Does anyone take an SSRI that does not have the sex side effect?

Answer 1

The most commonly used class of antidepressants called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have quickly risen to the top of the charts for their effective ability to treat depression However, there is one big problem: SSRIs have a negative effect on a woman's normal sexual functioning. In fact, many women experience these negative effects to such a severe extent that it results in them ending treatment altogether. Luckily, this negative side effect has been recognized and a variety of options have been developed to deal with this problem.

If an SSRI is only being taken for acute treatment and the only problem with it is that it causes a decrease in libido, the best thing to do might be to just deal with it during these short time-spans. However, if the drug is being used chronically, the woman will probably want to do something to get rid of this negative side effect. Sometimes, after the body gets used to the drug, a side effect can simply go away. If this does not happen (or if the patient just does not want to wait), here are some other options to consider:

a. Reduce the dosage: Side effects (including loss of libido) are dosage-dependant. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the dosage enough so that the patient's libido will be restored while still maintaining the anti-depressive benefits. Unfortunately, one study showed that 81.4% of patients suffering from SSRI-dependant sexual dysfunction had no improvement even after 6 months.

b. Take a drug holiday: This involves taking some time off from the drug in order to revive the patient's libido for a short period of time. However, this cannot be done with all of the SSRIs; a drug holiday can only be taken from those with a short half-life, which refers to the amount of time a drug will remain in the body before it is eliminated. Prozac is the only SSRI that cannot have a holiday, since its half-life is so long that, even upon stopping the drug; it will remain in the body's system for weeks. Fortunately, a holiday can be taken from Zoloft, Paxil, and Luvox, as their half-lives are all short enough that the body can eliminate the drug fairly quickly (26, 21, and 15.6 hours respectively).

c. Typically, the patient takes the pill on Thursday. Libido resumes on Friday and then it's off you go for the second honeymoon weekend. The next pill is taken Monday. Most patients don't get a noticeable return of depression. A woman should never spontaneously take a drug holiday, though; be sure to consult a doctor first on how to do it.

d.Switch antidepressants: There are some antidepressants that don't have such a negative impact on a patient's libido. Consider ending the use of the SSRI, allowing the body to wash it all out of its system, and then starting up again on a different drug such as Wellbutrin or Manerix. Many studies have shown the positive effects of Wellbutrin on libido. In one study, 81% of patients who had switched from Prozac to Wellbutrin experienced a significant increase in libido. The only problem with Wellbutrin is that it cannot be used for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Therefore, those taking Prozac for this reason cannot make this switch. Manerix also has a positive effect on libido; in one study that involved switching from Prozac to Manerix, all of the patients reported resolution of their sexual dysfunction. Remeron and Serzone also have been recommended.

e. Use antidotes: These are drugs that contain 5-HT2, alpha2 adrenergic receptor antagonists, and dopamine receptor agonists.

f.Increase clitoral stimulation: If the woman is having trouble with her orgasms, it may not be due to the medication at all. A majority of the traditional sexual positions to not supply the woman with enough clitoral stimulation for her to orgasm. The woman should try informing her partner of this and see if it helps.

Before messing with the drug, all patients should be aware that depression and sexual dysfunction often go hand-in-hand. Therefore, loss of libido in someone who suffers from depression may not be due to the SSRI alone. The cause of this loss of libido should be determined before deciding upon a course of action to treat it.

Answer 2

Most of the SSRI s if not all have sexual side affects . There are few studies which suggest using medicines like cyproheptidine to help with those side affects but practical clinical knowledge about them is very limited. There are slightly different type of antidepressants like Nefazadone which dont cause sexual side affects that often.

the best thing is to be open and discuss with your psychiatrist for an alternative

Answer 3

Unfortunately, very few of the ssri's do not have that side effect.
Talk to your doctor about wellbutrin. It apparently does not have that specific side effect but it does have others.

Answer 4

That is just a side effect of that class of drug. Nothing you can really do about it. Some might have less of an effect than others.