Female Viagra. On August 8, 2015, The Food and Drug Administration approved the medication Addyi, a non-hormonal prescription taken daily at bedtime also known as Flibanserin and nicknamed the “little pink pill” to treat acquired generalized Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. In other words, it’s for women who experience a low sex drive that causes extreme interpersonal strain and distress.
Men commonly use Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction ensuring an erection during intercourse. Viagra improves a man’s erection by boosting blood flow to the genitals while Addyi addresses a woman’s desire for sex, not the sex organs by working on the part of the brain that’s in charge of sexual interest. It targets the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.
Addyi:
- Is the first treatment for sexual desire disorder to treat premenopausal women
- Is now available over the phone and at half its original price.
- Side effects include:
- Can cause severely low blood pressure (Hypotension) and loss of consciousness.
- Dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, fatigue, insomnia and dry mouth.
- Risks are increased and more severe when alcohol is consumed or other medications are taken along with Addyi. Alcohol is contraindicated and must be abstained.
- Although effective it still has potential risks.
The FDA does recognize the challenges in developing treatments for female sexual dysfunction and has held a patient-focused drug development meeting and scientific workshop to solicit perspectives about their condition and its impact on daily life, and to discuss and continue to encourage the scientific challenges in developing drugs to treat these disorders.
As a Marriage Counselor working with couples and their sex issues, I believe it’s important not to rely on drugs to manage a challenging situation. There are other ways to treat low sexual desire than with a pill. Low libido can be caused by stress, a lack of intimacy, previous sexual trauma, or underlying emotional problems that medication likely won’t address. As a Marriage Counselor working with women with low sexual desire it’s important to be able to open up a dialogue about female sexuality and how to improve one’s sex life through communication and experimentation. In Couples Counseling being able to talk about thoughts and feelings regarding what kind of sex you want develops and maintains the intimacy needed to keep the passion alive and connection intact.
For more information about sexual dysfunction or how to develop open communication about your sex life please contact me at (858) 735-1139.