Can Anti-Depressants
Affect Bedroom Behavior?
Dr. P. Sándor Gardos
Staff Sexologist, MyPleasure.com
Q: I have been on Prozac for several months, and it has
done wonders for my depression. However, I have suddenly found
it very difficult to reach orgasm. Could Prozac be causing this,
and if so, what can I do about it?
A: Prozac is one of a class of anti-depressants known as
Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs include
Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and a number of others. All SSRIs have been
linked to sexual difficulties including erectile dysfunction,
lowered libido and orgasm disorders.
Having difficulties reaching orgasm is one of the most common
side effects of Prozac. Indeed, SSRIs are sometimes prescribed
to men to counter premature ejaculation. But many men and women
find such side effects to be quite annoying rather than helpful.
There are, however, several things you can try (all of which require
consultation with your doctor):
1. You might be able to lower the dose. Newer studies have
shown that lower doses can be just as effective in treating depression
while reducing side effects.
2. You could switch to another type of SSRI. Sometimes
one version will cause orgasm difficulties in a person while another
one won't. Also, such problems do sometimes develop over time,
so it can be helpful to cycle through two or three different SSRIs.
3. If your doctor OKs it, you can take occasional "drug
holidays." For example, if you are going away for a romantic
weekend, it might be acceptable to go off Prozac for a day prior
to, and then during, the trip. It takes some experimentation to
determine how long and how frequent such "holidays"
can be without impacting the effectiveness of the treatment.
4. You could supplement Prozac with a drug shown to counteract
this side effect. Unfortunately, the results on this approach
have been mixed. However, if the first three options are not possible
or do not work, this one might be worth a shot. Talk to your doctor.
5. You may need to learn to live with some delay in your orgasms.
Use this as a growth experience, learning how to really enjoy
your sensations -- and your partner's -- without being so focused
on "the big event." Perhaps you'll even come up with
ways to have sex that are so arousing to you that you can overcome
Prozac's side effect. You may also find that sex can be enjoyable
without always having an orgasm.
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