Slide 1:
Hed: Managing the sexual impact of prostate cancer together
Ten: In the bedroom, Prostate cancer can affect both partners in a relationship
Slide 2: Hard, but usual and normal
With prostate cancer, intimacy with your partner is more important than ever. Unfortunately, it is common and normal for treatment to result in sexual changes.
It’s important to remember that these changes do not reflect the love, desire, and connection between you and your partner.
Slide 3: Talk about it
Silence can cause shame to creep in and destroy intimacy. Talking openly about the physical changes can prevent shame, disappointment and fear from developing into a relationship wedge. Recognizing what is happening and talking about the feelings that arise are an important step in coping.
Slide 4: Sex therapy can help
Talking about sex can be difficult, and treating prostate cancer only makes it harder. A sex therapist can give you tools for better communication and help your partners find new ways to create intimacy in and out of the bedroom during this time.
Slide 5: Try medication
Your doctor is another good resource. They may be able to prescribe medications that can help with the common side effect of erectile dysfunction.
These medicines can be:
Slide 6: Devices are available
Doctors may also recommend devices that can help men achieve an erection. Most men who have tried using a vacuum constriction device to force blood into the penis have found that it causes an erection. There are also permanent surgical options, such as a penile implant that can be activated before sex.
- Device for constriction by vacuum seal
- Penile implants
Slide 7: Maintain emotional closeness
Intimacy is not just limited to physical connection. Plan activities together to stay emotionally close to your partner. This is a vulnerable time, and prioritizing your relationship now can strengthen your bond, even if sex isn’t possible.
Slide 8: You’re not alone
Patients and partners often feel isolated due to sexual changes. Online support groups can help you understand how common these changes are and how others deal with them. A couple in the same situation can be of great help.
Slide 9: Adapt to a new normal
While it’s natural to grieve the loss of the sex life you once knew, the grief subsides as some sexual changes improve over time and you find new ways to find joy in connection. Be patient and know that it is possible to experience emotional and physical intimacy after prostate cancer.
This educational resource was created with support from Bayer.