Sexual Life and Dialysis

Can Patients who undergo dialysis have sexual life? This is a common question we often meet. Generally, patients with stage 4 Renal Failure will have hyposexuality, because the pituitary gland can not receive the signals from testes and ovaries to produce sex hormones. And patients with end stage Renal Failure often have impotence and infertility in men, premature menopause in women, and low or totally absent sex drive in both genders. In addition, most patients with end stage Renal Failure have anemia, which is another negative influence on libido.

Large amount of toxins and excessive water can be discharged when patients just begin to take dialysis, so that physical function may return to normal level, which will be accompanied with normal physiological requirement. However, this condition will change during long term dialysis. In general, 35% male patients who are taking dialysis will have further decline of sexual function, the proportion of female patients is 25%. Only 9% male patients and 6% female patients will improve their sexual function.

I should say that patients with dialysis can ask physicians or nurses whether they can have sexual life, which is depended on the medical condition. But, if they do not want to talk with their physicians or nurses, they must remember that patients with end stage Renal Failure may have less energy and toxins and waste can accumulate in body on non-dialysis days. They must control it in moderation. If they feel tired, it is better to stop it......