Thitirat Pongprajuc

FHS2450
March 24, 2023

Family & Human Studies (FHS) 2450: Intro to Human Sexuality

Essay
Question

Health and Romantic Relationships: Do you know anyone who experiences chronic health problems? 
How have (or how might) those problems affect romantic relations and sexuality?  What would you
recommend for others with similar health problems?

Answer

I know a couple in which the husband has chronic health problems: diabetes and heart disease.
Moreover, he was a drug user. He and his wife are having problems with their romantic relationships
and sexuality. The wife and I are friends. We were having a girl talk when she told the group that her
husband has erectile dysfunction. She was sad because she wanted to have a baby, but it looked like she
had no hope.
“Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which the pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin,
which is necessary for metabolizing carbohydrates and fats” (Knox & Milstein, 2021, p. 286). I am not
sure if he has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Assuming he has type 2, the textbook states that type 2
diabetes could affect erectile dysfunction in men. This information matches the condition that her
husband has.
The heart medication that he uses to treat his heart disease could also be a possible cause of
erectile dysfunction. An article published on the British Heart Foundation website states, “erectile
dysfunction can be caused by beta-blocker medication, which is commonly used to treat heart-related
conditions” (2022, para. 2). However, I do not know whether his antiarrhythmic medication is a beta-
blocker or not. If yes, his medication possibly contributes to his condition.
Another issue that could negatively impact her husband’s penis’s ability to erect is that he was a
long-term cocaine user. The adverse effects on sexuality are “diminished sexual desire, erectile ability,
and the ability to have an orgasm” (Knox & Milstein, 2021, p. 299). Currently, her husband does not use
cocaine anymore, but the erection dysfunction does not get any better.
At the beginning of the relationship and before they got married, my friend openly told me that
she was a little bit disappointed that they would not be able to have sexual intercourse like an average
couple would do. But she was optimistic that the love and relationship between her and her husband
were not all about sex. They both were okay with being a childless family. However, in the 5 th year of
marriage, my friend and her husband usually argued about her wanting to have a baby, but her husband
could not give that to her naturally. I assume they are in the separation phase because my friend and
her husband no longer spend time together. They used to enjoy traveling and eating out, but I noticed
they stopped doing that for months.
I would recommend that others who have erectile dysfunction openly talk to their partner about
their condition and tell their partner about the causes and effects of the symptom. An article published
on the Medical News Today website asserts that various treatments are available depending on the
underlying cause. For example, a couple could seek couples therapy or counseling if erectile dysfunction
causes problems in the relationship. Other options could be using medication or the hormone
testosterone. Vacuum erection devices and surgical penile implants are also options for treating erectile
dysfunction (“Trying to conceive,” 2022, para. 6). In addition to sexuality treatment, fertility treatment
should be suggested to couples who want to have a child. Fertility treatments such as Intrauterine
insemination (IUI), In vitro fertilization (IVF), and Sperm retrieval can make pregnancy possible for a
couple whose husband has erectile dysfunction (“Trying to conceive,” 2022, para. 9).

“Names/details have been changed to protect privacy.”

Word count: 559

 References

British Heart Foundation. (2022). Let's talk about... erectile dysfunction. British Heart Foundation.
Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-
magazine/wellbeing/erectile-dysfunction

Knox, D., & Milstein, S. (2021). Human sexuality: Making informed decisions (6th ed.) [with Salt Lake
Community College supplement]. Redding, CA: BVT Publishing.

Medical News Today. (2022, December 22). Trying to conceive with ed: Tips, outlook, and more. Medical
News Today. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-
to-conceive-when-husband-has-erectile-dysfunction#tips