A 28-year-old man who had never had an orgasm in his life finally managed to climax thanks to ‘female Viagra’ after several other drugs failed to work.
US doctors who treated the patient, whose name was not released, said it showed the drug, called flibanserin, could potentially be used to treat such rare cases.
The inability to climax during sexual intercourse or masturbation is medically termed anorgasmia and the current version of the condition suffered by the male patient is thought to occur in only one in 1,000 men.
However, experts suspect the rates are actually higher because some men do not seek help out of embarrassment and it may be a side effect of some medications.
Reacting to the case report, British experts said the results could justify launching a clinical trial using flibanserin to help men with rare but potentially “devastating” anorgasmia.
A 28-year-old man who had never had an orgasm in his life finally managed to climax thanks to ‘female Viagra’ after several other drugs failed to work (file image)
Anorgasmia is different from erectile dysfunction, as men with the former can still get an erection, while those with the latter have difficulty achieving one.
In this case, detailed in the magazine Sexual medicineUrologists at Baylor College of Medicine Texas successfully treated a 28-year-old heterosexual man who had never experienced an orgasm in his life.
His patient had no medical reason for not being able to have an orgasm, reported having a good libido, no problems urinating, and was not depressed.
Analysis of his penis also found no physical dysfunction that would cause him problems ejaculating.
Finally, a check of her medical history also found that she was not taking any medications that could decrease her ability to climax as a side effect, such as some high blood pressure medications like thiazide diuretics and methyldopa or antidepressants.
As such, doctors prescribed her two medications, one to stimulate hormones and chemicals related to arousal in the brain and another to increase blood flow to the genitals.
However, none of them worked; one even caused him “pain in his penis” before doctors stopped it.
She was also, at the same time, receiving sex therapy to see if there was a mental health reason for her inability to achieve orgasm.
But despite nearly half a dozen sessions over three months, this too proved ineffective.
Doctors then attempted to prescribe her a course of flibanserin, a drug typically given to women experiencing low sexual desire and often colloquially referred to as “female Viagra” or “the little pink pill.”
This was successful and after about 30 doses over four weeks, she achieved her first orgasm.
Flibanserin works in women by increasing levels of neurotransmitters in the brain related to pleasure while reducing hormones related to happiness and mood regulation.
In the case report, the doctors said studies have shown the parts of the brain responsible for orgasm are “similar” in men and women, and therefore flibanserin likely worked similarly in their male patient.
US doctors who treated the patient, who was not identified, said it showed the drug, called flibanserin and sold under the brand name Addyi, could potentially be used to treat such rare cases.
They called for further studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of flibanserin, sold under the brand name Addyi, in men with anorgasmia.
While available for women in the US, flibanserin is not approved for use in Britain because local authorities have ruled that the side effects do not outweigh the benefits.
Commonly reported side effects from taking flibanserin include dizziness, fainting, drowsiness, nausea, and fatigue.
The male patient reported experiencing notable side effects while taking the drug, including insomnia, drowsiness and a “depressed and aggressive mood.”
However, she decided the side effects were worth it for the moment and told doctors she would continue taking the drug on a “trial” basis.
Reacting to the study, Professor Roger Kirby, urologist and president of the Royal College of Medicine, said that anorgasmia in men is currently a challenge to treat.
“Anorgasmia is quite unusual in men, but it can happen and can be quite devastating sexually and psychologically,” he said.
‘There is currently no evidence-based treatment.’
He added that a clinical trial examining the effect of flibanserin for up to 12 months in men might now be a “good idea” because “right now, there’s not much we can do” for patients.
“We need a good evidence base and we need security checks before we advocate them,” he said.
Professor Kirby encouraged all men suffering from sustained sexual dysfunction to seek help from a medical professional and not suffer in silence.
Although it’s known as the “female Viagra,” flibanserin has several notable differences compared to the little blue pill now available over the counter.
First, it works by a different mechanism than Viagra, also known by its generic name sildenafil, which increases blood flow to the male genitals, helping them maintain an erection, rather than increasing sexual arousal itself.
Secondly, sildenafil is taken “as needed” before sexual intercourse, while patients taking flibanserin need to take the drug daily for it to work.
The doctors who wrote the case report also highlighted how their patient showed a lack of specific treatment options for men suffering from the condition without an obvious cause.
They said that most cases of anorgasmia are usually caused by a side effect of another medication, meaning that most patients can be treated by changing or adjusting medications or dosage to avoid the unwanted side effect.