'It zaps you of everything': Shannen Doherty discusses how cancer treatment killed her libido

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Television personality Shannen Doherty disclosed on Monday, February 26, that she has found it harder to enjoy intimacy with someone since receiving a Stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis in 2015.

During an open discussion on her podcast, 'Let's Be Clear,' the actress—most recognized for her parts in the television series 'Charmed' and 'Beverly Hills, 90210'—went into great detail about how her experience with cancer has affected her sexual life and her sense of herself.

Shannen Doherty claimed cancer  killed her libido

The 'Beverly Hills, 90210' alum—who welcomed her good friend model Anne Marie Kortright to her podcast—revealed how her libido has been impacted by cancer treatments and drugs, making intimate moments less pleasurable.

"When you’re feeling not great about yourself, that’s going to kill your libido," Doherty, 52, confessed in the most recent episode of 'Let's Be Clear' podcast.

She continued, "But then when it actually impacts your libido, when meds take your libido away, or it makes things not as pleasant, sex doesn’t feel as good."

Doherty refused to deal with the issue until she discussed it with friend Marie Kortright, who arranged for her to see a gynecologist and expert on women's sexual health, per OK! Magazine.

"She took me because, you know, I specifically said to her, ‘I need to do something. Things aren't working and this isn't the life that I want to live,'" The TV personality reminisced.

"I also don't want my husband to live like this," Doherty continued, addressing her ex-husband from the time Kurt Iswarienko, with whom she had a divorce in 2023.

Anne Marie Kortright persuaded Shannen Doherty to seek help

Despite her health issues, Doherty wanted to strengthen her marriage, so she looked for answers and ultimately turned to a well-known gynecologist who specialized in non-traditional methods of treating women's health.

Marie Kortright, Doherty's close friend, made an effort to get the 'Heathers' actress to focus on her own sexual health. She was also helped by Dr Sherry Ross, whose tips and suggestions helped her though they 'embarrassed" her to some extent, as per Entertainment Tonight. She did, however, stress the wider effects of aging and disease on a person's identity and sense of self.

Shannen Doherty on other elements affecting her drive for intimacy

In 2015, Doherty received her initial diagnosis of breast cancer. Ever since, Doherty—who underwent radiation therapy and brain surgery in January 2023—has been transparent about her medical journey.

Doherty went on to clarify that a few other things influenced her opinions on intimacy.

The 'Charmed' actress admitted, "Perimenopause, menopause, just getting older — all of it impacts not just your exterior. But it's also impacting the whole way that your body is reacting and responding."

"And then you add to that cancer meds, you add to that chemo and it just zaps you of everything and it takes your confidence. It takes away your identity."

In another episode of her podcast with her radiation oncologist Dr Amin Mirhadi, Doherty provided an upbeat health update.

She said at the time, "I’m not gonna say what it is, I’m on a new cancer infusion, and after four treatments, we didn’t really see a difference and everybody wanted me to switch, and I just kinda was like, ‘We’re gonna keep going with this and see."

"After the sixth or seventh treatment, we really saw it breaking down the blood-brain barrier. Do I call that a miracle? Yeah. For me, that happens to be a miracle right now. That I sort of rolled the dice and said, 'Let's keep going,'" Doherty explained.

"That it's actually breaking down that blood-brain barrier is actually a miracle of that drug, a miracle of maybe God intervening and saying, 'I'm going to give her a break.' Sometimes you're looking for miracles in all the wrong places and they're right in front of your face," she added.