estrogen deficiency, which manifests as vaginal dryness, premature aging symptoms, and lack of libido. Because of these physical changes, painful intercourse, inflammation and bleeding may result. The persistence of uncomfortable symptoms makes women still believe they are in the midst of a disease and thus more reluctant to have sex.
Radiotherapy ‘affects’ breast sensation
Radiotherapy can cause local changes that can affect breast sensitivity. It causes fibrosis, skin thickening, contractures, changes in skin texture and color, and sometimes even breast pain. Any of these abnormalities can have an impact on sexual desire and enjoyment of sex, but these will slowly recover over time.
How to untie the “knot” in your sex life
The quality of sex life for people with breast cancer is very important. The person involved in the care of the breast cancer patient, especially the significant other, is an important supporter of the patient, and his or her sexuality and attitude toward sex have an important impact on the quality of the breast cancer patient’s sex life. This is a time when the other half should recognize the various manifestations of sexual dysfunction, and the couple should work together to slowly adjust, believing that most difficulties can be resolved over time.
- Addressing sexual dysfunction requires more communication. But too often, people tend to ignore the problem because it is difficult to talk about it.
- Patients may lose their confidence and worry about whether they are still attractive. This is a time when the significant other can show more physical and mental affection to bring back the confidence;
- The other half can also make it clear to the patient that the change in appearance is not a problem and that we can sit down together and slowly discuss what to do about it;
- If the patient doesn’t like sex at this time, you can also show your significant other how much you care by hugging, kissing, and massaging him more often;
Strive to work on your gender relationship with your significant other whenever you can, and treat breast cancer as a shared disease that you can overcome together. Among the predictors of sexual health in breast cancer patients, the impact of a good or bad relationship on sexual health outweighs the impact of all other physiological changes or chemotherapy damage as a key predictor. Several studies of breast cancer patients have shown that relationships are critical to sexual life, with higher partner intimacy associated with higher sexual satisfaction. And and those who had a good marital relationship before the disease and a long marriage had less impact of the disease on their sex life.
