Re: Sex and infections (women only)

June 14, 2004

tta,

I have never personally experienced what you are going through except for after I had my children and was breastfeeding. It sounds like vaginal dryness. Look for one of the vaginal lubricants that you can puy in local pharmacy. K-Y makes gel, liquid and a warming liquid. There are various brands to chose from. If none in the pharmacy suite you try your local adult sex shop. they should have a more than ample selection. If there is no infection or yeast present and this is re-occuring problem its sounds like vaginal dryness.

We women with all the hormonal changes we undergo every month can get dryness. I would think that since RA can effect the mucous membranes in the eyes and mouth that it also can effect the vaginal mucosa.

Also make sure you drink plenty of water and no caffiene.

Toni

RA, OA and Fibro

In a message dated 6/14/2004 3:39:54 PM Central Daylight Time, Rheumatoid Arthritis writes:

Date: Fri, 11 Jun 2004 12:57:46 -0000 From: "juliettam2004" <juliettam2004@...>Subject: Sex and infections (women only)Dears,Though I felt ashamed I've decided at last to write to you because I am really down and I feel desperate. It is only for women - men please do not read. I need your advice and I need to know how do you cope with the problem of having constant vaginal infections, if you have them like me. I am on MTX (12 mg weekly), Metypred (4-8 daily, it is like Encorton 5-10) and I had my first Mabthera injection 5 months ago, so I feel generally pretty well, no pain, little swelling. I was diagnosed with RA 3 years ago and the infections started when I took Encorton. I take meds, trying to avoid antibiotics, then I have negative test results: no bacteria, but the next month it starts all over again. I feel pain when making love, it ruins my sexual life and discourages me and my partner from even trying to do it. Does it has to be like that? I hate it.Maybe you do know what to do. Am I just consigned to take meds all the time? If that is the case what is the best for constant fight with different Streptococcus and Candida albicans? I know it is due to the immunosuppressive drags I am taking but doctors seem unable to help me. They just do not understand the problem. Apart from that I hate gynecological exams all the time. And soon though I am only 33 I will stop with sex... Forgive my English and please help. Maybe just there are better medications for immunosuppressed women then I am being prescribed here. All advices are welcomed.With hopetta

June 15, 2004

tta,

I am dealing with menopause and also RA and believe it has a lot to do

with our hormones. I am having some of the same problems. I do not choose

the traditional HRT from most docs and am using natural progesterone and

natural estriol cream from naturopathic doc. Things have improved for me

but I could still stand some more improvement. I have started reading about

such and took saliva test to check hormones which seems to be more accurate

than blood test some say. Both my estrogen and progesterone levels were

low.

Good to hear that I am not the only one with this problem. I definitely

believe that RA and our hormones are tied in together somehow. I even

believe if I can get my hormone levels back to almost normal that I will be

much closer to normal all over....

Hang in there, girl.

Kay

----- Original Message -----

From: " juliettam2004 " <juliettam2004@...>

Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 7:57 AM

Subject: Sex and infections (women only)

> Dears,

> Though I felt ashamed I've decided at last to write to you because I

> am really down and I feel desperate. It is only for women - men

> please do not read.

> I need your advice and I need to know how do you cope with the

> problem of having constant vaginal infections, if you have them like

> me. I am on MTX (12 mg weekly), Metypred (4-8 daily, it is like

> Encorton 5-10) and I had my first Mabthera injection 5 months ago, so

> I feel generally pretty well, no pain, little swelling. I was

> diagnosed with RA 3 years ago and the infections started when I took

> Encorton. I take meds, trying to avoid antibiotics, then I have

> negative test results: no bacteria, but the next month it starts all

> over again. I feel pain when making love, it ruins my sexual life and

> discourages me and my partner from even trying to do it. Does it has

> to be like that? I hate it.

> Maybe you do know what to do. Am I just consigned to take meds all

> the time? If that is the case what is the best for constant fight

> with different Streptococcus and Candida albicans? I know it is due

> to the immunosuppressive drags I am taking but doctors seem unable to

> help me. They just do not understand the problem. Apart from that I

> hate gynecological exams all the time. And soon though I am only 33 I

> will stop with sex...

> Forgive my English and please help. Maybe just there are better

> medications for immunosuppressed women then I am being prescribed

> here. All advices are welcomed.

> With hope

> tta

>

June 16, 2004

tta,

I forgot to tell you I got some lidocaine jelly 2% (prescription from

gyn) and put one drop to the far back where tissue gets stretched the most

just prior to relations.... might try that.

Check those hormone levels. I am definitely making progress...