Warfarin Institute of America
Dedicated to Your Health
SEXUAL ACTIVITY WHILE TAKING WARFARIN
One of the most frequently asked questions involves sexual activity while taking warfarin. This almost always involves a male. There are many factors which enter into this.
First, I want to dispel one myth which is widely circulated. ANY PROBLEM WITH MALE SEXUAL ACTIVITY WHILE TAKING WARFARIN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE THICKNESS OF THE BLOOD. Warfarin does not thin the blood! Repeat: WARFARIN DOES NOT THIN THE BLOOD. Warfarin slows the ability of the blood to form a clot. The only way that you can see your blood is to break the skin. When this happens and you are taking warfarin the blood does not clot as fast as before you started warfarin. Many years ago, before the mechanism of action of warfarin was understood, people concluded that this must be because the blood was thinner than normal. We now know that this is not true but many people, physicians included, continue to refer to warfarin as a blood thinner.
Warfarin is never prescribed for a trivial condition. When warfarin is prescribed it means that your body has experienced a problem that has changed your life. The age at which this happens is often one where the body is undergoing dramatic changes as far as aging is concerned. A stroke, heart attack or blood clot in the lung are examples of the conditions for which warfarin is prescribed. These are life threatening and life changing conditions.
Male sexual activity, especially as a man ages, depends upon his confidence in physical ability. When one of these dramatic changes occurs, a man's self-confidence is called into question. Quite often, the harder he tries, the more miserably he performs.
Where does a man turn for help? The simplest way is to blame it on the warfarin. "If it wasn't for that damn blood thinner, I'd be my old self again." If only life were that easy! Stop the pill and my problems will be solved. Unfortunately, warfarin is only the marker for the condition which caused the problem. Stopping the warfarin will only increase the risk of the stroke, heart attack or blood clot happening again. It will not return any degree of sexual performance.
If stopping the warfarin is not the answer, what is? The first part of the answer lies with expectations. At the age when these changes in the body occur, it seems there is little sense of urgency to complete the act. The world is probably not watching breathlessly for you to produce an heir. As Rita Rudner said, "Even the dumbest girl knows she wasn't there very long if 3 of the 4 digits on your alarm clock didn't change." My advice is lower your expectations a little and take your time.
The second part of the answer lies in the relationship with your partner. This is easier in a stable relationship. Discuss your concerns with your partner. (I'm discussing this in terms of a heterosexual relationship since that is my orientation. Those of you in other types of relationships should adapt this to your own situation.) This may not be easy for the man to initiate, so this is where the women can take the initiative. Start out by acknowledging the life changing nature of the recent events. The woman can point out that her body is subject to change, too. Emphasize the emotional side of love. Where there is emotional love, there will be physical love. It will not be as aggressive as it once was but it is there nonetheless. Over time, the body will heal and the doubts will be overcome.
If your sexual activity is the type that depends on dinner, drinks and a different partner each time, obviously your recovery will have to involve a different technique.
What about Viagra? I do not know. My guess is that there is nothing in warfarin that would either help or hurt the effects of Viagra. I would welcome some e-mail on this subject.
I have had several e-mails from men attesting to the fact that they have successfully used Viagra while taking warfarin. I have had non from anyone saying that Viagra failed to work while they were taking warfarin.
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Last updated January 2, 2006