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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 7/26/2006 1:07:33 PM

popeye1250

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Scott, that's a great idea!
Good on ya!

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 7/26/2006 10:10:19 PM

popeye1250

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Oh, anyone else in here who's on meds have trouble sleeping?
I tend to be a "night person" for some reason and often stay awake until 2,3 or even 0400 most days.
But even when I'm on "regular hours" I always seem to have trouble sleeping and wake up early in the morning.
Maybe the Lithium needs to be titrated?

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/2/2006 8:04:39 PM

peasantsub

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popeye1250 i was on Lithium and i had the same problem, i was on it for 8 yrs. i got to the point that i was staying up 86 hours straight and no one was the wiser. We swapped my meds to Lexapro and Lamictal and i don't have that problem any longer

i know one thing that also helps me stay on the right track with my sleep is setting a bed time where i am in bed for at least 8 hours, lights out, tv off, phone off (kitchen phone on for emergencies only) NO Coffee, soft drinks or anything that has caffeine after 4pm

Being bi-polar for the last 15 yrs of my life has made me have to look for ways to leasten the stress and swings. Writing in a journal each night that i share with my Master has helped as well. Some times (most times actually) my writtings are rather boring, and are just basic, did this, that or the other, sometimes i put things in there that actually alert my Master that an issue needs to be addressed, not so much as things in Oour relationship, but things in my day to day life.

i hope this helps someone, as much as it helped me, as it cost me 14 days in the hospital recovering from fatigue to learn this.

< Message edited by peasantsub -- 8/2/2006 8:22:49 PM >

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/2/2006 9:54:56 PM

popeye1250

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Peasant, thanks for the info! I DO manage to get a few hours of sleep a night but I've never been one to need "a lot" of sleep, 6 hours a night is perfect for me and I'm ready to go!
I'll be talking to the Nurse Practitioner at the V.A. later this month when I get the blood test so maybe a little more Lithium might help.

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 1:07:09 AM

leakylee

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using fast reply

I dont know about some of the other meds, but I am on Effexor for my antidepressant. Although I have never had a problem with any of my meds messing with my sex drive, that have something to do with the bi-polar..hehe.. it is not supposed to have that side effect. I know it can be scary to change meds, but sometimes after you have been on one particular kind forever and ever it can be helpful. There are so many choices avaiable now that if one doesnt work, then you do have options. It is way better now then it was.

Love and light
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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 3:52:07 AM

cuddleheart50

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My prozac puts me to sleep everynight...used to have problems falling asleep before I started taking it. But no longer, I sleep like a baby.

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 5:05:42 AM

MyNameisMaam

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Hubby is bi-polar and has a tendency to slide into depression. After we knew we couldn't live with it anymore, a good friend talked him into going to the doctor about it. First was Depacoate which worked for a while but caused a 40 lbs weight gain. The mental impact of the weight gain was worse than the original issue! Now he is on Lamictal and seems to be stable and losing weight. Without meds, I doubt we would still be together, but we are at 16 years and going strong!

He has to take his meds around dinner time - so he can sleep by 9 or 10, but he doesn't seem to need more than about 5 or 6 hours of sleep at the most. Not sure that has anything to do with meds, it's just his routine. We have also noticed some e.d. issues, but usually just take a step back, slow down, talk a little, then start again. He doesn't have the response and duration that he had as an 18 year old, but then again, who does?

It HAS caused us to become even more creative and break out of 'routine' patterns. That is a VERY good thing! He has also learned to experience a euphoric pleasure from intimate touching and play without intercourse. (YEAY!)

Best of luck to you all!

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 8:22:06 AM

velvetears

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i had the same thing happen to me when i was put on an SSRI. When i complained enough the doctor added a med called Wellbutrin, he said this sometimes can counteract the sexual dysfunction side effect. Sorry to say it did not work for me, but everyones system is different. Perhaps she can ask her doctor about adding Wellbutrin to see if it works for her. Good luck!

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 8:47:57 AM

velvetears

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Susan,

i was also on Buspar, but to relieve anxiety symptoms. i had no side effects at all on this med. i was on the SSRI, Buspar, and Wellbutrin. i stayed on them for two years then went off all of them. My sex drive sprung back to normal and i was able to achieve orgasm again. Everything in life is a trade off. i am not as undepressed as i was when i was on those meds, but i could't deal with the sexual side effects.

i am doing a lot of reading about depression, how it's a thought disorder and am going to try my own approaches to comabt it. i think if i can start exercising, eating properly (maybe even foods known to help depression), and keep educating myself about it, i can help myself. i refuse to give up.

i am hesitant to ever trying an antidepressant again. i had a very negative experience with the doctor who took over my care when my original psychiatrist left. The new ones approach was - my way or the higway, take the drugs i give you, for how long i give them to you, for the time period i thinks appropriate to give it a trial run, or you're not my patient. Well that's all it took to shove me out the door, especially after suffering those nasty side effects.

Well wishes to all suffering this life sapping disease. i hope you find what works for you!

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 8:48:13 AM

popeye1250

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Maam, not too many 18 year olds (men) have a lot of "duration" to begin with. I know I didn't!
I was able to "perform" for long periods until I was in my middle to late 30's!
That's one very pleasant thing about getting older for a man anyway, you can "last" sooooo much longer!

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 3:00:43 PM

windchymes

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I used to take Serzone, for about five years, and had no sexual side-effects whatsoever. In fact, I found that I reached orgasm more easily, because my mind wasn't all over the place, I was more focused on what we were doing. I took it for insomnia, and it really helped me.

I have a friend who went through a severe depressive episode and the Cymbalta they put him on pretty much squelched any and all desire and function. But not until he started taking the near-maximum dosage. At lower dosages, he was still okay. He had been on pretty high doses of Paxil before that, and his function was fine. And years before, he had taken Effexor, and functioned well. But Paxil and Effexor didn't do much for his state of mind. (Although functioning sexually does wonders for it!) It definitely is a crapshoot of experimentation trying to find the right drug "cocktail", the right drug(s) and dosages that give the desired results with the fewest or least severe side effects. And another problem with that is that with most drugs, it takes 4 to 6 weeks for the drugs to reach the right levels in the bloodstream.

Wellbutrin is also supposed to have a much lower instance of sexual side effects, from what I've heard and read.

There is a chat board forum with similar format to this one called 'www.crazymeds.org' You might find some good advice in there. Warning for discussion in here though.....soon the anti-drug people who don't believe in putting chemicals in their bodies are going to land and start lecturing on the evils of medication.

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 3:05:40 PM

CeliaRose

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quote:

ORIGINAL: scottjk

I'm currently working with a new sub (new to the lifestyle) that is currently taking anti-depressants. One side effect is some sexual dysfunction. Her arousal reaction appears fine, however, her ability to orgasm is severaly curtailed. Now being who I am, I enjoy making women orgasm quite a bit. ;)

Has anyone found a means to counteract this kind of induced sexual dysfunction, short of reducing dosages or changing the meds?

Oh my, I have a LOT of experience with this... I remember those times absolutely bored out of my mind, the guy feeling bad and me being frustrated with myself, so here are a few tidibits of info:

-This may be a REASON she's attracted to SM. Pills or not, you're going to feel pain and you're going to react to it. She's lucky to be with a Dom, and a Dom that cares on top of that.

-NEITHER of you should feel bad. The WORST thing any couple could do is rate their sex life by number of orgasms. Talk about each other's definition of "successful sex" and the answers may surprise you.

-Has she ALWAYS had this problem before taking pills? An orgasm is more than half of a mental thing, she could have performance anxiey. The worst thing a guy did to me was always ask me of I "finished this time" or if I'm going to. The worst thing you could do is make her feel like damaged goods.

-Sadly, getting off the meds may have a worse reaction. I was taking meds for panic attacks and it took me years, and a bad downfall to get of of them. But if it's for depression, she may want to try exercise or find the root of the problem instead.

-I also took muscle relaxers (Xanax, Clonopn) HUGE mistake, get off those quick. They're incredibly addictive, and honestly... I think I've gotten some effects that will always be there, even though I'm off them.

Best bet, don't be in a huge rush to get off the meds, but start having a plan to ween her off when the time is right. There are different meds out there, but if you go searching again and again for the right pill, you will be prolonging the treatment process.

Hope some of this helps.
<~~>

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 7:43:41 PM

velvetears

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quote:

ORIGINAL: CeliaRose

-I also took muscle relaxers (Xanax, Clonopn) HUGE mistake, get off those quick. They're incredibly addictive, and honestly... I think I've gotten some effects that will always be there, even though I'm off them.

Xanax and Clonapin (sp) are as far as i know used for severe anxiety, and Clonapin for anxiety as well, and is used as an antipsychotic in higher doses. i have never heard them used as muscle relaxers. The muscle relaxers i am familiar with are Skelaxin, Flexeril, Baclofen, Dantrium

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 7:56:03 PM

michaelGA2

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of all the anti-depressants i've taken (and i've been on the all) i have never had any troubles in this area.

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 8:17:15 PM

mnottertail

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it may be that you ain't taking enough of 'em.......you still seem pretty depressed, Michael.

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 8:19:23 PM

michaelGA2

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i doubt taking them all at once would have much of an affect on me.

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 9:16:45 PM

cynthiamarie

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Now I see why sex was so easy to give up.

In 17 years, I've only had 3 one night stands and a mercy fling with a friend who was suicidal over the first anniversary of his mother's death, and the rest of the time I didn't miss it. Since I've been off of meds, and now that most of the effects of past chemos have worn off AND I've discovered D/s, it's a whole different story.

Imipramine (spelling?) made me into a dry mouthed zombie.

I gained 60 lbs the first year on Lithium, and was on it for at least 6 years and kept gaining; and as with every other med I've been on, my world went flat...the pendulum wouldn't swing in either direction...no depression, but no joy either. Just nothingness. Nothing stopped the panic attacks though.

I've been on Paxil, Xanax (for bruxism...having nightmares and waking up with teeth clenched so hard that my jaws were in spasm), Zoloft, and some others I've forgotten the names of.

I was so overmedicated (by the same doctor) on antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs that I was incapable of driving, and my family doctor sent me to a hearing specialist because the world spun like a top whenever I moved my head. I had to go off of all meds for weeks before being tested and my world went to rights, and the testing proved that there was nothing wrong with my ears.

I was on meds off and on for about 20 years, and I don't feel I've needed them for the past 4 or so years, when I mostly stopped taking them. I took some for 2 weeks once, when I had a panic attack for over a week and couldn't turn it off, but other than that, I've healed enough that I don't need them anymore.

I'm going through periomenopause this year, and the hotflashes, nausea, migraines, and tiredness are hard to deal with, and a friend told me that taking anti-depressant meds will help. I really don't want to lose my sex drive and lusty thoughts like I did before.

A vanilla friend of mine loves her husband dearly, but doesn't even enjoy it when he goes down on her...and she's been taking Zoloft.

Thanks all for the feedback...I will look into Wellbutrin and have a talk with my friend about this. And about Buspar.

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/3/2006 9:20:11 PM

LadyShoshin

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ScottJK, I commend you for being a loving, caring Dom who wants to ensure his submissive has as much pleasure as possible.

Sometimes we have to reframe our thinking, BDSM can be about sex, but it doesn't have to be, neither does it always have to be about the big O, there is so much sensuality inherent in BDSM, there can be so much romance, it just takes some reframing of thinking. Rather than focus on the lack, focus on what is present, look for the positives. Also never forget, the mind is the most important sex organ in the body, it is possible to have sex without ever touching, it is possible for it to be subtle enough to take place in public, the excitement of only the two of you knowing what is going on can be incredible.

I also take antidepressants, I am single and currently celibate, however when I do find someone I care enough about to become intimate, I am going to focus on the creativity and the sensuality, if I orgasm, fine, if not, it just means we can fool around that much longer.lol

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mooddisordersupportdomsub/

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/6/2006 2:00:52 AM

PiercedHeart

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I have been on either prozac or zoloft for years, and both put the lid on sexual turn-on for me.

The key issue here has been that I look to, and am addicted to sex as an antidepressant. So I get a huge boost out of it. If I take antidepressants, the sexual turn on (antidepressant effect) is largely missing, or masked.

I hate antidepressants...taking them is so depressing...so I have thought a lot about other ways of dealing with it...

Lifestyle can be a huge antidepressant, and the only side effects are the time and effort it takes. Here are some things that are effective for me:

1. Light.Lots of it. Getting outside is most effective, for at least an hour a day.This gradually gets rid of depression, and restores normal brain functioning. When I say gradually, I mean it takes 6 weeks to two months for me to notice a significant change, and must be kept up, or the effects quickly disappear.

2. Warmth.

3. I find that for me, depression is at least in part caused because I have a problem in my back, around the 6th and 7th vertebrae. When I take something small and fairly hard like a baseball , and lie flat on my back on a bed with this object under, pressing into just to the right of these vertebrae, that a miracle happens...suddenly depression instantly lifts, and usually I fall quickly to sleep. I haven't found a way of duplicating this effect when I am involved in my normal day's activities, however.

4. Exercise. This is not just my finding, it is well documented as an antidepressant.

5. Positive self-talk. Years ago, I noticed that as I was waking up in the morning, that I didn't feel awake until I had firmly established a pattern of negative thinking - imagining all the bad things that were going to happen that day, and my own inability to deal with them. I began trying to change this...I would talk to myself...I would say, "this is going to be a GREAT day!!! Your efforts are REALLY going to pay off today...you're going to be SUCCESSFUL!!". At first, I thought that this was dumb...I thought "just saying so doesn't make it so"...but when I did it, I started to get a warm rosy glow inside...I started to feel good, and I found that my day actually DID go a lot better.

6. Eating right. We know that endogenous depression is a chemical imbalance, and my view is that chemical imbalances can be caused because the chemicals you're putting into your body aren't the right ones, and/or they're not the right mix. I find lots of fresh fruit and veggies really help, getting rid of a lot of processed foods, eating the proper mix of the four food groups, and getting 3 regular meals a day, including breakfast. (Chocolate is not one of these four food groups).

7. Taking vitamins. I take a multivitamin, plus a B complex, omega 3-6-9, and some other brand name stuff (either "Smart Vitamins" or "Remember FX") which are supposed to, and REALLY do help with memory and concentration.

8. It is known that eating carbohydrates, although not a good habit to get into, can help alleviate depression. However, getting depressed about the weight you've put on because you keep eating carbs is a bad rut to fall into.

Perhaps your sub can alleviate depression with these significant lifestyle changes, and can get off of medication entirely!!

Hope this helps.

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RE: anti-depressants and sexual dysfunction - 8/6/2006 8:41:17 AM

rainbowpuppy

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All Anti-depresants or Anti-psychotics will inhibit not only brain functions all other functions since the brain is the thing that controls everything.

Anti-depresants effect different hormons and with effecting hormones it will naturally effecte (most) sexual functions. This does not ALWAYS happen but it depends mostly on the hormone that is being targetd and such, Etc. Etc.

I am currently in a Ph.D program for Psych. so I know a bit about this.

The best advice? Try a different medication or dosage but of course consult a phsycician.

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