Practicing ANTIQUE medicine

It's been awhile since I posted anything personal so wanted to share a story with you.  A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of speaking with a woman - a total stranger - who was open to sharing her story but hurting deeply with regards to her HSDD and the events she has experienced.

I think it is worth sharing as I believe this is MORE COMMON than anyone wants to admit...let alone discuss.

For the story's sake, I will name her Amanda - not her name of course but it is mine so I know I will not step on anyone's toes.

All of her adult life Amanda felt she had been handed a poor deck of cards.
For 20+ years she took the birth control pill.  It was not until she came off of it in her mid 40's that her physician actually told her that the OCP was likely responsible for her continued lack of desire as the "pill" binds to testosterone receptors in the liver and drains the libido right out of a woman.

On a sidebar...this is GREAT news for anyone with a young daughter who is torn about starting her on the pill...as my doctor pointed out, what a better way to calm raging teenaged hormones than starting an oral contraceptive which will curb all that free roaming testosterone!! :-)

Back to my story.  At 46 Amanda went through menopause cold turkey, no turning back.  No hormone replacement therapy after a brief trial of oral estradiol.  Clearly she began to experience vaginal atrophy, hot flashes, et al...and, once again, she had no desire for sex.  In fact, sex HURT.  

Not only did her physician provide any pharmaceutical help for her VVA, but when she mentioned that she had no desire for sex, his response was..."just do it".  Sadly, it was NOT Dr. Nike who told her that but he was 100% serious in his advice to just perform and not worry.  PROBLEM!!!

A couple of years later and further down the menopause journey, having gotten some relief from a topical cream, she revisited the doctor this time with her longtime partner ( whom I will name Bill ).
Again she mentions that she has no desire to have sex with Bill and Dr. Nike's response is..."Wow, poor Bill must be miserable"!!  NOT ACCEPTABLE!!

Amanda left the office empty handed but more importantly invalidated and humiliated that this was HER problem and that out of respect for Bill she should put out and shut up.What a disgrace to the medical profession...but this happens EVERY DAY.

As I listened to her story and watched the pain exuding from her, my heart wept for her and thousands of women just like her who I have not had the priviledge of speaking to personally.

PLEASE know there is help on the way but also PLEASE communicate with your partners what you are feeling and never feel pressured to "just do it"!  Seek pharmaceutical help if you are experiencing dryness and pain.  Seek therapy if you are having relationship issues.  But if you are in a healthy relationship, are physically healthy but suffering from low desire, hang on.  Visit eventhescore.org for information on ADDYI which hopefully will be officially approved by the FDA in August of this year! It can be a relationship saving, life changing experience as it was for me and my husband.

NOTE TO PARTNERS of women suffering from HSDD : PLEASE understand that hypoactive sexual desire disorder is very real.  Just because you can not see it with the "naked" eye, as you can erectile dysfunction, doesn't mean it is not a real medical condition.

Think about if your testosterone is low, your thyroid is low, your mood is low due to a traumatic life event of a long history of anxiety...you may opt to not restore these levels to "normal" and suffer through but for MOST of you, I am guessing  you choose to treat with testosterone therapy, thyroid supplements or a CNS drug like Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Ambien...  

Further, if you have low desire due to low testosterone levels, or ED due to hypogonadism or prostate issues, you have 26 medical treatment options from which to choose.  Your partner has ZERO!  It makes sense for HER to WANT to have sex as much as YOU WANT to.

Please have patience with her, understand that this is NOT something she asked for or wanted or can control...she has an imbalance of brain chemicals and needs an FDA approved treatment option.  I implore you to put yourself in her shoes...what would you do if you couldn't have access to Viagra or testosterone??  

Please share your stories with me...would love to hear!!

It's about TIME!!

Here's my story on TIME!!

http://time.com/3924245/flibanserin-female-viagra/

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT - FORBES ACCURATE REPORTING ON HSDD

Excellent accounting of flibanserin intended indication, benefits and clinical significance by David Kroll!  Thanks for the support!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkroll/2015/06/14/the-true-significance-of-flibanserins-modest-boost-to-female-sexual-desire/

One Step Closer

Hometown coverage of such a significant moment in HERstory for women suffering from HSDD.

http://www.brentwoodhomepage.com/amanda-parrish-female-viagra-vote-a-step-in-the-right-direction-cms-21584#

HERstory Finally Made

Thursday FINALLY our voices were heard at the FDA as HERstory was made! 

Here is what I said to the FDA...THANK YOU for voting 18-24 in favor of approving flibanserin or ADDYI for women suffering with HSDD!!

 Yesterday, I had the privilege of spending the day on Capitol Hill discussing the importance of treatment options for HSDD with senators and congressmen.

10 years ago, I was blessed to meet my husband Ben and am  grateful that he is here  in support of me and anyone who has experienced the devastating effects of HSDD.

Having both experienced failed first marriages, we came together with intense chemistry, passion and a determination to handle our new found love with TLC.

What neither of us expected was the abrupt and total disappearance of my libido and desire for sex.  Having   both been active initiators, we were totally unprepared when my DESIRE for sex suddenly “left the building” …like Elvis’s Blue Suede Shoes.

Not like it temporarily left when I had four small kids or when my father died.

A silent wall of shame grew between us.  Shame and guilt on my part for not “wanting” to have sex with the man whom I loved and hurt and guilt on his part wondering what he was doing wrong. Often pretending to be asleep before he came to bed, we suffered separately in silence seriously threatening our relationship.

I was fortunate to be enrolled in the clinical trial for flibanserin and what a relationship saving 8 months that was!  As if the light switch had been turned on, so was I!  Once again sexually confident, I returned to flirty and initiating woman Ben fell in love with.

The trial stopped leaving me with no medical option and life returned to uncertainty  and distress.  I purchased voodoo medicine promising restored libido but was too frightened to take it knowing it was not FDA approved and an rx for off label testosterone proved completely ineffective and the side effects sacred me.  Luckily, Ben is a prince.  Others are not so lucky as I hear from men every day who believe their former spouse suffered from HSDD – FORMER is the operative word. Could their relationship have been saved?  No one can know.

What I do know is flibanserin taken each night worked for me.  For my marriage.   I fully understand the importance of weighing risk/benefits of any prescription drug.  No drug is without risks or side effects…even Tylenol. 

But I should be able to determine with my physician if the risks of flibanserin  are worth the benefit of treatment and for me, the effects  were not modest but significant, and the side effects non existent. For the record I am a woman not a mouse, would not take 4x the intended dose and I'm offended that this would be compared to a date rape drug.

I love sex with my husband but if I don’t have the desire to have sex, I either opt out  or simply oblige which shortchanges us both. Much like even tho I love steak I will not want to eat it if I am not hungry.

I want to want my husband.  It is simple.  I implore you to approve flibanserin understanding that although it may not work for everyone, it certainly worked for me and thousands of other women. 

For us flibanserin is a relationship saving, life changing drug

Desperately Seeking Desire...and Finding IT!

Drumroll please..........ADDYI!

Love the name!  Love the process!  Love the support!

Here are a few clips of coverage following the 18-6 vote in favor of approving flibanserin for women suffering from Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder.


http://www.brentwoodhomepage.com/local-woman-lobbies-for-new-female-viagra-type-drug-cms-21441#.VXMKm1JOKnP

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/06/05/women-testify-we-need-viagra-just-as-much-as-men.cnn#

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/female-libido-pill-scores-major-victory-with-fda-panel-457489987524

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/06/05/business/panel-backs-a-drug-to-increase-womens-sex-drive.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=1&referrer=

HUGE DAY for WOMEN

FDA advisory panel gives green light for approval of HSDD drug!!!!

Day on the Hill

THANKS BHP for great report!!


http://www.brentwoodhomepage.com/local-woman-lobbies-for-new-female-viagra-type-drug-cms-21441#.VW-qzFL3anM

Theres NO TIME like NOW!!

NOT a PR push, NOT a made up condition...BIOLOGICALLY grounded condition! Please help us eventhescore this week!

eventhescore.org


http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/womens-libido-drug-flibanserin-aims-be-female-answer-viagara-n368746

Its TIME

Thanks Dr. Stretcher for your professional, medical support for women suffering with HSDD!


http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/lauren-streicher-midlife-menopause-and-beyond/fda-now-time-womens-viagra/

NY Times is SPREADING THE NEWS for Women's Viagra

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/06/01/business/groups-press-fda-to-approve-womens-viagra.html?referrer=&_r=0