Reaching orgasm when on Anti-depressants

mrtoad

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I started new drugs this week, doluxetine and I've been pretty spaced out the last couple of days which is good. They make me feel a little sick but more importantly I can't reach orgasm at all (I know this is a side effect). I'm going back to my doctor on friday but any advice would be appreciated.
 

rogue_mj

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MD here

All SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are known to produce delayed orgasm in 5 to 20 % of males. If one does, it is highly likely that it will occur with others too, as it is a class effect, although some may be more severe than others. If you fall into the 80 to 90% that don't you are lucky.

SSRI's include:
Fluoxetine (Prozac, Fontex, Seromex, Seronil, Sarafem, Fluctin in Europe)
Paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat, Aropax, Deroxat, Paroxat)
Sertraline (Zoloft, Lustral, Serlain)
Fluvoxamine(Luvox, Faverin)
Citalopram (Celexa, Cipramil, Emocal, Sepram, Seropram)
Escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex, Esertia)
Dapoxetine
Trazodone
(atypical SRI)

SNRI's (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) are also known to do the same thing as they are combined drugs of serotonin and norepinephrine pathways (so they are SSRI's with extra oomph.)

SNRI's include:
Venlafaxine (Effexor)
Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

Any drug that works on the serotonin system has delayed orgasm and decreased libido as possible side effects, so all the above have the same concerns.

Decreasing the dose may be of help, changing to a differnent drug MAY help (but unlikley).

The only real answer is to change the class of antidepressant to B[SIZE=-1]upropion[/SIZE] (Wellbutrin), which is not an SSRI or SNRI. In fact some doctors have found that ADDING Wellbutrin to the SSRI may help sexual function.

The other options include Tricyclic antidepressants (old drugs with multiple side-effects and quite dangerous), or MAOI's (Monoamine oxidase inhibitors which can be dangerous if taken with certain foods or drugs and alcohol) and St. John's Wort which is actually a naturally occuring MAOI. Due to potentially lethal dietary and drug interactions MAOI's had been reserved as a last line of defense.

(Whatever you do if you are taking St. John's Wort without consulting a doctor or naturopath you need to be extremely careful as it interacts with the same products as MAOI's and this can be life threatening.... and should also be a last line of defense!!)


So is Wellbutrin the answer....... not always.... it is often not as effective as SSRI's or SNRI's and has its own side effect profile.... including nightmares, and seizures. It is also stimulating and is not great for social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and people who have insomnia with their depression.

To answer the one retort.... most of us MD's don't just prescribe drugs unnecessarily.... only if someone really needs it. Counselling is a great mental health treatment, but is not always sufficient in cases with physical symptoms of depression.

So good luck to you, and all others.... once your depression is under control, you will likley come off your meds and be "normal" again....
If your depression is severe enough... an orgasm is not worth the weight in gold of feeling human and alive!!!

Keep smilin....

Rogue_MJ
 
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nudeyorker

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Ask your Dr. to switch you to Lexapro. I was on it for 6 months for anxiety,
After two or three days...no problems, try porn in the meanwhile.
Good Luck!
 

mrtoad

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I didn't have this problem with prozac but apparently most patients suffer sexual side effects when taking this kind of medication and others like it, that lexapro also does the same thing.
 

Principessa

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Effexor XR has been a GOD send for me. Ask if you can take that.

I had NO sex drive on Zoloft or Prozac. Lexapro allowed me to feel amorous but I couldn't orgasm :confused: WTF!?! Talk about anxiety induced depression.:mad:


I started new drugs this week, doluxetine and I've been pretty spaced out the last couple of days which is good. They make me feel a little sick but more importantly I can't reach orgasm at all (I know this is a side effect). I'm going back to my doctor on friday but any advice would be appreciated.
 

mrtoad

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How long does it last for after you stop the medication? and I'll mention changing the medication to my doctor.
 

Wrey

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Celaxa did the same thing to me. I could enter the "race," but there was never a finish line. Ugh!
 

Belly_Dancer

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Sometimes antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction is dosage-dependant. Lowering the dose may help.

Sometimes it is related to the drug. Wellbutrin is fabulous if it works for your depression. It has no sexual side effects, but some people don't find it to be an effective antidepressant.

Effexor-XR is decent but sexual dysfunction has been reported when the dosage is increased from 50 to 100 mg, so again, it depends how much you take.

I'm convinced each person's body chemistry is different, so it may take some trial and error for you to find the medicine that works best for you. Don't be discouraged if the first few drugs aren't quite right. Keep experimenting and odds are you will find a good one.
 

mrtoad

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I've tried counselling on and off all my life and it never helps, all they do is relay what I tell them back to me which isn't helpful because I think about it enough anyway. I have never seen a psychiatrist, they're meant to be a pain to get hold of in the UK.
 

Principessa

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Why are you even on the medicines?
90% of the time the doctors just give it out for something to do.


Your moniker is correct; you are also clueless!
Depression is a real physical and biological illness.
It does not just go away, nor can it be prayed away.
Herbal remedies don't work for real depression.

Until you or a loved one have spent months crying, unable to eat, bathe, dress yourself, or even watch tv, let alone leave your home; Shut The Fuck Up!

njqt466
 

Mr. Snakey

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Your moniker is correct; you are also clueless!
Depression is a real physical and biological illness.
It does not just go away, nor can it be prayed away.
Herbal remedies don't work for real depression.

Until you or a loved one have spent months crying, unable to eat, bathe, dress yourself, or even watch tv, let alone leave your home; Shut The Fuck Up!

njqt466
I couldnt have said it better myself:cool:
 

Curmudgeon

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Your moniker is correct; you are also clueless!
Depression is a real physical and biological illness.
It does not just go away, nor can it be prayed away.
Herbal remedies don't work for real depression.

Until you or a loved one have spent months crying, unable to eat, bathe, dress yourself, or even watch tv, let alone leave your home; Shut The Fuck Up!

njqt466


i have been there thank you. ive also been on disability for a large portion of my life would you like to get off your high horse now?
 

Principessa

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Well I could...but then I would just have to go back to my pedestal. :tongue:

For the record, I've been depressed and I am on disability. However, I am not on disability for depression. It's for Meniere's Disease.

How does a person who has lived with depression make such an insensitive & clueless remark?

njqt466

i have been there thank you. ive also been on disability for a large portion of my life would you like to get off your high horse now?
 

Pirate Wench

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Someone I know very well said he couldn't feel anything emotionally on Zoloft.....he was totally numb and didn't like it......and it was screwing him up libido wise, as well......
 

dudepiston

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I agree...curmudgeon's comments were...well...curmudgeonly! you must admit, he named himself well. =)

I appreciated the MD's comments. From my limited knowledge (but vast experience) I agree with him. Also - I was on Desiprimine (one of those older class anti-depressants) and it had the OPPOSITE effect for me - I would come within SECONDS of beginning any kind of stimulation. It was good, because I was capable (for a little while there) of true multiple orgasms, although they were not *deep* ones.

I also was on SSRI's for a time, and noticed similiar symptoms to what's being described. A good, healthy sexual life is important to overall health, so it's worth it to talk to you doctor about it.



Well I could...but then I would just have to go back to my pedestal. :tongue:

For the record, I've been depressed and I am on disability. However, I am not on disability for depression. It's for Meniere's Disease.

How does a person who has lived with depression make such an insensitive & clueless remark?

njqt466
 

Curmudgeon

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Well I could...but then I would just have to go back to my pedestal. :tongue:

For the record, I've been depressed and I am on disability. However, I am not on disability for depression. It's for Meniere's Disease.

How does a person who has lived with depression make such an insensitive & clueless remark?

njqt466


if he honestly has REAL Depression like some unlucky few have experienced then yes he should be on meds but it didnt seem that way to me. i apologize if it seems like im insensitive but after my experiences with doctors and their being idiots (the phrase PRACTICING Medicine is truth not just being clever) they like to hand out pills like candy.

most people do not need anti depressants.
 

Xavian

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Anti-depressants interact differently with each individual's body chemistry...what works for one might not work for another. The only advice I can give is be patient in searching for one that doesn't have horrendous side effects.
 

swellguy

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I've been on Lexapro for about 7 months. I never had a problem getting hard on the drug. Cuming was really hard for the first two or so months; sex felt great and while I felt time and time again like I was having an orgasm, I never came. I would have to take over and beat the heck out of my dick to cum. Over the past few months, it has gotten easier to come, and my orgasms are very intense.