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Fibromyalgia affects every aspect of your life. When you’re in chronic pain every day, it can be difficult to get to work, go shopping and spend time with friends. So it’s no surprise that fibro takes a toll on your sex life, too. Here are some of the ways that fibro affects your sex life—and tips for how you can still maintain intimacy even despite your physical limitations.
How Fibro Affects Your Sex Life
If you’re reading this as a fibro sufferer, you may have a look of disbelief on your face right now. Since fibromyalgia causes widespread physical pain, of course it will affect your sex life! But pain is not the only thing that prevents you from wanting to have sex.
Sleep disturbances are one of the most common problems that plague fibro patients. When you don’t get a good night’s rest, you probably value sleep more than sex by the time night rolls around. There are other possible factors to consider as well, like headaches (not just an excuse when you have fibro!), irritable bowel syndrome and fatigue.
Medication side effects can also put a damper on your sex life. Antidepressants such as Prozac can lower your interest in sex and make it difficult enough to reach orgasm that you might decide it’s not worth it to bother. Muscle relaxers can be so sedating that you just want to sleep. And some people experience nausea from drugs like Lyrica.
Overlapping conditions that often occur with fibromyalgia can also complicate the issue. Many women with fibro also suffer from intense pain during intercourse called vulvodynia or inflammation called interstitial cystitis, which feels similar to an untreated urinary tract infection.
Here’s Why It’s Worth It
If you’re in a committed relationship, it’s worth it to maintain an intimate life. Even if you’re not physically able to have sex as often as your partner might like, you can still find ways to stay connected.
Ask your doctor if there’s anything you can do to make sexual contact less painful and more pleasurable. You could switch medications or change your dosage if the meds are interfering with your sexual function. You may need to consult with more than one doctor to get a useful answer; try your gynecologist, a urologist or rheumatologist. Don’t give up if you see one doctor who is unhelpful.
Talk to your partner and express that you still care for him or her, despite the amount of pain that you’re experiencing. Let them know that your reluctance to have sex is about your pain and not about how you feel about them. When you do attempt to be sexually intimate, use lube and go slow.
Find other ways to be intimate with each other. Touch is an important part of a relationship. Even if your fibro makes you less comfortable with being touched, your partner still needs it. Take time to cuddle and be romantic, and really listen to what t
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