English
In Joslyn Paguio, HPV, a virus that can cause the university in the middle of its first year, was diagnosed. The medical clinic of the institution in which she studied did not provide her further information, but she examined and found a obstetric gynecologist who found that Paguios tribe had a high risk of becoming cancer and recommended careful surveillance.
Years later, a few weeks before his marriage, diagnosed at Paguio cervical cancer in stage 1. Paguio felt happy to wait until his honeymoon to undergo the operation that was recommended to remove part of his cervix.
“Sex was different after the operation. It was uncomfortable and painful,” he said. “My husband was afraid to hurt me. He was vigilant and our sex life limited that.” Paguio still stayed pending and in 2021, when his daughter was in primary school, he was again diagnosed with cervical cancer. This time Paguio was subjected to hysterectomy. Sex changed to pay again, but this time more radical.
“Nobody warns you of pain,” said Paguio. “After sex, a whole day collapsed in a fetal position, bleed up plenty and took ibuprofen. I went to medical advice and said: ‘This is not normal. They said they could have sex again.'”
Lee: The HPV vaccine prevents cancer >>
Sex after treatment of cervical cancer
Linda Eckert, MD, professor of gynecology and obstetrics at the Department of General Medicine and Gynecology and Obstetrics at the author of the University of Washington and the Author of the University of Washington: Because we can stop cervical cancer -Cance [Suficiente: porque podemos detener al cáncer cervical]said “[los proveedores de atención médica] They tend to believe that cervical cancer can be healed in the long term, but changes caused by the treatment can be devastating. It’s not enough talk about sex and that shouldn’t be that way. “The survivors prepare mentally and take the necessary measures to make adjustments.
The effects of the treatment of cervical cancer on sexual organs
The treatment of cervical cancer depends on the stage in which cancer is identified. If it is recognized early, there are surgical options for the treatment that the vagina generally makes smaller. According to Eckert, the fabric of the vagina is “tolerant and elastic” if there are no changes in the hormones of the reproductive system. A diagnosis in later stages often implies radiation and chemotherapy as part of the treatment. Sometimes radiation can cause “devastating” scar, a change in shape and flexibility of the vagina and even changes in vaginal secretion.
Sex should be part of the treatment talks
Christy Chambers was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the 4b stage. Its therapeutic plan included low chemotherapy doses and external radiation, followed by immunotherapy. He had many collateral effects during his treatments, but told him that “there was no traces of the disease in May 2023”.
“Take my sex life very nervous again,” said Chambers. “Although I did not go through inner radiation, the treatment changed the inner structure of my vagina. The inner depth was shorter and smaller, in addition to very dry and narrow. My partner was very patient, but I felt guilty because we often had to expose our sexual relationships due to my discomfort.”
Chambers said that nobody from his medical team mentioned the intimacy and was not treated in the informative package given by the hospital. “The medical team mentioned it two years after the end of the treatment,” he said.
Barb Deprese, MD, director of the Ministry of Ministry of Middle Age Services of the Holland Hospital and member of the Healthwomen Women’s Health Council Council, said that after a diagnosis of cervical cancer, there is often not talking about sex, since many medical care partners mainly focus on successful treatment for cancer and not that the uterine -neck is. sexually. However, he said: “It is advisable to take a minute for the treatment to understand what changes could exist. It is realistic to assume that sex therapy and therapy of the pelvic floor may be necessary as part of recovery.”
According to Eckert, the patients do not know enough to ask in advance about the potential effects on their sexuality and their sexual life. “With a cancer in the genital region, the doctor decides whether he mentions the potential changes in sexuality, libido, functionality and adaptation.”
Eckert said that the survivors he asked for his book mainly received information about sex after the treatment of other survivors. “On very few occasions, they told them that, for example, an aggressive and early use of dilators can be useful for vaginal changes and can normally receive these types of recommendations from other survivors. Or they may not be prepared to have an induced menopause through treatment, and this will quickly affect estrogens and vaginal integrity.”
Paguio found a obstetric gynecologist who heard and knew his difficulties and recommended to visit a physiotherapist who works especially with pelvic floor problems. “He had doubts,” he said. “It sounded strange. I didn’t think it would work.” But the physiotherapist convinced him to go to 10 sessions and to come to come if they were not useful.
“I saw an improvement after the fifth session,” said Paguio. She and her husband also had consultations with therapists individually to deal with cancer -related anxiety and their effects on their lives, including their sexual life.
“It became clear to me that I got before sex,” said Paguio. “The therapy allowed me to say to my husband that I am not in mind. If I am not encouraged, he won’t feel good and it will simply be a bad experience. The therapy was useful to communicate better.”
Chambers also seemed to be useful pelvic floor therapy. “I would have loved to know because I would have allowed this to restore intimacy more easily,” said Chambers, who also recommended sex therapy and for couples.
It is important to remember that intimacy does not always have to include sex with penetration. There are other forms of intimacy, such as games with fingers, oral sex and even stroke. Part of your communication with your partner should include which options are pleasant for both.
It took about three months for Chambers and her husband to have sex with penetration again after taking up their intimacy. “The lubrication was the key, we played a lot with our fingers and we had a lot of stimulation until I was sufficiently relaxed [para tener ganas]”Chambers said.
Find the right support
The earlier sexual effects of the treatment, the better results you will completely restore your functions. Deprese soon recommended that dilators use the vaginal fabric less sensitive or very tight. “The more you delay yourself in combating control, the more difficult it is to reverse the changes,” said Depede.
Becken therapists can show their patients how to use vaginal dilators to expand and relax the vaginal fabric. These physiotherapy specialists can also help their patients find vaginal moisture creams and lubricants that work well for them. Vaginal moisture creams are used daily such as skin moisture creams, so that the vaginal fabric remains flexible, while lubricant is only used during sexual intercourse to reduce friction. When sex repeats with penetration, Eckert recommended the early use of dilators and devices to control the depth.
“Your life after cancer will never be again that it was again, but you can definitely have a new normality standard,” said Chambers. “Keep open and honest communication as a couple. Connect sexual intercourse with pain to identify a solution less and less. If you cause pain to find and find a solution. Experiment and identify what works for you.”
Finding support can be extremely useful. Eckert said that groups of survivors can be valuable to exchange information and an empathetic medical team can make miracles. “Find a gynecologist who not only feels comfortable when he talks about survival, but also realizes that survival is continued throughout your life.”
This educational resource was created with Merck’s support.
From their site articles
Related articles related to the web