Breast cancer can affect your sex life and not in a good way. I am not pessimistic but realistic. It can be a challenge to manage the symptoms and side effects you experience during treatment. Surgery, medication, radiation, and chemotherapy can all play a part in changes to your sex life. Most important is to be open, honest and communicate with your partner. Hopefully, their support extends into the bedroom, and with a dose of patience, you can make it past this hurdle. It is important to know the symptoms and what can be done for relief:
| Symptom | Relief |
| Lack of Sexual Desire | *Talk to your partner*Tell your doctor who can give medication if possible*Explore new levels of intimacy such as hugging, kissing*Do whatever your body allows |
| Vaginal Dryness | *Use over-the-counter lubrication |
| Painful Intercourse | *Tell your doctor so the source of the pain can be pinpointed and treated |
| Change in physical appearance such as hair loss, weight change, and scars | *Share feelings with your partner*Accept the changes are temporary* Scars can be treated, and hair will grow back once treatment is complete |
| Feeling Depressed | Talk it outJoin a support groupTalk to your partner |
As with anything I cover in this blog relative to breast cancer, go at your own pace. Talk to your partner and speak with your doctor but most importantly go at your own pace and don’t rush it!
(Much of the source of information for this post is from WebMD and breastcancer.org)
Melanin & Pink Ribbons 
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