What Happens If A Woman Takes Viagra?

Globally, Viagra  is considered as the most effective way to treat erectile dysfunction in men. It is prescribed for people who may have trouble getting an erection or sustaining it for the required duration. While Viagra works efficiently on men, it makes us wonder what will happen if a woman takes Viagra. Can women experiencing low intercourse  drive can benefit from Viagra? To answer such questions, here are some important things to know about effects of Viagra on women.   

Just as Viagra helps improve blood flow for an erection, it may improve blood flow in the female reproductive parts. When this happens, it may cause more sensitivity and stimulation, causing the person taking it to become more aroused  

How Viagra works?   

To understand what happens if a woman takes Viagra, we first need to understand how the medication works. Viagra contains, which belongs to a class of drugs known as phosphodiesterase inhibitors. It works by dilating blood vessels, which increases blood flow to the male intercourse  organ. With increased blood flow, it becomes easier to achieve an erection and sustain it. Viagra works to improve intercourse  performance and does not have any impact on intercourse  arousal.   

What happens if a woman takes Viagra?   

Just like men, a woman taking Viagra will also experience increased blood flow to the genitals. This in turn could improve things like lubrication, sensitivity and orgasmic function. However, as compared to men, a woman’s intercourse  desires are a lot more complex. Viagra only fixes the plumbing, so it may not be useful for intercourse   arousal. A woman’s intercourse  arousal can be impacted by various factors such as stress, relationship issues, a specific medical condition and use of other drugs that limit intercourse  desire.   

Not FDA approved   

Due to these reasons, Viagra is not officially approved by FDA for treatment of low intercourse  drive among women. However, if your doctor feels that Viagra can be useful in your specific case, they can write a prescription for off-label use. Till date, a number of research studies have been conducted to examine the effects of Viagra on women.   

Results have been a mixed bag, which is why Viagra is not usually recommend for women. However, in some studies, evidence has  found that women taking certain antidepressants like SSRIs and SNR Is can benefit from Viagra. There are also studies that have found no significant difference between women taking Viagra compared to the ones on placebo.   

Is there a female Viagra?   

In case of women experiencing low intercourse  drive, the medication options include Flibanserin  and Bremelanotide.  Both of these are approved by FDA. While Addyi is a daily medication, Vyleesi can be taken as per requirement. Vyleesi is injected under the skin and can be taken around 8 times per month. These drugs influence neural pathways in the brain that are linked to intercourse desire.   

Viagra  is not indicated or approved for use in women by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but it is sometimes prescribed to women off-label, which means without approval by the FDA. Viagra is an effective drug for treating male erectile dysfunction, but it has not had the same results in treating female intercourse disorders.   

In men, Viagra works by relaxing smooth muscle in the phallus. This allows blood to flow into the phallus and cause an erection.   

It works similarly in women, but the effects are not as strong. It increases blood flow to the clitoris and the labia of the fanny . Increasing blood flow may increase lubrication and sensation, which may help some women with intercourse  arousal and orgasm, especially in women after menopause who have fanny dryness.  

Viagra has been prescribed by doctors for women off-label. There have been only a few studies on the use of Viagra in women with intercourse dysfunction. The results of these studies have not shown consistent benefits.   

Viagra also has side effects, including:    

• Headache   
• Nasal congestion  
• Nausea  
• Visual disturbances  

According to the FDA, the safety of Viagra for women during pregnancy or breastfeeding has not been studied in humans. Viagra does pass into breast milk, and it is not known if it has any effects on breastfed babies.  

FSIAD   

The most common intercourse  disorder in women is called female intercourse interest and arousal disorder (FSIAD). Viagra has not proven to be helpful for this condition because FSIAD is more complex than erectile dysfunction in men. FSIAD can be diagnosed if a woman has reduced or lost her interest in intercourse , has reduced or lost desire, arousal, response or pleasure. These symptoms should be present for at least 6 months and not be caused by relationship problems, medications, substance intercourse , stress or another medical condition.  

To be considered FSIAD, the intercourse  dysfunction must be causing a woman a significant amount of distress. Low intercourse  desire is found in about 20% to 30% of women, but only about half of these women experience significant distress. FSIAD is most common in women who are in a relationship and would like to be more intercourse  active and responsive. Lack of interest in intercourse  itself is not abnormal, especially in women who do not want to be in a relationship or who have lost interest in intercourse  at older ages.  

Addyi   

There is one drug that has been approved by the FDA to treat women with low level intercourse  desire. The name of the drug is Addyi. It was approved in 2015 for women before menopause.  

It is not known how this drug works. It was developed as an antidepressant. Studies show that Addyi causes a small but significant increase in monthly satisfying intercourse events compared to a placebo (about 1 to 2 more events).   

It comes with significant side effects, and it must be taken every day. The side effects include:  

• Dizziness   
• Sleepiness     
• Fatigue   
• Insomnia   
• Dry mouth  
• Nausea   

The drug is taken at bedtime to avoid these side effects during the day.   

The FDA says women should stop taking Addyi if they do not have improvement in Adult l desire after 8 weeks.   

In 2019, the FDA issued a warning that alcohol must be avoided in women taking Addyi. Addyi taken with alcohol can cause a severe drop in blood pressure, which may cause syncope (passing out). The warning about alcohol and Addyi is a boxed warning. That means the warning must appear in a box at the top of the drug insert. A boxed warning is the highest warning given by the FDA.