Three years back the holy grail for women with a low sex drive seemed to have arrived. A little pink pill called Addyi—pronounced add-ee and erroneously nicknamed the female Viagra aka the Viagra pill for women – is so much lesser known than the male Viagra pill. We know what the male version is all about (erections, amiright?), but what does Viagra for women do?
Viagra is a drug licensed to help men (people with penises) with erectile dysfunction, and impotence. female Viagra was the first prescription medication ever approved by the FDA to help reinvigorate a woman’s flagging desire some females take Viagra, off-label, to treat low sexual desire. In the meantime, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two drugs, flibanserin (Addyi) and bremelanotide (Vyleesi), to address this issue.
How female viagra works?
Two drugs the FDA has approved for HSDD are:
- (Addyi): It’s a pill you take every evening
- (Vyleesi): It’s a shot you give yourself on the belly or thigh 45 minutes before you have sex. You can take one in a 24-hour period, and doctors only recommend eight shots per month.
Both drugs give boost the activity of chemical messengers in your brain and its called neurotransmitters, Those are the main key to helping you feel aroused.
You can take addyi every day whether you plan to have sex or not. You can inject Vyleesi only when you need it. It is important to note that neither drug makes your sex better they just make you more to feel in the mood.
Benefits and purpose
There are so many reasons that women would seek out a Viagra-like pill. As they come closer to middle age and beyond its not unusual for women to observe a decrease in their overall sex drive.
A decrease in sex drive can also start from daily stressors, important life event, or chronic conditions such as MS or diabetes
But some women observe a decrease or absence in sex drive due to FSIAD. According to
one of the expert panel and review, FSIAD is estimated to affect about 10 percent of adult women.
Its identify by the following symptoms:
- The reduced or absent response of the desire to sexual cues or stimulation
- loss of interest or inability to maintain interest in sexual activities
- limited or absent sexual thoughts or fantasies
- Specific feelings of frustration, incompetence, or worry at the lack of sexual interest or arousal
Effectiveness
The FDA approval of (Addyi) flibanserin was based on the results of three phase III clinical trials. Each trial lasted 24 weeks and evaluated the efficacy of Addyi flibanserin compared to a placebo in premenopausal women.
The investigators and the FDA examine the results of all the three trial When adjusted for placebo response, about 10 percent trusted Source of participants reported a “ much improved” or “very much better” status in trial weeks 8 to 24. This is an unassuming improvement when compared to Viagra.
A review published after three years of Viagra’s FDA approval for treating erectile dysfunction summarizes the worldwide responses to treatment. In the US for example, 74 percent of participants responded positively. This is compared to a 19 percent positive reaction for those taking a placebo.
Side effects
The most common side effects of flibanserin are
- difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep
- dry mouth
- Tiredness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- fainting or loss of consciousness
- low blood pressure, also known as hypotension
It’s developed to be taken at night. We have to be careful not to give it to women who have conditions that could make a problem from the drug worse.
Let’s say a woman already has a blood pressure condition and then you add this drug, and she’s fainting at work or while driving.
Besides those side effects risk of fainting is worse if a woman drinks alcohol or is taking a particular drug that is metabolized in the same way as flibanserin.
The side effects are increased for people who drink alcohol, so women who agree to take this medication have to agree to never drink alcohol.
Warnings
flibanserin (Addyi) shouldn’t be used in people with liver problems.
Talk to your doctor first about what medications and supplements you’re taking before beginning flibanserin. You shouldn’t take flibanserin (Addyi) if you’re taking any of the following medications or supplements:
- Some medications used to treat cardiovascular conditions, such as diltiazem (Cardizem CD) and verapamil (Verelan)
- Some antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and erythromycin (Ery-Tab)
- medications to treat fungal infections, like fluconazole (Diflucan) and itraconazole (Sporanox)
- HIV medications, like ritonavir (Norvir) and indinavir (Crixivan)
- nefazodone, an antidepressant
- supplements like St. John’s wort
Lots of these drugs belong to a group of enzyme inhibitors known as CYP3A4 inhibitors
Lastly, you shouldn’t drink grapefruit juice while taking (Addyi) flibanserin. It is also a CYP3A4 inhibitor.
Alcohol and Addyi
When female viagra Addyi was first FDA-approved, the FDA warned those using the drug to abstain from alcohol due to the risk of fainting and severe hypotension. But the FDA updated its warning on alcohol in April 2019.
If you’re prescribed Addyi, you no longer have to avoid hard drinks completely. But after you take your nightly dose, you should refrain from drinking alcohol until the next morning.
You should also avoid drinking alcohol for at least two hours before taking your nightly dose. if you’ve taking alcohol less than two hours before your anticipated bedtime. Then you should skip that night’s dose of Addyi instead.
If by chance you miss a dose of Addyi for any reason then don’t take a dose to make up for it the next morning. Wait for the next evening and resume your regular dosing schedule.
Challenges of approval
Flibanserin (Addyi) had a very challenging path to FDA approval.
The FDA reviewed the drug 3 times before approving it. There were worries about its efficacy when compared with negative side effects. These fears were the main reasons why the FDA recommended against approval after the first two reviews.
There were also remaining questions regarding how female sexual dysfunction should be treated. The Sex drive is quite confused. There’s both a physical and a psychological component.
Flibanserin and sildenafil both work in very different ways. Sildenafil, for example, doesn’t grow sexual arousal in men but flibanserin works to raise levels of dopamine and norepinephrine to promote desire and arousal.
Thus one pill pic out a physical aspect of sexual dysfunction. And the other one targets the feelings of arousal and desire, a more confusing issue.
After the third review, the FDA approved the drug due to unmet medical needs. But concerns still remained regarding side effects. A specific concern is severe hypotension observed when flibanserin is taken with alcohol.
Advised
Low sexual desire is a very complex issue. There are so many possible causes including hormonal shifts, relationship challenges, and issues with brain chemistry including hormonal shifts, relationship challenges, and issues with brain chemistry and one person may experience a mix of these factors.
A person may get benefit from discussing any sexual concerns with a knowledgeable and compassionate healthcare provider.
Talk to your doctor first if you’re interested in taking Addyi. Also, remember to discuss your other medications or supplements with your doctor before using Addyi.
Reference
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