Here is a thoroughly written article from the Washington Post about Female Sexual Dysfunction. It gives great information on current treatments and research. However, I find it discouraging that there are professionals out there that still believe FSD is not a “real” medical condition. My patients are so relieved when they hear from us that their could be a physiologic cause to their FSD. I do not deny that there can be psychological components to FSD, but we have to look at the whole person when treating this condition, especially the physical aspect.
Tags: female sexual dysfunction, fsd
Hi,
I agree with you that it’s discouraging that many people (some who should know better) don’t believe FSD is a genuine medical condition.
Likewise that Washington Post article downplays not only FSD but also sexual dysfunction in men…
For example it says: “With men, all a medication needs to produce is arousal, a.k.a. an erection. A guy will conjure lust on his own.”
But all men will not conjure lust on their own. If a man has a very low or non-existent libido, then he won’t become aroused like a “normal” male might, even if he doesn’t have physical difficulty achieving an erection.
Because arousal is NOT the same thing as an erection. An erection is the *result* of arousal, whether achieved naturally or with the assistance of Viagra, Levitra, or Cialis, etc..
And one of the treatments mentioned in the article called Bremelanotide is a treatment for low libido in both men and women.
And the article also got it wrong, or weren’t entire accurate, in saying “In August, the FDA stopped clinical testing, citing concerns about a side effect high blood pressure.”
I don’t believe they were testing Bremelanotiode – they were studying the results of clinical trials done by Palatin Technologies (or whoever they commissioned to do the tests). And while they did not approve Bremelanotide for treating men with ED due to high blood pressure concerns, they didn’t kill it altogether – it was sent back for further tests and development, and they apparently stated it might make a good second tier treatment for men. i.e. for men who don’t respond to Viagra etc, they might try this instead or in addition to Viagra.
Viagra does not cause arousal. It works on the ‘plumbing’ to enable a man to achieve and maintain an erection. But if he isn’t aroused – then it doesn’t do anything (except maybe make him see everything with a blue tinge and lower his blood pressure).
So for men (and women) with a low libido, or otherwise having difficulties getting aroused, Bremelanotide is a definite possibility.
So there’s hope out there – and I think it’s just a matter of time.
- Steve