Medications That Cause Vaginal Dryness

If you're experiencing vaginal dryness, check your medicine cabinet.

While female dryness can be due to things like low estrogen, menopause, or specific cancer treatments, several medications cause vaginal dryness.

Vaginal tissues have a thin layer of protective, lubricating fluid and are highly susceptible to hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, which are responsible for blood flow to the vagina.

Even slight fluctuations in hormone levels (for instance, as a result of taking a new medication) may affect blood flow, ultimately leading to dryness.

If you're experiencing vaginal itching, irritation, burning, and/or pain during sex due to dryness, one of these medications may be to blame.

Birth Control Pills

Hormonal birth control pills can cause fluctuations in hormones and an imbalance of your estrogen/progesterone ratio that may lead to vaginal dryness in some people.

Specifically, hormonal birth control can cause an increase in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), a protein created in the liver that's responsible for binding up excess estrogen and testosterone, taking it out of the bloodstream.

Birth Control Shot

As with birth control pills, hormonal changes from birth control shots, such as Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate), can suppress female hormones to mimic menopausal levels, resulting in reduced vaginal fluids and dryness.

Sedatives

Vaginal dryness may occur with sedative drugs used for insomnia, such as Halcion (triazolam), Xanax (alprazolam), and other benzodiazepine medications used to treat anxiety but that also cause sexual dysfunction.

People with vaginas also may experience dryness and sexual problems when taking drugs used to prevent seizures.

Cold and Allergy Medications

Both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) cold and allergy medications, such as Atarax or Vistaril (hydroxyzine), have been found to cause vaginal dryness in some people.

That's because antihistamines and decongestants narrow blood vessels to lower moisture levels and reduce mucus throughout the body, including the vagina.

Natural levels of moisture should return when you stop using these medications.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics can indirectly cause vaginal dryness.

Taking antibiotics does not dry up vaginal secretions in the way decongestants can.

However, antibiotics can alter the delicate balance of bacteria found in the vagina. This may lead to a yeast infection, which can cause vaginal dryness.

Blood Pressure and Heart Medications

Both calcium channel blockers and beta blockers have been tied to vaginal dryness in some people.

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs), which prevent calcium from entering the heart and blood vessel wall cells, are used to lower blood pressure.

They treat conditions like high blood pressure, migraines, and Raynaud's disease. More research is needed to understand how calcium channel blockers like Norvasc (amlodipine) affect vaginal dryness and sexual dysfunction.

Beta-blockers slow the heart rate and reduce the force of heart contractions, stress on the vascular system, and the amount of oxygen the heart needs to do its work.

They're commonly prescribed for people with hypertension, angina, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, history of heart attacks, and migraine headaches.

Beta-blockers may affect blood flow to the sexual organs, resulting in reduced vaginal lubrication.

Estrogen Modulators

Tamoxifen and Evista, both estrogen modulators used in cancer treatment, function by blocking estrogen receptors in vaginal tissue, causing lower levels of lubrication.

Chemotherapy (as well as radiation) may also result in dryness as they may directly decrease estrogen production.

Drugs like Synarel (nafarelin) or Lupron (leuprolide), used to treat endometriosis, also disrupt estrogen production and can lead to vaginal dryness until you stop taking them.

Other Causes of Vaginal Dryness

Medications are just one reason you may experience vaginal dryness at some point in your life.

Some other causes of vaginal dryness include:

• Menopause
• Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
• Oophorectomy (removal of one or both ovaries)
• Breastfeeding

Certain medical conditions, such as the autoimmune disorder Sjogren's syndrome may lead to vaginal dryness.

Other factors can include overall dehydration, vasoconstriction (poor blood flow to the vagina), or the use of hygiene products, including douches, feminine sprays, and powders.

If you're experiencing vaginal dryness, talk to your gynecologist.

They will be able to suggest treatments that can work with the root cause of your dryness, making life (and sex) more pleasurable again.

Managing Dryness

Medications that cause vaginal dryness lead to symptoms that can be treated. Vaginal moisturizers can help.

So do hormonal treatments in creams or tablet forms; a vaginal ring can deliver a low dose of estrogen for up to 90 days.

Non-estrogen products are available too.

Home remedies can include coconut oil or olive oil used as a lubricant.

Using a lubricant during sex and avoiding products that can irritate the vagina (scented pads, for example) can help to reduce or prevent symptoms.

Drink plenty of water to keep the tissues in your body generally well-hydrated, and consider food choices that may help with vaginal dryness.

The isoflavones in soybeans, for example, can have a similar effect as naturally produced estrogen and may improve dryness symptoms.

Ultimately, if medications are causing your vaginal dryness, that underlying factor will need to be addressed. Options like vaginal rejuvenation surgery do exist, and some studies demonstrate improved lubrication after vaginal tissues are treated with laser techniques.

Your healthcare provider will likely want to review your medication options before taking other measures.

Summary

Vaginal dryness can occur for several reasons across a lifetime, including during breastfeeding and menopause.

A surprising number of medications, though, may be responsible for symptoms of vaginal dryness, burning, and itching. Some drugs, including antibiotics, may do so indirectly.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you think your symptoms are related to medications.

You may be able to change the dose or the drug you're taking. If that's not possible, your provider can help treat the symptoms of vaginal dryness.