![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 9:40:23
Greetings all, I am an 8 year Veteran of a Low Dose of Serzone/Nefazodone - It helps with my depression and anxiety very well. BUT my Genital seems not sensitive to touch or pleaseurable feelings, THUS making me not think about sex that much or crave it. When I do have sex I get hard, and ejaculate, but it takes concentration to make me ejaculate, and when I do it is pathetic in its spurting compared to before pre depression and Medication. I very rarely have morning erections. Last Year I filed it down and got down to 180mg a day (20 mg) reduction over 27 days, I started having morning erections, and looking at females again with some desire, and jmy wife said it felt like I was ejaculating harder in her when I climaxed. My genital was feeling senstive again to touch and pleasure, however I got scared of Depression returning and did feel more down so I took it back up to 200mg daily and within 2 days the sex drive was gone again, and my shaft feels kinda numb to the touch and stimulation and weak ejaculations again. PLEASE is there a remedy out there ? I tried adding wellbutrin, but that made my heart pound to hard. PLEASE someone if you know something I can suggest to my doctor to get my Sex Drive Back without giving up my medication, please tell me.
Thank you - Nefazodone Boy
Posted by lunesta on October 17, 2005, at 10:07:05
In reply to ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 9:40:23
naltrexone
Posted by hawkeye on October 17, 2005, at 10:37:53
In reply to ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 9:40:23
Try the herb "Eurycoma longifolia Jack", otherwise known as Eurycoma or Tongkat ali. It has been widely used in Malaysia and surrounding countries for a very long time as as aphrodisiac and for sexual dysfunction. Only recently has it become popular in the US. (Below are some links to research studioes on it's effects). Because it also increases Testosterone, it is available in many body-building supplements. You can easily find more about it and the available products on the internet with a Google search.
Low testosterone may be part of your problem. There were some studies done several years ago showing that SSRI's and SNRI's lower testosterone levels.
http://www.priory.com/psych/sexdys.htm
Tongkat ali Research links:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9353636
Posted by tecknohed on October 17, 2005, at 12:20:58
In reply to ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 9:40:23
This seems unusual as Serzone is normally thought to have very few, if any, side effects on sex. Because of this I doubt there's much literature on Serzone induced sexual problems. Still, I KNOW the feeling - I have the same problem at the moment with Nardil, but from previous experience I know it'll fade with time (I HOPE).
Try this link from Dr. Bob's Psychopharmacology Tips. Its full of doctors suggestions and reports:
http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/SSRI-sexual-dysfunction.html
Here's another very good one to try:
http://sulcus.berkeley.edu/mcb/165_001/papers/manuscripts/_684.html
Viagra seems a valid choice in many cases. I tried it with Nardil and it did nothing, but it seems a different case with SSRIs. Gingko can also help and there's other herbs to try too.
Good luck,
Teck.
Posted by pseudoname on October 17, 2005, at 13:19:23
In reply to Re: ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by lunesta on October 17, 2005, at 10:07:05
lunesta,
How is naltrexone a help for low sexual response? Do you mean as an adjunct to the Serzone? Did you have an experience with naltrexone that way?
Thanks for any info. (I'm on Day 30 of my naltrexone trial.)
Posted by pseudoname on October 17, 2005, at 13:35:46
In reply to ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 9:40:23
Nef Boy, can I ask just a couple questions? I apologize if I've mis-read your post.
• Has the low sexual response been consistent for all of the 8 years you've been on Serzone?
• When you were down to 180mg last year, you say you "got scared of depression returning." Is that because your mood started deteriorating more than usual?
• When you tried adding Wellbutrin, what dose did you start with? How long were you on it that it had the palpitations? (I'm definitely NOT suggesting you should "tough it out." But depending on the details of your experience, it may be that Wellbutrin *could* be added back with some care. That's why I'm wondering.)
• How old are you?
• What does your pdoc say?
Thanks.
Posted by SLS on October 17, 2005, at 16:41:07
In reply to please expand? » lunesta, posted by pseudoname on October 17, 2005, at 13:19:23
Hi.
> Thanks for any info. (I'm on Day 30 of my naltrexone trial.)
Sorry to intrude.
What illness are you treating with naltrexone?
What dosage are you taking?
What are the results so far?
Thanks for any response.
- Scott
Posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 17:00:17
In reply to a couple questions » Nefazodone Boy, posted by pseudoname on October 17, 2005, at 13:35:46
Hi, I do not care what they say, this is a Son of a Gun to get off of, I am telling the truth I have been on 200mg a day so long that if I even scrape off 3mg I feel it 4 hours after I was to take my afternoon dose, that is the ONLY think I hate about Anti Depressants - I got down to 180 filing off a small amount each day ever so carefully till I got to 180mg however it was getting hard for me to walk, I felt stiffer in my joints, and I was sleeping less and dreamong more vividly but I did not feel bad, but I knew it was going to keep getting worse - I face the fact I need medicine, but I am only 35 and want my sex drive back, before I got depressed and took Serzone/Nefazodone I was a sex maniac I could do my wife once a day easily and could hardly stand it if I had to wait 3 days for sex, then when the depression hit I had no sex drive, after the Serzone/Nefazodone I had a sex drive but NEVER like my old self, HOWEVER when I got down to 180mg a day, besides starting to feel like I had arthritis I was disiring females again. waking with morning wood, and ejaculation with more force, and getting aroused quicker looking at my wife in the buff, but on 200mg I feel 1/2 numb down there, and have to work for orgasm/ejaculation and it is retarded somewhat, but I do not feel crippled, and my mind feels more alert on the 200mg a day. The Wellbutrin was 75mg a day, I put it on my tounge the 1st day and my heart took off like a jet so I spit it out and tried it the next day with the same effect and jaw pain/headache - I just want to feel like a man again but still take the 200mg a day - Please someone tell me a proven remedy and a safe one. It is hell not being able to desire your woman or any girl like you once did.
Nefazodone Boy
Posted by pseudoname on October 17, 2005, at 18:11:35
In reply to Re: please expand? » pseudoname, posted by SLS on October 17, 2005, at 16:41:07
Hey, Scott. I appreciate your interest. I've been waiting to give a sort of report on my naltrexone trial until I had a better idea of how it's going to turn out, but it's not looking too promising now. <sigh>
> What illness are you treating with naltrexone?
Unipolar depression. I've tried a couple dozen ADs & combinations over the last 17 years or so, with almost no benefit from anything. I had a weird, private theory about my depression and thought naltrexone might fit my case. I had a hard time finding a pdoc who would prescribe it, though!
> What dosage are you taking?
I started 30 days ago at 25 mg/day. But then I read one of your earlier posts (I *think* it was you), where you said you'd tried it without success and wondered if your dose was too low. So after my first week, I upped my dose to 50 mg/day, which is the standard for drug rehab. I don't think anyone takes higher average doses than 50 a day.
> What are the results so far?
I'm telling myself it's too early to write it off as (another) failure. I'm going to wait another week or so, which will make it 30 days at the full 50 mg. That's the length of time Wayne R (remember him?) said it took for naltrexone to kick in. Lee Dante's anecdotal reports also cite 30 days as the required time. Of course, most of the reports are for using it as an adjunct to a conventional antidepressant, and I'm taking it solo. If I still have no benefit next week, I'll probably add Paxil or something else to it and give it another couple months.
It had remarkable effects in the first few weeks: absolutely NOTHING was rewarding. This was a different experience than even my worst depression, but it's hard to describe exactly what the difference felt like. It was not bad or painful like depression, it was just that there was no reason to do anything. Weird. Anyway, that result has subsided.
It seems to have muted my caffeine buzz but intensified the jittery aspect of caffeine.
Naltrexone has shortened the relief I get from my occasional Adderall capsules. Adderall used to give me 6-8 hours of improved mood; now it only lasts 3-4 hours. It turns out there's research citing the same effect.
Sexual response went below zero. I assume that was a side effect, since it seems to be gradually coming back. That's partly why I was surprised at lunesta's advice to try naltrexone for low sex drive.
Some other initial results like tons of vivid, happy dreams have gone away. So much so that if it weren't for the continuing mild nausea I'd almost think I accidentally got a placebo in my last refill.
I will report more as it goes on. I'd be interested in anyone's suggestions, too.
Posted by lunesta on October 17, 2005, at 18:20:00
In reply to ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 9:40:23
low dose naltrexone between 9PM and 1AM 4.5MG
www.lowdosenaltrexone.orgIt works my libido and erections were insane. Works for females to. It increases endorphins, DHEA, and testosterone.
It also has remissed my Fibromyalgia and lifted my spirts.
Good luck. also yahoo group lowdosenaltrexone.
type low dose naltrexone in yahoo or google. read up on pubmed about naltrexone or naloxone enhancing sex drive in men etc etc
Posted by lunesta on October 17, 2005, at 18:22:26
In reply to Re: ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by lunesta on October 17, 2005, at 18:20:00
your using it wrong. low dose naltrexone, not normal or high. the key is endorphins.
www.lowdosenaltrexone.org
yahoo group lowdosenaltrexone
Posted by pseudoname on October 17, 2005, at 18:28:04
In reply to Re: a couple questions to PSEUDONAME, posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 17:00:17
Wow. Clearly, you are strongly affected by psychoactive chemicals.
There are a few threads about Parlodel (bromocriptine) helping with desire and ejaculation. It might be worth a look.
My initial low doses of Effexor (about 18 mg) made me horny & orgasmic as heck. But it was a side effect that wore off in a couple weeks, and Effexor might also affect you strongly in other undesirable ways. Still, it might be worth a look.
Also, keep on your pdoc about this. If he/she can't help, you could ask about a referral to a specialist.
Posted by Iansf on October 17, 2005, at 18:54:20
In reply to ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 9:40:23
I think the problem you might find the most difficult to correct is the lack of sensation. I had that with Luvox, along with impotence and anorgasmia, but it was the lack of sensation that was the most unpleasant. That and the absence of connection between sexual thoughts and my body. I still had sexual thoughts, and sexual images and the idea of sex registered in some way, but it all seemed somewhat abstract. It was like I had the knowledge of wanting sex, but it wasn't anchored to anything physical. So even when I tried Viagra and got an erection, it was essentially meaningless. I didn't feel anything from my erection any more than I would have from a broom handle. I stayed on Luvox for about three years because it helped with certain areas of my life, but the extreme frustration it created around sex led to me to quit. I would not want that state again.
Posted by pseudoname on October 17, 2005, at 18:56:33
In reply to Re: ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by lunesta on October 17, 2005, at 18:20:00
lunesta, I'm glad you've clarified that you meant LDN, which is a whole 'nother kettle of fish than simply "naltrexone".
> your using it wrong.
I assume this is directed at me. It hit me like a punch to the gut. My usage of this drug, like the dozens before it, is not "wrong." It simply is my best effort at this time to do what I can. I don't think you know enough about my situation or my goals simply to label my effort "wrong."
As a general rule, it's better for we Babblers to speak about our own experiences than to run others down for theirs.
Posted by lunesta on October 17, 2005, at 19:49:54
In reply to low-dose naltrexone » lunesta, posted by pseudoname on October 17, 2005, at 18:56:33
I didnt mean to put you down, i just meant that for libido, it needs to be used @ low dose naltrexone.org type standards. I apologize if i insults you it was not my intent and your right i dont know enough. Just trying to help with libido.
Posted by lemon68 on October 19, 2005, at 4:41:14
In reply to ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOPE, posted by Nefazodone Boy on October 17, 2005, at 9:40:23
I can feel your pain, Nef. Boy. While my trial of Serzone was not as long as yours, I can speak as someone who has tried a lot of different meds and the common problem is almost always some degree of sexual dysfunction. For example, I started Celexa - years ago - and my mood and sex drive went thru the roof. 6 months later I was making sad excuses to my girlfriend about why we weren't having sex anymore.
I could give more examples, but bottom line, I've found that meds that have worked also increased my sex drive only temporarily - and as the med stopped working, so did my sex drive. I don't think doctors - or the meds industry - are willing to admit the extent to which AD's can negatively impact a patients sex life - the meds that don't cause negative SEs are by far the exception and not the rule.
I am currently trying a low dose of Lexapro ( 2.5 mg) along w/ Adderall 10 mg per day. I think that Lex has pretty much killed my sex drive, even at that small dosage.... and my current girlfriend ain't happy.
Anyhow, good luck...
Posted by Reggie BoStar on November 10, 2005, at 23:31:35
In reply to Re: ANY REMEDY TO HELP MY MALE SEX DRIVE ??? I HOP, posted by hawkeye on October 17, 2005, at 10:37:53
Those research articles are great if you're a middle-aged male mouse or rat. What does Long Jack do to middle-aged men?
Regards from the human geriatric ward,
Reggie BoStar (known to women everywhere as someone they've never heard of !!!)
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.