I have Sjogrens; how can I have sex without pain?

[Okie]

I don't have dryness. I'm already taking hormones for menopause and tried vaginal hormones. It just hurts at penatration. I had a normal sex life before sjogrens. What do you all do?

[inga]

My gynie told me two things.  Use it or lose it, and use lubricant.  It hurts me a bit too, and I just try not to focus on that.  Some changes occur with aging, and are not necessarily due to SjS.

[Katybarstool]

Hi Okie

Sorry you are sufering this way. I use HRT/topical HRT, Replens moisturiser (prescription or you can buy OTC)and  KY Jel as needed.

By the way, my GP told me to use aqueous/E45 cream as wash in the genital areas. It helps a lot.

Kathyx

[Dolly Dimples]

 Okie, you need to be well lubricated,  so you  must use a lubricant of some kind,
                                                                     along with your hormone programme

 Google for the latest in personal lubricants , as new and better ones come along all the time now..

                     I have so much dryness down below that the skin splits at times,

           so am interested in what Kathy said about washing with Aqueous cream!
   Kathy dear, do you use water with the cream or just slather it on?
                                                                                   Dolly

[SassieCat]

OUCH!!!

I feel so bad that you have to be experiencing this too.  I am 52 and my urologist noticed how dry the area is.  He wrote a prescription for an estrogen cream called Etrace.  He said to put a small amount on my finger and put it where it's needed.  Use about the same amount as  you would toothpaste.  It has an applicator but he said not to use it. 

It helps......... whoopie! 

[Bernice]

Hey this reminds me of a thread we had not too long ago. I said then and I'm sticking to it, VASELINE!!! It's the cureall for EVERYTHING known to mankind! From shoeshine to whatever! Just get you a glob of it, rub it and do what ya got to do! It's cheap and quick, plus ya don't have to be sitting looking embarrased in the face of no doctor either trying to explain why you need it. Everybody buys it, so no one will think anything of it even if you go a buy a case,

Dry lips of any kind = VASELINE!

[eyeamdry]

My husband is like Berniece, except he thinks Ben Gay is a cureall for what ever ails you.  I doubt if I'd want to use it for this particular purpose.  It was passed down on the family because his Dad thought Ben Gay fixed everything.  Now, my mother was more of a Vicks fiend.  We were always getting slathered with Vicks.  Good memories.  Lucy

[SassieCat]

My husband is like Berniece, except he thinks Ben Gay is a cureall for what ever ails you.  I doubt if I'd want to use it for this particular purpose.  It was passed down on the family because his Dad thought Ben Gay fixed everything.  Now, my mother was more of a Vicks fiend.  We were always getting slathered with Vicks.  Good memories.  Lucy

My exhusband swore by bag balm that is used for livestock.  But me, no way!

Vasaline is too greasy for me, it makes my skin break out in pimples.  But I can see my hubby's face if I come at him with a jar of vasaline (hohohohoho)

[Katybarstool]

Hi Dolly

Yes, I just put some aqueous cream in the palm of my hand, add some water, and use it as I would soap. It's very soothing, and apparently, your skin retains more moisture if it's slightly damp, so that's probably why it helps.

Kathyx

[Dolly Dimples]

  Thanx Kathy, will try anything,
                     My daughter has excema,and was told to cleanse with Aqueous cream,
 but I never thought of using it for more intimate places . Dolly

[Bernice]

Sassiecat,

How on earth can that area break out in pimples So o.k. you can't use it on your face, but I thought it was for  . And for God's sake why would you have to present it to your husband, Lord! I think you need a lesson in survival one on one!

Girl, you gonna get me in trouble here tryin to explain thangs to ya! Look a here, Get you a good glob of that vaseline and rub it let's just say in part of the area where the sun don't shine! On YOURSELF! Mind ya. Now you might have to damp the area, first, that 's if you have time before things get too busy, if not just trust the vaseline to do what it will do.

Now true, It's to everybody's individual likin, but I thought think it was more preferable for most that it be slippery, so greasy ain't a bad thang!

Bernice

[Scottietottie]

I've always been told that water based lubricant such as KY Jelly was preferable to anything petroleum based like vaseline.

[Kimi]

I have found coconut oil to do the trick. It is a lighter oil and does not get dry like some of the water based ones can. Plus it is a natural anti fungal too. So helps prevent yeast infection. We have been using this for years. It is great on the lips and any where on the body that is dry, I use it instead of  lotion.
 Kimi

[lainier]

I see that you mentioned that you have tried vaginal hormones. Does that include Estriol cream? I find that it works wonders in that department!

[irish]

I was taught in nursing school back in the dark ages that vaseline is good for many things, however, the consensus was that putting it on anything from baby's bottom on up could cause issues. The issue is that anything with petroleum holds in the heat and can cause a type of "burn" such as what baby gets on his bottom.

I have found this to be true with my babies and have used it only in areas that won't burn from holding in heat.

I have also used it to shine shoes, lubricate rusted in screws and other household chores. We have a jar of vaseline that is marked "commercial" use only for the household project. Also, I think it was bag balm that we had to put on the back of our pigs ears when they got sunburned. Not a pet pig mind you, we hobby farmed at one time.

I have used the OTC Metrodiazole cream for those special moments in time. I figured this one out years ago when I was young and having so many yeast infections from---you guessed it undiagnosed sjogrens. Irish

Now that we have let it all hang out we know that being ill has really made our pride go away---illnes plus having babies!!!