Sex Matters, with Dr. Michael Krychman

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Sex Matters, with Dr. Michael Krychman

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On our main site Breastcancer.org, Dr. Michael Krychman maintains a monthly column on sex and breast cancer. You can access the archives here. Previously discussed topics include:

• Introducing the Sex Matters column (July 2014)
• Sex Matters: Vaginal Dryness (August 2014)
• Sex Matters: Vaginal Moisturizers and Lubricants (follow-up to August column 2014)
• Sex Matters: Vaginal Dilators (September 2014)
• Sex Matters: Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy (October 2014)
• Sex Matters: What About Vaginal Hormones? (November 2014)
• Sex Matters: The Recent FDA Seminar on Female Sexual Dysfunction (December 2014)
  
• Sex Matters: Managing Your Mojo, Part 1 (January 2015)
  
• Sex Matters: Managing Your Mojo, Part 2 (February 2015)
  
• Sex Matters: NOJO in Your MOJO? Dealing With Sexual Predictability and Boredom (March 2015)
  
• Sex Matters: Mindfulness Meditation and Sexuality: Mindful or Mind Full? (April 2015)
  
• Vaginal Dryness 911: An Emergency Can Start the Conversation (May 2015)
• We Hear Your Frustration With Low Libido and Vaginal Dryness! (June 2015)
• Stay Hopeful: Flibanserin May Finally Be Approved for Help With Libido! (July 2015)

Please check back next month for the newest column, or bookmark the archives page.

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Sex Matters: Managing Your Mojo, Part 1, January 7, 2015

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Sex Matters: Managing Your Mojo, Part 2, February 4, 2014

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Sex Matters: NOJO in Your MOJO? Dealing With Sexual Predictability and Boredom, March 4, 2015

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Sex Matters: Mindfulness Meditation and Sexuality: Mindful or Mind Full, April 1, 2015

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Vaginal Dryness 911: An Emergency Can Start the Conversation, May 6, 2015

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We Hear Your Frustration With Low Libido and Vaginal Dryness!

June 3, 2015

AlaskaAngel

Given that many are affected by treatment and severe abrupt losses due to treatment, perhaps it is time to include recognition of other outcomes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/05/fashion/asexual-...

New York Times, July 2, 2015

Asexual and Happy

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Stay Hopeful: Flibanserin May Finally Be Approved for Help With Libido!, July 1, 2015

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Flibanserin for Low Desire Has Been FDA-Approved for Premenopausal Women, August 19, 2015

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Sex Matters: Questions From Readers: No Studies on Breast Cancer Patients?, September 18, 2015

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Sex Matters: What Does Metastatic Breast Cancer Really Mean to Your Sexuality?, October 9, 2015

nrp

How about a column on dealing with the painful part. There isn't anything I've found that can help. It's not dryness. It's vaginal thinning...I took Anastrozole for 2.5 years, and the thinning was extreme. I'm only 55, and haven't been able to have sex for two years simply because it is so painful...let's talk about what to do about that. Can't take hormones, estrogen creams, etc...because my cancer was 99.9% estrogen positive. So, what is a lady who is not ready to give up sex to do? Not fair.

rgiuff

Nrp, many studies have shown that vaginal estrogen really does not travel to the rest of the body. And my Med Onc, like many others, has no problem with me using it. So I do

And like you, I feel that the problem is more related to thin, irritable tissue then to actual dryness. And even with lube, it would still hurt. I avoided sex for a long time because of that. I recently started using lots of coconut oil liberally applied before penetration. I do notice a difference now with foreplay and the coconut oil. And doing it more often has made it less painful. So I believe that it's true that if you don't use it, you lose it.

ringringzi

Like you, I think the problem has more to do with thin, irritable tissues than with actual dryness. Even with lubricating oil, it will still be injured. Because of this, I have avoided sex for a long time. I recently started using a lot of coconut oil before penetration. I do notice the difference between foreplay and coconut oil. Doing this more frequently can alleviate its pain. So I believe that if you don't use it, you will lose it.