Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND  shares answers to our sexual health and intimacy questions on May’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. LISTEN NOW.

One listener, Meghan from Alberta, Canada, who is living with type 1 diabetes, wants to know if her neuropathy can cause her to lose sensation in her clitoris and vagina.  If so, what can she do?

Janis Roszler’s response: It is possible for neuropathy to cause a loss of sensation in numerous areas of your body, but diabetes-related female sexual issues tend to be more likely when psychological issues are present. Unlike men with diabetes who may develop erection problems when they have neuropathy and heart complications, women’s sexual problems seem to be more linked to depression and other emotional challenges.

If you have lost some feeling in your clitoris and vaginal area, treat any depression that you may have.  Explore ways to reduce the stress in your life and intimate relationship.  Maintaining your blood sugar level in a healthy range can help you feel less stressed and more energized – work with your healthcare team to achieve that.  Also, when engaging in sexual activities, don’t hesitate to use a lubricant that is made for vaginal use.  It can help you enjoy greater sexual pleasure with less discomfort.

Sex is an important part of life and relationships. But diabetes can affect a woman’s sex life. Some women with diabetes have less interest in sex because of depression or changes in blood glucose levels that can leave them feeling tired or irritable. Or perhaps intercourse is painful because of vaginal dryness. Problems with having sex aren’t a normal part of getting older and don’t happen to all women who have diabetes.

If you find that you don’t enjoy sex anymore, it’s normal to feel upset. Find someone on your health care team to talk with. Learn about medicines or counseling that can help.

Janis Roszler, LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND PhD is a candidate in Clinical Sexology, 2008-2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year (AADE) , Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Janis is the author and co-author of: Approaches to Behavior – Changing the dynamic between patients and professionals in diabetes care and education (ADA,2015); Diabetes On Your OWN Terms (Marlowe & Company, 2007); Sex and Diabetes (ADA, 2007); The Secrets Of Living And Loving WITH Diabetes (Surrey Books, 2004).

Janis Roszler’s  Sex & Diabetes is the first book ever to deal exclusively with sexual problems as they relate to diabetes— and the only book to discuss issues that relate to both men and women. It also shows you how sexual problems can be prevented or delayed and discusses treatments options that currently exist. Sex & Diabetes highlights the value of communication between sexual partners and the importance of having an open relationship with healthcare professionals.

In The Secrets of Living and Loving with Diabetes three experts deliver advice on issues such as handling nagging friends and relatives, injecting insulin discreetly while dining out, bringing up the subject of blood sugar highs and lows before turning out the bedroom lights, and avoiding diabetes urgencies becoming emergencies. Also included are practical tools like exercises, quizzes, questions, checklists, and coping strategies.

We’re talking about secret, hush hush topics in diabetes wellness such as intimacy issues, fears and food issues on Diabetes Late Nite with musical inspiration from H.E.R. courtesy of SONY Music. 

H.E.R. chooses to keep her identity a secret but that’s proving harder to do after winning Best New Artist and Best R&B Song Grammy Awards this past year. Mr. Divabetic’s guests include Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND, Cheryl Farley “Food as Medicine” Nutritionist, Dr. Dugan Maddux and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from H.E.R.’s I Used To Know Her: The Prelude album courtesy of SONY Music. 

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot’.