Citalopram - Erections

[NewcastleMale]

Can anyone explain why I no longer suffer from being impotent when on Citalopram ? Its the only med which helps my impotence problem, im not complaining but to be honest I no longer suffer depression hence I would like to come off Citalopram. The only reason im taking it now is it has cured my erection problems ! I'm trying to find out why it helps this problem in order to find an alternative medication, perhaps not an antidepressant / ssri.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as my GP told me he didnt know why Citalopram has helped my erection problem.

[NoPoet]

I had the opposite effect mate, my old man wilted like a flower without water when I was adjusting to citalopram.

As far as I know citalopram can increase sex drive in some men so that's probably it. Also if it's improving your mood that could be the reason. Anxiety is such a passion killer.

[PoppyC]

Well if I were your girlfriend I would encourage you to keep on taking it!

lol @ Poet for saying "my old man wilted like a flower without water"

[NewcastleMale]

Citalopram improves my erections but kills my libido !

[PoppyC]

Well maybe when you have stopped the citalopram you may feel fine and your depression may have gone, which may make your libido come back and maybe you wont be impotent. I guess there is no knowing until you try it and find out for sure.
I dont know of any specific help for impotence but I am aware there is help out there. Have you researched online? Sorry I cant be of more help - maybe the others on the site can be?

[up a ladder]

I never found a problem with the citalopram, but when I was on Amatriptalin, I was libido-less for a long time.

[NoPoet]

I blamed citalopram for killing my libido in the early days but in reality it was anxiety that had destroyed my desire to get it on.

However the anxiety attacks which citalopram caused were made far worse whenever there was any change to my breathing patterns and that included the kind that accompany horniness.

My mojo began to return after less than two weeks on citalopram when my mood began to improve and some of my old cockiness came back (pardon the puns). I learned how to deal with my anxiety attacks and I gradually became normally erectile once more

[NoPoet]

Anyway, what's Poppy doing hanging around the erection thread, eh?

[alias_kev]

Less sure about Cit' but its cousin Esc' is documented to affect orgasm rather than erection. From experience it seemed to me that the higher the dose (total and in the body) the less easy it was to reach orgasm. ie. 10mg Esc' fairly difficult, 20mg Esc' very difficult. On 20mg Esc (= 40mg+ of Cit') it was also harder to maintain concentration rather than the actual erection (in say a "private" moment).

Citalopram has the same active ingredient and another side-effecting one so I'd guess it would be similar or wider ranging. I became convinced that the medication or its serotonin manipulation is what effects this function. Now it may be that we need a minimum level of serotonin to (as it were) get it on and have the system function (or maybe we just need less anxiety) which would explain your benefit. I wonder also if orgasm involves the rate of change of our serotonin and so on high meds we cannot get the rapid increase that may be needed to produce it. ie. we are on high levels all the way through. Or maybe it is related to the re-update of the serotonin and so the SSRIs like Esc' can interfere with that. Just found an article which supports/documents some of this. It may help your goals. There is also a fair bit on the web about natural & herbal approaches - although I don't know anything about that.

As pychopoet has said our anxiety/mood/confidence will all affect sexual response regardless of medication or indeed whether we are a sufferer or a "normal" person. That's probably why so many people get over involved under the influence of alcohol, etc since inhibitions and thinking are both reduced - allowing emotional and sexual responses to flourish. And I'm not saying that to suggest you take to drink! I'm just saying we are complex creatures especially when emotions and sexuality interact.

And well done to Poppy for helping keep the mood light! With us all having so many problems and craziness there is no point us being embarrassed about mere physical symptoms and problems!

[PoppyC]

Anyway, what's Poppy doing hanging around the erection thread, eh?

lol @ Poet! I was trying to help him out! lol