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I don’t have a chronic illness, but my inner advocate of sexual wellbeing knows that as we age and disease sets in, physical intimacy isn’t so easy to come by. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by the recent study of 2,000 middle-aged adults with diabetes that showed many are still sexually active. (Image credit:Le couple, by Le Xav')

This is a disease, by all accounts, that can put a dent in the dandiest of lovers: erectile dysfunction being a most common problem in men. And even though it turns out that approximately 2/3 of women with diabetes with partners still find time for bedroom antics, they pay a higher toll on desire and sexual satisfaction compared to their men with the condition.

For example, women with diabetes are less likely to have a partner or to masturbate, and they tend to avoid sex more frequently than their non-diabetic sisters, as well as discussions with their physicians about sexual dysfunctions. That’s a shame.

"Failure to recognize and address sexual issues among middle-age and older adults with diabetes may impair quality of life and adaptation to the disease," said Marshall Chin, MD, senior author of the study and professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. "Sexual problems are common in patients with diabetes, and many patients are not discussing these issues with their physicians." (Science Daily.com)

Science Daily reported on the major findings. “Patients and doctors need to know that most middle age and older adults with partners are still sexually active despite their diabetes," said the study's lead author Stacy Lindau, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and of medicine at the University of Chicago. "However, many people with diabetes have sexual problems that are not being addressed."

Reduced sexual drive may be the most common aspect of sexual behavior affected, but because sexuality is complex in women even when there is no chronic disease, they tend to experience more sexual side effects.

What I learned was enough to make me put down my chocolate croissant and pay heed.

Women with diabetes experience more blood-sugar fluxes around their periods, something some suspect is related to female sexual hormones. This makes cells more resistant to insulin. One way to address this is for women to discuss with their doctors about adjusting the amount of medicine they are taking during menstruation (and they should also make sure that any oral contraceptives are diabetic-friendly). Another helpful trick: eat at regular intervals to better manage food cravings and irritability that affect many (not just diabetic) premenstrual women.

Here are two more downers for frisky chicks: diabetes can interfere with natural lubrication during sexual arousal, and excess sugar in the blood also makes diabetes more prone to ‘yeasties’ and beasties like vaginitis.  I’m not a doctor, but it’s my sense that using more natural, eco-friendly lubricants (i.e., water based and free of petro-based compounds) to help with dryness makes safer sense than using something originally meant to grease your car engine into your nether parts. As for infections, that is something that all women need to discuss with their doctors to obtain the best treatment for their particular sexual wellbeing.

Making love a priority when you have a chronic illness like diabetes obviously matters to people; the study reported on in Science Daily and other reputable websites demonstrates that quite clearly. Diabetics are having sex, and doing their darnest to enjoy it too. What’s not so clear to me at least is why women with this illness are hesitant to discuss sexuality with their doctors. But if reading this can encourage at least one woman to seek out ways to make her intimate life more fulfilling, then as I feel I will have made enough noise (like I don’t do already) as your Sex Whisperer to put the sugar back into your sex, instead of allowing diabetes to take the spice out of your life.

Tinamarie is a top-rated writer of sex, love and relationships. Her columns can also be read at Examiner.com, Greenprophet.com, and Fearlesspress.com. Visit her at www.tinamariebernard.com, twitterand facebook. She is a regular ShareWIK.com columnist.
 

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