Have you ever wondered if there exists some kind of Viagra for women? The short answer? Yes. Adult women, just like men, experience low sex drive, medically known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder. In fact, studies have shown that about ten percent of women experience a lack of interest in sex or a decline in sexual response.
Luckily, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two drugs in 2019 to treat low sexual desire in women. This article will address these Viagra type solutions for women to better understand how they work, how they should be taken, potential side effects and interactions.
Hypoactive sexual desire, also known as low sexual drive, can be managed with the following FDA approved drugs:
Vyleesi (bremelanotide)
This medication was developed mainly to address low sexual desire in women who have not yet gone through menopause. This drug is to be injected into the subcutaneous area of the thigh or abdomen some forty-five minutes before sex and the effect will last up to twenty-four hours. It is strongly advised that this drug should not be administered more than eight times in a single month.
How Does Vyleesi Work?
Vyleesi works by exerting an influence on the dopamine receptors of the brain stimulating sexual arousal. However, the exact pathway is not very clear.
Possible side effects of Vyleesi include:
- Hot flashes
- Head aches
- Tingling sensation
- Coughing
- Decreased heart rate
- Fatigue
- Nausea and or vomiting
- Nasal congestion
- Skin discolouration
- Dizziness
- Potential allergic reactions
Addyi (flibanserin)
Just like Vyleesi, Addyi treats hypoactive sexual desire in premenopausal women. The first difference is that Addyi comes as an oral medication in form of a pill. Furthermore, unlike the Vyleesi, Addyi is required to be taken daily, preferably at night, even if there is no sexual activity planned for that day. This medication adopts a slower approach to building sexual desire requiring up to eight weeks to elicit the desired effect. However some users have seen an increase in their sex drive not too long after they were placed on this drug.
How Does Addyi Work?
Flibanserin (sold under the brand name Addyi) affects the serotonin pathway of the brain by lowering the amount of serotonin in the brain. It also works on the dopamine pathway by increasing the levels in the brain. In this way, it reduces depressive symptoms and increases sexual excitement.
Possible side effects of Addyi include:
- Low blood pressure which could result in fainting spells especially when taken with alcohol and certain drugs
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Sleep problems, either feeling an excessive need to sleep or experience difficulty falling asleep
- Nausea
Interestingly, there are other medications that have been found effective in the treatment of low sex drive in women, that have not been approved by the FDA for this purpose. We will also take a look at some of these drugs.
Viagra
Long before the FDA-certified the Viagra drug for women, low sex drive was being treated in a handful of women the drug, which was originally intended to increase libido in men.
How Does Viagra Work?
Viagra is the brand name for a drug compound known as sildenafil which causes a dilation of blood vessels leading to an increased supply of blood to the penis in order to stimulate and maintain erection. This is also similar to what it does for female users. It elicited an increase in blood flow to the genitals producing arousal and vaginal lubrication
- Estrogen Replacement Therapy
For many premenopausal and menopausal women, oestrogen replacement therapy has yielded positive outcomes in stimulating sexual desire. Another research found that combining testosterone with oestrogen therapy proved even more effective
- Topical Serums
These are applied directly on the clitoris to elicit physical arousal. They are often used alongside other medications
- Anti-anxiety Medication
If low sex drive is as a direct result of anxiety or trauma, administering anti-anxiety medication could yield an increase in sexual desire for users
In summary, Viagra for women is useful for those who:
- feel a sudden disinterest in sex
- are on medications that hamper sexual desire
- experience trauma-induced anxiety
- do not enjoy sexual encounters
It is important to note that, not all cases of hypoactive sexual desire disorder can be treated with medications. This is because some of the causes of low sex drive are not necessarily clinical.
For example, experiencing low sex drive might be as a result of declined attraction in one’s sexual partner. This has been found to be quite common in long-term, monogamous relationships. It could also be as a result of a partner’s lack of satisfying sexual performances.
Another common factor is poor communication with one’s sexual partner about what one desires leading to an emotional disconnect during sex. In other cases, low sexual desire has been linked to a fear of contracting or transferring sexually transmitted infections.
In these cases, sex therapy or open, honest conversation with your sexual partner could bring about positive results.
In conclusion, hypoactive sexual desire disorder is mostly treatable and women who suffer from this should not be afraid to seek help from a medical professional. As we have seen Viagra for women is not a myth. There are several available options that have proven very effective.
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