Contents:
- Medical Video: Why Antidepressants Kill Your Sex Drive - And What To Do About It
- What is the connection between consuming antidepressants with sexual problems?
- Antidepressant side effects in women
- Antidepressant side effects in men
- Types of depression medications that can cause sexual side effects
- How to deal with sexual problems caused by antidepressant drugs?
Medical Video: Why Antidepressants Kill Your Sex Drive - And What To Do About It
Someone who is severely depressed is likely to be prescribed depression medication to improve mood. Unfortunately, some of these classes of drugs actually have a negative effect on your sexual desire. What is the connection between sexual passion and antidepressant drugs? Find out below.
What is the connection between consuming antidepressants with sexual problems?
Depressed drugs or also called antidepressants help improve mood someone by changing the function of natural chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. In the brain, neurotransmitters are substances that are involved in sexual response. This substance is part of the task of increasing communication between brain cells and triggering more blood flow to the sex organs.
Unfortunately, antidepressants affect the neural pathways that regulate sexual response. A mental health specialist and researcher at the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, Dr. Frederick K. Goodwin said depression medicine can affect one's sexual desire and function. If consumed in high doses and for long periods of time can increase the risk of sexual dysfunction.
Sexual side effects of antidepressants sometimes increase when drug doses increase. Some types of antidepressants, namely selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have side effects on sexual problems, both in women and men.
Antidepressant side effects in women
Women who take antidepressants generally report various discomforts when having sex. Vaginal dryness because lubricants that don't come out during intercourse are one of the things that are often complained about. In addition, many women also complain about a lack of desire to have sex. This condition is certainly very disturbing relationship and can trigger a fight.
For that, talk to your partner what you are experiencing and feeling. After that, consult your doctor to get the best solution. Also consult your obstetrician if you are taking an antidepressant if you are on a pregnant program. Some drugs may cause complications in pregnancy.
Antidepressant side effects in men
The most common side effects in men due to the consumption of antidepressants are decreased libidio and erectile difficulties. In addition, some men also have difficulty maintaining their erection and experiencing premature ejaculation. Others have difficulty reaching orgasm.
Some depression medications such as Celexa can even cause the number of male sperm to drop to zero.
Types of depression medications that can cause sexual side effects
Here are some types of depression drugs that have sexual side effects, namely:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which includes citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva), and sertraline (Zoloft).
- Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), which includes venlafaxine (Effexor XR), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla), and duloxetine (Cymbalta).
- Tricyclic antidepressants and tetracyclines, such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Pamelor) and clomipramine (Anafranil).
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOIs), such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate). However, selegiline (Emsam), MAOI is used by attaching it to the skin because it is shaped like patch (patch) has a low risk of sexual side effects.
How to deal with sexual problems caused by antidepressant drugs?
If you experience sexual problems after taking medication for depression, then do not delay to consult a doctor. Ask your doctor whether your loss of sexual desire for your partner has something to do with the medication you are taking. If so, then ask for advice and alternative medicines that can overcome your depression without destroying your sex life and your partner.
If you are taking an antidepressant that causes sexual side effects, your doctor will usually recommend the following items, such as:
- Wait for a while. This time you use to see if the sexual side effects produced will improve over time. It usually takes up to weeks and months to see the changes.
- Adjust the dosage of your depression medication. This is intended to reduce the risk of sexual side effects because the risk will increase with increasing doses. Reducing the dosage on the advice of a doctor may be an alternative solution.
- Provide another alternative antidepressant. Giving other drugs with lower side effects can be another solution offered by a doctor.
- Add a second antidepressant. This is intended to fight sexual side effects produced by the first drug. For example by adding Wellbutrin. A recent study states that small doses of Wellbutrin (75 to 150 mg) combined with other antidepressants can help reduce the sexual side effects of these antidepressants.
- Provide additional drugs to improve sexual function. If your antidepressant suppresses sexual desire, the doctor is likely to prescribe arousal enhancing drugs such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis) or vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn).
- Adjust sex time. If you feel this depression medication lowers libido, then it's good to take it after sex to reduce the side effects.
Everyone will react differently to the depression medication they consume. Not infrequently people stop taking depressed drugs because of sexual side effects that are felt. As a result, the depression is not resolved properly. Therefore, ask for advice from a psychiatrist to treat your depression problems without feeling sexual side effects. Your doctor may need several prescription trials to find out which depression medication is most suitable for you.
