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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Sandra on April 27, 2000, at 21:45:24
I can't take any more of this feeling of being a human guinea pig. It is seeming to just be necessary for me to get off all the meds....Losing my sexual desire, sensation/feeling physically and the ability to share orgasm with my husband has actually WORSENED my depression after trying zoloft, then serzone...it got better but I couldn't stay awake or remember ANYTHING...and now on celexa. I have decided to go off of all of the anti-depressants with the help of my Dr. and am down to 10mg a day and am going to continue counseling and get on a regimented more active exercise program....I need more aerobic activity. Also checking my diet and sugar levels and hormones...PMS is the trigger for my depression and it seems to ebb and wane each month regardless of the meds anyway. So we're taking another approach. Anyone else have similar experiences with this? did anyone find anything that counteracted the inability to enjoy sex on celexa....because other than THAT side affect I had NO side affects and DID in fact notice a difference. Felt cheerier. No drowsiness, sleep disorders, nausea, headaches...nothing. Just no sex life either and my husband MISSES me truly FEELING something when we make love. He can really tell the difference in me. HELP?
Posted by KarenB on April 28, 2000, at 0:47:18
In reply to Celexa, zoloft, serzone... no more!!!, posted by Sandra on April 27, 2000, at 21:45:24
Sandra,
Have you ever tried any other classes of ADs? The three you mention are all SSRIs. I have tried enough of those to swear off the entire class for life. But, for some, they are magic.
You may want to try Wellbutrin - it is a more stimulating AD - not an SSRI AND does not cause sexual dysfunction.
What do you mean by "depression," anyway? Your definition will help others to give you some suggestions. Is it complete lack of energy, wanting to sleep too much, apathy and inability to feel joy... or maybe restlessness, insomnia and anxiety combined with feelings of ominous, impending doom? Your answer to this would make a difference in what may be recommended and ALL of these are symptoms of "depression." All depression is not necessarily stemming from the same imbalance. And sometimes, things are not what they seem - I was diagnosed with major depression for years, then bipolar disorder, then we finally got to the truth: I am ADD, innattentive type without hyperactivity. Since I have been researching this disorder, it has explained much of my life to me. Depression is part of the picture when it goes untreated. I am amazed - and hopeful for success with my new meds (I just started).
Hope you find what is right for you - don't give up now. People do get better. Really.
BTW - not feeling anything during sex with your husband is, to me a COMPLETELY unacceptable side effect. I have read that sometimes that can be overcome by adding maybe Wellbutrin to the Celexa or other SSRI but I would probably opt for giving something altogether different a try.
Best to you, Sandra!
Karen
Posted by ruth on April 28, 2000, at 8:20:13
In reply to Celexa, zoloft, serzone... no more!!!, posted by Sandra on April 27, 2000, at 21:45:24
Oh Sandra...I'm sorry...I know EXACTLY how you
feel, believe me. Finding the right med for some
folks can be such a long, frustrating process.
Unfortunately I'm one of those people too. It
seems like the SSRI's are the meds that work best
for my depression, and of course they're the ones
that are the worst offenders of sexual desire/sensation.
I've been trying to find the right med combination
for almost 2 years now. I quit seeing general
practicioners b/c most of them just don't know
enough. I started seeing a pharmacologist, and
of course, that's expensive--insurance only covers
1/2 of the $100 fee. I almost thought I found the
right combination--a trycyclic (desipramine). I
noticed that my mood wasn't QUITE as good as with
prozac, but at least I could easily orgasm. However,
it did lower my desire for sex...and I started a
new job that was very stressful, and had a major
depressive episode. Apparently the desipramine
wasn't enough to prevent that, and I was in such
bad shape that my p-doc put me back on prozac since
that's what works really well for my depression.
Now it's a few months later, and I want my sex
life back. I'm now on desipramine and prozac--so
now I have the lack of desire plus the lack of
sensation. I get so sick of this. I'm going to
be married in a year, and my fiancee has only
experienced my real sexual self in brief episodes
where I've tried other drugs that don't effect
my sex drive, but also don't effect my depression...so
the times we've had REALLY fabulous sex have also
been the times where I'm in tears most of the time
we're not in bed. THAT's no good either.OK--this is long winded and not helping you and
I am so sorry. But I'm ready to start trying
other combinations again and feel slightly hopeful.
One of the reasons I feel hopeful is that I just
read a really good book that just came out
HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR ANTI-DEPRESSANTS. THere's an
excellent chapter on sex drive and AD's with many,
many good suggestions of how to deal with it.
It's probably the most information I've ever read
in any book on that specific topic.Also, I didn't experience sexual side effects on
CELEXA at 10 mg's--same with prozac, at 10 mg's
I didn't get the sexual side effects. Something
to consider, just watch to see if your depression
will suffer as a result of the lower dose--that
happens for some folks.Buy that book--check it out on BarnesandNoble.com,
I ordered it online and got it within 2 days.I hear ya, sister, and I feel your pain! I hope
you get an answer soon, I hope I do too.Ruth
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