 |
 |
As chronic
renal failure progresses your periods of feeling unwell
may result in your having less energy for sex. This can affect
both you and your partner. |
|
|
| |
 |
Once you begin dialysis, you
may find your sex drive returns, but kidney patients are usually
less sexually active than healthy people. |
|
|
| |
 |
Women may find they have orgasms
less often. Men may have difficulty in getting erections, often
because of the drugs they are taking, through having a poorer-than-normal
blood circulation, or because of changes to the nervous system. |
|
|
| |
 |
Several treatments for impotence
are available: vacuum pump; glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) patch;
and papaverine injections. |
|
|
| |
 |
Some patients worry about
the effect seeing a fistula, sub-clavian catheter or peritoneal
catheter will have on a partner. Others worry about the effects
of weight loss (haemodialysis patients) or weight gain (peritoneal
dialysis). Explore these fears together and try to overcome
them. |
|
|
| |
 |
Levels of fertility, too, can
vary during the different stages of renal failure. |
|
|
| |
 |
Men on Continuous Ambulatory
Peritoneal Dialysis can stay fertile and, if sexually active,
can make a partner pregnant. |
|
|
| |
 |
But, although a few women have
had babies while on dialysis, a successful pregnancy is uncommon.
Unfortunately, dialysis carries with it a high risk of spontaneous
abortion. So, you will probably be advised to use contraception. |
|
|
| |
 |
Barrier methods -- a condom
or a diaphragm -- are the best choice of contraception in kidney
patients. The coil can cause infections and heavy periods and
oral contraception tends to increase blood pressure, although
this is less common with the combined Pill than the progestogen-only
Pill. An alternative is use of the "Morning After"
Pill. |
|
|
| |
 |
After transplantation, most
women find that their menstrual cycle returns to normal and
both men and women find that sexual activity improves within
a few months. |
|
|
ten
tips about
