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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Sexless relationship (hopefully temporarily!) - help

39 replies

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 07:52

I'm a bit nervous to post about this as I'm dreading getting lots of replies saying it's not worth it and to leave, or that this kind of situation is impossible to turn round (both valid viewpoints I realise!) However I'm not comfortable sharing with anyone in real life so here goes... by the way it's a slightly long story as I want to give a true picture of how things have been.

I've been with my partner for three years, during which time we've moved in together and got engaged. We bought our house in December 2019 meaning we've only been cohabiting since just before the pandemic hit. So in the last eighteen months as well as all the moving stress we haven't had a 'normal' life, in common with everyone else. On top of that, my partner's dad died last year. He'd been unwell for some time and my partner had also been dealing with that and helping out a huge amount, basically dealing with anything and everything administrative/ financial for his mum and fielding a lot of family dramas too. A lot more to add there but basically his parents had a bit of an odd marriage and his mum has never dealt with the money side of things so that's why DP stepped in.

Long story short I think the stress has affected him physically a lot. After his dad died he was mostly just so so tired and he's had some health problems too - repeated UTIs, general aches and pains/ back problems from tension, anxiety, cholesterol and blood pressure both high, weight gain from comfort eating, utter physical exhaustion really.

His GP is very supportive and has prescribed various things to help and he's now been referred to urology to investigate that side of it. The extreme tiredness has started to lift and we're both losing weight for our health. However, our sex life is non-existent. It's nearly a year since we've managed to DTD, and I'm usually someone with a high sex drive Sad. I think all the lockdowns have been a factor in that too as we've just been cooped up together feeling a bit crap about life. The last couple of times we tried it he had ED, and I haven't wanted to add any pressure which could reinforce that and felt it was wiser to wait for him to be feeling generally better. So mostly I've left it. His GP prescribed viagra and he took one the other day but they gave him awful heart palpitations. I had my copper coil out due to side effects and can't take hormonal contraception so it's condoms only, which also hasn't helped with the ED last times we've tried it.

It's just all getting me down now tbh. I'm only in my mid thirties (he's ten years older) and I feel like we should have had lots of good and healthy years together before dealing with stuff like this, although I realise there are no guarantees in life. It's harder to feel intimate and in synch with each other without a sex life. We both want to get it back but I'm so nervous about trying and failing that I've left the ball in his court until he feels ready. I love him and he's a wonderful partner otherwise but we're meant to be planning our wedding and I'm honestly wondering if we'll be able to consummate it. Please tell me there's a way forward after a whole year of no sex. I dread to think this is it for us, even if we manage it occasionally I'm wondering if we'll never be intimate regularly. When we first met it was several times a day when together, so it's not like this was an issue from the start. But of our relationship a full third has now been sexless.

I'm sorry this is so long but needed to pour it all out somewhere. Please can I have some constructive advice. Thank you!

OP posts:
FortunesFave · 13/06/2021 07:59

Have you got any children yet OP? If not and if you want some, I'd get out of this now.

I know that's not what you want to hear. Do you discuss this with him? Sex I mean?

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 08:07

Hi, yes we have discussed it and he says he's getting it sorted (meaning things like urology and losing weight which I guess will help) and wants to get our sex life back. It's just that it's been so long now.

I have one child and don't want more so that's not an issue. Except that I also don't want to put my child through any upheaval, they have a lovely relationship and I want DS' life to feel stable so I'm all the more invested in having the future we planned, if that makes sense.

OP posts:
DinosaurDiana · 13/06/2021 08:08

Do you have children ?
If you don’t and you want them, I’d move on.
He’s mid 40’s and already having health problems that are possibly with him for life. If you don’t feel fulfilled in your relationship you have every right to move on and find it.
If you don’t have kids yet and want them, be careful of wasting your fertile years.

DinosaurDiana · 13/06/2021 08:10

You know, from experience, I’d say be careful of him promising things but then never making the change.
When the resentment sets in its over,

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 08:15

Thank you. I know and I have all these thoughts but I also love him and want things to get back to normal. I know he's older but I didn't get engaged to a pensioner! OTOH health problems happen, and nobody expected the past year to be such a shitshow either. As far as promising things goes, he's joined slimming world with me and is following 'doctors orders', he's still not got the healthiest lifestyle but not in any way so bad you'd think he would have these problems. I think weight must be a factor and both of us need to deal with that, which hopefully we are. But part of me pessimistically thinks once things start breaking down healthwise, it's not going to properly get better.

OP posts:
MustbeGracie · 13/06/2021 08:17

Did the viagra work? This might be able to tell you if the ED is physical or psychological (I'm not sure about this just guessing).

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 08:20

@MustbeGracie

Did the viagra work? This might be able to tell you if the ED is physical or psychological (I'm not sure about this just guessing).
Honestly it just made him feel really unwell so I don't know if it 'worked' in the other sense. I guess I could ask him though. I think it must be both physical and psychological though because there clearly are health issues but now it's happened there's the fear lurking.
OP posts:
mrscurrants · 13/06/2021 08:45

I'm a few months in to a very similar scenario. To begin with, I agonised over it. But i've tried to look at it from from an outside/future perspective. I would rather the story be that when we went through a rough time, with depression and ill health that we gave each other time and love and got through it all the stronger. I'm very hopeful it will come back - like you, we had a very good physical relationship before all the stress kicked in.
I found 'letting it go' for a bit has helped ENORMOUSLY. I just accept that it's not going to happen for a while and it's like a weight has lifted. It also means that we can find other ways to show affection and not worry that wires will get crossed in terms of expectations of where it will lead.
Anyway, I don't have any advice, BUT - it was helpful for me to see your post, as I'm sure this is more common than people admit, so hopefully it's helpful for you to hear from
Someone else in a similar position too :)

Domoresteps · 13/06/2021 08:48

I would definitely put all wedding plans on hold and sort this out first.

Anothernick · 13/06/2021 09:05

Yes at your ages you should have lots of good and healthy years ahead of you, as you say. Your DP does seem to have quite a lot of physical problems for someone relatively young, UTIs are uncommon in men (I'm a man in my early 60s and I've only had two in my whole life) but they are an indication that he is stressed and run down. And now that he has ED and found viagra does not help I'm afraid it is likely that he will have severe performance anxiety which, added to his other issues, is going to be very hard to overcome.

I suggest you leave PIV out of things for now, to avoid the worry about condoms, and just go for kisses, cuddles etc without any expectation that they will lead to anything more. If he is not under any pressure and you catch him at the right moment this should cause his sexual desires to stir and eventually his confidence may return sufficiently to take things a bit further. Would he be willing to help you out without necessarily getting aroused himself? There may be psychological benefits to both of you.

But ultimately you may have to choose between him and regular sex. Few people in their 30s would choose a celibate life.

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 09:06

@mrscurrants

I'm a few months in to a very similar scenario. To begin with, I agonised over it. But i've tried to look at it from from an outside/future perspective. I would rather the story be that when we went through a rough time, with depression and ill health that we gave each other time and love and got through it all the stronger. I'm very hopeful it will come back - like you, we had a very good physical relationship before all the stress kicked in. I found 'letting it go' for a bit has helped ENORMOUSLY. I just accept that it's not going to happen for a while and it's like a weight has lifted. It also means that we can find other ways to show affection and not worry that wires will get crossed in terms of expectations of where it will lead. Anyway, I don't have any advice, BUT - it was helpful for me to see your post, as I'm sure this is more common than people admit, so hopefully it's helpful for you to hear from Someone else in a similar position too :)
Thank you mrscurrants. It's really helpful and reassuring to know I'm not the only one! I agree, I'm hoping that one day we'll look back and think we supported each other through the bad times rather than me just walking away. I have taken the pressure off both of us in the sense that I've accepted it's the situation for now, but I do get anxiety wondering how and when we'll get back on track.
OP posts:
category12 · 13/06/2021 09:08

What's the progress like medically with urology? I would think that plays into what's (not) going on with him.

Are you sexually active in other ways or is it nothing at all?

If you were looking at a future with him but without sex, would you be able to be happy?

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 09:32

@category12

What's the progress like medically with urology? I would think that plays into what's (not) going on with him.

Are you sexually active in other ways or is it nothing at all?

If you were looking at a future with him but without sex, would you be able to be happy?

We don't know yet. He had an ultrasound which didn't show up any issues so this referral is just to follow up on that and I guess they will suggest further investigations. It's unusual to keep having UTIs though, certainly. I think chronic cystitis (?) is a thing though.
OP posts:
MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 09:36

In answer to your question about the future, I don't think I would be happy with a sexless future but I don't know if I'd leave either. We have a very loving and happy relationship otherwise. I can't see us getting married without sorting it though, I couldn't go through with vows if I didn't think there would be a 'full' marriage afterwards. There's no question I wouldn't be happy about it but I want to live my life with him.

OP posts:
category12 · 13/06/2021 09:37

I would certainly hang on for the investigations and results, and see if it makes a difference when he's well again. Poor bugger, it must be really dragging him down.

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 09:55

@Anothernick

Yes at your ages you should have lots of good and healthy years ahead of you, as you say. Your DP does seem to have quite a lot of physical problems for someone relatively young, UTIs are uncommon in men (I'm a man in my early 60s and I've only had two in my whole life) but they are an indication that he is stressed and run down. And now that he has ED and found viagra does not help I'm afraid it is likely that he will have severe performance anxiety which, added to his other issues, is going to be very hard to overcome.

I suggest you leave PIV out of things for now, to avoid the worry about condoms, and just go for kisses, cuddles etc without any expectation that they will lead to anything more. If he is not under any pressure and you catch him at the right moment this should cause his sexual desires to stir and eventually his confidence may return sufficiently to take things a bit further. Would he be willing to help you out without necessarily getting aroused himself? There may be psychological benefits to both of you.

But ultimately you may have to choose between him and regular sex. Few people in their 30s would choose a celibate life.

I meant to say, thank you for this reply as well. We haven't been doing other things aside from PIV which I know is silly, but because his sex drive has disappeared it might feel a bit forced. I'd hate him to do it just for me. And while we're affectionate and we kiss, there's no passionate element to it atm, so it doesn't seem like something that will naturally happen in that way of one thing leading to another.

Thinking about that, maybe the issue is more psychological than I'd considered (i.e. the lack of sex drive) - but could that be just because he's worried about ED? Could it be just not being in the best of health doesn't make him feel sexual? I'm so disappointed that viagra didn't help though, as I think it would have got us over the awkward stage. Sad

OP posts:
MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 09:56

Yes category12 I really feel for him. A month or so ago he suddenly got upset out of nowhere and said he's 'no use to me'. I said what if it was the other way round and I couldn't for a while (using the example of after a baby), he wouldn't think I was useless.

OP posts:
Smallredclip · 13/06/2021 09:58

This won’t be what you want to hear but I went through this. There was always a “reason”. We never got it sorted, and we eventually divorced.

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 10:07

Oh dear SmallredclipSad. What were the 'reasons'? Did something precipitate it or was there a gradual decrease in sex over time?

OP posts:
category12 · 13/06/2021 10:29

At least he's not one of these that refuses to talk about it or try anything.

I would talk to him about resuming intimate touch tho, without pressure of it leading to sex or sexual activity. Things like massages and kissing/caressing one another. Baths together. Lying together skin to skin and just talking and holding each other. Take sex off the table for however long, but try to rebuild physical intimacy.

Smallredclip · 13/06/2021 10:34

The reasons varied. But there was always something that was “absolutely not his fault.” I guess the difference is with yours is he’s actually doing something about it. My ex eventually was prescribed Cialis daily which sorted out with things physically and also helped to increase his testosterone but by then we were dead and I’d given up. He couldn’t/wouldn’t see how his not dealing with it was worse than the actual problem.
He made it my responsibility. For example he bought me a load of really porn-looking underwear, asked me to wear it and then said “nah I’m not in the mood, could you put it on again tomorrow and we’ll try then.”

BraveGoldie · 13/06/2021 10:42

OP how was your sec life before all this stuff? If good, then I would hope things could revive though I can understand it being a long road - both fixing physical stuff and getting over the emotions/ tensions/ anxieties.

If it was never actually good, and there were always different reasons from the start, then maybe this is just actually how he is? I imagine that Men tend to be so ashamed of these things they look for lots of situational explanations, when really for some of them it's a 'state'.

I think it is good that you guys are at least acknowledging there is a problem and taking some action.

I am sorry - it must be very hard.

category12 · 13/06/2021 10:43

Ouch.

Thinkingthinking · 13/06/2021 10:59

Although it does sound like his physical health is suffering I would say this sounds more like a psychological issue. From experience these things are hard to go back from unless you get professional help. It's probably built up in his head to be a massive problem and men are often not great at talking about this stuff. Could you speak to a relationship or sex therapist? I think usually the advice is to build things up very slowly without the pressure of having full sex. Good luck, I hope you work things out.

MidnightBag · 13/06/2021 11:28

That's horrible Smallredclip.Sad I'm glad you've moved on and hope you're much happier now.

I've just looked up Cialis daily and might suggest he asks his GP about it. Is it essentially the same as viagra or do they work differently? I can see it would be a smaller dose so maybe it would be less likely to cause the racing heart feeling (of the wrong type! Grin)

To a PP, our sex life was good at the start. Several times every time we were together (ie more than once a day). It was fairly typical of a new relationship I'd say. Part of the problem is that we didn't have that long before dealing with all this - I can't look back on a decade plus of good sex and say this is just a blip. But it was good at the start, so it's hard to believe we are where we are now.

I think the covid situation has a lot to answer for though as he's such a sociable person and he needs to be busy and have places to go and people to see. I'm much more introverted but I can see a big difference in him when he's chatting to the neighbours or hosting visitors - he's in his element. I wonder if it's a combination of moving, the bereavement (plus family stressors I don't have time to go into but which have gone on for ages too) and then losing all the normal things that would help him build himself back up. He's outwardly very cheery and chirpy and that hasn't changed, but he's definitely missed normality more than me. It sounds strange to link the two (social life and sex life) but everything has felt so strange for the past year or so.

OP posts: