girlfriend and her sex drive???

Question

My girlfriend has just started taking anti-deppressants and now she tells she has no feelings happy,sad,mad etc
she also told me she lost the urge to have sex on a scale of 1-10 10 being the worse how bad do theses drugs mess you up with feelings and her sex drive ,, I try soi hard to be supportive but I cant help to feeel she dont want me anymore and it kills me

Answer 1

It is one of the side affects of the meds

Answer 2

I had the same thing happen to me whenever I was on anti-depressants. I decided to go off of the meds because the side effects were worse than the depression! I felt like a zombie, someone could have told me my mother died and I would've just thought "Gee, that sucks". Of course if her depression was out of control (as in suicidal) than she should definitely stay on the meds, just maybe talk to her doctor about the feelings she's having/not having and he might suggest that she try a different medication (there's a ton out there and some work much better for certain people than for others). Or if she feels like I did maybe she should consider going to therapy instead of taking meds. Either way she should consult her doctor.

Answer 3

I hope you find an answer and I'm going to watch this question closely. In January my wife and I will have our 5th anniversary. Ten months after our wedding she had a breakdown and was hospitalized for 2 weeks. She was started on antidepressants and anti anxiety drugs. Our sex life started to diminish at that point. In 2005 we had sex only 6 times! The last time was on Nov 28th 2005 and there has been none since. It has been over a year now since any sexual encounters and we have been separated for 9 months(her choice). This is killing me because I still love her more than life itself. She said that she was just dead inside and didn't feel anything. I hope there is an answer to your question. I really need it too!!

Answer 4

Anti-depressants should make you feel better - not feelingless. It is possible that the dose it to high or it just is not the right medicine for her. She should go back to her therapist or Dr. and tell them she is NOT feeling better and keep trying things until she is. If need be, get another Dr. There are medicines that can really help but you won't find them unless you keep looking - be persistent. Remember this is just as hard for her (worse) than it is for you. Hang in there.

Answer 5

A diminished sex drive is a side effect of many of the anti-depressant drugs. Perhaps there is one she could take that would not have as strong of an effect on her sex drive. I doubt if it has anything to do with her feelings for you. It is only the side effects of the drug. It has the same effects on men and women.

Answer 6

im sure your girlfriend really does love you, i went through this phase with my bf, have you been arguing / not getting along lately as this can also play a part in her loss of sex drive. I think you should sit down with her and tell her how you feel, the truth may hurt but if she knows the truth then maybe she can seek help, from the doctors maybe.

Me and my bf talked and sorted our problems out, we gradually started to get on better and i just felt so much more love for him i wanted sex all the time, i hope u get things sorted.

Answer 7

I was on anti-depressants for a while. I wouldn't really say that they "change" your moods, they just take a lot of the edge off of the mind. As for the sex drive? That's just a symptom and it only lasts for about a few weeks.

Answer 8

Many anti depressants do supress the sex drive. Plus it sounds like your woman is taking a very high dosage - based on your report, she doesn't feel any emotions AT ALL now! She should speak to her doctor about having her dosage reduced!

Answer 9

I'm sorry to here this, it dose sound like your girlfriend is trying to ditch you, my wife had been on anti-depressants her whole life and she' a ninfo, she can't get enough. But she might be on the wrong anti-depressant, there are quit a few of them out there see if she will try a different one and see how that works out, if she dose not want to change then......sorry man **** happens move on and fine some one new. Good luck.

Answer 10

Common Anti-depressants and Female Sexual Dysfunction


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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 (see bottom of page for list of names). However, there is one big problem: SSRIs have a negative effect on a womans 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.

Some may be worse than others, but maybe not for women
All SSRIs seem to cause sexual dysfunction, yet there is some variation within this class of drugs. Prozac is the worst SSRI for libido, decreasing it in 11% of its patients. Following behind are Paxil (3.3%), Luvox (2%), and Zoloft (1.7%). But, in one study using only women, there was no difference between the major brands in womens sexual dysfunction. It is not clear if this finding should be taken at face value, though. (See Gender Differences below)

The Problem is Much Worse Than the FDA Implies
Many studies find rates of sexual dysfunction dramatically higher than the official FDA statistics. It is likely that the FDA, when preparing its list of adverse reactions to a certain drug, requires patients to spontaneously report any symptoms or side effects (as opposed to directly asking them if they are experiencing a certain side effect). This means that many cases of sexual dysfunction may go unreported, as people may be hesitant to report it or do not think of it.

In fact, one particular study found that only 14% of patients spontaneously reported SSRI-dependant sexual dysfunction. However, when the doctor asked about it specifically, sexual dysfunction was actually found in 58%. Also, one study on Paxil showed that 50% of patients were affected by decreased libido! This same problem may be behind the failure to document the full range of sexual dysfunctions by the FDA that are found in many other studies. These include decreased libido (desire), arousal, intensity of orgasm and other symptoms.

Gender Differences In The Drugs Or Gender Bias In The Research?
One particular study showed that men display more symptoms of sexual dysfunction, while women experience their symptoms more intensely. And as mentioned, another found no difference in rates of dysfunction with different drugs in women, unlike men. This may not be true. It is very possible that the results reflect survey questions are geared towards men. These studies often look at aspects of sexual dysfunction that are uniquely male (delayed ejaculation, inability to ejaculate, and impotence), in addition to ones that are gender non-specific. The more symptoms a person is asked about, the more likely they are to say yes to at least one of them. No studies were found that surveyed decreases or failure to have multiple orgasms or any other female-specific sexual side effects.

It could be that womens dysfunction is not picked up on these surveys until it is very severe. Overlooking the mild to moderate womens symptoms would give the false appearance that womens dysfunction is less but more intense. Women are slower to orgasm than men in the first place, so perhaps orgasmic delay is missed when studying women.

What To Do
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 patients 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 patients 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 bodys 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 its off you go for the second honeymoon weekend. The next pill is taken Monday. Most patients dont 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 dont have such a negative impact on a patients 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.