Diabetes and Diminishing Climax

THE Euro2016 is coming to its end. Fans are awaiting its climax with all eyes on Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo to create yet another orgasmic magic! Portugal will meet France in the finale.

J. Donald Walters, better known as Kriyananda, the founder of worldwide movement of spiritual international community once said: “Happiness is not a brilliant climax to years of grim struggle and anxiety. It is a long succession of little decisions simply to be happy in the moment.”

My question is: “When it comes to sex, will many successions of climax be damaging for the ultimate happiness?”

We address the concerns from one diabetic reader who is troubled by the parental warning of “too much sex is bad for you!” Is this a fact or fiction?

Dear Dr G,

My name is Kee. I am 26 years old and has been a diabetic since I was 15.

Since the diagnosis of my diabetes, I have been very cautious of my health.

I exercise regularly and have my diabetes under check on a regular basis.

I have a brilliant doctor who checks my diabetes.

She has also advised that I see the heart, eye, foot and diet doctors regularly.

The team of healthcare professionals has been keeping a close eye on me since my adolescent years.

I recently encounter a very strange problem.

Although I can maintain erection for sexual intercourse, I noticed the amount of semen ejaculated is diminishing in the last two years.

I went back to my endocrinologist and he told me it is associated with the diabetes and the condition may be irreversible.

I feel very sad as I worry I may not be able to father a child in the future.

Do you think my follow-up should include a urologist?

Can you tell me what is my problem? How do we confirm this?

I also cannot help in thinking this is related to my frequent “self-indulgence”.

Do you think I have simply run out of seeds?

Please help.

Kee

Type I diabetes is essentially a medical condition characterised by the diminished production of insulin following the destruction of cells in the pancreas.

Compared to the type II diabetes, this condition is more acute in its onset and tends to have higher prevalence in younger age groups.

Although the exact mechanisms of both diabetes are believed to be different, the medical complications faced by sufferers are usually the same.

As type I diabetic patients tend to present as young adults, the possibilities of diabetic related problems are more likely to occur over a longer interval.

Because of lifetime risks of complications, the sufferers have been “coached” to take charge of the condition seriously from an early age.

The common destruction of organs in diabetic patients include neuropathy (destruction of nerves), retinopathy (destruction of retina), vasculopathy (destruction of vessels), cardiomyopathy (destruction of heart) and nephropathy (destruction of kidneys).

As the condition results in so many “opathies”, this warrants the involvements of a team of “ologists”.

A multi-disciplinary team comprising an endocrinologist, cardiologist, podiatrist and dietitian controls the stringent monitoring.

However, such facility is commonly lacking in many institutions, as such cautions are often not part of diabetic care among adults.

Although urologists are not part of the team of specialists participating in the care, the specialist involvement during the sexually active age is often encouraged.

The most common diabetes related problem is undoubtedly erectile dysfunction. Often times, the “heart” doctor also take on the roles as the “hard” doctor.

However, when patients encounter more complex problems such as recurrent urinary tract infections and infertility, early interventions from a urologist can ensure better outcome in patient care.

Type I diabetic patients may face the issues of retrograde ejaculation, or commonly known as dry orgasm, following the destruction of the parasympathetic nerve system that is responsible for the contraction of relevant muscles to ensure the propulsion of semen forward.

The sufferers will notice the diminishing amount and the “power” of ejaculation during climax. Some may even describe the lessening of the intensity of orgasm.

Although the intensity of climax is difficult to quantify, the diagnosis of retrograde ejaculation can easily be established with a bit of coordinated efforts, with the microscopic examination of the urine immediately after sexual climax.

Many sexual dysfunctions are often associated with guilt and sufferers tend to reflect on the “damage” caused by too much sex or masturbations.

There is no evidence to suggest too much ejaculation can result in semen “drying up”.

The bad news – there is no effective treatment available to reverse retrograde ejaculation. But the good news – the sperms swimming in the urine are often “alive and kicking” and mostly suitable for test-tube babies.

Although the diminishing climax may be a cause of misery for Kee, keeping healthy will hopefully continue to bring happiness for him in years to come.