Anti depressants and orgasms

[WhamBamZzzzzzzz]

Am posting this in health because it's not really about depression.

I have been on citalopram for a few weeks for anxiety/panic and have noticed positive effects. However, I am not best pleased that I seem not to be able to have proper orgasms. I had hoped it was just psychological because I had seen "changes to libido/sexual responses" on the list of many possible side effects - most of which haven't happened to me. But I don't think it is psycholgical.

I haven't lost my libido although at night time since being on the tablets I seem to go from feeling a bit tired to suddenly not being able to keep my eyes open at all, all in the space of a few minutes (which obvious has an effect on any bedroom action once getting to bed). But give the opportunity at other times (v.occasional due to children etc!) I just can't seem to have a proper orgasm although I enjoy the foreplay/sex. I am very upset about this as of all the stressful stuff going on in my life, our sex life was something that has pretty much always been ok and I have never had problems having orgasms.

On last occasion I felt so frustrated that I resorted to the "rabbit" (sorry if talk of sex toys offends anyone) which is usually a bit much for me (like being on a very fast ride you can't get off! ) but this time even that only produced a very lukewarm response. I get half a build up and then pretty much nothing although with the rabbit I got half a build up followed by half an end result.

All very unsatisfactory.

Luckily DH is understanding and is not taking it personally. It really isn't him it's the poxy tablets. Which I don't want to come off because they are helping with the horrible anxiety I have been trying handle for ages.

I have to go back to the GP next week. She only put my on 10mg and I am worried she will bump it up to 20mg as I think 10 was just a starter dose. Obviously I want to be on the "right" dose to help me keep coping with the anxiety, but I don't want to kill my sex drive/ability to come completely!

Does anyone have any advice or experience or what I can do?

Is this a temporary side effect do you think?

Thanks.

Hi, probably temporary and also psycological, anything I read on the list of side effects 'happens' in my mind!! I don't think they will bump up the mg if you are doing fine on the low dose. Try and take your tabs at another time of the day so you don't feel the tiredness at night and what about going to bed earlier? It certainly will help. Good luck and well done on the progress with the anxiety.

I take them first thing in the morning. But the tiredness (as in I HAVE to go to sleep right now!) kicks in at night when it's bed time anyway.

Should I take them at night then?

Don't know if this helps, but when my xdp was on anti depressants he had big difficulties with orgasms end ejaculation which simply were not apparent when off of the pills.

You have a lot of say in your medication, and there are a lot of variants of the same type of drug som don't be afraid to discuss medication options thorughly before GP starts writing the next script.

Yep - been there. Pretty shit isn't it. I'm afraid I can't really offer any comfort, as my ability to have toe-tingling orgasms didn't really return until I came off the citalopram. But the good news is that after a year on tablets my depresion and anxiety have gone, and sex is back to normal (I lost my libido as well). The only thing I found that did work (with both wanting to and ability to) was getting very drunk and reading lots of erotic literature to kind of overstimulate me mentally and get over the barrier that the citalopram was putting in place.
You need to discuss it with your doctor and decide whether the good effects of the citalopram are worth the side effects. If lack of orgasms is something that will only increase your anxiety levels it might be worth teh hassle of trying other drugs

I've just switched mine to 6pm when I get home to see if it helps me and I'm feeling less sleepy at work and more alert in the day. Was taking at 9am and getting tired late afternoon so hopefully it will not be so hard to stay awake now.

I had the same but it only lasted for a couple of weeks-then all was fine !