Vyleesi is not a tablet — it is a subcutaneous injection for low sexual desire. Learn Vyleesi tablet facts, dosing, side effects, cost, and generic status.
Vyleesi is not a tablet. It is bremelanotide, a prescription medicine delivered as a subcutaneous injection from a prefilled autoinjector pen, and the FDA approved it to treat acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. If you are searching for a Vyleesi tablet, the pill version you have in mind does not exist in the United States.
What Vyleesi Actually Is
Vyleesi is a melanocortin receptor agonist, which means it acts on receptors in the brain that are involved in sexual desire. The FDA approved bremelanotide in 2019, and it remains the only approved therapy in its class. Each single-use pen delivers 1.75 mg of the drug under the skin of the abdomen or thigh.
Bremelanotide is a peptide, and peptides are generally broken down in the stomach and gut. That is one practical reason the manufacturer brought this drug to market as a vyleesi injection rather than as an oral product.
Why People Search for a “Vyleesi Tablet”
Several factors keep the “Vyleesi tablet” phrasing alive in search data, even though the product is a shot.
- Addyi (flibanserin) is an oral tablet approved for low sexual desire, so many people assume all HSDD drugs are pills.
- Pharmacy and coupon websites sometimes display drug names next to generic pill graphics.
- Autocomplete tools repeat popular unofficial product names, including “vyleesi pill” and “vyleesi tablet.”
Questions about a vyleesi tablet for women usually trace back to this same confusion. If your prescription arrived with a pen, needles, and a sharps container instead of a blister pack, that is normal.
Vyleesi Tablet Uses: What the Injection Is Approved For
Vyleesi tablet uses, in practice, are the uses of the injection: acquired, generalized HSDD in premenopausal women. “Acquired” means the low desire began after a period of normal desire, and “generalized” means it occurs in all situations rather than with one partner or one circumstance.
The diagnosis also requires that the low desire causes marked distress and is not better explained by another condition, medication, or relationship problem. Vyleesi is not approved for men, for postmenopausal women, or for people who simply want to boost an already normal sex drive.
How Vyleesi Is Used and Dosed
- Inject 1.75 mg under the skin of the abdomen or thigh using the single-use pen.
- Use it at least 45 minutes before anticipated sexual activity.
- Limit yourself to one dose in any 24-hour period.
- Use no more than eight doses in a single month.
Unlike a daily pill, Vyleesi is taken as needed, so you only use it on days when you expect to be sexually active. Rotating injection sites helps reduce irritation.
Common Vyleesi Side Effects and Safety Warnings
Nausea is the most frequently reported reaction, affecting roughly 40% of participants in the clinical trials that supported approval. Flushing, headache, injection site reactions, and vomiting are also common.
The vyleesi side effects that concern prescribers most are cardiovascular. Blood pressure rises briefly after each dose, peaking about one to two hours later, and the drug is contraindicated in people with uncontrolled hypertension or known cardiovascular disease. Vyleesi should also not be combined with oral naltrexone.
Focal hyperpigmentation — darkening of the skin, gums, or breast tissue — has been reported, particularly in people who use the drug more often than the label recommends. New or spreading dark patches should be reported to your prescriber.
Vyleesi vs Addyi and the Search for a Generic
Because Addyi is the only oral drug approved for low sexual desire, most comparisons come down to Vyleesi vs Addyi. The biggest differences are the route of administration and the dosing schedule.
| Feature | Vyleesi (bremelanotide) | Addyi (flibanserin) |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Subcutaneous autoinjector | Oral tablet |
| Dosing | As needed, at least 45 minutes before sex | Once nightly at bedtime |
| Approved for | Premenopausal women with acquired, generalized HSDD | Premenopausal women with acquired, generalized HSDD |
| Most common side effects | Nausea, flushing, headache, injection site reactions | Dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, fatigue |
| Alcohol | No specific label restriction | Alcohol limits advised |
| Blood pressure | Transient increase after each dose | May lower blood pressure slightly |
No FDA-approved vyleesi generic exists on the US market today. Bremelanotide remains under patent protection, so a lower-cost copy is not expected in the near term.
Cost, Insurance, and How to Get It
Vyleesi carries a high list price, and many insurance plans require prior authorization before they will cover it. The manufacturer has offered a savings program that lowers out-of-pocket cost to around $99 per month for eligible commercially insured patients, so actual vyleesi cost varies widely depending on your plan.
Vyleesi is available only by prescription through certified pharmacies. Be very cautious with any website offering to ship it without a prescription, because unverified sellers can send counterfeit or improperly stored product.
The Bottom Line
Vyleesi is a subcutaneous injection, not a tablet, and it is approved only for premenopausal women with acquired, generalized HSDD. If you are considering it, talk with a healthcare professional about your blood pressure, cardiovascular history, and other medications, and ask whether an oral option such as Addyi might suit you better. Individual results vary, and no medication is guaranteed to increase desire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vyleesi a pill or a shot?
Vyleesi is a shot. It comes as a single-use prefilled autoinjector pen that delivers 1.75 mg of bremelanotide under the skin of the abdomen or thigh. There is no FDA-approved tablet version of Vyleesi, even though many people search for one.
What is Vyleesi used for in women?
Vyleesi is FDA-approved to treat acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. It is used as needed, at least 45 minutes before anticipated sexual activity, and no more than once every 24 hours or eight times a month. It is not approved for men or for postmenopausal women.
Is there a generic version of Vyleesi?
No FDA-approved generic bremelanotide product is sold in the United States right now, and the brand is still under patent protection. That means most patients pay brand pricing unless their insurance covers the drug or they qualify for a manufacturer savings program, which has reduced out-of-pocket cost to about $99 per month for some commercially insured patients.
This page provides educational research information and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.