Relationships

When you start out in a relationship thinking about your condition is the last thing you might want to think about. Its important to think about it as might impact on you both physically and emotionally. 

You might have found that you have lost some self-confidence since being diagnosed, this may be because of the impact of your condition on activities or because of visible signs of your condition such as swollen joints. This might impact on starting a new relationship. Most relationships develop gradually and depend on shared interests as opposed to physical considerations. Although it might not be the first thing you want to talk about, sharing about your condition means they can help you and you can be more open if you have any flare ups. 

You can find more information here and here that might help you think about this. 

Contraception and pregnancy 

When thinking about being in a relationship and the physical aspect of sex it is important to consider contraception and alongside this pregnancy. Making sure your contraception is effective is very important if you are taking certain medications such as methotrexate. If you want more information you can talk to your medical team but also your GP in confidence to work out the most suitable form of contraception for you. Unity Sexual Health also provide a free and confidential service which you can find out more about here.

If you are thinking about pregnancy and having children, you might have worries about the impact of your condition and medications on a baby. There are some medications that it is best to avoid so it is important to talk to your medical team if this is something that you are thinking about, or if you find yourself pregnant. You can also find out more information here.