Drugs for Desire

I'm often asked if there are any drugs to help women who have little or no sexual desire. Drug companies are doing a lot of experimentation, but right now there is no magic pill for creating sexual interest and enthusiasm. There are a few medical interventions, however, that might be worth considering.

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is one option for post-menopausal women. ERT will probably not dramatically increase desire in most women, but it does decrease vaginal dryness which can make sex unpleasant. Because there is some concern about ERT increasing the risk of heart disease and cancer, this is an option that should be discussed carefully with a doctor. Another option is low-dose estrogen in tablet or cream form that is inserted directly into the vagina - or is released from an estrogen ring that is inserted into the upper part of the vagina and is replaced about every 3 months.

A low-dose testosterone patch for women developed by Procter & Gamble was rejected by the FDA, but some doctors do prescribe testosterone for women off-label. There is the possibility of testosterone causing masculinizing side effects and an increase in cholesterol, so again, it's not a perfect remedy. However, it's worked very well for some women. It's important to talk to your doctor to determine if this is a good option for you.

I'll cover some more remedies tomorrow.

Love Potion #9

A lot of men feel tricked when the passionate, horny woman they fell in love with morphs into a barely lukewarm bedmate after the honeymoon is over. And a lot of women who once couldn't get enough of their man in the sack now wonder what happened to their lust. It's like it was sucked into the same black hole that swallows up socks during the drying cycle. What's up with that?

When a woman falls in love, her dopamine and testosterone levels go up. Under the influence of these chemicals, even a woman with normally low sexual desire will feel and act like a person with high sexual desire. Unfortunately, when the romantic phase of the relationship begins winding down, the chemical potion begins to wane - and female sexual interest can start falling off. That doesn't mean she is no longer in love, and it doesn't mean kissing sex goodbye. It just means that women who don't have a lot of spontaneous desire need to be more intentional about nurturing their sexuality and keeping sex a priority. It means mixing up your own love potions to keep the action going!