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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by dina on May 6, 1999, at 10:28:14
hi there. i've been on celexa for a a month and a half. i've been on various meds and combinations of meds
(prozac, zoloft, serzone, serzone and wellbutrin, wellbutrin, luvox, luvox snd wellbutrin...) and now celexa.
the reason for all the changes is because of one small issue, sex drive and anorgasmia. with this, i think,
is desire, passion, motivation. on celexa, i kinda am numb. i don't have any feelings either way about things. i am just there. i am not sad or happy, i am not excited about things, nor am i terribly depressed
about things either. i feel as i am missing my passion for life. and sex is about the most depressing thing
on celexa, for me, because i feel i am coming to the end of the line on choices here. there is no sex drive,
and no orgasms and no interest at all, now there is just a fear that sex will be totally unenjoyable and unfulfilling. these anti-depressants are like the ethical birth control pill.they don't prevent fertility, they
just make you numb from the waist down. i am just frustrated and i don't know the path to take to get better. reading the threads, as i've been doing for the last two months, gives me hope that these side
effects will subside, but with every ad that i take, going off them and starting new ones and waiting
and hoping, is taking so long...a month here, and two months there, this is ending up being years...
and sometimes the ads don't prevent the depression, so up and down i go...
thanks for listening, i just needed to vent my frustrations...
dina
Posted by ruth on May 6, 1999, at 12:49:07
In reply to celexa/complete frustration, or lack of..., posted by dina on May 6, 1999, at 10:28:14
>Oh Dina...I'm so sorry...I really feel for you
and I know exactly how you feel.
Sometimes I feel like taking ad's has made me less
passionate as well. It takes the raw edge off the
pain, but for me, it also seems to take the raw
edge off the joy. The trade off has been a sense
of peacefulness. I miss the passionate feelings
though.
I really hope
the celexa works for you, and that the sex side
effects go away within a few months as some people
report. (I'm in the same boat as you--on celexa
a short amount of time--was psyched b/c I thought
'maybe this is the drug I won't have the sexual
side effect with!', only to be disappointed--i'm
hoping it will go away)..I feel the same frustration
of trying all the different meds, and how much
time it takes, and how wearing it can be on your
body and mind to experiment and try and find the
right combination. I'm starting to feel
stress rather than joy about my sex life, and
that makes me sad b/c it's always been the one
thing WASN'T wrong with me...
You said you've tried
Serzone--that's one I haven't tried and
I've heard
it has no sexual side effects--did you find it
still interfered?
Anyway, I'm sorry I don't have any helpful advice
your post just tugged at my heart because I know
what you're feeling. I'm wishing the best for you]
:-)
Posted by Wayne R. on May 6, 1999, at 13:41:55
In reply to celexa/complete frustration, or lack of..., posted by dina on May 6, 1999, at 10:28:14
You may want to look at this link.
http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/SSRIs-and-apathy.html (You need to be sure it is all together on one line) I am using Naltrexone for this problem and would reference the posting by Dr L. Dante. Best wishes... Wayne
Posted by dina on May 6, 1999, at 15:15:44
In reply to Re: celexa/complete frustration--Dina, posted by ruth on May 6, 1999, at 12:49:07
ruth- thanks for the words. i have been reading many of your posts, along with mare's and others.
this celexa thing goes up and down. some days, i'll feel great and others, just totally out of it. and
this final frustration of again, not having a sex drive, when i used to love having sex. serzone didn't work very well, and i slept all the time. i felt very slow, and the side effects were weird.
blurry vision, dizziness, apathy and weight gain. and adding the wellbutrin just made me slower
and spacy, but awake. thanks for help, your words are comforting, and give me incentive to stay on celexa, sweaty, and sleeping and maybe soon, the sooner the better, the side effects will lessen.wayne- i have also been reading your posts on apathy and naltroxene. i read that thread on apathy previously, i think you had posted it before. i was going to bring up augmenting the celexa
with something or at least talking to the pdoc about naltroxene. my pdoc never mentioned apathy on ads, so i just figured they weren't as activating as others, until i read that thread. thanks for the info and the words.take care
dina
Posted by Jan on May 6, 1999, at 20:32:24
In reply to ruth/wayne..., posted by dina on May 6, 1999, at 15:15:44
Hi Dina, I can relate to all you have written. I have been on Celexa for about 7 weeks now, with a loss of sex drive and ability to orgasm. However, 2 weeks ago I tried Ginkgo Biloba, as i had read this helped the sexual side effects. Well i can report an improvement, While it takes a lot longer to climax it does happen, though at this stage only through mastrubation, I dont think my hubby could last the length of time i need..lol Give it a try it might just help you too. Good luck & stay safe :)
Posted by Terry on May 8, 1999, at 6:09:21
In reply to Celexa, posted by Jan on May 6, 1999, at 20:32:24
> Hi Dina, I can relate to all you have written. I have been on Celexa for about 7 weeks now, with a loss of sex drive and ability to orgasm. However, 2 weeks ago I tried Ginkgo Biloba, as i had read this helped the sexual side effects. Well i can report an improvement, While it takes a lot longer to climax it does happen, though at this stage only through mastrubation, I dont think my hubby could last the length of time i need..lol Give it a try it might just help you too. Good luck & stay safe :)
I was curious to know how many milligrams of Ginko to take? I tried if for about two months at 120 mg. twice a day. After a few weeks, I was horny all the time. But still unable to orgasm very well. Just felt like an unsatisfied nympho! I was probably taking too much.
Posted by dina on May 8, 1999, at 19:35:19
In reply to Re: Celexa, posted by Terry on May 8, 1999, at 6:09:21
it was recommended to me to take one 120mg (double strength/24% extract). i am looking forward to being horny all the time, if this works.
i have also read a lot about the herb damiana, and have tried it. supposedly, it does the same thing that ginko does, increases the blood flow to the genital areas. the stuff is really aromatic. (stinky and bad tasting.) i've had some success with it.
good luck
dina
Posted by Jan on May 11, 1999, at 6:26:31
In reply to ginko/damiana, posted by dina on May 8, 1999, at 19:35:19
> it was recommended to me to take one 120mg (double strength/24% extract). i am looking forward to being horny all the time, if this works.
>
> i have also read a lot about the herb damiana, and have tried it. supposedly, it does the same thing that ginko does, increases the blood flow to the genital areas. the stuff is really aromatic. (stinky and bad tasting.) i've had some success with it.
>
> good luck
> dinaMMMMmmmmmm......My Ginkgo bottle states: each tablet contains Ginko Biloba 1000mg !!!!!
Posted by dina on May 11, 1999, at 20:20:12
In reply to Re: ginko/damiana, posted by Jan on May 11, 1999, at 6:26:31
wow! what a difference versus the recommendation that i got. it depends on the product, they seem to vary a lot. because herbs aren't regulated, its entirely possible such a large difference. LOL. where i live, there is a good holistic pharmacy, so i usually ask them for information or recommendations on herbs, vitamins, and stuff like that.
take care
dina
Posted by dina on May 11, 1999, at 20:34:06
In reply to Celexa, posted by Jan on May 6, 1999, at 20:32:24
the feelingless-ness thing is beginning to pass. i am making a concerted effort to do more stuff that i want/need to do. i've just started road biking, and am starting to work out again, but i feel like there is a reason to do these things. before, for so long, that motivation/desire wasn't there. a better sense, like things are coming together again. and am seeming to have the energy. celexa is a very up and down thing. maybe tomorrow, i will feel bad again. trying to look on the bright side, i like to think of it as my body is trying to figure out how to work with all the extras up there.
jan-how are things going with the celexa? are they helping? i think you and i are kinda on the same timeline in terms of start date and such.
Posted by dina on May 11, 1999, at 20:44:05
In reply to Re: celexa/complete frustration--Dina, posted by ruth on May 6, 1999, at 12:49:07
ruth-hey there. a couple of things, are you still on the celexa? how long were you on it? and i misread your email, you had asked me about the serxone, and its side effect regarding sex drive and such. i did have weird side effects, but, in terms of sex drive, it was all there...i was lovin' it. i felt a lot more and i wonder if that scared me. you know, as opposed to being depressed, i had highs and lows, but wasn't cryin' in bed. no anxiety ( that was nice, it helped immediately with that.) i have read some of the threads on serzone, and it seems to be quite effective for some people. i hope i have been helpful. if you do try it, keep me posted on how you are doing.
good luck and take care
dina
Posted by ed on May 12, 1999, at 11:22:50
In reply to celexa/complete frustration, or lack of..., posted by dina on May 6, 1999, at 10:28:14
Just found this thread on the web and am following it with great interest. My wife is taking Celexa and the only side effect worth noting is the sexual numbness. From my perspective it's a small price to pay to take care of the depression but it's a side effect that is bothering us both! I've noticed comments that this passes in some people. Any idea of how long we'll have to wait? It's been going on for many months, now. Also, don't you just love it when the Dr. says this complaint is something he's/she's never heard before? And that it's not reported in the literature? I guess someone needs to point out to these people that the side effects are reported by the makers of the drug.. and that they have an interest in selling the stuff. If they said it causes weight gain and loss of sexual function how much do you think they'd sell??
Posted by Jan on May 15, 1999, at 19:21:26
In reply to one more thing, Celexa, posted by dina on May 11, 1999, at 20:34:06
Hi Dina :) The celexa is working well, but a few side effects seem to come & go. At the moment I have a real problem waking in the mornings, so I have started taking my med in the morning. The sexual side effects are still there, I just dont get the same level of satisfaction, but can orgasm. My appetite seems to have increased lately & the weight i lost when i first started celexa seems to be going back on. But all in all i feel 100% better than before i started the celexa. Hope you are doing well. Stay safe :)
Posted by pooh on June 6, 2001, at 13:36:44
In reply to Re: one more thing, Celexa, posted by Jan on May 15, 1999, at 19:21:26
I have just started taking Celexa, and after reading these posts, Im not too sure. I was taking Sarafin, but couldnt handle the side effects, so was switched over. My Dr. guaranteed me of no sexual side effects, is he wrong?????
Posted by Bill L on June 11, 2001, at 7:39:40
In reply to Re: one more thing, Celexa, posted by pooh on June 6, 2001, at 13:36:44
I took both (Sarafin is just another name for Prozac) and for me the sexual side effects of Celexa were milder than Prozac. But I don't think that there are any guarantees that you won't get any sexual side effects. I guess you have an optimistic doc.
Some things you can add to Celexa if you do get sexual side effects are Wellbutrin, Ginkgo, and Remeron. The only one I tried was Ginkgo (120 mg twice per day) and it mostly reversed the sexual side effects that I got from Celexa. But check with your doctor first since it is not to be taken if you have or develop bleeding problems.
> I have just started taking Celexa, and after reading these posts, Im not too sure. I was taking Sarafin, but couldnt handle the side effects, so was switched over. My Dr. guaranteed me of no sexual side effects, is he wrong?????
This is the end of the thread.
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