I WANT MY MOJO BACK!

Lula,

I'm in Los Angeles - specifically the Pasadena area. I have Blue Shield of CA PPO, and I'm about to hit my yearly out of pocket max, so I'm trying to squeeze in every doctor visit, scan and surgery I can before the end of the year. 😁😁😁

Thanks again, Lula. You have been such a great resource for so many of us, especially on the DIEP flap threads.

Trish

• Intrarosa 0.5% DHEA nightly vaginal suppository contains NO estrogen and is safe to use in women who have to avoid estrogen.

https://speakingofwomenshealth.com/column/genitourinary-syndrome-of-menopause

Now I'm really confused. Is this website commercial? It looks commercial, sort of. But who is advertising what?

I used the "ask a nurse" link in the article to ask my questions. I'll let you know if I hear anything back.

Hi ladies, I sometimes stop by here for updates, what do you ladies do for the unspoken odor that comes with our situation? and do any of you ladies do bio-identical hormone therapy? where they match your personal hormonal make up by saliva. Any thoughts?

So I was intrigued about this mention of a grapefruit bj. I looked it up and found a tutorial and review. For those that are interested: https://www.bustle.com/articles/32156-does-the-grapefruit-blowjob-technique-work-i-tried-it-and-the-verdict-is

Okay. Still laughing. That would be fun if I had anything even remotely resembling a sex life. Sigh.

Trish

Well dang on the grapefruit bj - those of us on Ibrance can't have grapefruit! DH will have to be happy with regular bj!😂 Alsoon the other lengthy medical journal article where they discuss lubricants, they missed an important natural one - oral sex! Works great for me and puts DH in the mood!

I had my first treatment yesterday. I go back in six weeks for the second one. I already feel so much better... almost normal again.

Coach Vicky

Hi coachvicky, why did you choose this procedure, how does it differ from the other ones out there?

CoachvickyThis is exciting, another avenue for you 😃

With little to no success for me, I would try this method!

Keep me posted!

Thanks,

Lamp

Hi All,

I had a lumpectomy to my right breast, with partial reconstruction to the left, back in February. I had a lymph node dissection in March. I had 8 rounds of chemo over the summer, and I had a bilateral mastectomy on August 9th. The plastic surgeon was able to put implants in on the same day. I hate the implants, or maybe I just need to get used to them, but that's a story for another day.

My husband has been over-the-top supportive, and has done things as far as bandages, wound care, hand holding, etc., etc.

I am so depressed about our sex life. It's early - I know. He is still into it. It's me. There are times during sex when I know he would squeeze my breasts or play with my nipples, and now, there are no nipples! The implants are smaller than my breasts were. I can barely feel anything. I am still bald from chemo. I have a little peach fuzz, but the thick wavy hair is gone. I just feel so bad about it all, and I feel even worse because like I said, he is still into it. On top of all that, I've been reading about people having vaginal dryness with hormone treatment! I just started Tamoxifen.

I don't know how to get over my self-consciousness (?), sadness (?) with my new 'less than' body.

Any words of wisdom Ladies?

NotKathy63, my advice is communication, communication, communication! My husband and I tried to talk about the difficulties as temporary as much as possible. We also laughed a lot at the “difficulties". It does get better but it might not feel like it when you're in the worst of it so talking about the other side really helps. Knowing how each other feels and not letting insecurities or resentments build up is such a big part of the battle. Tamoxifen does have side effects but there is help for that as well:).Hang in there, it really does get better!!

Hi ladies,

Some great thoughts here. I am currently seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist. I had seen a Gyn. First, who confirmed that I had “tone" in my vagina (tightening) and could benefit from this therapy. It's a combo of the physical with mental: learning exercises and how to self palpate to help the muscles relax. Mindfulness is a part of it too, of course. I'm just at the beginning of all this, meaning I've just started the pelvic floor relaxation work, and self palpation. Then there is using vaginal moisturizer frequently. Then there is the lube for sex. There is saying to yourself “I will not have sex if it's painful" so that the mind starts to realize over time that sex won't be painful. It's accepting that sex MAY be different forever and that intimacy can be many different things and not just penetration (as stated above). I use a vibrator EVERY TIME and am done comparing myself to how I think i should be. Having orgasms regularly helps lead to muscle relaxation, restoring some vaginal flexibility. I'm trying very hard not to give up on an intimate life; it's not fair to him and yet I need to honour the new me. I am trying to remove all expectations and be gentle on myself. Spend some time with myself, trying to do my exercises and stretch things, etc. I threw out two Lubes yesterday because they created that horrid burning feeling. I just share everything with my husband. I'll say “stop please" when something hurts, I'll tell him exactly what to do next to help, etc. It doesn't remotely look like Hollywood sex, but I'm attempting to reshape my “sexual vision" based on my present reality. I get that term from a book I'm reading called “sexual intelligence".

Does this sound like a lot of work? Ya, it really does and seems like it now. But I'm hopeful that if I keep up with my regimen (just like flossing my teeth and cleaning my face every night), I will form new habits and they will help.

It sure would be nice if there was a miracle cream or whatever, but there is not. So I'm putting some effort in. I don't want a sexless marriage. I've never had a huge sex drive and could easily go a month without thinking of it. But it's my marriage; it's our closeness, andhe wants that physical side. And once I put myself into the activity, I find myself warming up to it. And then it feeds my realatipnship...just knowing we both tried.

Just some random thoughts in case this resonates with anyone here...I'm 49 and would like to continue to get naked with my husband...;

Nice “seeing” you, Vicky. I haven’t been on the TP thread in some time. How are you

I am heading out for my third Mona Lisa Touch treatment today! My gynecologist uses a numbing cream prior so there is little discomfort. This procedure has been a game changer and I am finally comfortable. I had severe vaginal atrophy during and after chemotherapy and now that I am on an antihormonal and had my ovaries removed, my condition worsened. I am glad to report that the Mona Lisa Touch has worked so far and I only had two treatments up until today. My treatments were spread out over a course of many months, though, due to my surgery and wanting to wait for the last one until after the oophorectomy. Besides that, I regularly use coconut oil twice a day and that seems to work. I hope this treatment is available long term. After today's treatment, I then go for treatments once a year. I'll check with the doctor to find out if it's just one treatment each year for me or more due to my history of BC.

This is such an important topic for BC patients. Hopefully, improvements and new products and treatments will continue to develop!!