Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum.  ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Mental Health  (Expert Forum)
 | 
Frustrated with the sexual side effects of Paxil.
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Post a Question Back to Forum
MedHelp Member's Question

Frustrated with the sexual side effects of Paxil.

by crstl1958, Mar 22, 2003 12:00AM
I have been taking Paxil on and off for about 2 yrs. I am currently weaning myself from it because I a in a new relationship and the sexual side effects are a problem for me.

I would love to try another anti-depressant, but would like it to be one without those side effects. I have heard that Wellbutrin might be a  good option. Does anyone have any comments regarding these 2 meds? Thank-you.
Doctor's Answer

by Roger Gould, M.D., Mar 24, 2003 12:00AM
Many doctors add Wellbutrin for just that reason. YOu might ask your doctor about adding that, and cutting down the Paxil, before you decide to cut it out.
Member Comments (9)

by Koala, Mar 23, 2003 12:00AM
I know the side effects that Paxil has on a man From back when I was on 20mg years back,

I wasn't single at the time and the new girlfreind didn't really understand, but she came to, shes on paxil now and it does things to her that way....

I can't speak for all meds but I understand most antidepressants can do this to a man,

I have a freind who takes 40mg then takes viragra when he wants to fuction, I don't like the sound of that plus he drinks while on paxil....this isnt the answer for everyone but I'm so ill now I dont think of a sex life....

by crazydays, Mar 24, 2003 12:00AM
No to sound pessimistic, but my experience is that if one SSRI causes sexual side effects, they all do.  Wellbutrin supposedly does not, but the other side effects of it were intolerable for  me.  I have also read that Lexapro has a lower incidence of sexual side effects than some of the older SSRI's, but I do not know this personally.  Good luck with this, it is a big issue

by pixipunx, Apr 03, 2003 12:00AM
All SSRI's I've ever tried (and that's a lot) have had sexual side effects except for one.  I specifically asked my doctor for an anti-depresant that wouldn't take away the one thing I actually do enjoy in life. He suggested Lexapro (the new Celexa) and I didn't notice any sexual side effects at all.



Good Luck and Blessed Be,

Pixipunx

by stuck in this, Apr 08, 2003 12:00AM
not to burst the bubble on lexapro but the sexual side effects are what brought me to this forum.  i have been on it for about 3 weeks only and am not having orgasms AT ALL and this is normally not a problem for me.  i'm also a woman, to add that.  anyway, i have a friend on wellbutrin and she doesnt have sexual side effects so i wonder if that change might help?  its a hard issue because what it causes in one person it wont cause in another.  stupid drugs.  anyway, good luck all.

by kristoffer, Apr 28, 2003 12:00AM
I also had a problem with Lexapro.  I was prescribed this medication because I told my doctor that i was feeling alot of anxiety in my life.  Trembling, very concious of my breathing and just general nerviousness.  I am 28 years old and male.  After three days of being on Lexapro my sexual performance completely fell apart.  I could not keep an erection and it was impossible to orgasm.  I tried to explain it as a fluke to my girlfriend the first couple of times but then had to stop taking the medication because the effect was so severe.  I cannot believe that Lexapro is touted as a med that does not have this problem.  I was unable to keep an erection or achieve orgasm for a whole week.  To make matters worse, after the second failed attempt at sex my girlfriend left and I tried to "finish" myself.  After a frustrating hour, i just gave up.  I do not recomend this drug.

by flurgle, May 21, 2003 12:00AM
Male, 41



Had been on 300 mg./day Wellbutrin for a year, which was activating and generally good, basically fixing my "depression" which had been bad, but thought I could use a little more lift emotionally than I was getting, so added Lexapro, 10 mg./day.



Very quickly the sexual side effects began:  decreased interest in sex, serious difficulties achieving orgasm -- basically impossible in intercourse at all.  Spoke to doc, he suggested cutting to 5 mg./day and seeing if it helped.  I'm commencing that week now.  



If it doesn't I'm considering adding Buspar, which isn't an SSRI, and affects norepinephine both seratonin with no sexual side effects, blocking the specific mechanism responsible for sexual side effects in SSRIs.  If it makes me drowsy or some such, I may just go back to Wellbutrin exclusively, which by and large was pretty good for me without any sexual side effects.  My doc feels that if one SSRI does this to me, they pretty much all will.



At any rate, I have to say that for me, Wellbutrin didn't mitigate the sexual side effects of an SSRI, or else, perhaps god knows they'd have been even worse without it.  That would be pretty grim.

by pxlwfe, May 22, 2003 12:00AM
Just curious....haven't come across this yet....My husband takes 30mg daily.  A side effect we are experiencing is not lack of interest, but very delayed ejaculation....so much so that intercourse could last for an hour (no exaggeration) and still nothing.....my question.  We are interested in getting pregnant but he is unable to ejaculate except by mastubation.  Has anyone else experienced this and been able to get pregnant?  He is hesitant to switch to another med as he really believes that paxil has saved his life.

by pxlwfe, May 22, 2003 12:00AM
Just curious....haven't come across this yet....My husband takes 30mg daily.  A side effect we are experiencing is not lack of interest, but very delayed ejaculation....so much so that intercourse could last for an hour (no exaggeration) and still nothing.....my question.  We are interested in getting pregnant but he is unable to ejaculate except by mastubation.  Has anyone else experienced this and been able to get pregnant?  He is hesitant to switch to another med as he really believes that paxil has saved his life.
Back to Forum
Expert Activity
Salmonella typhimurium outbreak sic...
5 hrs ago by Enoch Choi, MD
Can Sleep Apnea Cause Alzheimer's?...
Jan 05 by Steven Y Park, MD
Optimal Health in 2009- Happy New Y... 
Dec 31 by Lee Kirksey, MD