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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fairnymph on May 15, 2002, at 1:33:33
For the ladies, as that's what I'm interested in...
1)What antidepressants have you been on, and for how long, and at what dosages? Please list.
2)For each AD, please state how the AD affected your sex drive. Specifically, did it lower or increase your sex drive? Were you able to orgasm? How much did you feel that the AD affected your sex drive overall? If it had no effect on you sexually then please state that also...
Thank you!
As for me...
1)Prozac, 40 mg, 7 weeks
Remeron, 60 mg, 6 weeks
Effexor, 400 mg, 3 months
Reboxetine/Edronax, 8 mg, 4 weeks
Tianeptine, 37.5 mg, 6 weeks2)Prozac -- totally killed my sex drive. No interest in sex whatsoever. Could not orgasm no matter what. In fact, it took me a while off the drug to be able to orgasm again. It definitely was a major downer on my sex life and relationship...
Remeron -- Didn't affect my sex drive one way or the other. I could orgasm on it fine.
Effexor -- Slight increase in sex drive, but complete inability to orgasm. I eventually couldn't handle not being able to orgasm, so I went off it..
Reboxetine -- Significant increase in sex drive -- very nice! Still able to orgasm normally. I really liked being so sexual...
Tianeptine -- No effect whatsoever on sex drive or ability to orgasm.
Posted by Roo on May 15, 2002, at 10:20:36
In reply to Women: Sexual dysfucntion with ADs? Survey, posted by fairnymph on May 15, 2002, at 1:33:33
20 mg of prozac: still had a sex drive (maybe not
as much, but still wanted it), but significantly
affected my ability to orgasm. I could do it, but
it was a lot of work, and not nearly as intense.20 mg Celexa: affected my sex drive about the same
as prozac. Maybe had a little less of a drive than
I did while on prozac. Gained weight on it.Standard dose of Serzone (can't remember): No sexual side effects
Increased sensation and wonderful orgasms! Man! I was really
hopeful about this one but it made me feel crazy, irritable,
suicidal.Standard dose of Wellbutrin: Again was hopeful about this one.
No effect on sex drive or
ability to orgasm, but it didn't help my depression all
that much and I felt angry and irritable on it.Disipramine (again can't remember dose): Not as much of
an effect on ability to orgasm ( a little, not as bad as
prozac though), but had no sex drive. Somewhat helpful for
depression.Lamictal--Was taking in adjunct with an SSRI in hopes
that I could slowly drop the SSRI and rely on the lamictal
for depression. No go. I got really depressed when I dropped
the SSRI. I could have tried a larger dose of the lamictal to
see if that would have worked (I took 150 mg), but I was gaining
weight on it (about 15 pounds) and it would NOT come off despite
vigorous exercise and diet....but it had no effect
on my sex drive or ability to orgasm.Have never tried the MAO's, other tricyclics, effexor, or
remeron (I'd love to try it and see if it works, but I've
already gained so much weight from mood stabilizers and I
really can't stand to put on another pound...)\Interesting thread...I'll be interested to see the
responses. This is a major issue for me. I'm so bummed
that I only tend to respond to the SSRI's for depression...I'm starting to lose a little weight since lowering the lamictal...
I thought if I lost it all, maybe I'd give the remeron a try
and if I start rapidly gaining weight, just drop it. Did remeron
help your depression?Testosterone cream really upped my sex drive, but it doesn't
help all that much with sensation or ability to orgasm...Good luck and keep me posted!
Posted by Roo on May 16, 2002, at 10:21:35
In reply to Re: Women: Sexual dysfucntion with ADs? Survey, posted by Roo on May 15, 2002, at 10:20:36
Just curious...wish your post would have gotten more
responses...
Posted by fairnymph on May 17, 2002, at 4:14:22
In reply to Re:fairynmph--did remeron help your depression?, posted by Roo on May 16, 2002, at 10:21:35
> Just curious...wish your post would have gotten more
> responses...
Me too :(Remeron did NOTHING for my depression. All it did was make me extremely tired all the time (I was sleeping like 14 hours a day; 6 is normal for me!) and made me gain a LOT OF WEIGHT. I gained something like 9% of my body weight in 6 weeks! It was horrible...and I am very thin person naturally. I hate Remeron more than anything else I have ever been on! In fact, the weight gain triggered a severe depression that I have been in ever since...so yeah, if you are afraid of weight gain, I would be wary of Remeron.
I would suggest that you give Effexor a try. I couldn't orgasm on it but it didn't reduce my libido, and I found it moderately helpful for my depression. It didn't do much though for my OCD, and also, I developed a tolerance to it really quickly (after 3 months I was at the max dose but it stopped working for me). And I've never developed a tolerance to any other AD. Anyways, if you've had luck with the SSRIs, I think Effexor has a good chance of working well for you.
Also -- give reboxetine a try. I am very responsive to the SSRIs and I responded well (and very quickly -- what a nice bonus!) to reboxetine, which is a NARI (it selectively inhibits the reuptake of noradrenaline/norepinephrine -- i.e. it is to norepinephrine what the SSRIs are to serotonin). Reboxetine had almost NO side effects for me, as well...very nice.
~fairnymph
btw, my name only has one letter y in it! It is FAIRnymph not fairYnymph. A pet peeve of mine....
Posted by Roo on May 17, 2002, at 9:07:21
In reply to Re:fairynmph--did remeron help your depression? » Roo, posted by fairnymph on May 17, 2002, at 4:14:22
It isn't available in the US is it?
Posted by amber_spirit on May 17, 2002, at 9:19:09
In reply to Women: Sexual dysfucntion with ADs? Survey, posted by fairnymph on May 15, 2002, at 1:33:33
Here's mine...
Celexa - no sex drive, inhibited orgasm
Wellbutrin - increased sex drive, orgasm easier but still an effort
Paxil - no sex drive, no orgasm
Effexor - limited sex drive, inhibited orgasmJust a little comment from my pdoc I thought was hilarious...
He asked why I went off effexor xr. My response: "I haven't had a sex
life in 2 years. If it's not going to work for the depression why would
I stay on it?" His response: "Oh, so sexual side effects are an issue for
you." I'm a young married woman. DUH! sexual side effects are an issue.Sorry, just thought it was a really stupid comment.
AS
Posted by fairnymph on May 17, 2002, at 17:46:49
In reply to Re:FAIRnymph--Reboxetine, posted by Roo on May 17, 2002, at 9:07:21
No, sadly it is not available in the US.
Email me if you need more info -- jnoble@stanford.edu.
Posted by Analine on May 19, 2002, at 18:52:57
In reply to Women: Sexual dysfucntion with ADs? Survey, posted by fairnymph on May 15, 2002, at 1:33:33
This is an interesting thread! I haven't been on that many ADs but I thought I'd add my 2 cents anyway.
* Aurorix, 900mg/day for about 6 months which had no side effects whatsoever (including no sexual ones)!!! (but it had no AD effects either)
* Effexor XR 75mg for 9 months, no libido but when I did have sex no organsm problems. Maybe that's due in part to the low dosage???
:) Thanks guys for drawing attention to this real and valid problem. When I complained about Effexor my doctor said "they all have side effects" and gave me another script (I read between the lines: "deal with it you whinger")
:p
xxx
Posted by Marie416 on May 20, 2002, at 13:55:29
In reply to Re: Women: Sexual dysfucntion with ADs? Survey, posted by Analine on May 19, 2002, at 18:52:57
Here ya go.
Luvox- don't remember it affecting sex drive or orgasm or sensation (was not in relationship though)
Effexor-killed sex drive and sensation for months, then very limited sex drive and sensation.
Wellbutrin- sex drive very limited and sensation limited too.
Posted by zoe on May 23, 2002, at 9:33:50
In reply to Re: Women: Sexual dysfucntion with ADs? Survey, posted by Marie416 on May 20, 2002, at 13:55:29
> Here ya go.
>
> Luvox- don't remember it affecting sex drive or orgasm or sensation (was not in relationship though)
>
> Effexor-killed sex drive and sensation for months, then very limited sex drive and sensation.
>
> Wellbutrin- sex drive very limited and sensation limited too.
That's interesting, i seem to have the same effects w/ wellbutrin, despite it being the drug that supposedly enhances sexual activity. bummer, b/c every other drug (effexor, all SSRIs) had the same effect. serzone didn't, but i felt dizzy, sedated and drugged all of the time. ick.
Posted by katekite on May 23, 2002, at 16:55:25
In reply to Re: Women: Sexual dysfucntion with ADs? Survey, posted by amber_spirit on May 17, 2002, at 9:19:09
Here's mine:
Prozac: no orgasm, felt numb in a particular small phsyical area you know where. Decreased sex drive.
Paxil: low dose: delayed orgasm, a little numb, no change in drive.
Zoloft: slightly decreased drive, no orgasm until 7 months into it when regained the ability though was very delayed.
Celexa: priapism, really. had to stop it. painful.Serzone: no change in anything.
Moclobemide: enhanced sex !! (could feel everything more and had more drive, more orgasms) in the first day or two of treatment but sadly that wore off... then just normal (which was fine too).Ritalin and Adderall: no change, or possibly higher sex drive.
Have taken a few other ADs but not for long enough to know.
kate
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