Posted by yxibow on February 5, 2007, at 13:47:48
In reply to Re: Ambien Anxiolytic properties » yxibow, posted by Pluto on February 5, 2007, at 4:27:02
> > Also, there are several other benzodiazepines you haven't tried, such as Valium.
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> No please. I have tried valium too without much luck. It also affects my sex drive. The only benzo (for me) that didn't have this side effect is librium, but unfortunately it amplifies my depression.
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> Can you recommend any other tranquillizer which doesn't have sexual side effects? I don't care delayed orgasm since I am male. But low sex drive is not something that I can afford. I tried both sulpride and amisulpride but they too are the same in the sexual department.
Yes, probably some scary old line neuroleptic that didn't have prolactin issues. I'm not sure where the need to be sedated (a particular song comes to mind...) What is the diagnosis ?
Benzodiazepines are generally in the low range as far as sex drive. I think anything that "tranquilizes" you will probably lower your sex drive and make you, well.. tranquil, as in medication-assisted disassociation. I mean you could try Atarax I suppose but that's fairly soporific -- its an antihistamine that has anxiolytic properties. Again, the trend is generally sedating medications, sleepiness.
Did you try Serax (oxazepam) ?
How long have you tried these benzodiazepines? When you stopped them, did your sex drive immediately return? Or is there a psychological component to it as well?
You could add a touch of Wellbutrin to your mix, that is one trick usually tried to increase libido, knowing that its sort of like having a fire put out (benzodiazepines) and then starting it up again (Wellbutrin) -- circular, but sometimes works for some people as Wellbutrin can be very sexually stimulating for some (SR/XR -- don't touch the original stuff, seizures, etc... although I suppose it doesn't matter as much since you are taking a benzodiazepine or have been anyway.)
Librium is fairly similar to Valium except much much weaker, which is why they created Valium to follow it.
The atypical antipsychotics, most of them are going to have some sort of prolactin or blunting issue...
The point is, is your depression, which I can only guess to be MDD not knowing your diagnosis, worse than not "getting off", pardon the description, or is the risk of breakthrough depression and suicide worse ?
As I noted, you can take Xanax and then drop a dose or two when you want the plasma level to go down for pleasure... remembering that you have to start it up again fairly immediately or anxiety is going to take over.
Otherwise, I can't really think of anything that I didn't mention before that is not going to have any sexual issues. Just about everything out there, SSRIs, TCAs, etc, have some sexual issue in some people. Its an unfortunate tradeoff to be made between an illness and wanting the pleasures of the prime of your life, so to speak.
So, to summarize, adding a little Wellbutrin maybe and lowering the dosage of benzodiazepines in general, and trying esoteric things like Serax or Atarax if you want to go through those trials.
I hope that helps, and don't think I'm making light of your situation.
poster:yxibow
thread:729860
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070201/msgs/730018.html