Sertraline killing my ability to o….

[Slattern77]

I’m in a really low dose and it’s absolutely killed my ability to climax! I stopped and was able to again, but really need to take it. Have tried other SSRIs and other types too - no luck. Only bupropion was ok but gave me intense rage.

Has anyone else had this?! It’s enough to make me want to stop taking it again but I really can’t!

ugh sorry to hear this! Like you said, don’t stop taking it. Let me reach out to one of my friends who was also just struggling with this exact issue. Trust me it’s fixed and she’s back to fully intense and amazing o’s. Will get back to you!

Yes…this happened to me, almost as soon as I started taking sertraline no more orgasms. I switched to Citalopram and have no issues with it, have you tried this? Xx

Haven’t tried citalopram as dr figured it was same class of drug and also with a high rate of this being a side effect… did you make a straight switch without any tapering down?

Yes but I had only taken Sertraline for a couple of weeks, I had other horrible side effects with it too (felt very anxious within a couple of days of taking it). Citalopram has been fine, makes me yawn a bit but nothing more than that and it gets better in a few weeks, I would defo try if the gp is willing to switch you! Xx

Sertraline did this to me too. Every SSRI gave me side effects of one type or another, but Sertraline was the only one that killed me ability to climax. Fluoxetine (Prozac) had the fewest side effects for me, but everyone reacts differently.

I had this with fluoxetine- it’s like that part of my brain switched off. I stopped taking it in the end when I was in a better head space but would avoid it again if I needed to take ADs in the future.

My husband was on sertraline and after about a month of starting he couldn't climax, no orgasm or ejaculation. It was very enjoyable for me, probably the best sex we have ever had, as he could go until the point I was completely done but obviously quite frustrating for him. He came off it after about 18 months and his orgasm came back quickly.

I am a m,34 who is in the same position. I got put back on sertraline maximum dose last year after trying to end things. Now I just feel numb and really struggle to finish. Like the person above, my wife is enjoying how long it is lasting but it is so frustrating to not be able to finish. Any suggestions/ideas would be amazing.

Male, 47, exactly the same issues with Sertraline. Mrs Biscuits loved it for the same reasons as above.

Quite a few of my male friends are on antidepressants and have the same issues. They just go on and on and on and can never seem to finish. It’s difficult when you need the medication and it can be hard to find one that suits you. The only alternative is to try another type but I can imagine switching medication when it is working for your low mood must be quite a daunting thing to do.

It's quite a common side effect, and seriously undervalued by health professionals.
Talk to your doctor until they take you seriously.

I think this is a far more common problem than is known as some have already said, men probably don't talk about it enough.

My husband, mid 30's, went on sertraline during covid and he wasn't on it very long, about 1-2 months, before he wasn't able to climax. We tried a few things and he eventually switched to fluoxetine after 9 months or so but it didn't make any difference and the doctor said it was a known potential side effect of most SSRI's. Him lasting longer, as others have said above, was actually great for me though.

We talked about it quite often and hubby said it just felt like it had kind of turned things off or numbed down there and after a while he said he had actually stopped masturbating and hadn't needed to do it for months. He was on the sertraline and fluoxetine for about 16 months before he came off them completely.

Yes I’m a woman, and it was exactly like I was numb down there. On the upside it helped me end a toxic relationship as that side of things was all that was keeping us together 🙃

I have reduced to 25mg and seem to be ok but don’t have a partner so not sure. The 25 seems to be enough to deal with my anxiety and PMDD luckily

This happened to me too…and I’ve never really got back to ‘completely normal’ ie, how I was before the ADs, even 9 years later. It's strange isn’t it.

I’m not 100% sure it’s just the medication, tbh as I’ve had had a fair bit of trauma too but it definitely affected me at the time, and I never really got my mojo back fully.

It happened to me. Male. Zero ability to orgasm while it was in my system.

This is my worry. I know wonder if it’s why I had such an awful ex life after taking it and it only came back like 20 years later?! Is that even possible? Am even struggling on 25mg. I’m going to change to citalopram I think

Seems mostly males affected (I’m female)

Do you think you could come off them? If you are down to 25mg, do you think your MH would be okay without them? Worth discussing this with doctor maybe.

The anxiety comes straight back but mostly on them for PTDD which is like severe PMS with rages etc. They have been life changing for that. So it’s tricky

Slightly different but we know all about this as my hubby is on a sertraline containing medication for PE and has been taking this a few years. Some doctors do know about the side effects and this was discussed in detail with both of us (doctor wanted partner there) as the side effects can affect both partners, good and bad.

He's on a low dose of 25mg and this seems enough to delay his climax a long, long time, plenty long enough for me to be done as many times as I need, and it has really improved our sex life together. He has mentioned the same as @girlfromyorkshire about not needing to masturbate now but I'm not too upset about him not doing this at all 😂

Reading with interest as my MH nurse has been suggesting sertraline to help with my anxiety, but this is the one side effect that really concerns me, I enjoy my sex life and it is important to me and DH and i absolutely don’t won’t to loose my ability to climax! She said if this happens I can come off them and try other meds but reading that for some people their normal sexual function doesn’t return for a long time after stopping is massively holding me back. Would be interested if anyone has managed to find a way around this when on the medication.
On the other hand like others have mentioned above there have been a couple of times when my DH has experienced delayed climax, and it meant bloody amazing sex with multiples for me.