AIBU to ask you about sertraline and sex?

[TwattingDog]

AIBU? Will try not to TMI.

I take sertraline 100mg (an antidepressant), and have done for about 18months. It's absolutely murdered my sex drive, and I'm usually, erm, very happy with DH.

DH is being an angel about it and hasn't said a thing, but has stopped instigating. When I asked why, it's because he thinks I'm not interested at all and he doesn't want to pressure me. The damn drugs mean I don't seem to 'switch on' that part of my brain.

I forgot to take them for a fortnight a wee while ago, and it all came back with a vengeance, which is reassuring!

No, I can't really come off them - I've done that before, and I go back to square 1 mentally (uncontrollable sobbing etc).

AIBU to ask - how do other people deal with this? Is there another drug that would do me better?

I don't usually read (let along answer) posts like this but I h

I don't have a partner so it isn't a problem for me but can understand it must feel awful to feel 'sort of dead' sexually.

Can I ask how old you are? There's no need to answer obviously if you're not comfortable.

• alone

Sorry, I'm not sure what happened to the rest of my sentence - am rushing!

38. No kids (DH infertile, so it's not going to happen either).

Can you see your GP about moving on to a different medication?

@Thedonkeyhouse I may have to. The only thing I don't know is whether they are all the same. I was on citalopram many years ago, but they were even worse for making me feel like a zombie full time.

You might need a different drug, sertraline is the only one that doesn’t mess with my sex life, a different one may suit you better.

I was ok 200mg and I had sex. But could never ever climax. Alone or otherwise. It's apparently a really normal side effect.
Just need to weigh up what side effects are worth it I guess. Could you taper to 50mg?

I’m in exactly the same place as you OP. I still want to but it doesn’t always work as planned!!! It’s incredibly frustrating!!! Wish I had advice but I don’t. I’ve only restarted after several years away from antidepressants and if I didn’t feel I desperately need them I’d stop for this reason alone.

Oh. I was going to suggest HRT as it made me rampant, but I'm older than you.

This is going to be the most unhelpful thing ever, but if you're taking them (unless a doctor comes on and says you can take viagra,hrt or another drug) then they do suppress emotions and any sexual feelings. For me anyway.

I hope someone posts something more helpful soon. I feel a bit silly now!

Go back to the GP. You shouldn't have to live like this!

Agree they dampen feelings of all types, but dammit I want to be able to ENJOY sex!

I might have to think about going back down to 50mg, not sure if it's a good idea at this time of year though - dark weather is a killer of mine!

Interesting others have had no issue with sex on sertraline, and others of us have! Any other happy pills of choice?

Can I just add - my own experience. Sertaline made me completely devoid of all emotions. I couldn't even cry. Didn't care about anything. I was on the uppermost dose that you can have, but once I got past the suicidal tendencies - that to me was almost just as bad. Dead inside. I ended up tapering off and managed other medications a lot better.

I was exactly the same, it didn't kill my sex drive but I could never orgasm.
I was on 200mg a day.

I did mention it to the gp, and it's really common. I would recommend trying other drugs, if it's a huge issue for you.

I tried fluoxetine which did nothing, currently on nothing but should be really.

I started on this three weeks ago and the same for me regarding sex drive. I'm on 50mg. I'm single at the moment so I'm not too bothered but I see it could cause issues in a relationship in the future. Interesting to see it's a common side effect.

@2littleChicks I'm better on this than I was on citalopram - that's how I was on that stuff. I can cry, feel panic, feel fear etc. I couldn't on citalopram and it put me in some very dangerous places (was still a police officer then).

@fleapriest maybe time to think about a GP appt too?

I feel your pain -lm on Fluoxetine and it makes it so hard for me to orgasm. I think it would be worth going to see your GP and see if he / she could find one with less side effects for you

@TwattingDog oh my god I hear you I was force for ten years. And during sertaline. I used to hope to get stabbed again so I WOULD FEEL SOMETHING. Sorry prob TMI but this is anonymous so 🙄
Sorry I'm not any help. And sorry you're going through this.

50mg here too. Better emotionally than citalopram, but havent had sex since I started them. The drive has just gone :(

Sertraline doesn't affect my sex drive at all but everyone is different. Maybe it doesn't suit you?

@2littleChicks sounds like you've been through hell! Are the Fed supporting you? Use your Fed Insurance if you're a member?

Same here ,you name it ive tried it ,matazapine ,Escatalipan ,Prozac cirtraine ,ive tried loads ,can’t come on any of them ,usually after taking just one as well.
I give up ,I’m on nothing except vitamins ,lord knows I should be though

My DH is on sertraline and it killed his drive. But he still enjoys sex. We kind of have to schedule it now but it's still great. Would that be a tactic to try?

Scheduling is a possibility, but just feels deeply unsexy! Also, I'm not really getting much enjoyment from it as it is. I don't think DH would want robotic sex...

The older style tricyclics (dosulepin, amitryptylin) do not affect sex drive or ability to orgasm.