Sex & Romance
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Antidepressents and Libido
Does anyone here take antidepressents by chance? I take 40mg of Citalopram daily and it seems to affect libido horrendously, especially in the past year. I have an appointment to see a doctor next Friday to discuss possible other medications to try.
Any advice from anyone?
Re: Antidepressents and Libido
A side effect of most antidepressants is lowered sex drive. Have you tried a lower dose at all? Also, if you are also taking hormonal contraceptives, that may lower it, too.
Talk to your doc about other options, but (from what my sister tells me) it's all about trial and error.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/low-sex-drive-in-women/DS01043
Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces Blog
Emerald Nuts Midnight Run (4m) 1/1/12
Coogan's Salsa, Blues, and Shamrocks Run (5k) 3/4/12
Colon Cancer Challenge (15k) 4/1/12
Purple Stride NYC (5k) 4/21/12
Run to Combat Autism (5k) 4/29/12
RnR Philadelphia (Half Marathon) 9/16/12
I take Cipralex 10mg and the birth control pill, and I noticed a decrease in libido with both.'
I found that exercise and a good diet helped a bit, but I definitely have to make more of an effort to get in the mood. I try to prioritize it though, and usually if I'm not in the mood beforehand, I'm still happy after the act
Hi Goetzr!
I was on Citalopram 20mg for several years. I definitely noticed a big change in libido when I was on it. I have always heard that trial and error is your best bet since drugs interact with people so differently. For me (and I know this is not an option for everyone), I decided to get off the meds totally. I am not going to lie - it was really hard. It made me realize how reliant my body was on it when I tried to get off of them. It took a long time, and alot of patience, but I am finally done with Citalopram and I can honestly say that I now recognize a positive difference in my libido.
Good luck
I've tried several antidepressants over the last few years. Prestiq is the best I have found for minimal sexual side effects. Staying active also helps a lot. Also, "planning ahead" seems to help me. If I start thinking about what I want to do before we "do it" I feel that I'm more in the mood. Just talking with my husband always helps as well.
This response may be a little long but please bear with me!
I took 40 mg of Citalopram daily after DH and I first married. It had an intense effect on my sex drive. I took Atarax during the day for breakthrough anxiety and Trazadone at night. Yep, pretty crazy I guess.
anyway... Coming off of it wasn't helpful either, as I suffer pretty intense depression and don't enjoy - well, anything - when I'm completely untreated.
About six months after we were married, DH landed in the emergency room with panic attacks/anxiety episodes and they put him on Citalopram and a breakthrough anxiety medicine (we're quite a pair!). I thought "well, at least our sex drives will match) but he was always in the mood.
His breakthrough medicine is called "Buspar" and apparently it heightens libido and actually increases pleasure to some degree. I'm not sure what you're being treated for or if it is an option for you, but you might research it. I DO know you cannot take it while trying to become pregnant.
One more thought - without changing your meds. Every once in a while, when I logically know that I'm very overdue for offering any enthusiastic loving to the marriage, it helps to make myself make an event out of it.
Like, I will go buy new lingerie, just like adding it to other errands at the end of the work day, and come home with the decision to take a shower, fix my hair and makeup, and get dressed in it. If I MAKE myself do those things, usually by the time I'm dressed, my body and mind are ready. Hope that helps some!
I agree...as I mentioned before, Pristique does have some negative effects on a gal's sex drive, but this med is one of the best. I think that the "mood killer" feelings can be overcome by what was being talked about....start talking about and thinking about what is going to happen. For me...just calling my hubby at work and letting him know that I've done this or that evens out the effects of my meds!!!