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DR GINNI MANSBERG: This is everything you need to know about sex in your 50s (and no, it doesn’t have to be horrible)

DR GINNI MANSBERG: This is everything you need to know about sex in your 50s (and no, it doesn’t have to be horrible)

It’s perhaps the most common complaint doctors hear from women going through “the change”: Sex, once one of life’s great pleasures, has become too painful to enjoy.

But sexual activity during perimenopause – the transition period to menopause – and after periods have stopped completely, doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable experience, says celebrity GP Ginni Mansberg.

In fact, the top three issues that cause women to shy away from sex as they age can be resolved in just a few weeks.

Dr. Mansberg, perimenopause expert and star of the TV show Embarrassing Bodies Down Under, has helped thousands of women overcome the sometimes unbearable symptoms that accompany this stage of life.

She explained that pain during sex and low libido are the two most common reasons why women “close up shop” later in life – much to the disappointment of their husbands who are often not yet ready to throw in the towel.

The first problem, painful intercourse, is usually due to vaginal dryness and will affect 80% of women by the age of 60.

Sex without natural lubrication can be excruciating, and this is only made worse by the sexual changes men experience later in life.

“Men last longer at this age, so even if you manage to lubricate enough for a few minutes before they’re done, it’s still painful for ages,” Dr. Mansberg said.

Dr. Mansberg, perimenopause expert and star of the TV show Embarrassing Bodies Down Under, has helped thousands of women overcome the sometimes unbearable symptoms that accompany this stage of life.

“Or it’s so painful that you have to tell them to stop.” This leads to couples not having sex, but they also don’t question why.

A cream loaded with estrogen is the answer.

“They have to take a loading dose, use it every night for two weeks.” Then twice a week,” she said.

The treatment starts to work quickly, but it may take three months to see optimal results.

“People come back to me a few weeks later and say things are working much better,” she said.

Dr Mansberg, author of the best-selling book The M Word: How to Thrive in Menopause, said she doesn’t want to assume that every patient wants to “fix” her vaginal dryness or return to her pre-menopausal sex life when she enters in his clinic. .

However, the lack of intimacy that accompanies a couple’s sex life ending can put a strain on even the strongest relationships..

The second problem is low libido, which can be divided into two categories: the first concerns women who feel like they don’t mind having sex, but then have fun when doing it .

When Dr. Mansberg talks to these patients about their sex lives, they often admit that they know they should have more sex, and some are quite surprised once the deed is done by how much they enjoyed it.

“People come to me thinking they’re broken because of (their low libido). It’s more like going for a run: You don’t want to do it, but you get benefits when you go,” she said.

She said that as long as you’re able to have an orgasm — and that includes masturbation — that’s probably the type of libido problem you have.

The second type of low libido is a medical problem.

“If you can’t have an orgasm, if you’re having sex and then you’re like, ‘Well, that’s 20 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back,’ then that’s the kind of problem you have,” she said.

The good news is that this type of low libido can be treated.

“A lot of these women want to be able to want sex, to connect with their partner. But when they do, they can’t orgasm. It’s the worst thing ever: a nightmare to do.

These women have no desire to masturbate and have no sexual fantasies either.

When Dr. Mansberg talks to these patients about their sex lives, they often admit that they know they should have more sex, and some are quite surprised once the deed is done by how much they enjoyed it.

The treatment is a testosterone medication, but it’s technically only available to women who have gone through perimenopause and have officially finished their periods.

“Menopause is a single date – one year after your last period – but perimenopause can last more than a decade.”

So Dr. Mansberg, like many other doctors, prescribes testosterone “off-label” to women – but only to those who meet the criteria for a libido disorder.

“It’s expensive — about $90 a month — and you have to try it for about six months,” she said.

“It works for most people. But that’s a lot of money, in case it isn’t.

Dr. Mansberg said she “probably falls in the middle” when it comes to prescribing testosterone to patients.

Some doctors say it can significantly alleviate a range of perimenopausal symptoms. So Dr. Mansberg urges his patients to let him know if they notice improvement in other areas of their lives.

For now, however, she only prescribes testosterone for low libido disorders in postmenopausal women with reduced sexual desire.

Self-confidence may also impact the desire to have sex during life change, Dr. Mansberg continued.

Issues like incontinence, body shape changes, and prolapse top the list of reasons why women don’t even want their partners to see them naked.

All of that can be treated, too, she said.

“You just need to go to your GP and explain what’s going on,” she said.

Some women experience their first symptoms of perimenopause in their late 30s, although most experience their onset between the ages of 40 and 44.

Menopause can occur at any time from your early 40s to your early 60s, with many women having their last period in their early 50s.