ED phone Home - Diabetes, Depression and Sexual Health

It's time to talk about this topic. I am by no means making fun of E.D. (Erectile Dysfunction) as we all know it is prevalent with 40% of all men over 40,  or something like that.  But like the movie E.T. we all want our E.D. to phone home or connect and work again.

What about Libido and its relationship to depression or using antidepressants? These are also topics that need to be hashed out, talked about, and openly discussed.

The odds are even worse for men with Diabetes. Glucose is a huge molecule, jamming up blood flow and damaging our penile highways, effecting erectile strength, sensation, and over all drive.

As I have mentioned in past posts, E.D. doesn't get talked about enough during clinic visits. My health care providers dodge it. Asking things like; "So.....how are things working down there?" or they don't ask about E.D. at all.

I hear that if you have diabetes then you have a 50% likelihood of developing depression.  What that means to me is that there are a lot of diabetics taking SSRI's which are an  anti depressant medication that may make you feel happier but not happy "down there" as they are notorious for decreasing sensation during intercourse and  libido. Shitty deal really for the person taking them and their partner.

What are the options?.......let's see......

Adding another med. Like Wellbutrin - an antidepressant that minimizes the sexual side effects but can increase agitation and anxiety in some individuals. Not good if frustrated over the above ED and lack of libido issue.

The blue pill, well those are good for ED in some cases,  but not so good to increase ease of ejaculation, sensation due and abating the effects caused by the SSRI. 

The stress that ensues when a man in his prime can't "climax" or in some cases"can't stay hard enough" to please his partner and or himself. Yes, you got it, major feelings flood the brain, like, "I suck in the sack" or "I am useless, whats wrong with me" thus leading to performance anxiety the next time around, and if you are the avoident type a mere lack of all around initiative and libido ensues. The partner in this case is often left feeling "unattractive" because all of the sudden the man can't "climax"   This effects the sexual intimacy in the relationship in some cases. No libido, performance anxiety, less flirting, less connecting, greater distance, and then the inevitable both parties give up. Okay not in all cases but you get my point.

Once again diabetes effects all areas, Mood, Depression, libido, decreased sensation, E.D.

What do we do about it?

 Well, I am hoping my readers can contribute. I have no clue.

Trev    

             

Life vs Diabetes

"Oldest and Youngest, Beautiful......"

We all know that "good" diabetes management takes a lot of effort and devotion to be effective. But we also know that all life's successes also require our devotion, our mental energy and basically our time. The trick lies in balancing the two areas successfully.

Life is full of change, un-imposed and imposed.  Diabetes is inevitable and also full of change. We can't turn our mind off when it comes to managing diabetes. Life is similar, we have to pay attention or life spirals out of control, we miss appointments, fall behind in the daily chores of life. The trick is balance, we know this, but my god this is not an easy task and I notice that when life gets crazy, out of control and overwhelming, my diabetes tends to loose its place in the balance of things. Basically diabetes fails to be my priority compared to life's commitments.

I see this in my self and most diabetics I meet. My 15 year old Type one would rather fit in socially at lunch then test and take insulin. I would rather just grab some take out, eat it, then take my shot of insulin after the fact. Why, because life, the social pressures, the time constraints take precedent over this thing called diabetes.

If I am happy, positive and feeling good about life, then I am highly motivated to take care of my body. This includes exercise, sleep, food, and diabetes management. If I'm in a low mood; the opposite effect occurs. For this post I guess I'm just "thinking" out loud, venting, so to speak.

I was on a flight to visit my home town a few weeks back. During the safety video, when the oxygen mask falls and the passenger places it on them selves first then the child I thought of this post. We need to make diabetes the first choice, as difficult as this is. Otherwise we get sick;  we damage our bodies, and life spirals even quicker out of control like a plane loosing altitude. If  we don't take care of our health, then we are useless to everyone else in our life.

Trev