Sex and Sjogrens..

[wiccagal]

Sex and Sjogrens....

I am really wanting to know with out intimate details... what the heck can one do to alleviate the pain that is involved with Sjogren dryness and poor quality lubrication production??..  I never had issues like this before    however since my sjogrens has been very active over the last year, I am finding that I almost want to avoid intercourse because of the dryness and the pain.  Chemical lubrication that you buy OTC doesn't seem to stop it or causes more pain  ( I am very chemically sensitive.. )   How does one live with Sjogrens and still maintain a healthy pain free sex life?? 

[inga]

I use a vaginal estrogen, and water based lubricants.....uh, and a pain pill.

[inga]

LOL, the pain pill goes in my mouth.....

[Beta]

You may try Calendula balm or ointment. Helps with dryness and it smels nice.

[lynnmarie219]

Have you talked to your gyne about this? As Inga mentioned there are cremes/vaginal suppositories that contain estrogen that can hep with the dryness and inflammation (usually associated with post menopausal women) but may help you in this situation.

Talk to your doc about it...I hope you can get some help with this!

[beverley]

I have been to the Drs several times and I have tried various lubricants and ortho-gynest which you insert with a plunger.  Nothing seems to help and my dear husband and I have not had intercourse for several years now.  It is a great shame and although we still make love I miss the intimacy of intercourse.

I hope you find something that helps.

Beverley

[ohiolady]

I use estrogen cream and astroglide but Evoxac also helped the vaginal dryness.  I have severe dry mouth and take it three times a day.

Anna

[stillsguy]

good one inga!

[Wynter]

I talked to my GYN about this during my yearly visit. It's been very frustrating to my husband. She said to try cooking oil or straight petroleum jelly. Sounds like it would be unsafe, but she said it's not. We tried over the counter products, and they didn't work. The doc said over the counter are water based and don't last. We haven't tried her suggestions yet.

[Pegasus47]

I use estrogen cream vaginally.  Helps a lot.   No pain.  On top of that , I do use a lubricant ( not vaseline) during sex.

I doctor said the little bit of estrogen vaginal cream is safe.,  I use it 3 times/week. 

Hope that helps!

Lily

[Butterfly]

There are several things that you can use to help with the vaginal dryness. There are oral pills, creams, suppositories, patches, etc. that can be used to decrease vaginal dryness. If your vaginal dryness is severe it may take numerous interventions in the beginning to get this under control. If you haven't had sex in several years you will have to work especially hard to make your vagina more pliable. When you are plagued by vaginal dryness the vagina tends to become narrow and rigid without sexual intercourse. It can become a vicious cycle-vaginal dryness causing painful intercourse-decreased vaginal intercourse causing vaginal narrowing and rigidity-and round and round we go. Your OBGYN should be able to help decrease your vaginal dryness. If they don't you need to find a new one that is willing to work with you. I got this information from an obgyn that spoke at our last sjogren's syndrome support group meeting.

[Daisy1234]

Replens moisturizer used daily is a good all around vaginal moisturizer that helps restore tissues damaged by dryness.  Also I second the use of Astro-glide and the estrogen prescribed vaginal cream (3x a week).  This combination of 3 things works well for me and my Sjs is primary and considered severe.

[Ntysin]

Wiccagal,
Hope you find relief for this issue immediately...

A website that may be of some interest to you is womentowomen.com it has some natural suggestions that may be helpful.

I myself do not suffer from any dryness but I drink plenty...plenty...plenty of liquids to help combat the apparent inevitable (so I hear)

Good luck to you and your partner!!

[Billydude]

I'm sure you've not heard this talked about but I believe men have a sort of dryness as well.   There is sort of a "pre" lubricant that men expell but I've noticed that I'm not one that ever experiences this.  I'm struggling here to try to describe it in a delicate way.   Let me just say thay I may be the first to report.   Men have dryness there too.

[beverley]

Billydude you are absolutely right.  My husband doesn't have SJS but he gets eczema on his penis.  He thought it was thrush and went to the Dr. but was told it wasn't thrush at all.  He was given a cream to use and it did clear it up very quickly.

Beverley