Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Here's an item I couldn't ignore: Viagra to counter the adverse sexual side effects of SSRI drugs in premenopausal women? Brilliant!
The study was small - only 98 subjects were involved (and, unfortunately, the average age was 37) - but the research showed that women on anti-depressants who took Viagra showed significant improvement in their ability to achieve orgasm. That's good news for the countless women who get off serotonin drugs - like Prozac, Paxil and others - precisely because of unwanted sexual side effects.
I may have struggled to pass high school chemistry, but I've never understood why Viagra wouldn't work for women, too. Increased blood flow is an equal-opportunity reaction, right? Did Pfizer not see any potential in marketing a "little pink pill"? Apparently not. According to the CNN story, "Pfizer Inc. spokeswoman Sally Beatty said the company has no plans to pursue FDA approval for using its drug Viagra as a treatment for female sexual dysfunction."
Comments
Suzy (anonymous) says...
I'm not an SSRI patient, so I can't speak to that portion of the story, but I admit (somewhat sheepishly) to trying Viagra recreationally. I hated it. My whole pelvic area felt miserably engorged — remember how it felt in those early weeks after childbirth, when every fluid in your body seemed to drain in that direction? — and it took all night and part of the next day for that sensation (which feels a whole lot like sexual frustration) to resolve. I'd only taken half a tablet. After that one experiment, I returned to wine and 1970s music as my aphrodisiac of choice.
I'd like to hear other women's experiences, though!
Also, a tiny warning: We women are always complaining that research on heart disease tilts heavily toward men. That disadvantage has to be many orders of magnitude greater when it comes to the effects of Viagra on the heart.
July 23, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Margo (anonymous) says...
I haven't tried Viagra but I am one who got off an anti-depressant because of the sexual side effects. The problem is that the female sexual response depends on so many factors (as opposed to men's) that it's difficult for researchers to get a grip on it. I'm sure they're trying, though. The profit potential in a "Little PInk Pill" is enormous!!
July 23, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cathy (cathy) says...
Agreed about the sexual response being multi-faceted (I've always thought it was at LEAST 80% mental) but not sure how hard the drug companies are really trying to find a solution for women. Maybe they're afraid the insurance companies won't cover it, like birth control.
July 23, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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