Relationships with others, including partners, family and friends, are likely to have the greatest impact on physical and emotional wellbeing. Relationships can play a big role in providing support when you have endometriosis. How to talk with family and friends and explain endometriosis is discussed, along with the impact of endometriosis on your sex life.
Talking with family & friends about endometriosis
Communicating with a partner about endometriosis
Sex
Sometimes it can feel easier not to talk about your endometriosis with those close to you. Perhaps you do not want to burden them with your health problems, or perhaps you feel they won't understand. However, if your family, friend or partner understands more about what you are going through, especially in the long-term, it can make a positive difference to you and your relationship.
Explaining endometriosis, and how it affects you, can be difficult, and the decision to tell people close to you is a very personal one. It helps to think about how you will describe the disease and its impact, and whether you think the person will be able to understand and be sympathetic to your situation.
Depending upon the relationship you have with the person you are talking to, and their own personality, they may need different levels of information and may respond in various ways. For example, they may be upset you are suffering, they may not initially understand the magnitude of the condition, or they might feel uncomfortable hearing about a personal health problem. Or they might already know someone who has endometriosis and understand more of your journey than you expected.
Talking about endometriosis with your partner can be difficult, but it can also be a relief to have someone close to you understand what you are going through and support you along the way. Taking your partner to medical appointments can be a good way of increasing their understanding of your condition and the symptoms you are experiencing.
Let your partner know how they can help and support you when you are in pain.
While not every couple will find it easy, one study of male partners of women with endometriosis found going through the experience brought them closer as a couple.[1]
It is important to try to include your partner in your experiences of endometriosis as much as possible, as this will help you to feel more supported and reduce the chances of your partner feeling excluded.
Bec's journey with endo would have been very different had it not been for the support of her husband Ash. Warch the video.
When experiencing chronic pain and the physical effects of having an illness, it is common for a woman's sexual desire (libido) to suffer. Sometimes reluctance to engage in sexual intimacy can occur on both sides, as partners may be fearful of hurting their partner or worried that raising the issue will be upsetting.
Rather than ignoring the problem, it's better for the relationship and future sexual experiences to discuss the physiological and emotional changes that result from endometriosis, and the expectations you have of each other. Seek help from a psychologist or relationship counsellor if necessary.
Painful sex (also known as dyspareunia) is common when endometriosis affects the tissue behind the uterus at the top of the vagina. It is also possible that the muscles in the pelvis are affected and this can increase pain.
Understanding if this is the case may allow for simple treatments such as physiotherapy to improve muscle function and decrease pain with intercourse. Experiencing pain with sex not only affects libido, but can also lead to difficulties in expression of sexuality as an individual and as a couple.
If you are experiencing pain during sex, speak to your doctor or gynaecologist about possible treatments.
Libido or 'sex drive', varies from woman to woman and can be influenced by a range of different factors. Sexual desire changes depending on your health, stress levels, mood and satisfaction with your relationship and what else is happening in your life. You may have a high level of sexual desire or a low level of desire; neither level is right or wrong as sexual desire is a individual thing.
For women with endometriosis, a range of additional factors enters the mix. Between chronic pain, painful sex, taking medication and hormonal therapies, undergoing surgery and dealing with a variety of emotional issues, it is little wonder that sexual desire is affected.
This web page is designed to be informative and educational. It is not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace advice from your health practitioner. The information above is based on current medical knowledge, evidence and practice as at May 2019
