estraVil questions... "Physical or emotional abuse during childhood has a profound effect on sexuality later in life," she says, citing instances of date rape or extreme pressure to have sex among teenagers. "A bad experience early in the dating process can turn a woman off later on." Female impotence can put strain on a relationship, especially when her mate thinks he isn't doing his job. "Men feel like it's their fault because they can't bring the woman to orgasm," says Dr. "They take it personally." Afraid of a negative reaction, many women choose to lie bout their sexual enjoyment rather than making suggestions. estraVil questions... "Probably more doctors are prescribing it for women now than five years ago," said Levine. He thinks that the advent of Viagra, the male potency drug, could be a factor: "With Viagra, there has been a wider discussion of sexuality in the medical community," which, he said, may have "opened up" the area of treating female libido with testosterone. Shanahan said, "The use of testosterone in women needs to be further researched, but in this country there is not a lot of impetus to research sexuality issues involving women." Editors note: A Sept 7, 2000 NEJM article reported the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that examined the sexual response of surgically menopausal women who were treated with an investigational low-dose testosterone patch. At a dosage of 300 microgram per day (normal levels for women), "the percentages of women who had sexual fantasies, masturbated, or engaged in sexual intercourse at least once a week increased two to three times from base line. estraVil questions. Any side affects? Several studies have been conducted so far on women who either had surgical menopause (hysterectomies) or natural menopause. The testosterone patch improved sexual desire of these women to some extent. In the studies that I have read, there was increased desire and increased sexual activity. estraVil questions. Just because a woman's sex drive is low doesn't mean we diagnose her. She has to feel like there's a problem in order for us to diagnose and/or treat. Your low desire can be a healthy reaction to an unhealthy situation. And also remember, sex has to be worth wanting. estraVil questions. To date, the FDA hasn't approved a product to boost female sex drive. It's no small problem. A low sex drive is the most common sexual complaint made by women -- up to 30% to 40% of them, according to Sandra Lieblum, PhD, director for the Center for Sexual and Relationship Health at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. The Search for a Cure Throughout the ages, various potions and contraptions have pledged relief, but the discerning have wondered if the so-called remedies are truly love liniments, or merely snake oil.

estraVil questions... Sexuality: Friends Talking. Sex life stalled? Rev it up! We talked about everything you wanted to know about improving your sex life but were afraid to ask, when WebMD's in-house sex therapist, Louanne Cole Weston, PhD, joined us with her tips for cooled-off couples. estraVil questions... Can you compensate for it by nurturing yourself? Changes in your routines, a new form of creative self-expression, help from your partner, working on unresolved problems, time you devote to yourself — the positive effects can be profound. Very few of us recognize the connection between nutrition and libido. A lifetime of nutritional deficiencies creates the preconditions for hormonal imbalance. estraVil questions. As we wrote earlier, there are many phases and prerequisites to the female sex drive. Every woman’s erogenous geography is unique to her. The phases of the sexual response are desire, arousal, plateau, orgasm, and refractory period. Re-arousal is possible and many women are multi-orgasmic. estraVil questions. Some women were raised to believe that sexual desire is shameful or inappropriate as they get older. Women who’ve been unassertive about their sexuality in the past may prefer to sacrifice their sex lives rather than become assertive now about what’s required to satisfy their sexual needs. And women without partners may be daunted by the prospect of “dating” again and so just wall themselves up. Your relationship with your partner may be a vortex of issues. estraVil questions. It could be massage, or maybe taking a bath together, or other ways to just feel your bond and feel your connection. "There are many ways to stimulate your fantasy life. You may find it easiest to start with movies and scenes in movies that you enjoy. Find the elements that strike you as sensual and build on that for yourself." Can you offer some tips for a happy but bored married couple on introducing "toys" into the mix to spice things up?

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