For Patient Education ...

This booklet provides information for those who want to know more about maintaining their sexuality and intimacy in a relationship when a chronic medical condition has impacted their lives.

Using a compassionate, considerate tone, the booklet presents information about how partners can start talking about this issue, the impact a major medical condition has on one's own sexuality and on relationships, the evolution of relationships and roles, the stages of sexuality, the body's sexual response, how to manage symptoms and side effects, what to do when you want to be intimate, and the importance of attitude, communication and being accommodating.

The features and benefits of this booklet include:

• Key messages about sexuality and intimacy for people with chronic medical conditions
• Overview on the impact of major medical conditions on relationships
• Descriptions of the stages of sexuality and the body's sexual response
• Guidance on managing symptoms and side effects, planning intimate moments, and more
• Assurance: It's used by Mayo Clinic in the care and treatment of its patients
• Spiral bound for ease of use
• Proven track record in use with patients
• Developed by Mayo Clinic physicians in collaboration with professional health care educators, writers and illustrators

Benefits of This Booklet to Your Patient

Enjoying one's sexuality and being intimate with another person are important to most adults. People dealing with chronic medical conditions often struggle silently with this basic human need.

This booklet offers candid information, including many helpful suggestions about how to cope with relationships that have changed due to chronic medical conditions. It offers hope that people living with chronic conditions can adjust and lead satisfying lives with their partners.

This booklet is like none other on the market. It addresses this very personal, often private subject with compassion, balancing medical information with practical ideas and action steps. Provide your patient with information and support that can lead to a more fulfilling life for him or her.

When you purchase Mayo Clinic patient education materials, proceeds are used to further medical education and research at Mayo Clinic. You not only get the answers to your questions, you become part of the solution.

Patients should review this educational material with their physicians to ensure it is consistent with a medically approved treatment plan. Pharmaceutical and medical device companies that wish to use this material in conjunction with an educational program must contact Mayo Clinic for approval. Mayo Clinic does not sponsor or endorse third party products and/or services.