Antidepressants and libido...

[timurlenky]

I'm wondering if any one has any experiences or advice about antidepressants and side effects affecting libido.

I'm 20 almost 21 and I'm going to start taking antidepressants (150mg of Wellbutrin XL) in an attempt to lift the long time depression that I've been dealing with.

One thing I'm wary of is I've heard people taking antidepressants lose any desire for sex or have trouble having orgasms. I love masturbation (probably one of the only things I still enjoy), so I'm wondering what to expect in terms of this.

 

[bailadora]

Yes, it's true that some anti-depressants can have an unpleasant side effect of dampening the libido. Celexa and Lexapro are two that come to mind. That said, it's just a possibility, not a certainty. A lot of it depends on how the medication interacts with your own personal chemistry. On the plus side, I understand Wellbutrin is the one anti-depressant that has reported minimal to no adverse sexual side effects.

As an aside: I'm sorry to hear you've had such a long battle with depression and I wish you well in the continuing fight.

 

[DrHappy]

Wellbutrin will actually INCREASE libido in a significant fraction of people. The SSRI class of antidepressants tend to lower libido. Sometimes, a doctor will combine the two. Wellbutrin can be stimulating, while the SSRIs can be calming for people with anxiety and obsessive thoughts.

 

[swtrthnhoney]

Wellbutrin is an antidepressant that is not supposed to affect the libido or induce weight gain. However, antidepressants work differently for each individual. It is very important that you take this medicine around the same time every day and that you do not miss a dosage. It will take approximately 4 weeks before the medicine will reach the sustained level in your system. Likewise, it will take several weeks when it is time for you to discontinue your medicine.

For some individuals, depression is somewhat like diabetes. There are those who consider it a biological issue and those who insist it is a learned pattern of behavior. It really doesn't matter which it is... it only matters that you are brave enough to face it, stare it in the eyes, and tell it that you won't allow it to run your life anymore. There are purportedly 1 in 4 people with psychological issues of some sort, you are seeking to correct yours. Congratulations!

I strongly urge you to seek counseling/therapy in addition to the medicine (if you are not already). The medicine cannot make adjustments to any learned pattern of behavior that might be contributing to your depressive tendency. This will at times seem nonessential; however, with the right counselor it can make a big difference and aid the healing process.

There are a foods that naturally boost the serotonin levels in your body (this is in part what the antidepressant will do, at least this one in particular). Here is one article that identifies a few of those foods. It will not hurt to include them in your diet whether you are taking antidepressants or not. They will not interfere with your medicine.
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/drmao/foods-promote-happiness
There are foods to be wary of - caffeine, tobacco products, too much sugar, etc. Basically, you need to eat a healthy and balanced diet with a lot of vegetables and fruits. Apparently, they have those serotonin boosting ingredients. Be advised that drinking alcohol and taking antidepressants is typically not good. Alcohol is chemically a depressant.

The hardest thing is changing your patterns of behavior to look at things differently and think of things differently so you don't continually reinforce the depression.

You now have the chance to find and cultivate that happiness. You deserve to be happy! Wellness, and Happiness to you!

 

[frntloader]

Hi timurlenky,
thank you for starting a discusion onthe link between libido and antidepressants, yes I was on a antidepressant some years a go (sorry can't remember which one ) (definately not the one you are about to start on)((and wish I had known or been told about "Wellbutrin"))
yes it did effect me drasticly in both libido and the ability to orgasm, however as has been said in the other replies individuals react in diferant ways. And yours sounds like a BMW compared to a Ford or Holden.
You have passed the biggest herdel getting to where you are now, all I can suggest is continue onwards and upwards. I can say there is light at the end of tunnel coz I've been through it.


Keep in touch with your freinds n family, your medics and here.
I wish you well in all aspects of your treatment

 

[texhud]

I took them

They did effect my libido and ability to have sex. I could still get an erection but it was more difficult but I couldn't cum. You really can go on for too long . . . that did get old

 

[timurlenky]

Thanks for all of your input and kind responses.

I've started taking them today but don't really see any difference yet, which is expected, as swtrthnhoney said.

There are a foods that naturally boost the serotonin levels in your body...

This is good advice and I have been trying to eat better but (sugary) food has sort of become my comfort mechanism, so it's hard at times. I have found that taking Omega-3 supplements helped slightly, though.

They did effect my libido and ability to have sex...

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with them. Did you find that this became a big enough problem for you to want to stop taking them, or do the benefits outweigh the deficits?

 

[MissBea]

I took Wellbutrin for a while, and it didn't have much of an effect on my libido -- that is, not any more than the depression itself. I also tried Celexa and Prozac each for a while.

Recently, I've been able to manage my depression without meds. A few weeks ago, I started taking cod liver oil supplements (high in Vitamin A as well as Omega-3 fatty acids) and Vitamin D3. I take There's a lot of research out there linking chronic illness of various kinds with Vitamin A deficiency, and that federal nutritional guidelines seriously underestimate the amount that we ideally should be consuming. Likewise for Vitamin D -- that's the one the body produces with exposure to sunshine, but in the modern world, and especially in winter months, most people just don't get the sun exposure needed to keep up with the body's demands.

My mood has been pretty steady, but the most striking thing I've noticed is that my libido is suddenly totally restored. It has actually been a little overwhelming to figure out how to cope again with a supercharged sex drive, because it's been years since I've felt like this.

 

[fuckmeat]

I've been on Prozac and it killed my libido. This was a pain in the ass in some ways but it has proven to be a very good motivator. It can be easy to rely on antidepressants and once you've been on them for a while, withdrawing and then managing without them can be quite a frightening prospect. Your wellness at that point has been chemically augmented and you don't know how you'll cope without them. I was bereaved and am still single so I didn't have to worry about the impact my loss of libido might have on a partner. It sounds like you're single so that's something you also have on your side as it were.

With Prozac I found that I had no desire for sex or masturbation. Bereavement was also obviously a factor but the drug definitely affected me. When I did try masturbating not a great deal happened. I didn't get very wet or physically aroused and I didn't achieve orgasm. Masturbation became an exercise in frustration so I quit altogether for a while.

What you should keep in mind here is that antidepressants should not become a long term treatment for you, unless you have serious issues in your life that can't be resolved with therapy. Antidepressants are a psychiatric band aid. They won't deal with the causes of your depression and unless you take positive steps to get help, you may find that when you do try withdrawing from the drug you wind up back where you started.

Antidepressants will help you keep going; getting up in the morning, working/studying, keeping up appearances. They will help you find the motivation to seek help and stick with it long enough to make positive changes to your life and your outlook. But you have to do the legwork and work on whatever has put you in this hole.

If you manage to get help and make positive changes to your life, when you do come off of the antidepressants you'll not only get your libido back but you'll be in a better place and hopefully even ready to meet someone special.

Best of luck.

 

[AngelBella]

Hi

I started Lexapro last August and it did not affect my libido. In fact, I felt better so my libido actually increased. BUT, I could not get off. It was a bit frustrating to say the least. However, that side effect (or any others) did not last for me. It was gone after the first 2 months and all is back to normal in that department. I am a female tho so noooo idea if a male would have the same expierence.

Just my 2 cents.

AngelBella

 

[SlickTony]

Zoloft and Prozac

I have taken both of these, and both of them killed my libido. I not only couldn't get off--not even by myself!--I couldn't keep an erotic thought in my head. They'd all swim away. In addition to killing my libido, the Prozac brought on Red Man's Syndrome, an allergic reaction that causes your feet and legs to break out into spots and then turn red and swell up.

 

[Tasty_GA_Honey]

Lexapro and Effexor XR

From my personal experience a number of years ago, Effexor XR didn't have any sexual side effects for me but the Lexapro DEFINITELY caused "delayed" orgasms in my case (which only made the depression that much worse).

I would recommend being completely open and honest with your doctor. I was very lucky to have a doctor that I could talk about absolutely anything with, and we were able to make adjustments where necessary to find what worked best for me at that time in my life.

Best of luck my friend!! We're all here to support you.....

~warm, smooshy hugs~