Does going through perimenopause or menopause mean your sex life is over?
Absolutely not. Here's an area where there's lots of help available, and many women actually find that postmenopausal sex is a whole new, exciting (and birth-control free!) world to explore.
Solution: To enjoy sex again, you'll likely have to make some changes:
- Use lots of lubrication, natural and otherwise. Invest in one of the great new lubricants specifically for midlife women; you won't be sorry. Also avoid rushing to intercourse; giving things a bit more time to develop is extremely helpful.
- Minimize pain with different positions. Many women find deep penetration more painful as they age; use this fact to give yourself -- and your partner -- permission to experiment with new positions.
- Eliminate or change antidepressants. Many have loss of libido as a side effect; if you're on one that does, ask your doctor about changing drugs or taking a break to see if things improve.
- Keep in mind that this particular symptom tends to be temporary. When monthly-period hormone production stops, many women feel their libido plunge. But with time, the adrenal glands take over, producing both male and female hormones, often bringing back libido -- and then some.
- Combat loss of libido with male hormones. Yes, this is a last-ditch approach, but many women find it worthwhile if sex has gone completely off their radar. Both testosterone and androgen therapy have been found to help; discuss the pros and cons with your doctor.
