Have you taken Fluoxetine (Prozac) and then switched to a different antidepressant?

[FrothAndBubble]

I am wondering about asking my GP to try a different antidepressant. I’ve been taking Fluoextine for a number of years (I have PMDD which it really helps) but I have zero sex drive.

Having read up and researched a bit it sounds as if it maybe worth a try switching to see if another type helps. I am 49 (and perimenopausal I think).

Has anyone switched for this reason? Did it help? Any other insights appreciated.

Anyone?

I have taken 3 diff ADs (including Fluoxetine) and they've all killed my libido.

I didn't change for that reason though.

I’ve tried a few (for other reasons)and none have helped. Some people find some better than others though, so it might be worth a try. I have found though that when changing medications it can take a long time to get back on an even keel.

I switched because it was stopping me ejaculating, I switched to sertraline which doesn’t cause me any problems.

I've been on all of the main ones at some point. Personally prefer low dose setraline. Prozac was my worst. Citalopram was ok but setraline make me feel normal not numb or dazzled.

I went from Fluoxetine to Mirtazapine, but my reason for switching was that I was still really depressed after quite a while on the max dose of the former. I'd tried a couple of SSRIs, and none seemed to make a huge difference. I think I've had more side effects on Mirtazapine, but they haven't been so bad that I'd mind (and have been getting milder as time's gone on), since the medication actually works.

No libido still, though.

It’s a real pain as Fluoexetine works really well but the zero sex drive has become a problem.

If you switch from one AD to another do you just stop one one day and start the other the next and not really feel the swap?

Has anyone had one that doesn’t kill their libido? Online I found this which was what I was going to ask GP for...

I’ve used sertraline, fluoxetine and citalopram, fluoxetine killed my orgasm dead, not just my sex drive.
Was fine on sertraline and psychologically I felt great but joint pain was unbearable and withdrawal was tricky, needed very slow reduction.
Citalopram was fine as well re sex drive, no probs with withdrawal, same issues with joint pain.

If you switch from one AD to another do you just stop one one day and start the other the next and not really feel the swap?

Depends. I'm not sure what it depends on - seems to me mostly on what your prescribing doctor happens to decide on a whim, but they may of course have reasons! I've had some tell me to slowly come off one med first and only after that start the new one gradually. Others have just told me to stop my max dose of drug A one day and go straight to decent dose of drug B the next. I have usually had some withdrawals and/or side effects with each change, even when they've been just different types of SSRIs.

Ah right, I’ve never switched for libido reasons so can’t comment on that.

I changed from Fluoxetine to Citalopram as my GP felt that Fluoxetine was/is more addictive & should be weaned off as soon as possible. Citalopram never worked as an anti depressant for me though!