Antidepressants and dysfunction.

[Bunnybumping]

My boyfriend is in his early forties. I'm female and the same age. He's taking Paroxetine. He has issues staying erect. I've asked him if there is anything I can do to help him. He's talking about changing meds because he thinks it's the cause. I have read it can be a side effect. Do you have any suggestions on things I can do to help him? I've asked him and he is self-conscious of his situation. I've tried oral, manual stimulation and various positions. I get him erect but he can't maintain. I read up on the subject. I haven't found any sexual advice, it just says he should change meds. Any tips or advice?

 

[NippleMuncher]

He should talk to his doctor about his side effects and see if a different dosage or type of medication will help. Medically induced sexual dysfunction is no laughing matter, and his doc should be as concerned as you and he are about it.

 

[Bramblethorn]

He should talk to his doctor about his side effects and see if a different dosage or type of medication will help. Medically induced sexual dysfunction is no laughing matter, and his doc should be as concerned as you and he are about it.

Seconding this. Sometimes erectile dysfunction is a warning sign for other things worth knowing about, especially circulatory problems.

 

[jimburr35]

Had a similar problem

I was on Lexipro for a couple of years and had issues with being able to orgasm. Spoke with my doctor and, with his permission, discontinued the medication. No ill effects from getting off the drug and my ability to orgasm returned.

 

[DrHappy]

Paroxetine is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), like Prozac and Lexapro. These are notorious for causing sexual side effects. I know a woman who had negative sexual side effects from Lexapro. She mentioned the problem to her doctor, who then added a daily dose of Wellburtrin to the Lexapro, and the sexual side effects went away.

 

[jimburr35]

Treatment worse than the depression

Paroxetine is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), like Prozac and Lexapro. These are notorious for causing sexual side effects. I know a woman who had negative sexual side effects from Lexapro. She mentioned the problem to her doctor, who then added a daily dose of Wellburtrin to the Lexapro, and the sexual side effects went away.

My doctor gave me the choice of adding another drug to counter the side effects or stopping. I decided the effects were worse than the depression and I did not want more medications. It all worked out.

 

[AlterMoose]

While on Fluoxetine, I had almost no sex drive at all. Which, in its turn, depressed me. So I said screw the pills, started loading up on vitamin D and St John's Wort instead. Both are natural mood elevators, and Mr Happy stays happy.

 

[SquidProQuo]

Anti-depressants definitely affect my sex drive, I'm female. I kinda wonder if it affects my ability to orgasm. I still get them but I've been on it for years so I don't remember if I had as much trouble before going on them.

Echoing the others here, I think the medication your husband is taking is the cause, he should talk to his doctor.

 

[CBM514]

Lexapro is one for sure that will limit sexual response and drive

 

[gagginforit]

Have you tried a penis pump (after checking with his doctor of course)? It uses suction to pump up the penis, then put a rubber band around the base to stop the blood leaving the penis so it stays hard.

Medication can really play hell with sexual function and sex drive. The stuff I'm on pretty much nulifies my sex drive, at least the physical drive. I still want to have sex. Other stuff the doctor gave me for an ear infection seemed to make me unable to ejaculate.

I think you're doing great the way you're supporting him and will do anything to help him through it.

 

[gagginforit]

Does anyone know of any foods, or perhaps herbal remedies that would give the libido a boost, in a way counteracting the effects of the medication?

That is something I would be very interested in.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Does anyone know of any foods, or perhaps herbal remedies that would give the libido a boost, in a way counteracting the effects of the medication?

That is something I would be very interested in.

Eggs do it for me. I've never needed Viagra but eggs definitely add some enthusiasm to my attitude.

 

[willrose]

My boyfriend is in his early forties. I'm female and the same age. He's taking Paroxetine. He has issues staying erect. I've asked him if there is anything I can do to help him. He's talking about changing meds because he thinks it's the cause. I have read it can be a side effect. Do you have any suggestions on things I can do to help him? I've asked him and he is self-conscious of his situation. I've tried oral, manual stimulation and various positions. I get him erect but he can't maintain. I read up on the subject. I haven't found any sexual advice, it just says he should change meds. Any tips or advice?

I would suggest:
1) There's no harm in asking the Literotica community but let's face it, the best person to be answering these sorts of questions is a doctor.
2) If he can achieve erection in the first place then it's far less likely to be the medication and far more likely to be mental.
3) If he is taking medication to treat depression then there is a huge, neon sign flashing that says "prime suspect for this is the depression".
4) As a man, it's easy during sex to concentrate so hard on the mechanics of thrusting and position that the eroticism vanishes together with the erection. I suggest that during sex he tries thinking of the thought that turns him on the most and keeps that firmly in his mind.

I hope my inexpert suggestions help. Good luck and I am certain this is just a temporary phase that almost all us men go through.

 

[gagginforit]

Eggs do it for me. I've never needed Viagra but eggs definitely add some enthusiasm to my attitude.

That's interesting. How many/often do you eat them?

And does it matter how you cook/prepare them?

 

[StoneWorker]

............

 

[Bunnybumping]

Thank you everyone for sharing your advice and experiences!

Have you tried a penis pump (after checking with his doctor of course)? It uses suction to pump up the penis, then put a rubber band around the base to stop the blood leaving the penis so it stays hard.

Medication can really play hell with sexual function and sex drive. The stuff I'm on pretty much nulifies my sex drive, at least the physical drive. I still want to have sex. Other stuff the doctor gave me for an ear infection seemed to make me unable to ejaculate.

I think you're doing great the way you're supporting him and will do anything to help him through it.

Does anyone know of any foods, or perhaps herbal remedies that would give the libido a boost, in a way counteracting the effects of the medication?

That is something I would be very interested in.

Diet might help, he doesn't eat well. I cook for him and been trying to teach him how to cook so he can eat good every day. Very nice question!

He's suppose to go in to get his meds adjusted in the next week or so. So fingers crossed.

The pump is a good idea I will suggest it.

I love him very much, I want to make him happy. If there is anything I can do to make it easier on him, I would gladly do it.

I would suggest:
1) There's no harm in asking the Literotica community but let's face it, the best person to be answering these sorts of questions is a doctor.
2) If he can achieve erection in the first place then it's far less likely to be the medication and far more likely to be mental.
3) If he is taking medication to treat depression then there is a huge, neon sign flashing that says "prime suspect for this is the depression".
4) As a man, it's easy during sex to concentrate so hard on the mechanics of thrusting and position that the eroticism vanishes together with the erection. I suggest that during sex he tries thinking of the thought that turns him on the most and keeps that firmly in his mind.

I hope my inexpert suggestions help. Good luck and I am certain this is just a temporary phase that almost all us men go through.

Thank you for your ideas!

Wellbutrin was a disaster for my ex. It had the opposite effect. It made her absolutely fucking crazy. She's battled depression since childhood. Doctors experimented with different medications and dose levels. They decided on Wellbutrin, and her sex drive disappeared. It caused a detatched feeling from her body. She explained it as if I was fucking someone else and her mind was watching me fuck a cadaver. Herky kerky muscle spasms at night, sleep apnea, violent outbursts. The outbursts led to a diagnisis of bipolar2, which I'm not sure really is a diagnisis, and a mood stabilizer was prescribed. She never took it.

Eventually she got tuned in on Effexor XR, but it took years to get there. Stay away from the generic Effexor (non XR), especially if you are on high dose, as you will likely experience withdrawl symptoms. Spend the extra money. She's on 150mg right now, might need more. I've had to talk her out of using the free 37.5 mg ramp-up doses for bad episodes.....she has stockpiled a bunch over the years....Effexor slowly becomes less effective over time.

Everyone is different.

He's having the spasms along with the dysfunction. He gets trembles like someone with Parkinson's. According to studies I've read on the side effects the symptoms should go away in a couple months after the medication is changed. I hope for the best.

 

[StoneWorker]

..............

 

[brunette1989]

Anti-depressants definitely affect my sex drive, I'm female. I kinda wonder if it affects my ability to orgasm. I still get them but I've been on it for years so I don't remember if I had as much trouble before going on them.

Echoing the others here, I think the medication your husband is taking is the cause, he should talk to his doctor.

I'm wondering that too about being able to orgasm. My problem is that I've been taking my anti-depressants since I was 17 and I only started having sex when I was 18 so I have no way to know if it's affected me or not. I think my sex drive is only affected by my energy levels (I have a few vitamin/mineral definicies which I take stuff for) but I've never had an orgasm I'm too scared to stop taking my medication in case I go back in to depression and anxiety, plus when I miss a dose I get really bad withdrawal.

So does anybody know of any ways to help with sex without stoping the medication?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm wondering that too about being able to orgasm. My problem is that I've been taking my anti-depressants since I was 17 and I only started having sex when I was 18 so I have no way to know if it's affected me or not. I think my sex drive is only affected by my energy levels (I have a few vitamin/mineral definicies which I take stuff for) but I've never had an orgasm I'm too scared to stop taking my medication in case I go back in to depression and anxiety, plus when I miss a dose I get really bad withdrawal.

So does anybody know of any ways to help with sex without stoping the medication?

Youre also obsessive, and that may provoke the anxiety attacks and the depression. I think you need a competent MD.

 

[brunette1989]

Youre also obsessive, and that may provoke the anxiety attacks and the depression. I think you need a competent MD.

I'm excuse me? Where did you get obsessive from? I'm in a very happy place in my life right now and have not suffered from anxiety or depression for at least 2 years now.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm excuse me? Where did you get obsessive from? I'm in a very happy place in my life right now and have not suffered from anxiety or depression for at least 2 years now.

I touched a nerve. Obsessive is my immediate impression of you. It accounts for the other issues you report.

But obsession is good, anyone who succeeds in this life is usually obsessive, especially smart people. Idiots are never obsessed.

 

[CBM514]

I'm excuse me? Where did you get obsessive from? I'm in a very happy place in my life right now and have not suffered from anxiety or depression for at least 2 years now.

Don't let him get to you.

Inability to orgasm is a common side effect of many anti anxiety and anti depressant medications. Paychopharmology isn't an exact science, so you may want to discuss your symptoms with your provider and look at dosages...often lowering just a bit can have the impact you are looking for without losing the therapeutic effect.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Don't let him get to you.

Inability to orgasm is a common side effect of many anti anxiety and anti depressant medications. Paychopharmology isn't an exact science, so you may want to discuss your symptoms with your provider and look at dosages...often lowering just a bit can have the impact you are looking for without losing the therapeutic effect.

I recommended she get a competent MD.

MDs do all kinds of wild and crazy shit, and a medical license means nothing.

A while back an old friend of mine was overwhelmed by pain in his face, and spending every hour at home in a chemical coma prescribed by his MD. He was either in pain or unconscious. The fool MD tried everything but mostly pain medication.

So I recommended an authority to him, he saw the guy, had day surgery (clipped a nerve behind his ear), and that was the end of the pain and distress. True, he had slight numbness in his jaw after the nerve was cut, but hey! it didn't hurt.

I recall one MD who sent a woman to see me for headaches. I called him up, WACHU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT A HEADACHE? The pains in her head so its a psychiatric problem, he said. And I replied THERE ARE NO PAIN RECEPTORS INSIDE A SKULL. The woman was a phenobarbital addict and outta meds. So I sent her to detox.

These bastards will kill you if you aren't careful.

 

[CBM514]

Some docs are good and some are bad, regardless of speciality...but I would hesisitate to make a clinical or differential diagnosis over a discussion board

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Some docs are good and some are bad, regardless of speciality...but I would hesisitate to make a clinical or differential diagnosis over a discussion board

I believe you. And I think her MD is a dud (and sees her in person).