“It could be part of the body or physiological changes First, you need to know about expectations.
Is the woman concerned because she is having less sex or no sex at all?
Is there something different in her life?
Is the woman depressed or having relationship problems?
Is there the possibility of a medical condition?
Is she taking a new medication that interferes with sexual desire?
Has she gained weight?
Does she have a good body image?
For many women, sexual desire goes up and down over the years, often tied to changes in relationships, stress, and physical changes like pregnancy and menopause. But roughly 10% of women deal with a low sex drive that causes them distress. It’s a condition known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).
There are a few over-the-counter supplements that aim to treat the problem, which have limited, mostly unproven, effects. But in recent years, the FDA has approved two prescription drugs to treat HSDD. These treatments are often referred to as “female Viagra” -- a nod to one of the medicines that men can take for sexual problems. But they’re not much like Viagra at all. In fact, they work very differently inside the body.
“In men, Viagra fixes a ‘plumbing problem,’ if you will,” says Judith Volkar, MD, of the UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh. Viagra and other similar drugs treat erectile dysfunction, when a man can’t get or keep an erection that’s firm enough to have sex. These men often still have sexual desire, but they just can’t get their bodies to respond physically when they want to have sex. The drugs help by relaxing the muscles in the penis and boosting blood flow so an erection can happen.
What does viagra do to women?
Viagra and similar drugs prescribed for ED increase blood flow to the penis so a man can get and keep an erection hard enough for sex. It works only if the man is sexually aroused. Viagra for women works on the brain, by reducing serotonin, a neurotransmitter that inhibits sexual desire. It also affects dopamine and norepinephrine, which can help in restoring sexual desire.
Men’s sexual dysfunction medication treats an actual physical issue. Addyi is prescribed for what Dr. Bardawil says is a more complex problem. “There are multiple causes for low libido,” Dr. Bardawil says. “We can’t say it’s just this or that or that it’s even physical.”
That’s not to say Addyi doesn’t work. “It might increase the mood in certain women, but the effects have been very modest,” he adds.
“I’ve never prescribed it,” says Dr. Bardawil. Which is not to say he won’t, he adds.
He prefers, however, to try other solutions, including couples therapy. Moreover, like many medications, Addyi has several side effects, including dizziness, sleepiness, and low blood pressure. Alcohol and birth control medication can amplify those effects, too. Addyi has to be taken daily and works after several weeks, unlike a drug such as Viagra, which is used only when needed. In addition, doctors are required to take a training course to be certified to prescribe, and patients must sign a form that shows they understand the risks.
Flibanserin was originally developed as an anti-depressant. It was first approved about three years ago by the FDA for low libido.
It was hailed as a game-changer, a medication that would even the playing field between the sexes.
But the marketing of the drug suffered when its parent company had to deal with unrelated business issues. It didn’t help that the pill’s high cost kept many away. Now some hope the much-awaited drug might have a better reception the second time around.
Addyi, however, has limited use. It is approved for women who are not in menopause and are diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), or low libido not caused by a relationship, medication, medical or mental problem. The low libido should be present for at least six months and causes stress to the patient. “If a lower sexual desire doesn’t bother the woman, Dr. Bardawil says, the woman is not considered to be suffering from HSDD. Therefore, she would not be considered a candidate for the pill. The drug also targets only pre-menopausal women, yet the majority of women who complain about flagging sexual desire in Dr. Bardawil’s practice are post-menopausal women.
“Once you rule out all these multiple factors, I encourage the patient to see a therapist, to work on the relationship and having open communication with her partner, having date nights and more time together,” Dr. Bardawil says.
Sometimes low libido can be situational, he says. A new baby — and lack of sleep — dampens sexual desire and long-time couples may need to shake off complacency and re-ignite romance.
Is the woman concerned because she is having less sex or no sex at all?
Is there something different in her life?
Is the woman depressed or having relationship problems?
Is there the possibility of a medical condition?
Is she taking a new medication that interferes with sexual desire?
Has she gained weight?
Does she have a good body image?
There are a few over-the-counter supplements that aim to treat the problem, which have limited, mostly unproven, effects. But in recent years, the FDA has approved two prescription drugs to treat HSDD. These treatments are often referred to as “female Viagra” -- a nod to one of the medicines that men can take for sexual problems. But they’re not much like Viagra at all. In fact, they work very differently inside the body.
“In men, Viagra fixes a ‘plumbing problem,’ if you will,” says Judith Volkar, MD, of the UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh. Viagra and other similar drugs treat erectile dysfunction, when a man can’t get or keep an erection that’s firm enough to have sex. These men often still have sexual desire, but they just can’t get their bodies to respond physically when they want to have sex. The drugs help by relaxing the muscles in the penis and boosting blood flow so an erection can happen.
What does viagra do to women?
Viagra and similar drugs prescribed for ED increase blood flow to the penis so a man can get and keep an erection hard enough for sex. It works only if the man is sexually aroused. Viagra for women works on the brain, by reducing serotonin, a neurotransmitter that inhibits sexual desire. It also affects dopamine and norepinephrine, which can help in restoring sexual desire.
Men’s sexual dysfunction medication treats an actual physical issue. Addyi is prescribed for what Dr. Bardawil says is a more complex problem. “There are multiple causes for low libido,” Dr. Bardawil says. “We can’t say it’s just this or that or that it’s even physical.”
That’s not to say Addyi doesn’t work. “It might increase the mood in certain women, but the effects have been very modest,” he adds.
“I’ve never prescribed it,” says Dr. Bardawil. Which is not to say he won’t, he adds.
He prefers, however, to try other solutions, including couples therapy. Moreover, like many medications, Addyi has several side effects, including dizziness, sleepiness, and low blood pressure. Alcohol and birth control medication can amplify those effects, too. Addyi has to be taken daily and works after several weeks, unlike a drug such as Viagra, which is used only when needed. In addition, doctors are required to take a training course to be certified to prescribe, and patients must sign a form that shows they understand the risks.
Flibanserin was originally developed as an anti-depressant. It was first approved about three years ago by the FDA for low libido.
It was hailed as a game-changer, a medication that would even the playing field between the sexes.
But the marketing of the drug suffered when its parent company had to deal with unrelated business issues. It didn’t help that the pill’s high cost kept many away. Now some hope the much-awaited drug might have a better reception the second time around.
Addyi, however, has limited use. It is approved for women who are not in menopause and are diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), or low libido not caused by a relationship, medication, medical or mental problem. The low libido should be present for at least six months and causes stress to the patient. “If a lower sexual desire doesn’t bother the woman, Dr. Bardawil says, the woman is not considered to be suffering from HSDD. Therefore, she would not be considered a candidate for the pill. The drug also targets only pre-menopausal women, yet the majority of women who complain about flagging sexual desire in Dr. Bardawil’s practice are post-menopausal women.
“Once you rule out all these multiple factors, I encourage the patient to see a therapist, to work on the relationship and having open communication with her partner, having date nights and more time together,” Dr. Bardawil says.
Sometimes low libido can be situational, he says. A new baby — and lack of sleep — dampens sexual desire and long-time couples may need to shake off complacency and re-ignite romance.
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