I am a 74 year old male who still loves rock music, the noise of a ducati or V8 and making love with my woman. I had a heart attack back in October 2022 which I survived due to the wonderful care of the NHS, and was subsequently fitted with 5 stents and a pacemaker. I was prescribed a cocktail of medication consisting of Atorvastatin 80mg, Bisoprolol 2.5mg, Clopidogrel 75mg, Dapagliflozin 10mg, Eplerenone 25mg, Lansoprazole 15mg, Ramipril 1.25mg & Rivaroxaban15mg which I take daily. My local surgery tests my bloods every 6 months to check liver function etc. but after a few months of my op I noticed that the sensitivity in my genitals & penis gradually diminished so that now it is about as sensitive around my groinal area as my ears and is hardly worth trying! I questioned this with my doctor who firstly said that I should be grateful for still being alive (which of course I am), but subsequently prescribed sildenafil and this helps sometimes with maintaining an erection but because I still lack much sensitivity it is a shadow of how things once were. This obviously affects both me & my woman & the thought of never again having a really good unplanned shag is very depressing. From research it might be Bisoprolol to blame but perhaps the mixture of various pills is more to blame & has never been researched fully?
I'm sure there must be lots of guys out there in the same place as me (and women being similarly affected), so any advice please as I want to start 2025 on the up! 😀
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SheerHeartAttack
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you may want to ask for Cialis to be taken daily or a few times a week. It actually helps with the heart and keeps things alive down there . You should be able to be spontaneous
I suggest you have a discussion with a pharmacist, independently of your GP, who might be able to better answer questions about the medication you are taking, especially since medication and its effects on the human body is their specialism. Quite apart from that there is always the age thing, which depressingly makes things more difficult as you get older, and there might be other causes which affect blood flow and/or nerve function, arteriosclerosis being one. But don't give up looking for a cause, or perhaps look to alternatives ways of keeping you both happy 😉
I can only sympathise: which appears to be more far more than your GP did. Which I find shameful. If you were still sexually active before your heart attack why weren't they interested in trying to find the cause and solve the problem, and at the very least show some empathy.
Sexual function is so important. It affects a sense of who we are, it affects our relationships, and ultimately affects our mental health. Which in turn affects our physical health. Being dismissive like that is unforgivable.
As someone else has said: talk to a pharmacist. I am a fair bit younger than you and after my HA I was struggling in that department for a while. It was concerning. Thankfully things pretty much returned to normal after 8-12 weeks. I think it was my body adjusting to the bisoprolol and possibly the ramipril. As well as maybe just recovering overall.
Thanks bikerider - I am going to discuss with a pharmacist to see if there is an alternative to bisoprolol as it may be the culprit. I know people say that sexual desire/performance diminishes with age but in my head I still feel the same and so I want to tune my body back up ready for round two! I feel very sorry for my partner as well coz she still gets desires which I want to satisfy 😍
Thanks for that reply. Unfortunately the world seems to be more full of muppets these days, probably through their own frustration or they are just born stupid.
I am going to see my pharmacist or maybe get referred to another doctor - thanks to all for the common sense input 👍
I've reported it to.. In contrast, a couple of very thoughtful and helpful threads appeared above David's. Not that I would want to discuss my sexual problems in my local pharmacy, which is always crowded, with one private booth in which I once could not help brushing knees with the short-skirted young lady jabbing me.
When I was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis, my GP immediately cancelled my Viagra, asked if it would affect relationships and instead prescribed a cream to be applied internally that was almost useless. At my post-TAVI consultation, I made a point of asking the surgeon to give the go-ahead to my resuming Viagra in his letter to my GP.
Even so, I had problems which I attributed mostly to medication. For other reasons, I started supplementing with Vit D (mine was very low) and B12 (which was lowish but within range). It may have been a coincidence, but after a couple of months I started experiencing a reassuring "Morning Glory (erection on wakening). The actual act itself takes a bit more effort from my partners, and I find their starting off with a long massage helps.
From time to time I've read articles about this sort of problem, and the usual guidance is to try new techniques and experiment.
(I've used "partners" in the plural because I'm lucky enough to have several semi-casual relationships dating back a dozen years or more.)
very interesting post. I am 63 and since diagnosed with paroxysmal AFib over 2 years ago, it’s like I cannot muster the effort to even think sexually any more. I know that must seem sad, but I see myself in a different phase of my life in a way. Before AFib I felt carefree and spontaneous with my partner but now I think about AFib all the time. It’s always in the background waiting to pounce. I get on with my lovely life and enjoy it, but i still feel like a different person from the one I was before. Hopefully my ‘desires’ will come back. But if not, I will, still enjoy my life.
Good luck. Also I agree about rock music and Ducati! You have excellent taste!
I think you ought to take a serious look at what you have written then compare it with the helpful answers others have given. Although it is possible you may have health issues yourself there is no need to be abusive, offensive and rude on here. I suggest you remove your post to maintain your credibility. As for those who have 'liked' it they should also take a look at themselves too.
As a woman with a partner with the same problem post aortic repair and bypass I can only say thank you for at least being aware of how it may affect your partner too. Our situation is now that I dare not mention the subject of lovemaking as it only provokes anger. This is so sad when I crave a cuddle or closeness not necessarily the whole 9 yards! And I'd be interested in any and all replies as this is probably a lot more common than we think. Thanks x
Hi Sue - thanks for posting. I am talking to a pharmacist to see what alternative to bisoprolol as I feel it may be the culprit. I have always been a softie, but never in the physical sense!
We still enjoy a cuddle but nothing comes up, but as I am starting 'round 2' of our life we want it to be a helluva ride 😁
So sorry your partner fees that way, I'm thinking he possibly feels less of a man where most of us women don't feel that way. I know I cherish a cuddle even a hug in passing from either of us is reassuring ❤️❤️
Hope you don't mind a lady commenting I am on the four pillars for heart and others for Afib and my libido is non existant now. Hubby is only on 5mg rampril and it's affected him. He did try the blue pills but they gave him a violent headache!! So it's just cuddles now for us and despite being 78 and 82 we do miss the occasional deeper connection
BTW Hubby has a trike he built from a Honda. Valkyrie 1500 and he still rides 😊
Thanks silvasava - no problem for a lady to comment, bring it on! I am seeing if I can change the bisoprolol for a.n.other as I reckon it is that doing the damage.
I may look at getting/building a trike - I sold my red 600 Monster last year & bitterly regret it - keep looking at videos of I.O.M. TT & moto GP so 2025 may be the year for getting my legover again 😂
Hubby built his trike because he was having difficulty kick starting and the weight of the bike, gave him a new lease of life building it and being able to ride safely. I go on it too but it has to be good weather 🤣TBH anything that lowers your BP will have an adverse affect on your libido☹️
While you explore the potential for regaining the sensitivity of your affected parts, have you considered non-penetrative options and other ways of giving each other mutual pleasure?
Thank goodness we're now having a mature discussion. Fishonabike is quite correct. Last week I found it satisfying that my lady friend enjoyed the meetings three times as much as I did, if you get my drift,and that was without the benefit of sex aids, which I've never been keen on but are very popular among some couples.
Hello, SheerHeartAttack. It is unfortunate that your love life has been affected, seemingly by unwanted side-effects of prescibed medicines. Is the sensitivity that you spoke of lack, or reduced feeling in your genitals, or is it that the effects of what your wife and you do do not seem to stimulate bodily and mental reactions, very much? There could be an element of emotional effects on you by the medical procedures, and by your health conditions. Your local NHS Sexual Health Services might be able to advise, or help. I am a 69 year old man. I started to have erection difficulties when I had untreated high blood-pressure. Though workstress might have contributed. Medicines like Viagra did not help much, and had unwanted side-effects. My blood pressure and prostate medications also seem to cause erections and sensitivity problems. Bisoprolol and Amlodipine, that I used to be on, had the worst effects on my erections. I have been helped by certain herbal supplements, though there is a need to check for unwanted interactions with prescribed medicines.
Thanks vegart. I do think there is an element of emotional stress from me (which translates to her) because of the lack of sensitivity in my genitals which prevents me building up a head of steam! I used to be a very active sexually at various times in my life, and I am still pretty fit & strong but I now feel like a lion who can't roar. I know my body very well so that I absolutely know that it's the medication (or the mixture of them) so I am determined to find the reason, and sort it
Female whose partner has lost his mojo. The tablets give him headaches so he doesn’t enjoy taking them. However maybe get your testosterone levels checked just in case and I believe there are some
Lubricants out there that can increase sensitivity. Hope it works out for you and if you find the answer please let us know.
Also thanks for being so honest about this - it’s really helpful
hi suebedoo - thanks for posting & sorry if your partner gets headaches (that is normally reserved for the female of the species!) I guess lubricants may help for some but that has never been an issue for me as I believe in nature giving us saliva for that 😛
I have asked my doctor if I can have a testosterone test as I think that may be at the root of the problem - my head says 'yes' but there are just no feelings or sensitivity and more chance of raising the Titanic. I think they used to put Bromide in the tea of prisoners years ago to suppress their desires - I have never been in prison but it feels like I am being treated the same!
This is a great thread, and has provided some excellents laughs, but there a few basics that seem to be overlooked on this conversation.Physical attraction for over 50's, is not the same.
It is the winter months, cold, dank and wet.
It has rained alot - this dampens anybodies enthusiasm for anything.
Some people just like to rest, and not to bother with sex.
Generally the spring, summer and autumn are better for most activity.
Hold on bluedouble007 - not to bother with sex?? - we dont just hibernate for winter like mice!! What can beat waking up on a sunday morning with the rain lashing against the windows, so snuggling up to your woman and making love to the sound of Ravel's Bolero before making her a nice cup of tea? Surely I can't be the only romantic fool left on the planet !!🥰
I’ve looked at most of your replies but can’t see anything that relates to taking nitrate medication with sildenafil or similar. I refer to GTN spray , Isosorbide medication etc which are nitrates and if taken with sildenafil it can cause hypertension , sudden drop in blood pressure and fainting. I only know this because I was taking Isosorbide and sildenafil but my GP overlooked the interaction as did my pharmacist until I had to call out paramedics. There are creams and injections that are safe to use with Nitrate medication but you would need to seek medical approval .
I was listening to the podcast with abbey Clancy and Peter crouch and they were chatting about people’s bonk beats - I don’t think the bolero was mentioned.
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Come out feeling worse than when I went in!
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Bisoprolol vs Amlodipine
