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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 23 of 23. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by PhoenixGirl on January 21, 2004, at 18:46:50
Ok, I'm just going to cut to the chase here. My depression and medications have decimated my libido and sensation in my girlie region. I remember the good ol' days of my teen years when although I was depressed, I was horny as hell. I actually used to hump my armchair, and I want those days back dammit!!
Simply put, my life is drained of color without a sex. It's hard to describe what my libido is like now, because there is a little bit of it. I'm almost 26 and I've been deeply and chronically depressed since age 12. Intense social anxiety and generalized anxiety have gone with it also. Since age 13, I've been on a plethora of medications. Currently I'm on Lamictal 100mg, Strattera 80mg, Wellbutrin SR 300mg, Provigil 100mg, and a tiny amount of Klonopin.
When I reduce the Strattera, I notice an improvement in libido and physical feeling, but soon the depression becomes very overwhelming. At that point, all libido is gone anyway because of the depression.
I wanted to try Selegiline because it increases dopamine and thus could improve my sexual problems, but my doc said no. She thinks it'll kill me considering all the other crap I'm on. I thought to myself, "Look, I don't want to live if I can't enjoy d*ck!"
It's my hunch that a combination of the depression and Strattera are what's ruining sex for me. If I could find a med that improves the depression at least as much as Strattera, without that sexual side effects, I'd be ok.
Any thoughts or suggestions you guys?
Posted by zeugma on January 21, 2004, at 20:48:41
In reply to I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 21, 2004, at 18:46:50
Something you could think about would be buspar. It's used fairly commonly for the sexual side effects of SSRI's, and it ought to be just as effective (more effective, if my hunch is right) as an augmentor of a noradrenergic drug like Strattera.
I'm male, 36, take 80 mg Strattera, 75 mg nortriptyline, 30 mg buspar, .25 mg klonopin daily. If I was on a combo that depressed my sexual function, i would be depressed, especially since i am contemplating long-term use of these meds. Buspar had an immediate pro-sexual effect when i added it last year, that's not to say you would benefit necessarily, but one advantage of buspar is that pdocs will readily prescribe it because it's safe and non-habituating.
As an anxiolytic... well, that's another story, it's no Klonopin... but it sounds like you need help in another department, so buspar is worth a try.
Posted by zeugma on January 21, 2004, at 20:52:22
In reply to a good word for buspar, posted by zeugma on January 21, 2004, at 20:48:41
you're also on a tiny amount of klonopin... it's thanks to THIS drug that i might have a sex life in the near future... lol
Posted by HenryO on January 22, 2004, at 3:45:28
In reply to I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 21, 2004, at 18:46:50
Lots of opinion headed your way here.
Good topic. I agree. You deserve a satisfying sex life. I do too. Gaining weight and experiencing anorgasmia or impotence are very depressing.
I've lived with it when my life is so ruined that anything was better than severe pain, but I don't have to like it. I think long term Prozac use is a huge culprit in sexual dysfunction.
Lower the one you have hunch is numbing you out. You're probably right about it. Increase the Lamictal, because it is sex and weight neutral, and it has been great for me,(as good a reason as any.)
Wellbutrin makes me nervous, gives me night terrors and messes up my ability to form complete sentences in conversation. So I have only taken it for very short periods of time. Some people find it activating. My brother seems to like it. I don't know how much he takes. But I do know it is starting to affect his sex life.
Of course, stick with the meds you like and trust.
Prozac, Effexor and Nurontin each had a devastating effect on my libido and my boy parts, as you put it. Strattera is too speedy for me. It and Provigil make my forehead muscles kind of sore by keeping my eyebrows propped up, That is weird cause, I do well on Ritalin intermittently. I like Klonopin very much lately. Take more of that to get you through weaning off of a lot of the other stuff you're on, while the Lamictal builds up.
Be careful. Get help, if you decide to taper off some of these. After I dumped my cocktail because I'd lost all sexual interest and ability. I went through some ugly times. It took a few months to get my mood normalized. The sexually negative meds had to clear out as the Lamictal built up. I thought those other meds where doing nothing. In fact, even though I didn't feel so good on them, without them things were BAD. It took about a year to mostly feel sexually normal again. I am not yet te piggy I once was but I'm capable and interested again. My mood is pretty good, often, and I'm back in the chase.
One other thing, it might be the total cumulative combined effect of all these meds not one in particular. Who can say?
But for certain it is due to medication. So complain bitterly and try some new ideas or doctors, whatever it takes.
Most if not almost all these doctors have never taken one of the meds they prescribe. You have to be patient and persistent. Take your sex life back woman!! Or at least mostly back. Good luck.
Posted by cybercafe on January 22, 2004, at 5:22:51
In reply to I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 21, 2004, at 18:46:50
you can't beat parnate ....... though it can cause acne at higher dosages :( :(.... but it just drives the libido through the roof..... i've got 5 dates this week? more than i'd likei'm hoping i can get rid of the acne by changing my diet
> Ok, I'm just going to cut to the chase here. My depression and medications have decimated my libido and sensation in my girlie region. I remember the good ol' days of my teen years when although I was depressed, I was horny as hell. I actually used to hump my armchair, and I want those days back dammit!!
> Simply put, my life is drained of color without a sex. It's hard to describe what my libido is like now, because there is a little bit of it. I'm almost 26 and I've been deeply and chronically depressed since age 12. Intense social anxiety and generalized anxiety have gone with it also. Since age 13, I've been on a plethora of medications. Currently I'm on Lamictal 100mg, Strattera 80mg, Wellbutrin SR 300mg, Provigil 100mg, and a tiny amount of Klonopin.
> When I reduce the Strattera, I notice an improvement in libido and physical feeling, but soon the depression becomes very overwhelming. At that point, all libido is gone anyway because of the depression.
> I wanted to try Selegiline because it increases dopamine and thus could improve my sexual problems, but my doc said no. She thinks it'll kill me considering all the other crap I'm on. I thought to myself, "Look, I don't want to live if I can't enjoy d*ck!"
> It's my hunch that a combination of the depression and Strattera are what's ruining sex for me. If I could find a med that improves the depression at least as much as Strattera, without that sexual side effects, I'd be ok.
> Any thoughts or suggestions you guys?
Posted by colin_wallace on January 22, 2004, at 6:24:33
In reply to I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 21, 2004, at 18:46:50
> Ok, I'm just going to cut to the chase here. My depression and medications have decimated my libido and sensation in my girlie region. I remember the good ol' days of my teen years when although I was depressed, I was horny as hell. I actually used to hump my armchair, and I want those days back dammit!!
> Simply put, my life is drained of color without a sex. It's hard to describe what my libido is like now, because there is a little bit of it. I'm almost 26 and I've been deeply and chronically depressed since age 12. Intense social anxiety and generalized anxiety have gone with it also. Since age 13, I've been on a plethora of medications. Currently I'm on Lamictal 100mg, Strattera 80mg, Wellbutrin SR 300mg, Provigil 100mg, and a tiny amount of Klonopin.
> When I reduce the Strattera, I notice an improvement in libido and physical feeling, but soon the depression becomes very overwhelming. At that point, all libido is gone anyway because of the depression.
> I wanted to try Selegiline because it increases dopamine and thus could improve my sexual problems, but my doc said no. She thinks it'll kill me considering all the other crap I'm on. I thought to myself, "Look, I don't want to live if I can't enjoy d*ck!"
> It's my hunch that a combination of the depression and Strattera are what's ruining sex for me. If I could find a med that improves the depression at least as much as Strattera, without that sexual side effects, I'd be ok.
> Any thoughts or suggestions you guys?
Hi Pheonixgal,Straterra does seem the most likely culprit here, and substituting with something like Selegilne may not be a bad idea at all (although from what I've seen on this board, it's initial effectiveness can often fade.
Wellbutrin cannot be overlooked here either- although touted as pro-sexual, almost as many get some degree of dysfunction with it!
If your depression is severe, you may want to consider Parnate- seemingly pro-sexual, and it may just obviate the need for the Wellbutrin, Straterra and even Provigil!!
Much more manageable (if it works), and if youcan cope with the diet etc.
Personally, I use a small dose of Ritalin to counteract Prozac induced sexual side-effects, but if that ever fails me, I'll just come back and re-read your post a coupla' times!!! :)
Best,Col.
Posted by missinglynx on January 22, 2004, at 6:55:37
In reply to Re: I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help » PhoenixGirl, posted by colin_wallace on January 22, 2004, at 6:24:33
I would go for some Testosterone Cream..... This has a proven track record for stimulating a women's sex drive and reactions!
NO MD would argue this case.
Be WELL
Missinglynx
Posted by Bill LL on January 22, 2004, at 8:54:49
In reply to I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 21, 2004, at 18:46:50
Stattera is tchnically for ADD. In clinical trials, it failed as an antidepressant. But when you are on a combinations of drugs, I'm sure that one could feel depressed when stopping Strattera.
Maybe you should try to substitute Ritalin or Adderal for the Strattera.
Posted by theo on January 22, 2004, at 18:54:06
In reply to I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 21, 2004, at 18:46:50
Posted by Sebastian on January 22, 2004, at 21:25:20
In reply to I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 21, 2004, at 18:46:50
Me too! I don't even know any girls. I've been sick and taking meds for 7 years now. My sex life has sucked royaly, ever since. They aren't interested, I'm not interested, can't connect, can't tell, don't injoy it????? If girls can take testosterone pill, what do the guys have to take? Estrogen? Where do you get it? It's been 2 years+ now. Some thing is wrong, this makes me depressed. Why don't they have a pill for it?
Posted by PhoenixGirl on January 22, 2004, at 23:35:36
In reply to Re: I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by Sebastian on January 22, 2004, at 21:25:20
I'm interested in the testosterone idea, as well as the Parnate idea. How can I get testosterone cream or pills or whatever? It would be nice not to go to a doctor for it, I don't really want to ask one about it. The downside of women taking testosterone is that it supposedly can cause permanent changes in secondary sex characteristics, such as growing facial hair, enlargement of the clitoris, deeper voice, inability to pick socks up off the floor, etc. :) But I'm almost willing to have a beard if it means I can also get off.
I would like to try Parnate, but the problem is that I'd have to stop my other medications and let them clear out of my system for 2 whole weeks, my pdoc says. I can't do that because when I simply reduce the meds, I am so depressed I cannot function. I've heard it's possible for a very skilled pdoc to add a MAOI while decreasing other medications, though. I don't think my current pdoc would do that though (Sometimes she is almost nodding off to sleep during our sessions....no joke).
Thoughts or suggestions about testosterone and parnate?
Posted by PhoenixGirl on January 22, 2004, at 23:37:23
In reply to Testosterone - should I take it, where to get it?, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 22, 2004, at 23:35:36
I wrote this in my previous post, but wanted to make a special point of it:
I would like to try Parnate, but the problem is that I'd have to stop my other medications and let them clear out of my system for 2 whole weeks, or so my pdoc says. I can't do that because when I simply reduce the meds, I am so depressed I cannot function. Specifically, when I reduce Strattera, I get very depressed. When I reduce the others, I get very tired. I've heard it's possible for a very skilled pdoc to add a MAOI while decreasing other medications, though. I don't think my current pdoc would do that though (Sometimes she is almost nodding off to sleep during our sessions....no joke).
Thoughts or suggestions about testosterone and parnate?
Posted by cosis on January 23, 2004, at 2:09:30
In reply to Re: I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by cybercafe on January 22, 2004, at 5:22:51
What kind of acne is it, small bumps or like real pimples?
>
> you can't beat parnate ....... though it can cause acne at higher dosages :( :(.... but it just drives the libido through the roof..... i've got 5 dates this week? more than i'd like
>
> i'm hoping i can get rid of the acne by changing my diet
>
> > Ok, I'm just going to cut to the chase here. My depression and medications have decimated my libido and sensation in my girlie region. I remember the good ol' days of my teen years when although I was depressed, I was horny as hell. I actually used to hump my armchair, and I want those days back dammit!!
> > Simply put, my life is drained of color without a sex. It's hard to describe what my libido is like now, because there is a little bit of it. I'm almost 26 and I've been deeply and chronically depressed since age 12. Intense social anxiety and generalized anxiety have gone with it also. Since age 13, I've been on a plethora of medications. Currently I'm on Lamictal 100mg, Strattera 80mg, Wellbutrin SR 300mg, Provigil 100mg, and a tiny amount of Klonopin.
> > When I reduce the Strattera, I notice an improvement in libido and physical feeling, but soon the depression becomes very overwhelming. At that point, all libido is gone anyway because of the depression.
> > I wanted to try Selegiline because it increases dopamine and thus could improve my sexual problems, but my doc said no. She thinks it'll kill me considering all the other crap I'm on. I thought to myself, "Look, I don't want to live if I can't enjoy d*ck!"
> > It's my hunch that a combination of the depression and Strattera are what's ruining sex for me. If I could find a med that improves the depression at least as much as Strattera, without that sexual side effects, I'd be ok.
> > Any thoughts or suggestions you guys?
>
>
Posted by Janis on January 24, 2004, at 15:14:54
In reply to Re: I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by Sebastian on January 22, 2004, at 21:25:20
females all have a certain amount of testosterone just as males have a little estrogen....you go to a doctor who will prescribe natural hormones for you, whether it be estrogen, progesterone, tesosterone or a combination of the above...compounding pharmacies make them up for you and it is very common. they come in topical creams, losenges, pill form, and yes, men and women can both benefit from testosterone for sex drive. Just careful not to use too much or you'll go back to humping chairs and men/women in grocery store checkout lines. Janis
Posted by missinglynx on January 25, 2004, at 7:26:17
In reply to Re: I deserve SEX SEX SEX dammit! Help, posted by Janis on January 24, 2004, at 15:14:54
A compounding pharmacy in a large city has tons of females on the Testosterone cream. yOu would have to see your primary Care Physician probably to have a RXx written for you.
ITs very tough to find one compassionate to care, but if you already have one. its worth a shot!
Posted by PhoenixGirl on January 25, 2004, at 20:13:17
In reply to Janis is right!!, posted by missinglynx on January 25, 2004, at 7:26:17
I really don't want a beard. The penis, well...I'd rather have an enlarged clit, because that would rock.
I guess the doc would know how much testosterone is *too* much for a woman. Maybe just a little bit will increase mounting behavior.
Posted by Janis on January 26, 2004, at 9:55:51
In reply to Will I grow a beard or a penis?, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 25, 2004, at 20:13:17
No you will not grow either! As I said, all women have a small amount of testosterone naturally, the doctor may prescribe 2-20mg per day - a normal dose for women....it is trial and error until you discover what is the right amount for you...you may only choose to use it twice a week...the transdemal cream works surprisingly well! If you find you are aroused all the time (like a 16 year old guy) it might be best to try cutting back..the beard, etc will come later if you continue on high doses. There are a couple of compounding pharmacies which have an in-house doctor or have lists of doctors all over the country who believe in and are knowledgable in natural hormones and are willing to prescribe and consult with you. Janis
Posted by PhoenixGirl on January 26, 2004, at 20:08:04
In reply to Re: Will I grow a beard or a penis?, posted by Janis on January 26, 2004, at 9:55:51
Do you need a prescription for the testosterone? If not, where and what are these pharmacies you mentioned?
> No you will not grow either! As I said, all women have a small amount of testosterone naturally, the doctor may prescribe 2-20mg per day - a normal dose for women....it is trial and error until you discover what is the right amount for you...you may only choose to use it twice a week...the transdemal cream works surprisingly well! If you find you are aroused all the time (like a 16 year old guy) it might be best to try cutting back..the beard, etc will come later if you continue on high doses. There are a couple of compounding pharmacies which have an in-house doctor or have lists of doctors all over the country who believe in and are knowledgable in natural hormones and are willing to prescribe and consult with you. Janis
Posted by Janis on January 31, 2004, at 10:41:10
In reply to Janis - where are these pharmacies?, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 26, 2004, at 20:08:04
> Do you need a prescription for the testosterone? If not, where and what are these pharmacies you mentioned?
Cna I tell you on this forum?? If so - I will post the name and phone number. You do need a precription, but they have doctors who will consult with you and prescribe. Janis
Posted by PhoenixGirl on January 31, 2004, at 23:42:06
In reply to Re: Janis - where are these pharmacies?, posted by Janis on January 31, 2004, at 10:41:10
Hi Janis. I think it's within the rules to post that on here, because it's they're legal. If they were selling prescription meds to people who don't have a prescription, then you couldn't post it on here. But they are legit, so it's ok. You can just email me at thephoenixgirl@hotmail.com too. Thanks!
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 1, 2004, at 23:46:46
In reply to Re: Janis - where are these pharmacies?, posted by Janis on January 31, 2004, at 10:41:10
> Cna I tell you on this forum?? If so - I will post the name and phone number. You do need a precription, but they have doctors who will consult with you and prescribe.
Would the doctor doing the prescribing be licensed in your state?
Bob
Posted by Janis on February 2, 2004, at 5:59:43
In reply to Re: where are these pharmacies? » Janis, posted by Dr. Bob on February 1, 2004, at 23:46:46
Yes - they have doctors in MOST states who agree with natural hormones and will consult with you and prescribe - also an in-house doctor for New York and St. Louis Mo. which are their compounding pharmacy locations, Janis
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 2, 2004, at 17:48:37
In reply to Re: where are these pharmacies?, posted by Janis on February 2, 2004, at 5:59:43
> > > Cna I tell you on this forum?? If so - I will post the name and phone number. You do need a precription, but they have doctors who will consult with you and prescribe.
> >
> > Would the doctor doing the prescribing be licensed in your state?
>
> Yes - they have doctors in MOST states who agree with natural hormones and will consult with you and prescribeWill their doctors prescribe if someone isn't in a state they're licensed in?
Maybe just email me with the site before you post it?
Bob
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