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View Full Version : Some Really Personal Questions, Hope That Is Okay??


AshleyM
06-05-2006, 01:00 PM
I'm not sure if I am posting this in the right area of the forums?? It's something I'm really nervous about, so I thought I would try posting it here. Can someone let me know if it needs to be moved?? I'm still fairly new and trying to figure out where everything goes :)

I have some really personal questions, and I hope they're okay to ask here. They're about being intimate with my husband. I have not been intimate with my husband but one time in about 6 months. I had major pain from scar tissue (from a previous surgery in 2004) and huge ovarian cysts for about the last year or so before I had surgery for it in January of this year. So it was quite painful for me to be intimate during that time. So for about 6 months or so, we were not able to do anything. We went on an anniversary trip in March of this year, and it was the first time we'd been intimate in sooooo long. It was a really nice trip, and I didn't seem to have too much pain afterwards. But after coming home, my bladder began to really bother me, so it was back to the strict IC-Diet for me, and I've been scared to have sex again since.

Wellllllll, fast forward to this week. I just really missed feeling close to my husband. Not so much the sex part (although I do miss it!!), but just being close with him. We don't sleep together due to his snoring and my bladder problems, so I just miss BEING with him, if that makes sense. We sort of, ummmmmm, what's the word I'm looking for....well, we kind of did other things, but just didn't have intercourse. I wanted to, but I sort of panicked and so we didn't. But I really WANT to, though. We still had fun, were able to be together and enjoy ourselves without actually having intercourse. But I miss that part, LOL :D

I'd really like to try to have sex again this coming weekend. He's off work, and I just feel like I'm ready to try. We talked about having a night, just the two of us, where we might go out to dinner or something beforehand, and then just try and relax and see what happens afterwards. I thought about lighting some candles, playing some relaxing music, etc. I know that I need to make sure I use the bathroom beforehand, and also right after, but is there anything else I can do to sort of prepare??

Also, is there any one position that is better than another?? (Again, sorry to be graphic!!) We've always been kinda what I guess most people would consider boring....we don't try a whole lot of different positions. But maybe we should, if it might ease the pressure on my bladder??

Also, is it the actual intercourse that hurts us, or is it the climax?? Like I said, I just mainly miss being with him, and I can do without the climax if that will help...

I'm just really trying to figure out how to make this work. I'd really like to incorporate sex back into our lives. I miss it :( And now that I've lost a good amount of weight, I'm feeling better about how I look, and that sort of makes me want to try again too.

Any tips sure would be appreciated. You can even PM if it's something you don't want to post :)

THANK YOU, Ladies!! I hope I have not offended anyone. I just didn't know who else to ask!!

icsonja
06-05-2006, 03:27 PM
Ashley:welcome: and never feel embarased about asking anything here, belive me there isnt anything that wouls shock me, and I'm not even as experienced as a lot of these women!
Sex is a huge factor for so many ICers, there is a board just for that subject since it is so important to our lives and also alot of info can be found by searching the ICN website about sex. there are alot of good ideas that may or may not work for you and your hubby, you just have to try them all and see which ones help you and which dont. I;m sure your hubby wont mind the reasearch...lol
Each ICer is different in how sex is for them, some can never have it some are fine with it, and in between lies the rest of us!
Personally my pain is worse after 24 hours and stays around about 4 days. I do now take a pain pill and muscle relaxant prior and it did help, before that I was not able to be intiamte at all with my husband, it just hurt too much.
As an ICer you do need to be creative if you want to keep the intimacy going.And having a understanding partner is a huge plus.
A warm bath before helps too.
But I feel by far the best suggestion for a good sexual life is to keep the line of comunication open between you and your husband, which it sounds like you are doing. My husband and I have had to abstain for months at atime, once it was a year, and it takes love and patience and understanding and a good dose of creativity:smile tee .
So check out the topic on the boards about sex and read some of the articles that are on the site and hopefully that will help you and your hubby.
Good luck and sweet dreams:evilsmile
Sonja

Betsie
06-05-2006, 03:37 PM
Some months back, Sarojini (Jen) put together quite a comprehensive post on tips for sex and intimacy. It was met with lots of enthusiasm, and I believe it recieved an award. (Yup, just confirmed :))

See if you can do a search in the romance boards or similar. Quite possibly many answers to your questions are already there. I am going to look and see if I can find and post the link here.

Your questions are quite common and normal. If you can't ask them here, I am not sure where to do so. many have found very creative and gratifying ways to continue being intimate with IC, but it is very scary when you are in pain and afraid. Good luck, and having fun really counts! :)

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24604

mom_in_ma
06-05-2006, 03:37 PM
This is the best place to ask questions like this! Jen (Sarojini) has put together a fabulous tip sheet for good sex. Try this link...

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22522

For most of us, it does get better. I know when I was first diagnosed I didn't think I'd ever be intimate again. It took a long time for me to even want to! In fact, I have to admit my libido isn't quite the same these days, but my husband and I do find we are able to enjoy it with no problems anymore. What really helped for me was taking an antibiotic after sex and sometimes taking a xanax if needed. The antibiotic prevents infection and the xanax calms my bladder.

mom_in_ma
06-05-2006, 03:38 PM
Betsie, beat me to the post! ;) Great minds think alike.

traceann
06-05-2006, 04:57 PM
Everyone else had given wonderful advice! I just wanted to say it's something to take slowly - I can remember the first time we had actual penetration, I was so so so nervous, but on the other hand, with lots of extra foreplay and additional lubrication (whether you think you need it or not - use it anyway, lol!!) it went just fine! I was so happy! Now, granted not every time there in the beginning was a perfect, but I did notice I started to have less and less troubles afterwards. If I wanted some extra insurance I would take some AZO Standard before hand, to help short circuit any ideas my bladder may have - and if it did act up I'd caught the discomfort before I could "feel" it so to speak.

And again - NEVER ever be afraid to ask questions, as icsonja said, there really is nothing we that we don't talk about - sex is a real issue for ICers, so it's discussed a lot, and in some detail, lol. As for positions wish we could say there was one perfect one, but like everything else, it's different for all of us. What works for one is a nightmare for another... And yep, the Romance and Sex board is a great place for these kinds of questions and issues - and you probably will get more replies, lol. So, no worries!!! ;)

HUGS!!!
:)

AshleyM
06-06-2006, 05:29 PM
I didn't realize there was an actual section for this stuff...sorry about that!! I am off to look at the thread you ladies posted...thanks so much!! I think the idea about a warm bath beforehand is a great one. A warm bath always relaxes me!! I am scared about this weekend, but I am praying all goes well!!

traceann
06-07-2006, 02:50 AM
No worries!!! Ask wherever, lol, if it needs to be moved someone will no problem! ;) Glad we could be of help!!!! Good luck and remember to relax and not worry to much about it, k???

Hugs!!!

SharonA
06-07-2006, 04:36 AM
Ashley...If you are considering taking a warm bath before...why not incorporate it into your foreplay. Put candles in the bathroom, have music playing and have him join you. Don't use any bubbles or oils, though just in case those things aggravate your symptoms. Oh, that can be so much fun and very sexy. Talk about what you love about each other and how much being close means to you. Wash each other's backs and other body parts. Don't get carried away, though. Wait for "IT". Anticipation is such a turn on. Relax, take your time and enjoy yourselves. That's what intimacy is all about.