A major concern of many people recovering from heart disease is returning to a satisfactory sex life. The demand placed on the heart during sex is about the same as that of climbing a couple of flight of stairs or taking a brisk walk, and most people are up to that degree of physical exertion a few weeks after a heart attack or heart surgery. The physical ability to engage in sex, though, is often not the problem.
Many experts believe that your mental or emotional state strongly affects your ability to enjoy sex. If you have had a heart attack or heart surgery, you may be worried about dying, physical demands of sex, or other similar concerns. It is not surprising, then, that sexual difficulties and reduced sexual desire are common among those recovering from heart disease. It is also common for your partner to have fears and concerns about resuming sexual activities. In time, however, most people are able to return to their sexual life.
Because some medications reduce or inhibit sexual desire, you may want to ask your doctor whether those are possible side effects of your medications. Of course, if you should experience chest pains and irregular heart rate, or a greater than normal shortness of breath during sex, stop!
If you have questions about resuming sexual activities, talk to your doctor. Your concerns and questions are natural since they are part of your personal life. Your doctor will not be embarrassed to answer them while you should not feel embarrassed to ask any question which concerns your sexual activity.
