M. Romero: Women deserve treatment options for sexual dysfunction

It seems like everywhere I turn, I see another Viagra advertisement. The latest versions aren’t targeting just men. Now they’re appealing directly to women, which made me wonder: Men obviously have lots of options for their sexual problems, but are there any out there for women who, like me, might be suffering from their own sexual dysfunction?

After a bit of research, I found the answer: None.

While this discovery was disheartening, a recent news item I came across was equally eye-opening – that I’m far from alone in my battle with sexual dysfunction. In fact, millions of women in the United States suffer from this condition.

Men have access to 26 FDA-approved medical treatment options for their most common sexual complaint. I have none for mine.

I’d really like to talk about this with my doctor, but I know without an approved treatment I’m not likely to get very far.

I know my story will sound familiar to many women.

I have had a low sex drive for years. It has gotten so bad that my husband feels as if I don’t love him. I tried to explain that it is not him, but talking about my condition doesn’t help. The fact that my sex drive is low is interpreted as not loving my husband, which hurts me deeply. He loves me, but he feels I don’t love him.

My husband believes the issue is not treatable and that I am just making excuses. I know that it is frustrating for him and that he feels rejected, but it is more than frustrating for me. This has been the nightmare we have been living in, a nightmare shared by millions of couples.

This isn’t something that can be fixed by simply chatting with my girlfriends or having a glass of wine and relaxing. If this low sex drive continues, I am not sure how my marriage will stay intact.

I was excited to hear that the Food and Drug Administration is considering for approval a drug that could be the first treatment for the most common form of sexual dysfunction in women. What a life-changer that would be for my husband, me, our marriage and the millions of other couples engaged in similar struggles.

The FDA’s decision will be critical, as it will either open the door for future breakthroughs in treatment for sexual dysfunction or slam it in the face of the millions of women like me who have waited years for a medical treatment option of their own.

Now is the time for women like me to have access to medical treatment options for their most common sexual complaint. The FDA needs to know that equitable access to health care should be a fundamental right, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman. For women who are living with the nightmare of sexual dysfunction, this needs to be a priority.

This story was originally published April 16, 2015 at 5:37 PM with the headline "M. Romero: Women deserve treatment options for sexual dysfunction."