The impact of breast cancer and its treatments on
intimacy and sexuality was the subject of our weekly discussion.
Sex is - generally-speaking - a private experience which takes
place behind closed doors and not a subject which we discuss openly. This means
that the difficulties that many of us experience with physical intimacy as a
result of treatment for breast cancer remains hidden.
Breast cancer has an enormous impact on the way we view our
bodies and our womanhood, and being intimate and sexual is a big part of that.
Surgery, weight gain and the fear of recurrence all exact a toll on our libido
and the way we view physical - and emotional - intimacy. Where once there was
passion and pleasure now there is pain and numbness, and for many a profound
sadness and sense of loss.
Women with oestrogen-sensitive breast cancer are given 5-10
year's hormonal treatment in the form of tablets and/or injections to reduce
the risk of recurrence. Some of us have had our ovaries removed, either as an
alternative to hormonal treatment, or because we are at risk of developing
ovarian cancer. Whatever our individual situation, our discussion highlighted
that being thrown into an instant surgical or chemically-induced, prolonged and
severe menopause is much more intense than dealing with a natural menopause and
can lead to the follow side-effects which can be particularly challenging - loss
of libido, vaginal dryness, atrophy and bladder infections. Unlike women going
through the menopause who experience these symptoms, HRT is not an option for
women with hormonally sensitive breast cancer.
Our discussion, which included women with primary and secondary
breast cancer, revealed that many of us had not sought support for our
concerns, perhaps out of embarrassment, or a sense that we should be grateful
for being alive and our sexual identities were a small price to pay for this;
or perhaps we simply did not know where to go to get help.
What can we do?
Our GP can be a useful starting-point, although many of us
shared that they do not always have the necessary knowledge. Some of us had had
positive experiences at Menopause Clinics where we had been given practical
advice about products which could help alleviate symptoms.
Breast Cancer Care have produced a good leaflet about sex and
breast cancer treatment https://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/…/sex-breast-cancer-tre…
.
This blog by the breast surgeon Liz O’Riordan, herself diagnosed with breast
cancer, (http://liz.oriordan.co.uk/BreastCa…/lets-talk-about-sex.html
)
also offers useful advice. We love her suggestion for having a “box of tricks”
including most importantly a good lubricant. Some are available on prescription
so we don’t need to pay for them. YES is a highly recommended water-based
product which can be used as an internal moisturiser to help relieve dryness
and irritation and works better than silicone-based lubricants. Another popular
product is SYLK. We also know that coconut oil or Vitamin E oil can be helpful.
Her advice is that a small vibrator can really help with feeling dry and tight
and it can be worth considering dilators which can help make sex less painful.
In her blog, Liz O’Riordan explains that oncology appears to be
reviewing its position about the use of topical vaginal oestrogen for breast
cancer patients - one school of thought was that if women used them, the tiny
amount of oestrogen that they would absorb might increase the risk of the
cancer coming back. However, small trials have shown no obvious increase risk
in recurrence for women taking Tamoxifen. This is important because it is a
very effective treatment and some of our members shared that this had
transformed their quality of life. It must be a decision made by each woman and
her doctors based on her individual situation.
Sex and sexuality are intensely private subjects and we have
made the decision not to summarise our discussion to focus on the things we can
do to address the challenges we face. It isn’t our fault that sex can feel
difficult and is not always spontaneous, but we have enough trust in our safe
and confidential group to share some of our experiences, even if it feels hard.
If you are a woman living in the
UK with a diagnosis of breast cancer and you would like to join our private
group, please contact us by facebook message https://www.facebook.com/resilienceinbreastcancer/
#ResilienceDiscussion
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