AARP Hearing Center
Q: At 68, intercourse had become so painful that I would bleed slightly, even when using lubricants and Replens. Then, after my sister-in-law had a stroke caused by dehydration, I began drinking 60 to 80 ounces of water per day. The bedroom results were dramatic: no pain during intercourse for the first time in years! The increased hydration is the only possible explanation, right?
A: Interesting — and I think you may be correct.
Dehydration, especially in older folks like you and me (I'm 70), is almost universally underdiagnosed. Even though medical experts recommend drinking two quarts of water per day (that's eight 8-ounce glasses), how many people ever show that degree of liquid love?
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When I researched possible links between dehydration and vaginal health, I came up dry. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) But I've filed your recommendation in my "Couldn't Hurt" folder of general health advice, so thanks for the tip!
Q: I have no problems with erections (I'm 54), but I want to last longer during intercourse. Is it true an M-Patch can help?
A: Among the many erectile products crowding today's marketplace, most are marginal or fake. The worst have serious side effects.
Unless administered under a doctor's supervision, any product containing testosterone can have severe consequences — including a stroke or heart attack. Toxic levels of testosterone are nothing to shrug off!
So please first see your doctor to find out whether you might be testosterone deficient. (If not, steer clear of any medications containing the hormone.) Then seek the advice of a sex therapist or consult a book on the clinical aspects of male sexuality. Either resource can teach you how to last longer, from using a topical penile cream (which reduces stimulation and thus "slows you down") to practicing the "squeeze technique," which manually retards ejaculation.
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