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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

Has anyone rescued intimacy from out of the doldrums?

4 replies

notsohappydays · 31/03/2022 15:29

So basically we are early fifties, been together forever (the only serious relationship for both of us).

About 12 years ago our sex life started to go downhill - mainly just getting less frequent, although has always been satisfying when it happens.

DH started to suffer ED and at the time I was worried it was because he had met someone else, so I did a bit of digging around - turned out not to be someone else in real life, but he worked away and had a bit of a porn habit. Anyway, I spoke to him about it, and basically said I was concerned the porn was affecting our intimacy (as he didn't seem to have much interest in sleeping with me, and it was always me making the first move). He agreed that we needed to make more of an effort to maintain our sexual relationship and said he would cut down on the porn which I think he did, as things picked up and were fine for quite a while.

Anyway with the onset of peri menopause my libido took a dive, my moods went south, and what was left of our sex life has gradually dwindled away. I'm on Hrt which has helped with moods and although I'm not rampant, I'm feeling depressed at the thought of never having sex again. His ED was sorted for a while with viagra but it seems to have lost its effectiveness, plus I've had other outside stresses, and we just seem to have no intimacy left. We hardly touch each other and sleep apart.

In day to day life we get on ok, we have common interests etc, but I just don't even know where to start to try and get back on track, or even if I want to get back on track. I don't think he's bothered by the lack of sex or affection and seems quite content, but I am bothered by it, I feel lonely in my own marriage and wonder if I'd prefer to be alone. He hasn't worked away for ages and we both WFH so I genuinely don't think the porn is an issue these days, he says he just doesn't get the urge anymore. Can it be rescued, or are we flogging a dead horse?

OP posts:
notsohappydays · 01/04/2022 17:30

Hopeful bump

OP posts:
GaryTheCat · 01/04/2022 17:38

Am so sorry, don’t have experience of this, but didn’t want to read and run. I’m sure if you both really wanted to fix it you guys could? But both of you would have to be really honest. And honest chat with him seems in order. Is the rest of your relationship ok? I can’t figure really from your post. Do you otherwise communicate/laugh together?

Flowers
notsohappydays · 01/04/2022 17:46

Yes we do. It's just that the sexual side of things has diminished and the affection has gradually gone with it, so we've ended up in a vicious cycle - we had been having sex about once a month but it just feels so awkward to not touch each other for weeks and then expect to jump into bed. It's a mess.

OP posts:
notsohappydays · 01/04/2022 17:47

I have to admit our communication is pretty crap, we don't do "big talks" very well and tend to brush over things. I know this isn't healthy but it's difficult to do.

OP posts:
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