Last night I woke up at about 4 AM distressed, anxious, and unable to stay still. I have been taking lexapro, an SSRI antidepressant for 4 days, but I have been worried about the sexual dysfunction side effect it has. I tried to masturbate but couldn’t maintain an erection and I got so worried I decided to quit taking the antidepressant. I really care about my sexual life, and I won’t sacrifice it.
Then I thought about something interesting but scary at the same time. What if the drug companies / the government is engineering antidepressants to have an intentional side effect of causing sexual dysfunction so that those who are depressed cannot reproduce as effectively, thereby preventing their depressant genes from entering the population? Maybe we are entering the age of being controlled by the drugs we take?
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October 25th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
#1 Patients shouldn’t just quit the SSRI — taper yourself off slowly. You, though, have been on it a short enough time, so might get away with no withdrawl symptoms.
#2 Have you missed the news lately? Hear about all the residual psychotropics, anticonvulsants and antidepressants, entering via human urine & sanitation system into our urban water supply? Don’t start thinking some paranoid conspiracy theory — it’s just an untoward, unregulated reality that we’ve been able to brush under the rug for decades (until now)
#3 I’m sorry, but that is the lamest theory I have ever heard. Almost as good as Rev Wright’s HIV conspiracy theory.
October 25th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
The reason some people have a side effect of not feeling as sexual as they normally do is because the medication gives a similar effect to the feeling U get after an orgasm. So, your body does not always feel the need to have an orgasm and the urge to have sex is lower than normal. Hope this helps!
October 25th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
There is no conspiracy my the pharmaceutical industry to practice some form of eugenics.
If you are experiencing undesirable sexual side effect from your medication talk to your doctor. Antidepressants like Wellbutrin are known to have less incidence of sexual side affects, it this is your concern it is worth discussing with your doctor.
October 25th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Hells no man. I am manic depressive and i have been on lexapro before. I am currently on citlopram. Anyways I was able to still get my wife pregnant while I was taking this medication plus she was on the patch to. So no not at all. Now don’t get me wrong sometimes these drugs just have that side affect on people and maybe your one of them. By the way do not stop taking your meds dude, trust me that shit hurts like hell. Also trust me on this one I am not one you wanna be around if I wasn’t taking my meds.
October 25th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
The idea never occurred to me. I suspect you may need something a little stronger than Lexapro– getting a bit paranoid, are we? I suggest that the drug company could make millions if they found an antidepressant that enhance sexual performance, so why in the world would they intentionally make one that decreases it? Depression may sometimes be a hereditary problem, but certainly not always.
Further, being depressed does not mean you are defective. You may FEEL that way because of the depression. One test does not constitute a series, either. Your anxiety about it will kill performance as effectively as any drug. So you really do not know that Lexapro had anything to do with your performance . Look up " ad hoc ergo propter hoc" logic.
October 25th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Please notify your doctor of your desire to stop the drug & follow his instructions as to how you can taper off safely. You should address the matter of sexual dysfucntion with him.. Some anti-depressants cause more problems in this area, some cause less. Inquire about switching to Wellbutrin or anothe drug..There are lots of possibilities..