17 replies to this topic

[davebahm]

Hello All,
I posted this question three years ago after I had my pump installed, but received no feedback (so I'll try again). For you who have a pump and have normal sexual relations with a spouse or significant other, has your sexual performance been adversely affected since getting the pump? In addition to general overall weakness, urinary and bowel irregularities, I often have a difficult time reaching climax while making love with my wife (and all of these functions were normal for the most part before getting this stupid pump). I don't have the problem that requires Viagra, just trouble "completing." It's very frustrating, because I'm crazy about my wife and she still excites me after 11 years of marriage, so when this happens it's frustrating for both of us. Any thoughts?

[saradise]

My husband has the baclofen pump and there has been no change from before to after. He is in the same boat as you as far as not being able to complete. I don't think the baclofen pump affects sexuality in any way...for us, it has calmed the spasms some making it easier for sex.

[2ndChance]

davebahm, on 16 August 2009 - 04:45 PM, said:

Hello All,
I posted this question three years ago after I had my pump installed, but received no feedback (so I'll try again). For you who have a pump and have normal sexual relations with a spouse or significant other, has your sexual performance been adversely affected since getting the pump? In addition to general overall weakness, urinary and bowel irregularities, I often have a difficult time reaching climax while making love with my wife (and all of these functions were normal for the most part before getting this stupid pump). I don't have the problem that requires Viagra, just trouble "completing." It's very frustrating, because I'm crazy about my wife and she still excites me after 11 years of marriage, so when this happens it's frustrating for both of us. Any thoughts?

I'm a female. I completely lost my ability to complete after having the pump installed. It has been almost one year and I am now in the process of reducing my IT dosage to see if my side effects cease if I turn off the pump. Have you tried reducing your IT dosage?

[davebahm]

2ndChance, on 23 August 2011 - 05:26 PM, said:

davebahm, on 16 August 2009 - 04:45 PM, said:

Hello All,
I posted this question three years ago after I had my pump installed, but received no feedback (so I'll try again). For you who have a pump and have normal sexual relations with a spouse or significant other, has your sexual performance been adversely affected since getting the pump? In addition to general overall weakness, urinary and bowel irregularities, I often have a difficult time reaching climax while making love with my wife (and all of these functions were normal for the most part before getting this stupid pump). I don't have the problem that requires Viagra, just trouble "completing." It's very frustrating, because I'm crazy about my wife and she still excites me after 11 years of marriage, so when this happens it's frustrating for both of us. Any thoughts?

I'm a female. I completely lost my ability to complete after having the pump installed. It has been almost one year and I am now in the process of reducing my IT dosage to see if my side effects cease if I turn off the pump. Have you tried reducing your IT dosage?

Hi 2nd Chance! I logged in today, probably the first time since I posted the above question. I forgot that it was posted! I guess achieving orgasm has improved a little, but still unhappy with the pump and how it has affected me in general. Haven't tweaked with the flow rate very much. Considering having it removed in the next several months.

[tsh3406]

I have found that for me, personally, Baclofen significantly hampered sexual function. I switched to a different drug. While on Baclofen, erections were not reliable, and lasted 20 minutes tops, with no "round 2". Even with ED drugs. Now, they can easily last 1.5 hours, and 2 or more ejaculations are not unusual....

I DO have an incomplete injury.... that makes a big difference too....

[russ1]

The pump defnately affected my ability to get an erection... but given the upsides it's a price I'm prepared to pay...... not sure my girlfriend agrees but she does understand. These days even viagra isn't always effective.

[Wheels08]

I am not on any spasm drugs, besides bladder spasm 5mg once a day, and I can not sustain a 20 min erection. HOW DO YOU DO THAT?????? It would definitely be a help. I take 5mg of cialis once a day. Any other suggestions that have worked?

[tsh3406]

If that was directed at me, I'd love to horseshit ya, but Viagra or Cialis, maximum dose, lol....

T

[tsh3406]

I encourage all of you to research a drug called 4 Aminopyridine. For a lot of spinal cord injuries (mostly incompletes), it completely eliminates the need for baclofen and oxybutinin (sp?) and it's method of action can even improve some nerve impulses (including sexual function, bowel and bladder control). I've been on it for about two years now, and will never go back to baclofen.

Tim

http://www.sci-thera...arm-Chronic.htm

[russ1]

post deleted .. reread the postI was replying to and my reply made no sense at all

Edited by russ1, 01 December 2011 - 09:42 PM.

[davebahm]

Tim,
I kind of speed read the article... interesting. Do you take this drug orally? If so, does it make you feel loopy for a while like oral Baclofen? Any other side effects?

The sex thing isn't my biggest problem with this pump, it's not being able to "fire" or move certain muscles like I used to before the surgery (to sit up, lift legs and feet, raise arms over my head, etc.). I'm beginning physical therapy this week, mainly for stretching muscles, with the plan to have the pump removed as soon as reasonably possible. It's been six years and I hate what the Baclofen has done to me.

Dave

[tsh3406]

davebahm, on 13 December 2011 - 06:12 PM, said:

Tim,
I kind of speed read the article... interesting. Do you take this drug orally? If so, does it make you feel loopy for a while like oral Baclofen? Any other side effects?

The sex thing isn't my biggest problem with this pump, it's not being able to "fire" or move certain muscles like I used to before the surgery (to sit up, lift legs and feet, raise arms over my head, etc.). I'm beginning physical therapy this week, mainly for stretching muscles, with the plan to have the pump removed as soon as reasonably possible. It's been six years and I hate what the Baclofen has done to me.

Dave

Yeah, it's a little 10mg pill, and average dose is 2 or 3 per day. Normally, it does not have the effects you mentioned, but I recall accidentally taking a double dose and it did make me a little jittery and cloudy feeling. I was under close supervision by the prescribing physician for the first year, but to date have not had any complications because of it. Bennefiits I have noticed over Baclofen are increased tolerance of extreme heat, increased breathing capacity, decreased swelling and slight improvement in sensation. That's in addition to the changes in sexual functioning. I also seem to sweat a little more. No significant change in motor or bowel/bladder functioning.


Your reactions to it will be different depending on your injury, it does more for MS but less for complete injuries....

[Rabih]

i have a baclofen pump,and yes getting an erection is harder since before the pump i would an erection with applying some pressure and it would take seconds:)now its harder to stay hard for a long time.

[Scott12345]

OK, embarrassed as I am to ask this question, here it goes. When the wife and I are having intercourse, missionary position, it is very hard for me in general. The hardest part for me are the thrusts for ejaculation. I have been dealing with this for many years. I am about to get my baclofen pump for spastic paraplegia. Is there a chance that the pump might help with this? Thanks for reading this EXTREMELY embarrassing post!

[tsh3406]

It may, but like a few others have said, it may also make it much harder to keep an erection....

[Andromeda]

I found this forum by doing research for a school paper, and will introduce my husband to it as soon as I can. He has had his pump since 2006 (I think), and it doesn't seem to make a difference at all either in his sex drive or performance. I'm not sure if it causes any "performance issues" now or in the past...if so, they are not noticeable to me. Regardless of the position we use, I try to be mindful that it's there so I don't somehow press on it or shift it since it's just subcutaneous. It has simply always been a factor in our relationahip (I didn't marry him until 2011), but hasn't seemed to be a problem. It may have been at first though, so I will get him to post here and provide any helpful information he can. About all I can tell you is that I don't have any complaints at all regarding the intimate side of our relationship; it may be different from his side, though.

[Scott12345]

Thanks Andromeda.

[davebahm]

I keep forgetting to check in here... hope you all are doing well. My doctor did reduce the pump flow back in January of this year, but my legs tightened up significantly. So, she increased the flow and it appears I'm stuck with this pump (scheduled to be replaced in January 2013 because of battery life). Sexually my wife and I are doing well when we do it, but thanks to my her work schedule we have little time for sex nowadays. That could be changing soon as she has resigned from a job that was taking a physical toll on her arms, shoulders and feet.