Coping with sexual side effects from SSRI antidepressants

Coping with sexual side effects from SSRI antidepressants

have been literal lifesavers for many who suffer from the depths of depression. Yet, like almost all medications, antidepressants can have side effects and one of them may include sabotaging your sex life.

A popular form of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs may cause several sexual side effects making intimacy difficult.  From loss of sexual desire, problems becoming and staying aroused, vaginal dryness and erectile dysfunction to difficulty achieving an orgasm, SSRIs can jeopardize a couple’s sex life.

While there are many different medications for treating depression, the SSRI medications for depression are most likely to cause sexual side effects. SSRIs for depression include the following:

·      Citalopram (Celexa)

·      Escitalopram (Lexapro)

·      Fluoxetine (Prozac)

·      Fluvoxamine (Luvox)

·      Paroxetine (Paxil)

·      Paroxetine mesylate (Pexeva)

·      Sertraline (Zoloft)

Statistics show that during 2017, the prevalence of major depressive episode affected an estimated 17.3 million adults in the United States which represent 7.1% of all U.S. adults. Sexual dysfunction within this population is likely to be prevalent but accurate numbers are hard to assess.  Many people with depressions may be embarrassed to discuss sexual problems with their primary care physician or they may not associate bedroom issues with their antidepressant medication.  If this is the case, too many couples taking a SSRI for depression are likely experiencing sexual dissatisfaction.

Smart strategies for coping with sexual side effects from SSRI antidepressants

If you have noticed a decline in sexual desire or performance and you’re taking a SSRI antidepressant, it’s time to seek help. That first step is to speak to your partner and to your healthcare provider or therapist. The only way you will recover from sexual side effects of using a SSRI antidepressant is to take the first step of resolving the issue.   Addressing the issue by communicating the problem will lead into other important steps needing to take which include the following:

·      Adjusting the dose – This needs to be determined by your doctor, do not do this on your own.

·      Consider an alternative antidepressant – Antidepressants with lower rates of sexual side effects include Wellbutrin, Remeron, Viibyrd, and Trintellix. Discuss these alternatives with your doctor to see if one might be right for you. 

·      Time your dosage of your antidepressant helping reduce sexual side effects – The time of day you take your antidepressant may make a difference in your sex life. Your doctor may suggest taking the medication after sex when levels of the drug are lower during intimacy and less likely to result in sexual side effects.

·      Add medication to improve sexual function – Men experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED) due to a SSRI antidepressant can benefit by being prescribed for this sexual problem in men.  Medication for ED approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis) or vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn). 

·      Work together with a therapist – When physical and medication issues have been addressed yet there are still relationship problems between a couple, it’s time to see a general or sex therapist. Psychological issues revolving around intimacy can quickly escalate making sexual situations worse. For example, if a man is experiencing erectile dysfunction, his partner may feel responsible believing they are unattractive or not sexually desirable. A good therapist can skillfully help couples learn better communication techniques, explore new sexual activities, and to avoid the blame game of undermining each other’s feelings.  

Learning to work together as a team will help build trust, understanding, and ultimately, an improved and more fulfilling sex life.

Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy.  Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.