Podcast: https://bit.ly/4wjMRoE
My virtual pile of articles about sexual health has reached a tipping point, so I will do some of them this week.
I want to start by helping you understand how doctors deal with sexuality Or don’t deal with it. As I have mentioned in the past, most doctors receive virtually no training about sex. Beyond that, few will bring up the issue. If you need medical help for sexual issues, you will have to advocate for yourself, push a bit, and ask for referrals if you don’t get what you need from your GP.
There is growing interest in treating sexual issues. Unfortunately, much of that is done by individuals who don’t have as much training as they should. You have the full-on charlatans who sell “supplements” for every conceivable sexual malady. These folk just want your money.
A real concern is that so-called supplements can contain dangerous things. Many over-the-counter “sexual enhancement” supplements contain sildenafil, which is the drug in Viagra. So it might help you with ED, but it could also interact with heart and blood pressure medications, possibly causing dangerously low blood pressure. Exact numbers are impossible, but thousands have ended up in the hospital from taking sex supplements, and it’s guessed hundreds have died.
Then there is off-label prescribing. This is a valid thing that doctors do. Often it is based on good research that the FDA has not acted on yet. But it means there is less testing than with FDA-approved drug prescribing and no approved dosages, which makes it riskier. For example, there is a growing trend of prescribing testosterone for women. There is good science showing this can help menopausal women have increased sex drive. But it can also result in side effects that are permanent, including facial hair or an enlarged clitoris.
Other countries, such as Australia, have tested and approved testosterone formulations for women. But these are not available in the US.
There are places that specialise in providing off-label drugs for sexual health. Most of them are telehealth groups who never see patients in person. There is little or no screening for pre-existing conditions that would make a drug dangerous for an individual.
Because of the way our medical system is set up in the US, your options are sometimes limited. Bypassing your primary care doctor may be the only way to get a drug. But it also puts you at greater risk. If you do this, I suggest you let your doctor know what you are doing so they will know and can give you testing or monitoring you won’t get from the places that will provide you with the drug.
~ This is Paul, and better sex is not worth dying for.
Widget got her first trip to a dog-friendly coffee shop.
No, I did not get her a puppuccino.
Image Credit: © Paul H Byerly created with Nano Banana 2
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