THE HUNT FOR PINK VIAGRA
I have a long-term friend who refuses to have any details about her revealed save that she’s married, the mother of a young girl, and has been, in what seems like forever, uninterested in sex.
“It would be really nice,” she said, “to be in the mood sometimes and actually initiate sex.”
And were there a pill that could answer this wish, might she be tempted?
“I don’t think so,” she replied, “I don’t even take Paracetamol.”
Drug companies have been busy trying to undress the complexities of human sexuality.
Four decades ago the contraceptive pill triggered a sexual revolution, transforming the sex lives of women and men across the world. HRT took this further for women in their post-reproductive years.
Men were then gifted Viagra. While the objective of Viagra is physical – to make the penis once again reliable – manufacturing sexual desire in women has proved… trickier.
Women who lack sexual desire are often encouraged to see a counsellor. Unfortunately, this is expensive, demands a pretty hefty time investment, and doesn’t have a terribly good success rate.
Is there some sexual shortcut? Pharmaceutical companies hope so.
Over the last number of years a plethora of drugs targeting the female libido have steadily been researched and tested. Whether creams, patches, sprays or pills, such drugs work by affecting blood flow, hormones, or, such as antidepressants, brain chemistry.
Are female sex drugs on sale at a pharmacy near you? Not quite yet. Many are currently being trialled – for the second or third time – while most have been flat-out rejected by the American and Australian government bodies because they haven’t been considered safe or effective enough for public consumption.
(The Food and Drug Advisory panel in the US recently rejected an application to market the drug flibanserin for women with low libido, although it endorsed the potential benefits and urged further research.)
This hasn’t stopped doctors from prescribing such drugs “off-label”: using legal drugs for unapproved purposes. Nor has it stopped the punters in hot pursuit of a creating a “pink Viagra”, a global sex drug for women.
But even if such a drug were in our hands… or beds… it would still face a large hurdle: what is sexually “normal” belies easy analysis.
What constitutes healthy versus unhealthy levels of desire? Indeed, for female sex drugs to become widely popular, they would first need a “disease” to treat.
Enter “female sexual dysfunction” (FSD). Defining FSD has been a murky process for the academic community.
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20 Responses to this article
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Mumabulous July 31, 2012
Murky waters indeed. I recently read in the New Scientist that Viagra in its current form is not as effective with women as increased blood flow to the genitals does necessarily equate to increased sexual desire. In my case the kids have crushed my libido. I still find my husband very attractive (a slightly more compact version of Michael Fassbender) but after hugging two pre-school girls all day I just want to be in my own space at night. I dont think a pill can provide that.
Cheers Mumabulous@mum-abulous.com-
Elaine August 13, 2012
You are absolutely right…a pill can’t fix exhaustion etc.
But the point that everyone unfortunately confuses is that Viagra (for men) is for arousal NOT desire and for women Viagra was shown to increase engorgement (not lubrication as much) – ie arousal but again, has no direct effect on desire – which is centrally mediated not genitally!!
Desire will always fluctuate at different points/stages throughout life for women AND men – there are a number of men (approximately 15% – ie one in 6-7 couples) where the female has a higher sexual desire than her partner (heterosexual couples).
Stress, fatigue and a myriad of other factors (including relational) can affect both men and women, but problems usually arise when one partner feels neglected – and is often craving affection/reassurance, not just intercourse per se.
It’s such an interesting topic but more research is definitely needed – in men and women.
It’s seems so inconsistent that the proposed changes for the DSM V (May 2013) define “desire”/arousal differently for women and men……they’re suggesting that the word desire gets replaced by ‘interest’ for women – but not for men….!!Sure we live in a modern, westernised, multi-cultural society where there a strong macho culture still prevails – but we need to recognise that desire is an issue that affects most, if not all couples at some stage in a long-term relationship/marriage.
That’s one benefit of 50 shades of grey – it has helped to overcome the so-often perceived 50 shades of monotony!
Elaine George, Sexologist
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Ro September 27, 2012
My experience was perhaps a little different – a kindly almost elderly Gyno surgeon took my uterus away, & I agreed to this op. because desperate with pain, then heavy bleeding due to fibroids ( as far as I know cause then & still unknown ) Tho’ I had tried to rely on alternative therapies for quite a few years of suffering this not then uncommon unwellness, etc.
In short I don’t know that a pill of any sort would interest me
at this late stage – the thrill has gone almost completely & I now couldn’t care less – I’ve got my pride & that is intact!!
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amd July 31, 2012
I think people often miss the point about women’s sexual desires. While they might not want to have sex with their partners/husbands, I know very few women who are disinterested in sex who were, actually, interested in it before they had children. Women might get tired after children for a while, but if Liam Neeson/Matt Damon or another male of your choice was available, the sex drive would suddenly burst back into life. They just don’t necessarily want to have sex with their life mates. That’s a problem, obviously, but it is not low sexual desire.
It’s why I have been saying for years that women are, clearly, not naturally monogamous – and before anyone goes off on a rant, I am not saying it’s ok to cheat. Just that if it WERE ok to have multiple sexual partners (and no, I would not be ok with that, in either sex, but to each their own) most women would not be worried about having a low sex drive.
Saying all of that, if you could find a way to make a woman feel sexually attracted to someone she no longer feels sexually attracted to, that would probably sell through the roof. Don’t think I’d want to be the guinea pig, though.
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Miss Brown July 31, 2012
The kids have affected my sex life too, with 3 under 5 I just can’t be bothered at the end of the day. I don’t think theres anything wrong with it, I’m hoping it’s just a stage I’ll move through. I’m sure I’ll get my mojo back one day!
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Tess July 31, 2012
Does men’s viagra give men a sex drive, or just a hard sick?
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Tess July 31, 2012
That should be dick, not sick!
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Lee July 31, 2012
While drug companies compete to produce ‘pink viagra’ for women, many women suffer from reduced/no libido due to the contraceptive pill they take. Solution? Stop taking the pill. BUT some women take the pill for reasons other than contraception, so have little choice but to stay on it and suffer the ‘side effects’.
It is worth remembering that before the invention of the personal vibrator, a large percentage of women were deemed to suffer hysteria, which required the manual release of pent up emotions by Drs i.e through masturbation! The drug companies now want us to take a new pill for the FDS that a large percentage of women are supposed to suffer from. -
Julie Wright July 31, 2012
It would take more than a pill to get me in the mood for sex. Emotionally it has to be right, then physically and the mental stimulation for a woman is also important. You get all three working and vah-vooom! It’s a green light for me.
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kimwhit July 31, 2012
a few comments – some of us have a REAL diagnosed disorder like vulvodynia, like FSAD, HSDD and while it may sound like disease mongering to you, we have tried and endured years of no or misdiagnosis and incredibly painful or just no sex at all. Treatment “options” have included sex therapy, pelvic floor physical therapy, surgery, hormones, other- and have taken huge tolls on us, our partners, our families. Some of us have gone the non FDA approved route with doctors that will work with us…..IF we can even afford to go off label. we are not stupid and just as with all pharma marketing, it will take a helluva lot more than Lisa Rinna or a couple soaking in a bathtub to get me to take a drug. I will do my homework and talk with my doctor…why is that a problem, or anyone elses concern who is not affected? This seems bizarrely paternalistic as a woman and a patient.
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The Huntress July 31, 2012
I wonder if for most women the lack of sexual desire is due to lifestyle pressures, as opposed to a genuine sexual disorder (ie. vaginismus)?
I answer to Tess above, Viagra is solely a drug to treat erectile dysfunction, it does not enhance the libido in men. If there was a drug out there that enhanced sexual desire in men I will be begging Mr. Huntress to take it. My personal life does not reflect the apparent norm of low desire in women, high desire in men. Indeed it’s the exact opposite with myself being constantly rejected when I try to initiate. I feel like I’m the only woman in the world who has this problem. I guess I’m just inadequate.
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The Huntress July 31, 2012
I just reread my post and realised my outloud musing about lifestyle pressure vs. genuine disorders could read as being disrespectful – I’m sorry if that’s how it comes across, it’s certainly not my intent. I hope I haven’t caused any offence.
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kimwhit August 1, 2012
no offense taken – a very complex subject and certainly not a “one size (or pill) fits all – I just resented docs telling me either 1) try ky 2) you are “lucky” it isnt breast or ovarian cancer 3) get a sitter, dress up and have a quiet dinner – as if that would eliminate intense pain, the need for pelvic floor physical therapy, overcome completely out of whack hormones …… just sayin….I found a diagnosis validating ie I am not completely whacko and it was comforting on some level to give “it” a name or a cpt code – I guess I felt “legitimized” on some level?
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The Huntress August 1, 2012
I think just the very mention of vaginas and sex get most docs sweating under the collar and desperate to get you out of their office, kimwhit, so I certainly do empathise with your situation. If you’re fortunate enough to have a good GP who refers you to a good gyn, you’re in luck, but as you say it’s a long, gruelling road for sufferer’s, their partners and in turn their families.
I personally believe a diagnosis often gives great relief with the certainty you’re not totally crazy (I found myself in a similar situation twice in two years). I really hope that you can navigate your way through the maze and find some relief one way or another. All the best to you and your partner
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Elaine August 13, 2012
No!! You’re not inadequate – its’ jsut that the media has always perpetuated the notion that men ALWAYS want sex – and true, many do, but not ALL.
As stated in another post, 15% men err on the lower spectrum (think normal distribution curve) of “desire”, and there are women like you that then end up feeling rejected, perplexed, peeved, angry, confused, distraught and full of resentment. After all we are bought up with the belief that men will always want us – then when they don’t, it can be very confronting, especially when they hear other girlfriends saying how they have to fob off their eager partners.
Desire discrepancy is the no.1 issue that most sexologists see, and like all sexual issues (including ED, PE, vaginismus etc) it is a COUPLE issue and needs to be managed accordingly.
Even with the PDE5 inhibitors (eg Cialis, Viagra etc), there is a psychogenic component which means that men (and their partner) will benefit from counselling.
It makes my blood boil to think that there were ‘some’ so-called experts suggesting it (FSD – female sexual dysfunction) is all in the women’s head – what poppycock!! If so, then ditto for men.
For most of us, our sexual journey is shaped by so many things – previous partners (or lack of), childhood, upbringing, religion, education, peers, media etc and so many of us struggle with the notion of “letting go” even with our significant other.
There are always obstacles that interfere with our wellbing, of which our sex life is just part of, but just because we have a bout of flu during winter or have a low-grade virus that makes us chronically exhausted for say 3mths – does not automatically mean that we have a ‘DYSFUNCTION’.In some ways the medical input and contribution to the field of sexology has tended to overly pathologise some of the sexual issues, which has created more taboos as opposed to removing them in the 21st century.
It’s interesting to reflect on the 50 shades of grey phenomenon (I know….groan), Hysteria and the pending film with Meryl Streep – Hope Springs – that will be interesting? Hopefully Meryl provides yet another compelling performance and encourages women (and their hubbies) to seek some assistance/intervention even if just briefly….and to realise that it doesn’t man that they’re a failure and nor is their marriage.
Too often, people leave it until it is too late, and sexual issues are usually fine or can be accepted when everything is hunky-dory, but if not it can become emotional dynamite.Elaine George, Sexologist
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Tess July 31, 2012
Thanks for the answer, The Huntress.
You are far from the only one with this problem. I believe the idea that women have low libidos and men have high is a myth fed to us by the media. All things being equal (housework equal, childcare equal, respect of partners equal), the figure would probably be closer to 50/50.
As mumalicious says above, if you have kids hanging off you all day the last thing you want is a husband pawing at you at night – you just want your body to yourself for a while.
And I also agree with amd about men being promiscuous and women supposedly monogamous.. Again, myth being fed to us.
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The Huntress July 31, 2012
You’re welcome, Tess.
I agree with everything you say, we are fed a lot of myths – probably by the men of exhausted wives, wives who are raising the children, working full time and putting dinner on the table every night. As things become more equal between men and women and paid/unpaid work it will be interesting to see how relationships change.
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Eloise August 1, 2012
I had just finished writing my next installment for the Dating Project when I read this. I am experiencing a case of Lost Mojo and would be most grateful for any comments this Friday! I think Bettina will have a lot to add to this fantastically honest discussion.
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