Discomfort during sex

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alexmack65
alexmack65 Member Posts: 3
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hello all,

  My husband was diagnosed with colon cancer four months ago and underwent a colon resection. He has healed well and recently received his fourth chemotherapy treatment of oxaliplatin and FU. This past week, he has noticed discomfort at being touched sexually and is unable to achieve an erection pleasurably. I was wondering if this is common to something along the lines of neuropathy and will it get better once he is done with chemotherapy?

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  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 CSN Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #2
    Bummer

    Unfortunately, it can occur.  It really depends on the surgery he has had too.  Sometimes symptoms during treatment can disappear after treatment has been stopped.  Mine was rectal cancer so they did radiation to my rectal/pubic area and I'm not able to make love anymore.  I'm sure there will be some men that will chime in and give you their situations on this subject.  Hopefully he will resume all natural feelings once he is done with treatment.  Wishing him the best.  Welcome to the group and if you have any further questions, feel free to ask away.  Nothing is off limits.

    Kim

  • Tunadog
    Tunadog CSN Member Posts: 235 Member
    #3
    I no longer have sex

    It may be due to the surgery, but got worse after chemo.

     

    Best of Luck 

  • abrub
    abrub CSN Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #4
    Oxaliplatin also changes sensory input

    I was unable to tolerate my husband touching me in ways that previous (and once again) excite me - it was more pain than pleasure. I also wasn't enjoying sex. It took a while for things to work again.  We are now back to normal.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit CSN Member Posts: 5,805 Member
    #5
    So many things.....

    can happen during and after chemo. 

    ED can happen for many reasons, stress being one of them, and I have no doubt he is expeienceing that. 

    Also, you may want to check with the Oncologist about sex during chemo.  Many patients are told not to have sex at this point, becasue the chemo gets everywhere, including the sperm. You don't want to be exposed to any, that is for sure. 

    As a female, I can't give advice about your husband's responses, but I will say that during radiation, I could not bear to be touched by ANYTHING, and that included my husband AND clothes.  I had to wear clothes, of course, but the minute I was home, off they came.  It was an odd senstion that to this day I cannot put into words. 

    Tru

  • beaumontdave
    beaumontdave CSN Member Posts: 1,298 Member
    edited August 2019 #6
    I don't recall chemo changing

    I don't recall chemo changing much about that, was Folfox, but the original surgery to remove part of the sigmoid section, came with the caveat that it could render me damaged or impotent, as the main nerve for erection lie in the path of the resection. I was lucky to still have function, but it was not so robust for many months. Nerve damage can be complex and nerve cells are the slowest to heal in the body, if they do at all. You may just have to be patient, but asking around, especially the docs involved, might help your understanding of it...............................................Dave

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