Suggest Ways To Manage And Moderate Sexual Urges And High Libido

Posted on Mon, 28 Mar 2016

Question: I am 67 years old. My partner is 65. He has to take testosterone because he has almost no testosterone normally....(He had some severe physical problems which have resolved and allowed him to come completely off of all opiates and I understand that is probably the cause of his abnormally low testoterone.) Anyway he has a very high sex drive. I too take testosterone ointment and for a year or so I had phenomenally good sexual effects from it. But I am finding it harder and harder to feel any arousal. So I am thinking about stopping my testosterone for a while in hopes that when I restart taking it again I might get better results. Do you think this will work? My partner does not believe that a person can build a tolerance to hormones...but I hope he is wrong....I dont know. Is it possible? How long would I need to stay off of it? Also.....I am wondering what kind of emotional ill effects (if any) testosterone has on women.....I generally suffer from pretty severe emotional ill-health ....anti-social and morose and stuck in the past about some bad decisions I have made and I have a very high level of stress/anxiety....I've wondered if it isnt PTSD.....but please disregard all that as I am just wanting to address how testosterone might be adding to this emotional picture.....

I would like to add that I am taking suboxone. 8mg/2mg tablet.....I take 1/2 film daily and sometimes 1 whole film daily. My partner feels the suboxone is the cause of the problem. i dont feel that to be the case. Idont know

Answered by Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Consultation

Detailed Answer:
Hello, and thanks for your question.

What you describe, low sex drive, in the setting of feeling morose, stressed, and anxious, is not a problem with testosterone, but rather depression. You say to focus on testosterone in my answer, but testosterone is not primarily responsible for sex drive in women, and supplementation in women can cause all kinds of problems like hair growth, irritable mood, and so forth. Furthermore, I do not believe your strategy of stopping and restarting it will do anything for you, as hormones do not work this way.

Instead, I recommend you focus on your mental health. You say you are on a small dose of Remeron. This is likely not doing enough for you. By treating your low mood, anxiety, and stress, your sex drive will return. Testosterone is not the way to do this. Suboxone does not affect sex drive either.

If you are interested in speaking about this in more detail, I encourage you to ask a direct query at my private link below.

Please remember to rate and close this answer if you find it satisfactory.

In the future, for continuity of care, I encourage you to contact me at my private link below. After you ask a direct question it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an XXXXXXX doctor working in New York City at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, ranked #1 for Psychiatry in the United States (tinyurl.com/psyrank). For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, and individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private link: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (58 minutes later)

I was asking a direct question-you gave me a comprehensive answer about issues I was not asking you about. It still makes sense to me that if the hormone testosterone was washed out of my system and I restarted it I might have the same effect as when I first started it. you say hormones "dont work that way" are you sure? My depression is greatly helped by good sexual relationship. I am very disappointed you didnt focus on my question. I am going to remit the question and hopefully it will go to another doctor and I will make my question more simple....I think I gave you too much information....resulting in a confusing and disappointing encounter

Answered by Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Followup

Detailed Answer:
I'm sorry this was not the answer you were expecting.

Testosterone indeed does not work more effectively after a washout from the system. If it has stopped working for you, stopping and restarting it will not change that efficacy. In fact, to go further, in large scale randomized controlled studies, testosterone is no more effective than placebo at increasing sex drive among women. So overall this will not be an effective strategy for you and will only result in side effects. I think you were hoping I would tell you it would -- but it simply does not work this way chemically.

Please remember to rate and close this answer if you find it satisfactory.

In the future, for continuity of care, I encourage you to contact me at my private link below. After you ask a direct question it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an XXXXXXX doctor working in New York City at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, ranked #1 for Psychiatry in the United States (tinyurl.com/psyrank). For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, and individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private link: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (30 minutes later)

thank you that is exactly what I was wanting: an informed answer to my question.

Answered by Dr. Alexander H. Sheppe (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Followup

Detailed Answer:
You're most welcome!

Please remember to rate and close this answer if you find it satisfactory.

In the future, for continuity of care, I encourage you to contact me at my private link below. After you ask a direct question it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an XXXXXXX doctor working in New York City at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, ranked #1 for Psychiatry in the United States (tinyurl.com/psyrank). For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, and individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private link: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad