If dryness of the vagina is a problem, your doctor can prescribe creams or you can buy lubricating gels such as KY Jelly or Replens from the chemist. You or your partner can apply them directly to the penis or vagina before or during sex. Radiotherapy to the pelvis can cause the vagina to become narrower and this can make sex difficult or uncomfortable. The key to overcoming this problem is to keep the muscles in the vagina as supple as possible. Hormone creams available on prescription from your doctor, and applied to your vagina, can help, but regular sex, or use of a vaginal dilator, is often the easiest and most effective treatment.
Many women feel nervous about having sex soon after treatment for cancer, but it is perfectly safe.
Women often find they need to take more time over sex to help the vagina relax. It may also be easier if your partner is gentle at first so that your vagina can stretch slowly. Regular gentle sex will help the vagina regain its suppleness and you should be able to resume your usual sex life a few weeks after radiotherapy. Vaginal dilators are usually made of plastic and the nurses on the ward or your doctor can give one to you. The dilator needs to be gently and regularly inserted into the vagina to stretch it gradually and prevent narrowing.