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Colorectal Cancer: Sex, Sexuality and Intimacy

How Surgery For Colorectal Cancer May Affect Sex And Sexuality

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It is best to wait until several weeks from the date of your surgery pass before having sex.

  • If you have a question about when it is okay to engage in sex in general or specifically about intercourse, speak with your surgeon or his or her nurse.

Possible side effects of surgery which can affect sex and sexuality include: 

  • Physical changes such as wound healing, scarring, and possibly an ostomy  Having an ostomy brings with it many issues. .For information about sexuality and an ostomy, click here.
  • Changes in sensations due to nerve impingement which may be temporary or permanent.
  • Being on an emotional roller coaster, with the possibility of getting stuck in a depression. 
    • For information about dealing with emotional issues, click here
  • Urinary or bowel dysfunction (“Incontinence”) which can make a person anxious about engaging in sex because there may be a leak or smell, or concern about what your partner thinks.  Incontinence can lead to not wanting to engage in sex. It can also lead to a lack of desire, or a desire to respond, particularly if nerves are damaged.
  • Pain can affect interest in being sexually active in addition to the function of sexual organs.  
    • For more information, see the section of this document “Pain And Sex
  • Men:
    • Erection difficulties  
      • For information about dealing with erection difficulties, click here.) 
    • With an abdominal perineal resection, you can have “dry” orgasms if there is damage to the nerves that control ejaculation. 
      • In some cases, the surgery causes semen to go backwards into your bladder (“retrograde ejaculation”). 
      • If you want to have a child and experience retrograde ejaculation, sperm cells which can be used to impregnate a woman can be recovered from your urine. If sperm cells cannot be recovered from your semen or urine, they may be retrieved directly from a testicle by minor surgery.
    • Pleasure at orgasm may become less intense.
  • Women may experience diminished orgasms.
  • Poor body image 
    • For information about identifying and dealing with poor body image, click here

NOTE: Safer sex techniques  prevent pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. For information about safer sex techniques, click here.


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