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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Joe Schmoe on July 27, 2001, at 21:37:07
Have you ever found that while you are still capable of having an orgasm, it doesn't feel particularly pleasureable, but just feels kind of strange, almost like a urinary burning? I had this experience on imipramine years ago, and am now experiencing something like it on Wellbutrin or Klonopin (not sure which is to blame). I am wondering if this is a temporary effect as I ramp up on the Wellbutrin (going into my fourth week), or whether I am going to have to drop this drug like I did Paxil to save my sex life. (Dropping Klonopin doesn't seem like an option with my SP.)
I am also experiencing chest pains, I think these might be from the Wellbutrin as well, they feel kind of like anxiety pains where your chest muscles contract. I was surprised that the Klonopin did not relax me enough to make the chest pains go away. Maybe this means my 2 mg/day Klonopin dosage is too low. Adding some Inderal helps at times, and tonight I resorted to taking several Xanaxes as well as some more Klonopin, to try to get rid of that sensation. Having a tight chest pain for a week at a time is not fun.
Posted by Thrud on July 28, 2001, at 6:48:33
In reply to Weird orgasms, posted by Joe Schmoe on July 27, 2001, at 21:37:07
> Have you ever found that while you are still capable of having an orgasm, it doesn't feel particularly pleasureable, but just feels kind of strange, almost like a urinary burning? I had this experience on imipramine years ago, and am now experiencing something like it on Wellbutrin or Klonopin (not sure which is to blame).
I had *exactly* the same reaction to Wellbutrin. I was on Wellbutrin by itself, so it was definitely the culprit. Orgasms were so painful I had to put Ol' Willy under running water! Needless to say I did not persist with Wellbutrin long enough to find out if it was temporary or not.
Thrud
Posted by Joe Schmoe on July 28, 2001, at 8:32:54
In reply to Re: Weird orgasms, posted by Thrud on July 28, 2001, at 6:48:33
I wonder if there is a name for this side effect. It is not decreased libido, or anorgasmia, or erectile difficulty. I do not recall seeing it mentioned anywhere as a side effect, yet "unpleasureable/semipleasureable orgasms" is something that seems to occur on imipramine, Wellbutrin, Paxil (when you can have them at all) and who knows what else. I just hope it wears off eventually on the Wellbutrin. It never did on the imipramine. I thought Wellbutrin was supposed to enhance sexual enjoyment!
> > Have you ever found that while you are still capable of having an orgasm, it doesn't feel particularly pleasureable, but just feels kind of strange, almost like a urinary burning? I had this experience on imipramine years ago, and am now experiencing something like it on Wellbutrin or Klonopin (not sure which is to blame).
>
> I had *exactly* the same reaction to Wellbutrin. I was on Wellbutrin by itself, so it was definitely the culprit. Orgasms were so painful I had to put Ol' Willy under running water! Needless to say I did not persist with Wellbutrin long enough to find out if it was temporary or not.
>
> Thrud
>
Posted by jojo on July 28, 2001, at 18:16:24
In reply to Weird orgasms, posted by Joe Schmoe on July 27, 2001, at 21:37:07
> Have you ever found that while you are still capable of having an orgasm, it doesn't feel particularly pleasureable, but just feels kind of strange, almost like a urinary burning? I had this experience on imipramine years ago, and am now experiencing something like it on Wellbutrin or Klonopin (not sure which is to blame). I am wondering if this is a temporary effect as I ramp up on the Wellbutrin (going into my fourth week), or whether I am going to have to drop this drug like I did Paxil to save my sex life. (Dropping Klonopin doesn't seem like an option with my SP.)
>
> I am also experiencing chest pains, I think these might be from the Wellbutrin as well, they feel kind of like anxiety pains where your chest muscles contract. I was surprised that the Klonopin did not relax me enough to make the chest pains go away. Maybe this means my 2 mg/day Klonopin dosage is too low. Adding some Inderal helps at times, and tonight I resorted to taking several Xanaxes as well as some more Klonopin, to try to get rid of that sensation. Having a tight chest pain for a week at a time is not fun.I was experiencing shortness of breath and later some bilateral chest pain,
especially during sex or other exertion.
I thought it might be related to Celexa. I'm 61, with excellent risk factors regarding cardiac disease.Had a treadmill test, then a Thallium Stress Test,
then an angiogram, and then a cardioplasty and cardiac
stent inserted. Avoided a heart attack, and no longer am short of breath or
have chest pains.
Orgasms aren't any better, but no more chest pain or
shortness of breath.
Posted by Joe Schmoe on July 28, 2001, at 18:42:01
In reply to Re: Weird orgasms, posted by jojo on July 28, 2001, at 18:16:24
> I was experiencing shortness of breath and later some bilateral chest pain,
> especially during sex or other exertion.
> I thought it might be related to Celexa. I'm 61, with excellent risk factors regarding cardiac disease.
>
> Had a treadmill test, then a Thallium Stress Test,
> then an angiogram, and then a cardioplasty and cardiac
> stent inserted. Avoided a heart attack, and no longer am short of breath or
> have chest pains.
> Orgasms aren't any better, but no more chest pain or
> shortness of breath.So you are saying you did experience the strange orgasms, but the chest pain was from a heart condition? I am set up to take a stress test for my heart in a week just in case, but I am only 36 so I suspect it is more of an anxiety thing.
Posted by jojo on July 28, 2001, at 21:54:29
In reply to Re: Weird orgasms, posted by Joe Schmoe on July 28, 2001, at 18:42:01
> > I was experiencing shortness of breath and later some bilateral chest pain,
> > especially during sex or other exertion.
> > I thought it might be related to Celexa. I'm 61, with excellent risk factors regarding cardiac disease.
> >
> > Had a treadmill test, then a Thallium Stress Test,
> > then an angiogram, and then a cardioplasty and cardiac
> > stent inserted. Avoided a heart attack, and no longer am short of breath or
> > have chest pains.
> > Orgasms aren't any better, but no more chest pain or
> > shortness of breath.
>
> So you are saying you did experience the strange orgasms, but the chest pain was from a heart condition? I am set up to take a stress test for my heart in a week just in case, but I am only 36 so I suspect it is more of an anxiety thing.
The shortness of breath came about a year before the chest pain. Since you're only
36, it's comfortable to think that it's more an anxiety thing ; >), and I thought that it
was connected with Celexa, which can cause (?) ( who knows what to believe from
product inserts anymore; let's say 'has been associated with' ) pulmonary fibrosis, but
as my "risk factor", based on lab reports, was less than 1/3 the chance of "normal" for
having heart disease, and the lesions were old (lots of calcium breaking up when he
compressed them), the problem could have been there for twenty years, when I used
to have a Big Mac and Fries for lunch just about every day. You're probably right ; >) ,
it's just anxiety, but it was nice to avoid damage from a heart attack.
jojo
Posted by Cindylou on July 29, 2001, at 8:41:04
In reply to Re: Weird orgasms, posted by jojo on July 28, 2001, at 21:54:29
I experienced chest pains on Wellbutrin, and had to cut back my dose. Klonapin didn't seem to help me either, unless I took more than my regular dose (1/2 tablet instead of 1/4) which would put me to sleep.
I was on 300 mg. Welllbutrin, now I'm taking 150 a day -- 75 mg. twice a day (the non-sustained release). I just started upping it to 175 mg (one 100 mg a day, and one 75 a day.) So far so good. For some reason, I think the non-SRs are less aggravating to me.
Hope everything smooths out for you! I don't have much of a sex life these days, so I don't have much to contribute on the "weird orgasms." Oh well ...
take care, cindy
Posted by Emmah on July 29, 2001, at 10:37:18
In reply to Weird orgasms, posted by Joe Schmoe on July 27, 2001, at 21:37:07
> Have you ever found that while you are still capable of having an orgasm, it doesn't feel particularly pleasureable, but just feels kind of strange, almost like a urinary burning?
Hi Joe,
Your problem made me think of what I have read in some other newsgroups about retrograde ejaculation. I dont know if this could be the same you are talking about, but I copied the text from the newsgroup below. (It's from the Yahoo group about Effexor.)
Good luck,
EmmahFrom: dan_gunter_2001@y...
Date: Sat Jul 14, 2001 1:30 pm
Subject: Re: Abnormal Ejaculation
Going to be direct here, my friend."Retrograde ejaculation" is a known side-effect of the SSRI antidepressants (and can happen on some of the non-SSRI's, too.) In retrograde ejaculation, during the male orgasm, instead of semen being ejected normally from the penis, it gets forced into the bladder. A strange sounding but real occurrence. The male feels the sensation of an orgasm, but something seems amiss, to the partner, per se'. I have heard this described as "dry orgasm."
Please pardon the bluntnessin my response and terminology everyone, but this question called for a straightforward answer. Many people are not aware of this phenomenon, but it can occur with these medications. I'm sure there could be other forms of "abnormal ejaculation," but this one I am familiar with.
Dan
-- In effexor@y..., ftlaud1496@y... wrote:
> I was reading the side effects of effexor and
> it says something about Abnormal
> ejaculation...any guys in here have that and
> what exactly does that mean.
>
> Thanks
Posted by Joe Schmoe on July 29, 2001, at 11:41:03
In reply to Re: Weird orgasms » Joe Schmoe, posted by Emmah on July 29, 2001, at 10:37:18
Thanks for the information. That is definitely not the problem here, but in the past (when not on any ADs by the way) I have experienced an occasional deep burning sensation after orgasm that made me think something had gone down the wrong way. My urologist said urine (which is acidic and I guess causes the burning) can sometimes get forced into wrong tubes or something, I guess it can get pushed into the seminal vesicle, he told me not to lift any heavy weights while my bladder was full, and since then I have not had this symptom trouble me any more (or at least very rarely). But for a while there I had to be careful not to urinate for about 30 minutes before or after intercourse.
But the weird orgasm sensation is more of a brain thing, the whole process just feels different, tingly but not pleasureable, it was quite obvious on imipramine and I recognized the feeling on Paxil and now on Wellbutrin. I think it is starting to fade away on Wellbutrin though and become more pleasureable again. Time will tell.
Posted by terra miller on July 29, 2001, at 23:36:34
In reply to Weird orgasms, posted by Joe Schmoe on July 27, 2001, at 21:37:07
> Have you ever found that while you are still capable of having an orgasm, it doesn't feel particularly pleasureable, but just feels kind of strange, almost like a urinary burning?
< feeling overwhelmingly shy >
"feeling like urinary burning" is very descriptively accurate. wellbutrin; trazodone; serzone. it kind of does similar stuff to us ladies, too... just different plumbing so to speak. as usual for side-effects, decreasing dosage often solves the problem; or not using the med at all. i've noticed any med. with that descriptive warning on it (ie: trazodone, serzone...) of problems of "sustained erections in males" should be met with caution and believability for both sexes. do you need to slow down on the increases of your wellbutrin? (i am not a doc) -blushing terra
Posted by Joe Schmoe on July 30, 2001, at 11:24:18
In reply to Re: Weird orgasms » Joe Schmoe, posted by terra miller on July 29, 2001, at 23:36:34
I have noticed in the last few days (almost done with my fourth week of Wellbutrin) that orgasms are returning to normal, or perhaps even slightly better than normal. I see a pdoc tomorrow so I might ask about reducing my Wellbutrin dosage a bit since I am still getting chest tightness/pains fairly frequently, despite also taking Klonopin.
Posted by Thrud on July 30, 2001, at 22:02:08
In reply to Re: Weird orgasms, posted by Joe Schmoe on July 30, 2001, at 11:24:18
Joe:
How is your sexual function with Klonopin alone? I have stronger anxiety symptoms than depression and Valium helps quite a bit, but it takes the sensation out of sex (even at 5mg per day). I have the same problems with ADs so I choose the non-addictive troublemaker.
Valium is the only benzo I've ever tried. Are there others (like Klonopin) that do not cause sexual dysfunction? I would be very interested in an anxiolytic which doesn't cause sexual dysfunction.Thanks.
Thrud
> I have noticed in the last few days (almost done with my fourth week of Wellbutrin) that orgasms are returning to normal, or perhaps even slightly better than normal. I see a pdoc tomorrow so I might ask about reducing my Wellbutrin dosage a bit since I am still getting chest tightness/pains fairly frequently, despite also taking Klonopin.
This is the end of the thread.
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