Am 3o yrs and thinking of starting a family but am very worried about loss of libido which i constantly suffer from.

[lubash]

Am currently on mtx and hydroxychloroquin.

Any information on pregnancy risks n how to deal with loss of libido will be highly appreciated.

[helixhelix]

If you're planning to get pregnant then speak to your consultant first, as you'll have to come off MTX and must leave it at least 3 months I think before you conceive - but you Must check this out. Not sure about hydroxy and pregnancy. As for libido, I'm afraid that a lot of us find that RA doesn't help at all, so all I can suggest is that you and your partner try to talk to someone about this. But on the plus side, a lot of women seem to find that their RA goes completely quiet while they're pregnant! Polly

[lubash in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks.Its reassuring to know it goes quiet during pregnancy.Thanks again and all the best

[Hidden in reply to lubash]

I as a Theapist say it goes quiet because of the amount of Elastine produced by the body, years ago female athletes used to get pregant then abort the baby, this allowed them to run faster jump higher and longer, and with less risk of injury, same with R/A The elastine produses better muscle and joint flexibility, thus less pain.

[Victoria-NRAS Partner Moderator NRAS]

Hi Lubash

You are certainly not alone in feeling this way, as Polly has said. We did a survey recently on the impact that RA has on the family, which looks at the impact that RA can have on relationships, and some of these findings may be of interest to you:

nras.org.uk/campaign/survey...

I notice that you are on MTX. It is important to note that you must not try to start a family while on this drug, and that you should be off the drug for 3-6 months before trying for a family. It is therefore worth having a conversation with your consultant about wanting to start a family and about their suggestions on treating the RA during this time. There is some good information about pregnancy and RA on our website:

nras.org.uk/about_rheumatoi...

There is also a good Arthritis Research UK booklet on pregnancy and arthritis:

arthritisresearchuk.org/Art...

I also think that you might find their booklet on sex and arthritis useful, as it not only shows you that you are not alone, but also gives you some tips and information that could help:

arthritisresearchuk.org/Art...

I hope you will find these links useful.

Kind regards

Victoria

(NRAS Helpline)

[lubash in reply to Victoria-NRAS]

Thanks Victoria for all the info,will take a look and consult widely.

[elrose]

I have had RA since 23 and had my children at 31 and 35, my RA did settle during this time and doctors where helpful as regards meds, if you have good medical support and a loving partner (which I assume you do since you wanna have his babies) all the rest can be handled, good luck - kids are great and a real distraction from the introspection this nasty illness can create. Linda x

[Hidden]

well women get pregnant every day, and babies are born every day, as for Libido, It's All in The Mind, the questions you need to ask are, what am I thinking when MY PARTNER INITIATES SEXUAL ACTIVITY, WHAT DO I THINK WHILST HAVING SEX, WHAT DO I THINK AFTER SEX, DO I ENJOY SEX, DO I WANT IT JUST TO BE OVER, DO I GET INVOLVED WITH THE EXPLORATION OF MY ANATOMY WHILST LOVEMAKING. What might be the cause and effect of this problem. My question is where in the world are you, where do you live. This is a mental state of mind, and this can be addressed and fixed for the wwant of a better word.