CFS & Fibromyalgia Living With Your Sex Drive With Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome By Adrienne Dellwo Adrienne Dellwo LinkedIn Adrienne Dellwo is an experienced journalist who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has written extensively on the topic. Learn about our editorial process Updated on July 04, 2022 Medically reviewed by Scott Zashin, MD Medically reviewed by Scott Zashin, MD LinkedIn Scott J. Zashin, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and rheumatology. He was a volunteer clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Dallas. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print You're tired. You hurt all over. Exertion can wipe you out for days. When you have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, is it any wonder your sex life isn't great? Comstock / Getty Images On top of it being more difficult, we often find that, after illness strikes, we just don't have much sex drive. That can be hard on your self-esteem and your intimate relationships. So, where exactly does that sex drive go? Why We Lack the Drive When we know so little about many aspects of our fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, it's startling to know that there's actually a fair amount of research on the libidos of women with these conditions. As you'd expect, multiple studies confirm that we have a lower sex drive than healthy people. However, they don't always agree on why. One of the earlier studies on fibromyalgia and sexual function, published in 2006, suggested that it was more of a psychological problem than a physical one. Researchers based that on their finding that mental distress was a predictor of sexual dysfunction while pain was not. Some later research finds a role for distress and other mental/emotional factors as well but also found numerous physical reasons. Other studies link sexual dysfunction in fibromyalgia to: Tenderness, judged by tender-point countPain from sexInadequate lubricationBeing dissatisfied with the relationshipAnxietyPoor sleep quality Chronic fatigue syndrome studies tie sexual dysfunction to: Comorbid myofascial pain syndrome, or Sjogren's syndromeMore cognitive and neurological symptomsMore intense fatigue Drug-Related Sexual Dysfunction Many of us are on medications (such as antidepressants or anti-seizure drugs) that can lower sex drive. All three of the FDA-approved drugs for fibromyalgia—Lyrica (pregabalin), Cymbalta (duloxetine), Savella (milnacipran)—can cause a loss of libido, although it's not a common side effect of them. Other classes of drugs that can cause sexual dysfunction include: Opiates Muscle relaxants Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) Tranquilizers Hormones Allergy drugs Blood pressure drugs Diuretics Re-Gaining Your Sex Drive Some medications may help you regain your desire for intimacy, especially if the problem is drug-induced, so talk to your healthcare provider about it. If you believe relationships problems, anxiety, or other mental/emotional issues are causing your problems, you may want to work with a therapist. If major symptoms like pain and fatigue are to blame for your low libido, the best approach is to keep trying to find treatments that help. Regardless, you don't have to give up your sex life. 6 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Besiroglu MDH, Dursun MDM. The association between fibromyalgia and female sexual dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Int J Impot Res. 2019 Nov;31(4):288-297. doi:10.1038/s41443-018-0098-3 Kool MB, Woertman L, Prins MA, Van Middendorp H, Geenen R. Low relationship satisfaction and high partner involvement predict sexual problems of women with fibromyalgia. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy. 2006 Nov;32(5):409-423. doi:10.1080/00926230600835403 Galvez-Sánchez CM, Duschek S, Reyes Del Paso GA. Psychological impact of fibromyalgia: current perspectives. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2019 Feb;12:117-127. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S178240 Blazquez A, Ruiz E, Aliste L, García-Quintana A, Alegre J. The effect of fatigue and fibromyalgia on sexual dysfunction in women with chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy. 2014 Mar;41(1):1-10. doi:10.1080/0092623X.2013.864370 Clayton AH, Croft HA, Handiwala L. Antidepressants and sexual dysfunction: mechanisms and clinical implications. Postgraduate Medicine. 2014 Mar;126(2):91-99. doi:10.3810/pgm.2014.03.2744 Semet M, Paci M, Saïas-Magnan J, et al. The impact of drugs on male fertility: a review. Andrology. 2017 Jun;5(4):640-663. doi:10.1111/andr.12366 Additional Reading Ablin JN, et al. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. 2011 Nov-Dec;29(6 Suppl 69):S44-8. Sexual Dysfunction Is Correlated With Tenderness in Female Fibromyalgia Patients. Amasyali AS, et al. International Journal of Impotence Research. 2015 Nov 19. [Epub ahead of print] Effects of Low Sleep Quality on Sexual Function, in Women With Fibromyalgia. Blazquez A, Alegre J, Ruiz E. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy. 2009;35(5):347-59. Women With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Sexual Dysfunction: Past, Present, and Future. Blazquez A, et al. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy. 2008;34(3):240-7. Sexual Dysfunction as Related to Severity of Fatigue in Women With CFS. Burri A, Lachance G, Williams FM. Journal of Sexual Medicine. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Sexual Problems and Sexual Distress in a Sample of Women Suffering From Chronic Widespread Pain. Prins MA, et al. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. 2006 Sep-Oct;24(5):555-61. Sexual Functioning of Women With Fibromyalgia. Ramzy EA. Pain practice. 2016 Feb 19. [Epub ahead of print] Comparative Efficacy of Newer Antidepressants in Combination With Pregabalin for Fibromyalgia Syndrome: a Controlled, Randomized Study. Vermeulen RC, Scholte HR. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2004 Feb;56(2):199-201. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Sexual Dysfunction. White HD, et al. International Immunopharmacology. 2015 Aug;27(2):249-56. Treatment of Pain in Fibromyalgia Patients With Testosterone Gel: Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Response. By Adrienne Dellwo Adrienne Dellwo is an experienced journalist who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has written extensively on the topic. 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