cipralex - sexual side effects?

[daisycake]

I'm on day six.. and I've completely lost my sex drive. Or rather - have lost the abiliity to feel sexual pleasure. I'm now feeling rather, er, frustrated shall we say.. And want to come off the tablets - but my mum's not having any of it as she thinks they're fine considering I'm no longer anxious! What to do? Does it come back to normal eventually?

[deepreason]

Quick answer is no sadly. It doesn't usually but that doesn't mean always.
Maybe have a chat with your doc about trying a different med, thee are enough out there that you should be able to find one with a better side effect profile for you. Just remember the docs have heard it all before, don't be embarrassed :)

[Nattyburt]

hey,

I have been on citalopram for 5 years, and although i lost my sex drive to begin with, it did come back after a few weeks. you should stick with it!

xx

[smb25]

I have been on cipralex for a couple of months now and to be honest for me its kinda gone the other way. I probably have a higher sex drive than before (or is it where im just not so anxious). Putting it plainly... the drive is there, but its a little harder to reach climax. That particular area seems a bit numb??? i get there in the end but it takes a lot longer and sometimes it doesn't happen. Good job i have a patient hubby who seems to understand.

From what I have read, a lot of medication can have the effect of your sex drive taking a bit of a nose dive.

[shoegal]

Unfortunately it's a common side effect of anti-depressants but I'd stick with them as it's only been 6 days and you say they are already helping with your anxiety! I'd wait 6 weeks to give your body a chance to adapt and if you're still not happy then perhaps talk to your Dr about it. To be honest, if the meds are helping with your anxiety I would stick with them as loss of libido is a small price to pay for being anxiety free for a while surely?

[daisycake]

I know what you mean, that maybe I ought to just put up with it. Buuut I sort of feel like I can now prove to myself that these feelings are solely anxiety - if medication can calm them down, they must be - and therefore will find them easier to deal with, without the medication? If that makes sense. I feel so stupid for thinking that. I've grown up doing certain things to relieve stress and tension - and now I can't do that. Which is annoying - I'm not anxious or worrying so much anymore, but can't get rid of tension - sometimes up to ten times a day which isn't good, and I'm sort of glad it's calmed down but I don't want to not be able to at all! am feeling very fed up - because I know that I have the ability to but I just can't! I'm sooo frustrated and I don't know what to do :( I feel so bad as my doctor said she's never had anyone with problems on this medication, that it works blissfully for everyone who tries it, so maybe it's all in my head.

[daisycake]

It states on the internet as well that it can be a permanent side effect (i.e life long), and that's something I really don't want.

[Spongeballz]

Uhhh ohhh, is this a case for Citalopram too?? Have started on those this Monday and my girlfriend went back home the Friday before, she's coming back next week. Don't want her to come back and be hit by pill-induced dysfunction, that wouldn't be fun :/

[daisycake]

I don't know, it seems to affect everyone differently though. I really want to stop taking these - I'm waking up with a thumping headache, sore throat and blocked nose, I'm falling asleep randomly and have literally zero sex drive at all. It does say online that 28 days is when you would start having withdrawal if you stopped - and I'm seeing my GP on the eighteenth soo I would only have taken a max. of 22. So will carry on taking them til then and ask to stop haha!

[alwaysanxious]

youknow what daisy sex drive was thelast thing on my mind when i was suffering panic/anxiety. yes it does take away the feelings but most antidepressants do that anyway which is a bummer,ive been on cipralex10 months now and my sexdriveis only just coming back but takes me years still (feels like it) to climax,but id rather wait than suffer with panic dissorder,, youll be fine hun just go with it oh and this is the second time ive been on cipralex in 8 years and the time i was off meds my feelings came back eventually so dont worry.
take care lisa .