I tried the new sex pill for women dubbed 'female Viagra' - here's how it spiced up my sex life

A North Carolina woman says her sex life has been transformed thanks to a little-known drug dubbed the ‘female Viagra'.

Debra Dillo, 58, was plagued with no sex life for nearly a decade, placing a strain on her intimate relationship with her husband Todd. 

After years of hormone replacement therapy for the menopause, hoping it would also improve her sex drive, she was prescribed Addyi. 

It's a once-a-day pill that balances brain chemicals responsible for sapping libido both before and after menopause. The drug was approved in 2015, but few women have heard of it.  

‘I call it my happy pill,’ Mrs Dillo said. She added that she is much more in ‘the mood’ since starting the medication: ‘I wake up in the mood. I'm walking around during the day and I'm in the mood. And, I don't generally say no when he initiates.’ 

Debra Dillo [left] and her husband Todd [right] have reinvigorated their sex life with the help of a drug commonly known as 'female Viagra'

Mrs Dillo began taking Addyi four months ago and immediately noticed an improvement in her mood as well as want for intimacy. She calls it her 'happy pill'

Mrs Dillo, a business owner, feels more like her 30-year-old self than her 58-year-old self. Ten years ago, her estrogen levels began to drop, so she started hormone replacement therapy, thinking a better sex life would be a pleasant side effect.

But it didn’t restore the libido she enjoyed in her younger years. A chance mention of the drug from a friend who owned the pharmaceutical company that develops Addyi piqued Mrs Dillo’s interest.

Addyi is approved to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSSD), which is defined as a lack of interest in sex that can occur in both men and women. 

The exact mechanism that allows the drug to work isn't entirely clear. But it dampens activity of serotonin, the mood regulating neurotransmitter that has also been proven to decrease sex drive. 

While reducing serotonin levels, Addyi increases levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, which help regulate mood, enhance arousal, and boost sexual interest. 

And by improving mood, which has a strong influence on sexual desire, the drug can create a better mindset for sexual activity. 

Women taking the drug have also reported being able to have very intense, satisfying orgasms.  

She told People: ‘As the body gets older, it starts not to cooperate as well when it comes to sex. Things don't work as grand as they used to. It’s harder to climax. It’s just a little bit more work…And I loved my husband, loved my life, and loved my sex life. But the aging had hit me mentally.’

Within two weeks of taking Addyi, Mrs Dillo’s sleep quality made a 180-degree-turn. She was sleeping through the night and woke up happy and eager for the day, which her husband Todd said created more opportunities for ‘couple stuff’.

Mrs Dillo added: ‘These days I am in such a good mood that I look at my husband — I mean, I'm very attracted to him — so of course the wheels start turning again, and then my body just cooperates so much better.

‘Intimacy is quite a bit more frequent these days — a couple of years ago it was maybe once every two weeks, but now it can be up to three times a week. And I go at it with a lot more gusto.’

Mr Dillo said moments of intimacy throughout out the day, such as furtive glances or flirty comments, are much more frequent now

The non-hormonal pill balances the brain chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine, which may lead to lower sex drive and decreased levels of serotonin, which is known to impact a person’s libido

Sex is discussed more often and more openly. Debra is less distracted and more engaged. Todd added that they incorporate small, intimate moments throughout their days, like little eye raises or comments.

Mr Dillo, 53, said: ‘For example, we get home from work, and I'm getting in the shower and she comes in and makes a few comments, which didn't happen before. She also initiates more.

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‘The difference I have noticed is not only physical, it’s mental. The positive change in Deb's mental health has made a big impact. I’m very welcoming of that.’

Mrs Dillo and her husband of 27 years have a full life with their four sons. Mr Dillo, a stay-at-home dad, volunteers at the boys’ schools and coaches their travel sports. 

Mrs Dillo, meanwhile, keeps busy running her construction and plumbing business.

She said: ‘IT was nuts, but fun.

‘We've had a great marriage. We had some rocky times in there because marriage is hard and it takes a lot of work, but we were both committed to having this beautiful family and this wonderful life, and we both worked hard at it.’

Mr Dillo added that his wife’s ‘happy pill’ has been ‘a great addition to our relationship.’