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A member writes:
I am 73 and use Viagra to prepare for lovemaking, but even so, over the last few months I’ve had problems achieving orgasm during intercourse. I have never been a quick trigger. Now, after 20 minutes I give up in exasperation because I worry that my wife is becoming impatient. She says that she is not impatient, just frustrated that she can’t do more to help me. She says she realizes that with age, I need more time to reach orgasm and knows the problem is not changes in her.
My wife does reach orgasm during intercourse, and it happens more easily if I perform oral sex on her prior to penetration. She’ s thrilled that I’ve been willing to take this step of using Viagra so that we can continue to enjoy lovemaking this way. With Viagra, even without doing much to stimulate me I have no problem getting an erection.
I believe my problem coming to orgasm lies in a loss of sensitivity. I have gone to a urologist, and he assured me that there is no physical problem with testosterone or any other medical issue.
Lately we have tried using a vibrator on my erection. It feels good, but it doesn’t affect me much and since I already have an erection, it seems that it’s time for intercourse. Last time, we also used a masturbation sleeve before intercourse, and ultimately that is how, after 20 minutes of intercourse, I achieved orgasm.
Thinking about making love with my wife has always aroused me emotionally and physically. Even with the problems we’ve been having recently, I look forward with great anticipation to our lovemaking. We’ve been married for 20 years and have a wonderful marriage. We never retire for the night without expressing our love. We always kiss when either of us is leaving and again on our return. We always start the day with a big hug. I couldn’t ask for a better partner. —Viagra Orgasm Seeker
It warms my heart to read about how much you and your wife treasure each other and express your love throughout the day. You’re having regular sex that is very satisfying to your wife, but you have difficulty reaching orgasm with Viagra. I think that the answer to your problem begins with a better understanding of what Viagra does and does not do. It does increase blood flow to the penis to trigger an erection. That’s all. It does not increase desire, sensation, the feeling of arousal or orgasm.
I shared your concerns with pharmacist Paul Roberts R.Ph., M.S, who said, “Viagra (or the generic version sildenafil) has done its job when you have an erection. Orgasm, however, is a complex process. You’ll want to look at other approaches to deal with that.”
Let’s look at these approaches one by one:
- Recognize Real Readiness
- Use erotic stimulation
- Try better sex toys
- Relax, experiment, enjoy!
First, understand that just because your erection is ready doesn’t mean that you are ready. You still need erotic stimulation – physical and mental – and at our age, that may take more than it once did.
Stimulation by a partner is important for increasing arousal, pleasure and intimacy. Just as receiving oral sex gets your wife ready to orgasm during intercourse, you may need more touching – both whole body and genital – and/or oral sex or masturbation to get stimulated enough to reach orgasm easily.
You found that using a masturbation sleeve before intercourse helps (see this review of the Tenga sleeves on my blog). An especially stimulating vibrator for penises such as the Pulse can also stimulate you and help you reach orgasm. You can use these sex toys either before intercourse to get you really ready (again, don’t judge readiness by the presence of an erection), or during a break from intercourse so that you don’t have to go so long, or at the end of your lovemaking.
Realize that worrying that you’re taking too long will actually slow down your responsiveness, because anxiety gets in the way of sexual arousal both physically and emotionally. So take the focus off of having to reach orgasm and enjoy the many other sensual paths to enjoyment.
There are no rules. Experiment to discover what stimulates you, what you and your wife enjoy, and the kind of sensation that brings you to orgasm. Enjoy the journey of discovery! —Joan
- Would you like to see more questions and answers? See all of Joan’s advice in Sex @ Our Age.
- Send Joan your questions by emailing sexpert@seniorplanet.org. All information is confidential.
Joan Price is the author of the new “Ultimate Guide to Sex After 50: How to Maintain – or Regain! – a Spicy, Satisfying Sex Life”; the award-winning self-help book “Naked at Our Age: Talking Out Loud about Senior Sex”; and the sexy memoir, “Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk about Sex After Sixty.” Visit Joan’s blog, “Naked at Our Age,” and her Facebook page.
COMMENTS
23 responses to “Desperately Seeking Orgasm: Help for an Older Man”
I agree. Lot of issues going on here. Take a walk in fantasy land. I’m 74 my wife is a few years younger. We’ve been married nearly 30 years. Something I haven’t heard mentioned is refractory period. After some period of abstinence I get so horny. I do not get spontaneous erections anymore but Viagra does the trick. My wife understands that we both need each other’s affection and tease each other’s erotic side. Have fun relax! Sometimes things may not “pop” . Sex is not a marathon.
I’m 81 years old. My wife is in a bed 24/7 , she has Parkinson’s and M G . She’s a sick girl , because of the virus .we can only talk on the phone. I’m very lonely now. I have with myself ,I masturbat once or twice a day by looking at x-rated movies. The problem is I can’ t e-jack-u- late any more. My wife has been in bed for four years now. can you give me some advise , Help me please,I looked at picture of you , you l
look like you’ll very kind. Thank You .
Hard on the ladies to. I’m so lonely since the covid depression got
yes im 60 male that also had brain injury and right a k a since my accident having now sex life help please thanks
I have an issue that I can not seem to figure out. I can gain an erection, have meaningful sex…..ONCE. boom, done.
Several years ago I could average 3 per night. Viagara did not help and left me feeling as if I had been drinking all night. Cialis doesnt maintain my erection after orgasm and does not aid in regaining it.
Just flat done. Very frustrating to me and to the women I entertain. They want more, I want more, neither of us gets what we want.
Me too. Would like a discussion on this.
I’m 86. My wife loves to give me oral sex. About 5 years ago, I noticed I had to masturbate while she was doing me to helpme achieve orgasm.. It has been getting worse and worse. The last two times were bad. First, after 1/2 hour of give me oral, I masturbated for an hour to no avail. Than a couple of nights ago, I made it but it took an hour and 1/2’….. one half of her oral and an hour of me masturbating. I’m getting sick of not having an orgasm and considering quitting sex altogether but it would make her feel bad because she needs to do me and thinks its her fault. I keep telling her that there just has to be a time when a man can no longer “make it.” She doesn’t believe that. I do. I just can’t believe a 100 yr old man could have an orgasm. One problem is she says to just enjoy the “journey” for 1/2 hour from her. Problem is, I just have to have an orgasm after all that…..I can’t quit after her oral. Never happened in my life before, seemed to slowly start about 5 years ago. HELP?
I too have issue with having an orgasm when making love to my wife or just having plain old hard sex with her. We are both 72 years old and very sexual . Yes I have been taking viagra for several years and very happy. However for several months now I have problems having an orgasm. Here is what we have done that has helped. We role play. My wife will dress very sexy and I will walk in wearing military fatigues as I did when 21 years old plus we call each other our old nick names and talk dirty, we start by alternating giving each other oral, finally me alternating giving her oral and penetrating her back and forth. She ends up with 2 sometimes three orgasms which then triggers me . It doesn’t work every time but does work often. I have also used a vibrating butt plug on myself while performing the same. The only difference there was that it made me release much more semen. I know it’s not for everybody but it has helped us. Good Luck, Enjoy even if you don’t get it off !
It sure would be nice to frisky like some of these folks but in my life it never happened. Married 50 years and I can’t find anything exciting about it. I never had sex before marriage nor really the first 3 years of marriage because those years were spent in military Vietnam and didn’t have sex there spent most nights in a hole underground with all kinds of nasty critters. Day time for long hours fighting bad guys we couldn’t see. We just tore up the landscape! When I got home and doing real people things, that wasn’t rosy at all, the wife was boring when it came to sex and had no adventure. After about 8 years of this I just gave up and didn’t bother with sex. Also I was working midnights and she worked a goofy shift and we saw each coming or going. I worked weekends and she didn’t. So at about 30 years old I couldn’t get it up if I tried it’s been a little over 40 years since we had sex last. Wife had a hysterectomy and she told she had no interest in intimacy, and for me that was fine. We stayed married but at a distance, she has our original home and I have a small place elsewhere in town. We don’t talk to each other or interact with each other. We do our own thing , I’m always busy as for her I don’t know probably knits all day and waits for the mail person?
I’m not sure you can help me? I’m 66 years old and had Radiotherapy for prostate cancer 5 years ago. Cialis works great for ED. However I have very poor organism quality the past year. My testosterone level is normal (450 total) and I am healthy. Any Ideas?
As a woman who both served in the Army and was married to a Marine, I can understand the time apart. I know I am a out to say the one thing no man wants to hear, bit you need to talk to her! After so many years together you know she isn’t leaving you. What would it hurt if you said, “Baby, I want to make live to you. I’m horny and you still turn me on. Why not spend the later part of our lives makes up for the earlier parts we missed.” The worst thing that happens is you continue not talking. The best is you find each other again in a new amazing way!. If a few glasses, shot, beers or some herb help first than fine. But don’t die but letting her know that you still want her and being satisfied yourself!
Mark Alloy
10/28/2016
Just food for thought.Rather than using the daily Viagra,try using the other that you take a couple hours before you intend to play.I only take a half a tablet which works great.
Second,once this orgasm failure occured,it then could have become a mental block and could probably be snowballing.Just the thought of having an intiment evening with your bride could start throwing up a mental wall,
A couple glasses of wine with your bride might relax your mind .
I wish you luck,
Mark
When elusive delayed orgasms became a problem for my wife and I we made things much better with a multi factored approach.
First, I started doing kegel exercised. They are simple and discrete. I made a rule that each time I checked the time, I had to do 5 of them.
Second, I tried to remember to breathe and relax during the act.
Finally, and this may not be for everybody, my wife started looking at alternate ways to give me pleasure. She started rimming my back door, eventually progressing to prostate massage. That worked like a charm!
Stay open minded, and know that there ARE other things we can experience which are capable of helping us to ‘finish’.
I’m 81 years old. My wife is in a bed 24/7 , she has Parkinson’s and M G . She’s a sick girl , because of the virus .we can only talk on the phone. I’m very lonely now. I have with myself ,I masturbat once or twice a day by looking at x-rated movies. The problem is I can’ t e-jack-u- late any more. My wife has been in bed for four years now. can you give me some advise , Help me please,I looked at picture of you , you l
look like you’ll very kind. Thank You .
Similar problem without theverection!!! I am frustrated at this point… No intercourse for three months… A couple of years since my last orgasim with my wife… Broken penis…
I am 76 and cannot get an erection. Is there any hope for me? Tried to massage myself but that did not work.
Ask your doctor to subceribe tadefel for erections and testatorone gel for sperm count helped my husband tremendously we now have sex once a week which is all he can handle, once a week is better than nothing
My friends mentioned twice he has gone home and cry because he has not reached an orgasms peek of any erection. He is 11 years older. Is he depressed . He is a high functional alcoholic.
Hi Belen,
Tell your friend that alcohol may make the issue worse.
I have recently started to have delayed or no orgasm and
my dear wife helps a lot. But we have noticed that if we have sex after consuming alcohol, I never reach an orgasm.
No scientific facts, just an observation that might help.
The problem could very well be the Viagra. Viagra tends to se-sensitize a man, making it more difficult to orgasm, with often a less enjoyable one too. A side note — it’s written that prostituescaren’t happy with this — what was once a 5 minute exercise, now men are taking a 1/2 hour or more to get off. tye other problem with Viagra is that it causes a dependency — after you are on it for a period, you wind up becoming more impotent, and need it to gain an erection. This dependency itends to be both physical and psychological. If you don’t have a pill nearby, you’ll stress over whether you can perform.
maybe the gentleman should accept that sex can be enjoyable without orgasm, just like many (most) women whose partners don’t know how to satisfy a woman or simply don’t care
Absolutely. I am totally thrilled to bring my spouse to climax. Occasionally everything works for this 74yr old male. Sometimes not, Sometimes I achieve full penetration if not oral stimulation and knowing her pace will bring her to the point when we were much younger. It’s about caring and giving. Ha I’m no expert!
Oh my God! Are you serious?! It’s time for a change, don’t you think? It is new, yes, – “new” – sexual interests which are usually needed by older men. Get your woman to be submissive – and I don’t refer to trivia as desrcibed in that dull book Fift Shades of Grey – but seriously t let your owmna explore her submissive (Or, if you prefer, her “dominant” side. Get something NEW going, get one of you begging, crying for it. THen you may find a new interest in sex arising twce as often as when you were young. Not enough talk here – and yes, I know people are scared of it and may not want to publish this – but start exploring what you really secretly, even if a little shamefully, long for. Bite, whip, wake up. My sex life has never been better I know that, with every year that passes.
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