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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 24 of 24. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by raisinb on July 7, 2008, at 10:51:08
I've been on Zoloft for almost a month. I expected reduced sex drive, but it hasn't done that (I am also on Wellbutrin, so that might be the reason).
But my orgasms are...blah. Disappointing. I'm left thinking, "that was *it*?"
Anybody else experience this? I don't know that it's enough to discontinue a drug that's working for me. But I am...disappointed ;(
Posted by Dinah on July 7, 2008, at 11:54:35
In reply to man...(note: sexual content), posted by raisinb on July 7, 2008, at 10:51:08
Yup.
In fact, since you had an orgasm, you're one up on me. I didn't have an orgasm for four years while I was on the SSRI Luvox.
At the time it was more important to me to have my postpartum depression and OCD stabilized than to have orgasms. :(
Posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2008, at 12:18:16
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content), posted by Dinah on July 7, 2008, at 11:54:35
I didn't know you took luvox did it work for you and at what dose if I may ask. Sorry But right now sex is a low priority for me. Glad you're having success. I've given up on that at age 40. Geez 22 years ago. Wow. Love Phillipa waiting patiently not really to go out and do something.
Posted by Dinah on July 7, 2008, at 12:39:51
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Dinah, posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2008, at 12:18:16
I was on Luvox for four years, and went off it about five years ago. Every once in a while I'm tempted to go on again, but for the most part my mood dips don't last long enough to justify it.
I had mixed results with it, only because of a tendency towards hypomania. I started having side effects of mild hyperarousal, and my pdoc at the time kept thinking the answer was to up the doseage until I finally ended up at the max, and he wanted to go beyond. I think I refused, and he added Wellbutrin which put me beyond mild hyperarousal into hypomania. Not the nice sort.
When I found the pdoc I liked best lately (which isn't saying much), he immediately saw the problem. I had already quit Wellbutrin, and the mood stabilizer he added to the Luvox took away the bad effects. Which was basically that I always felt a bit itchy jumpy and that translated to my starting self injury.
Unless you have a tendency towards hypomania, I think Luvox is an excellent medication. I remember I was on it for a few weeks and I woke up feeling like my life was not destined to be a miserable horror. The OCD went way down, although that was probably a combination of Luvox and therapy. It kept me stable, but also left me a bit flat.
I'm very glad I took it, and would not mind taking it again. But my current pdoc doesn't want to consider SSRI's even with a mood stabilizer because of the itchy/jumpy/self injury stuff.
I think it's pretty individual, Phillipa. If you need an AD, and you're under a doctor's supervision, and you haven't had bad responses to SSRI's, I'd certainly say Luvox might well be a good choice, as long as you give it long enough to work.
For myself, I manage to control my anxiety with therapy techniques, a touch of klonopin to regulate early morning wakings, and as needed Risperdal. I do love the antipsychotics. They suit me.
Medications are pretty individual. You need to find what suits you. And I always think that therapy is a useful addition to a meds regimen.
Mind you, I'm woefully ignorant on meds. As they say, I just know what I like (or what works for me I should say.)
Posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2008, at 13:03:45
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Phillipa, posted by Dinah on July 7, 2008, at 12:39:51
I've taken it for years. Low dose now. During menopause the therapeutic dose pooped out and then couldn't tolerate higher doses but now even after all these year of the low 50mg dose my body wants it and tried then is a pdoc did to take me off it and substitute extremely high doses of benzos which paradoxically didn't allow for sleep for two weeks. Ended up in the ER and Scatching his head the ER doc had called the psych docs downtown and the concensus was that for some wierd reason my brain liked and needed that low dose of luvox so went back on it with the 37 years of valium same dose and I slept again. Now how wierd is that??? Love Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2008, at 13:05:40
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Dinah, posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2008, at 13:03:45
Raisinb so sorry hyjacked your thread. I'm so sorry your're suffering but hopefully someone will be able to answer your question. Apologize profusely. Love Phillipa
Posted by Dinah on July 7, 2008, at 13:26:45
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content), posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2008, at 13:05:40
Me too, raisinb.
Posted by raisinb on July 7, 2008, at 14:40:52
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content), posted by Dinah on July 7, 2008, at 13:26:45
No worries. I pretty much figured it was the Zoloft, but I thought I'd check others' experiences.
And here I thought I was going to get away without AD side effects :(
Posted by Racer on July 7, 2008, at 14:59:23
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content), posted by raisinb on July 7, 2008, at 14:40:52
For what it's worth, I had great success with cyproheptidine to counter the sexual side effects with SRIs.
Hope that helps...
Posted by Franz on July 7, 2008, at 15:58:03
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » raisinb, posted by Racer on July 7, 2008, at 14:59:23
> For what it's worth, I had great success with cyproheptidine to counter the sexual side effects with SRIs.
>
> Hope that helps...Please post the dose/timing thanks.
Posted by atmlady on July 7, 2008, at 18:53:48
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » raisinb, posted by Racer on July 7, 2008, at 14:59:23
And I have no sexual side effects from Ixel, which is an SNRI. It's the only med with serotonin re-uptake that I've taken which doesn't cause sexual side effects for me (which is why I take it). Worth a try - costs me about $90 per month, shipping and all ....
Posted by Bob on July 7, 2008, at 21:29:40
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content), posted by atmlady on July 7, 2008, at 18:53:48
> And I have no sexual side effects from Ixel, which is an SNRI. It's the only med with serotonin re-uptake that I've taken which doesn't cause sexual side effects for me (which is why I take it). Worth a try - costs me about $90 per month, shipping and all ....
Ixel is Milnacipran, right?
Posted by raisinb on July 7, 2008, at 21:36:11
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » atmlady, posted by Bob on July 7, 2008, at 21:29:40
Has this been approved in the US? The articles I saw from mid-07 said it was only available in Europe.
Posted by aaaaalex on July 8, 2008, at 2:18:15
In reply to man...(note: sexual content), posted by raisinb on July 7, 2008, at 10:51:08
Yup. I never had problems with it reducing sex drive, but like most SSRIs, it delays orgasm, and what you do end up with is indeed rather blah. It seems like adding Remeron helped with that a bit, but the sleepiness and irritability have made it not worth it. I can live with blah orgasms for a while to be otherwise happy and functional. Perhaps supplementing with Remeron or Wellbutrin could work for you? There are other suggested remedies, but few have been clinically proven to be of reliable effect.
Posted by Bob on July 8, 2008, at 15:50:30
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content), posted by aaaaalex on July 8, 2008, at 2:18:15
> Yup. I never had problems with it reducing sex drive, but like most SSRIs, it delays orgasm, and what you do end up with is indeed rather blah. It seems like adding Remeron helped with that a bit, but the sleepiness and irritability have made it not worth it. I can live with blah orgasms for a while to be otherwise happy and functional. Perhaps supplementing with Remeron or Wellbutrin could work for you? There are other suggested remedies, but few have been clinically proven to be of reliable effect.
Not surprising. I'd imagine anything at all that that involves serotonin reuptake will eventually cause at least some interference with sexual functioning and desire. It's an unavoidable feature of the SSRI mechanism it seems.
Posted by Racer on July 8, 2008, at 20:27:04
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Racer, posted by Franz on July 7, 2008, at 15:58:03
> > For what it's worth, I had great success with cyproheptidine to counter the sexual side effects with SRIs.
> >
> > Hope that helps...
>
> Please post the dose/timing thanks.
>
>Cyproheptidine is a very old anti-histimine, which temporarily blocks the action of SRIs, thus blocking the sexual side effects. It's taken as needed, just like Viagra, and apparently it doesn't work for everyone. It has always been helpful for me.
I just went to check the medicine chest, but we seem to have gotten rid of it now. My best memory is 4mg, about 30-45 minutes before I wanted to be able to roll around and scream. It's probably not a good idea to take it daily -- since it works by blocking the action of the SRI, it seems as though that would decrease the efficacy of the antidepressant, and you won't want that. I would take it a couple of times a week, and it didn't seem to interfere with the AD.
I hope that helps, and I really hope it works for you. Good luck.
Posted by Bob on July 8, 2008, at 21:59:48
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) »RaisinB » Franz, posted by Racer on July 8, 2008, at 20:27:04
> > > For what it's worth, I had great success with cyproheptidine to counter the sexual side effects with SRIs.
> > >
> > > Hope that helps...
> >
> > Please post the dose/timing thanks.
> >
> >
>
> Cyproheptidine is a very old anti-histimine, which temporarily blocks the action of SRIs, thus blocking the sexual side effects. It's taken as needed, just like Viagra, and apparently it doesn't work for everyone. It has always been helpful for me.
>
> I just went to check the medicine chest, but we seem to have gotten rid of it now. My best memory is 4mg, about 30-45 minutes before I wanted to be able to roll around and scream. It's probably not a good idea to take it daily -- since it works by blocking the action of the SRI, it seems as though that would decrease the efficacy of the antidepressant, and you won't want that. I would take it a couple of times a week, and it didn't seem to interfere with the AD.
>
> I hope that helps, and I really hope it works for you. Good luck.
I mentioned this to my doc a few months back, and he said his patients haven't had the greatest luck with it since it is anti-SSRI, so-to-speak. They reported increased depression and the like. I personally have not tried, but have also not ruled it out.
Posted by Racer on July 9, 2008, at 1:34:52
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Racer, posted by Bob on July 8, 2008, at 21:59:48
>
> I mentioned this to my doc a few months back, and he said his patients haven't had the greatest luck with it since it is anti-SSRI, so-to-speak. They reported increased depression and the like. I personally have not tried, but have also not ruled it out.
I think it has a lot to do with how often one takes it. I took it maybe a couple of times a week, it lasts maybe four hours, and so it didn't counter much of the antidepressant effect of the SSRIs. The last time a doctor prescribed it to me, he did warn me not to take it too often -- although he didn't specify what he meant by "too often." I never found increased depression, but I did find that being able to roll around and scream again was a mood brightener...It's worth trying -- if only because if it doesn't work or it increases depression, you can stop it right then and there, and that's that. If it is going to work for you, you should know in a couple of hours, so not a lot of lag time. And it's PRN -- you only take it when you have the yen, as it were.
Hope that helps.
Posted by raisinb on July 9, 2008, at 10:18:24
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Bob, posted by Racer on July 9, 2008, at 1:34:52
Great idea, Racer, thank you.
It's all academic--I'm not seeing anyone seriously enough to roll around and scream with them...
But I'd hate to think I was incapable of it :)
Posted by Dinah on July 9, 2008, at 10:37:51
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Racer, posted by raisinb on July 9, 2008, at 10:18:24
I was thinking that I must be going about this all wrong. ;)
Posted by atmlady on July 9, 2008, at 12:24:56
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » atmlady, posted by Bob on July 7, 2008, at 21:29:40
Yes, Ixel = milnacipran
Posted by Bob on July 9, 2008, at 15:01:25
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Bob, posted by atmlady on July 9, 2008, at 12:24:56
> Yes, Ixel = milnacipran
What were your impressions of that med? Did you have to discontinue it because of side effects?
Posted by atmlady on July 9, 2008, at 15:25:46
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » atmlady, posted by Bob on July 9, 2008, at 15:01:25
Nope. I'm still on Ixel, started it in January and really like it. Besides lifting my mood and helping me sleep better, my feelings of being freezing cold and achy all the time have disappeared. Downside is you gotta take it 2x per day.
Posted by Bob on July 9, 2008, at 16:13:23
In reply to Re: man...(note: sexual content) » Bob, posted by atmlady on July 9, 2008, at 15:25:46
> Nope. I'm still on Ixel, started it in January and really like it. Besides lifting my mood and helping me sleep better, my feelings of being freezing cold and achy all the time have disappeared. Downside is you gotta take it 2x per day.
That's certainly encouraging to hear that it's working for you.
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