Dry Leaf © lynette sheppard
Loss of desire. Vaginal dryness. Painful intercourse. All of these Menopausal symptoms might seem like the beginning of the end of a vibrant sex life. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
I’m a big fan of vaginal lubricants (check out the Menopause Marketplace for a few recommendations.) Vaginal estrogen can also help (prescription required). Now I’m delighted to highlight another great find: Replens Long-Lasting Feminine Moisturizer It’s not a lubricant and contains no estrogen. It is an actual moisture that replaces or enhances your own vaginal moisture. You can use it and it lasts 3-5 days.
Want to know more about regaining and reclaiming intimacy? Check out my video interview with Dr. Pepper Schwartz below.
Menopause Goddess Blog and Replens want you to Reconnect, Rekindle, and Rediscover your sexual intimacy. So for the first five women to “Like” Menopause Goddess Blog and Replens on Facebook, we’ll send you a free box of Replens.
Just click on the like button for Menopause Goddess Blog, on the right of this webpage under Follow Lynette, then go to www.facebook.com/replens and “like” their page. Lastly, send me an email to lynette@9points.com to let me know you’ve liked our 2 pages. I’ll contact the winners and get your contact info so your Replens can be sent. What could be easier? You’ll be on your way to enjoying sex more.
BTW – Dr. Schwartz has a new book out titled Prime, Adventures and Advice on Sex, Love, and the Sensual Years. I’ll be reviewing it here one Menopause Goddess Blog. It’s my new beach read!
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what do you do when your partner has taken a vow of celibecy? nogt asking you about doing so just doing it ? fedility on his part has been a serious issue prior to that . How is that for a thorney set of issue?
Yep that is a thorny set of issues, for sure. An interesting tidbit: often times a man’s sex drive will decrease too. Usually, there seem to be 2 reactions to this – an overamping of wanting sex (sort of a going against what is happening) or a pulling back. Sounds like some discussion is in order, in any case. Good luck!
http://www.gasm.org/ has a really great section on sexuality & female orgasm for menopausal women.
Is there any MUST to have sex after menopause? This is really alienating me. What about the right to say NO, I just don’t want to have sex anymore, I don’t feel any desire anymore – so why should I force myself? (And before my menopause I enjoyed and severly needed sex!). By the way I am not catholic nor conservative all at, anyways for me sex has always been linked to ovulation and I still remember that my desire had always been increasing from my menstruation on until ovulation (I could tell the day of ovulation by natural family planning method). Since my body has stopped ovulating, my desire has totally disappeared. And this is not psycally induced, it is just a physical fact with psycological effects in deed. I can’t see any reason to repudiate. I always have refused the idea to function like a machine and after my transition still do. Where is the use of means to make my vagina swallowing and wet if there is no corresponding desire in my brain and soul? I also have experienced bio-identical hormones – none of it managed to bring back my desire, at best physically but not in my mind. In my opinion to be allowed to say NO is a question of personal integrity. Senior sex is a tabou in our society? I counter: NOT having or wanting sex at elder age seems to be the real tabou. best regards from Germany (aged 53, menopause at 52)
Dear Monica, Every woman is different and no one should be forced into ways of being/living that don’t work for her. My grandmother never had sex again after menopause – and she made no excuses for it. She was ahead of her time in making her own choices. And you are right – there does seem to be judgement about not wanting sex – that all women should want to be sexually active after the Pause. That said, you are only one year past menopause, so your libido might yet return (and surprise you). It took 2 -3 years for some of our goddesses. That said, it does help to keep vagina moist for other health reasons – to avoid vaginitis, infection, urinary tract infections. thanks for writing – I am sure you are not the only one feeling this.