Alcohol · serious interaction
Your risk of severe low blood pressure (hypotension) and fainting (syncope) is increased if you drink alcohol close in time to taking flibanserin. Do not drink alcohol close to your flibanserin dose. Talk with your healthcare provider about how much alcohol you can drink and how much time to leave between alcohol and your dose. Get emergency help if you feel faint or lose consciousness.
Indication
Flibanserin is a prescription medicine used to treat acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. Acquired means HSDD developed in a person who previously had no problems with sexual desire. Generalized means it happens regardless of the type of activity, the situation, or the partner. Flibanserin is not for treating HSDD in postmenopausal women or in men, is not for use in children, and is not for improving sexual performance.
Do not take if
- You take certain medicines called CYP3A4 inhibitors (for example some antifungals and certain antibiotics), which can raise flibanserin levels and the risk of low blood pressure and fainting.
- You have liver problems.
- You take other medicines your provider has told you not to combine with it.
Interactions to discuss
- CNS depressants such as benzodiazepines, sleep aids and opioids can add to drowsiness and low blood pressure.
- CYP3A4 inhibitors increase flibanserin exposure, a serious interaction.
- Tell your provider about every medicine, supplement and herbal product you take, including anything you only take occasionally.
Common side effects
Dizziness
Somnolence (sleepiness)
Nausea
Fatigue
Dry mouth
Trouble sleeping
Sleepiness is one of the reasons flibanserin is taken at bedtime. Tell your provider about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
How to take it
- Take one tablet once daily at bedtime. Bedtime dosing reduces the risk of problems from low blood pressure, sleepiness and fainting.
- Do not take an extra dose if you miss one. Skip it and take your next dose at bedtime as usual.
- If you notice no benefit after about 8 weeks, talk with your provider. Continued use may not be recommended without improvement.
Also important
Flibanserin can cause low blood pressure and fainting, especially in the situations above. Feeling sleepy or dizzy can affect activities such as driving, so avoid them until you know how flibanserin affects you. This summary does not include everything about flibanserin. Read the full prescribing information and the medication guide, and talk with a licensed healthcare provider about your medical history and all the medicines you take. Report side effects to your provider.
