about diabetes and related issues, and assess the possible legal consequences of established the current standard for diabetes in 1970 because several risk …
Sexuality Diabetes
Sex is a much emphasized part of our lives today Movies, videos, books and television would have us believe that their extremely successful super-lovers are the norm This often causes us to wonder whether we are making the grade ourselves Women wonder about their attractiveness and men question their performance potency Such an emphasis on sex can make us anxious about our own sex lives This is a vitally important area to most of us There is no one between the ages of nineteen and ninety-nine who has not met some very real, though hopefully temporary, problem in a sexual relationship For either partner, temporary reduction in sexual desire or performance is common Such experiences are often related to mild anxiety, depression, or preoccupation with other matters eg financial worries, health concerns, etc The simple fatigue associated with ordinary problems of living, or just being overweight, are other common causes You may be wondering whether having diabetes will mean more sexual problems for you No one can really answer that question Research tells us not many people talk about sexual problems, so no one knows exactly how common they are You should know,
however, that there are some special sexual difficulties which may go along with diabetes
November 2002
Diabetes Program of PEI
If diabetes is out of control, both males and females can expect some sexual problems In the female, this may be pruritus vulvae, a long name for an itchy, painful irritation of the skin around the entrance to the vagina This isnt infectious as a rule Obviously, this will cause sexual difficulties but will disappear promptly once the blood sugar levels have returned to normal In the male, with uncontrolled diabetes, some itchiness may appear around the tip of the penis It is also not unusual for sexual performance to fail temporarily With a return of good blood glucose control, sexual functioning should return to normal Both women and men with high blood glucose sugar levels may develop yeast infections This may create some discomfort during intercourse In men, sexual performance may be reduced impotence by excessive use of alcohol, by some drugs for high blood pressure and by some antihistamines and tranquillizers Impotence is the inability to have, or maintain, an erection Acute severe illnesses of any type can cause temporary impotence, both
in people who do, or do not, have diabetes Inexperience or age may also affect a males performance
DIABETES is one of the leading physical causes of impotence in males Poor diabetes control over a long time can lead to loss of nerve function and poor blood flow This may show up as impotence in males
Diabetes Program of PEI
November 2002
WHAT IS IMPOTENCE?
IMPOTENCE is defined as having a consistent inability to have an erection suitable for sexual intercourse It is a relatively common ailment among men of all ages, but happens more often in men with poor diabetes control Impotence has also been called erectile dysfunction and erectile diff 
iculties Impotence is not a lack of sexual desire or ejaculatory or orgasm problems Impotence can also be the inability to maintain an erection
WHAT CAUSES IMPOTENCE?
Many cases involve psychological factors anxiety, tension, stress and physical factors disease or injury However, impotence usually has a physical cause It can be caused by disease, injury, or drug side-effects Any substance or disorder that will impair the blood flow to the penis has the ability to cause impotence The number of males with impotence also increases with age
About 5 percent of men around the age of 40 will have erectile difficulties as compared with 15 to 25 percent of men at the age of 65 Yet impotence is not always part of aging Diseases including diabetes, vascular disease, atherosclerosis, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism and multiple sclerosis account for about 70 percent of cases of impotence Between 35 and 50 percent of men with diabetes experience impotence
Diabetes Program of PEI
November 2002
HOW IS IMPOTENCE TREATED?
Good diabetes control is the first important way to try and prevent problems with impotence You can have good diabetes control by:
RANGE CM
106
1
Following your diabetes meal plan Both high blood glucose sugar and high blood cholesterol fat levels can contribute to the development of impotence Keep your blood pressure under control With diabetes this is a blood pressure of 130/80 or lower Taking the proper amount of insulin or diabetes pills at the same time every day
INDEX
ARTERY
ADUL
T SIZE
2 3 4
Exercise 3-5 times per week for 60 minutes or more This will help to improve circulation in all blood vessels
There are many ways to treat impotence However, these depend on what causes the impotence
as well as how you want to treat it These may include: counselling drug therapy use of devices some surgically implanted surgical treatment
It would be misleading to say that all sexual problems in people with diabetes can be cleared up However, worrying away on your own may only make a sexual problem worse There are new treatments which have helped many people in recent years, so dont hesitate
to talk to your doctor or the staff of the Diabetes Program
Diabetes Program of PEI
November 2002
WHERE DO I GO FOR HELP?
See your doctor to discuss your impotence problem You may need a referral to a urologist who specializes in the treatment of impotence
NOTE:
Impotence is often treatable and is not a consequence of aging
Remember
Also keep in mind that sex is exercise It uses up a lot of energy Therefore, if you use insulin, it is wise to take some extra carbohydrate before or after sex if you are concerned about a low during the night Finally, for both men and women, the best way to safeguard the success of your sex lives is to keep your diabetes under good control Talk with the Diabetes Program staff if you require more information on sexuality and diabetes
Diabetes
Program of PEI
November 2002
Source:peidiabetes.pe.ca
