Posted by ethan on February 10, 2002, at 4:15:54
In reply to Re: Sexual Side Effects SUCK (ok, bad choice of words) » ethan, posted by bob on February 10, 2002, at 0:31:16
Yeah, I was near suicide when I asked for help in 1992. So don't patronize me with the "some people are trying to save their lives" stuff. Of course they're trying to save their lives -- so am I; you think I'm on medication because I Want To Be???
It's all a big compromise, and one concession I refuse to make anymore is the sexual side effects. When I read people complaining about sexual side effects I encourage them to talk to their doctors about whether their medication can be modified. What's Wrong With THAT?
Since I went on meds back in the early 90s I've been on just about any and everything they can try on me, with sometimes benefits and sometimes not. What you say about all medications producing sexual side effects which adversely reduce sexual function is simply NOT TRUE. Not ALL drugs do this. SSRIs do, but some may do this less than others, and it's better to TRY something else in case it is a more appropriate choice than settle for a life of sexual purgatory.
Exercise and socializing (rather than isolating) also have more to do with saving lives from mental illness than you may be imagining. Without either the medications are simply Not Enough. For those who think their sex lives are "over" (and believe me, on Paxil that's just what happened to me), there are alternatives. But it takes diligence and experimentation.
Wellbutrin does not depress my sex drive. When I was on Serzone with the Wellbutrin my sex drive actually increased. Serzone made me dopey, so I had to stop it. I nearly crashed my car on that stuff. But it might work for someone else. The important thing is to be proactive with the doctor and insist on being given information about every possiblity available rather than just "settle" for whatever the doctor prescribes. I've seen people in group do this, completely unaware of the fact that their are other drugs out there than Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft.
I'm not unsympathetic with anyone who is placing as a lower priority their sexual function over other matters; that's a matter of choice. However the benefits of medication for ME were never good enough compared with the sexual side effects. I know others feel the same. It's a topic that warrants discussion.
So please don't tell me it's hard enough to fiind something that makes you feel better -- I've been there and I know that, and sometimes those drugs make you feel worse because of the side effects. There's nothing worse in treating depresesion to find drugs that work that you can not tolerate -- it's worse still when you are torn over living a life of sexual abstinence (as though you are being punished for getting well).
I never said I was freed of sexual dysfunction. You obviously read into what I wrote, not what I wrote. I still have problems -- but the drugs are likely no longer the main issue. Now my concern over these drugs is whether I can tolerate the other side effects (and that's a whole other story). But I would encourage anyone on SSRIs to talk to their doctor and insist on being given alternatives, IF they are unhappy with their sex lives as a result of the medication.
ethan
> Ethan:
>
> I don't know what drugs you've found that have freed you from any sexual dysfunction whatsoever, but I'd contend that you're a rare bird indeed. Most males (and many females) experience sexual dysfunction on the meds and they live with it, because it's hard enough to find something that makes them feel better. I fear it's not as simple as not accepting it. Often people are trying to save their own lives. Usually during these times of crisis, sex takes the back burner. Of course, after the sex problem is solved one day, then there'll be the weight gain issue. That one doesn't exactly do wonders for people's self-esteem either.
>
> Bob
poster:ethan
thread:91928
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020208/msgs/93556.html