QUOTE I should also have said that Depression itself can cause sexual side effects like loss of libido. QUOTE i am a lot more 'interested' now that i have switched from paxil to effexor-xr! I can still go for ages sometimes but that isnt always a bad thing. QUOTE As for the sexual SEs, they really threw me for a loop. I got some great advice from firelizardee on the subject and you can look at the older post. You do stabalize but it takes a lon long time to finish as they say. If you stop thinking about yourself and focus on your partner, you will be surprised with the results. You may also be finding out that sex is not everything and that meaningful conversation can be very enjoyable. Keep taking effexor and look hard at the change in your personality. That is the real you coming out beneath the clouds. Take this time to work on personal issues if you can. I am tapering off effexor now so I will find out if I have learned my lessons.
QUOTE yes...sex drive is pretty bad for me too...no O in over a year (about when i started effexor). QUOTE The loss of libido was the only side effect that I noticed while I was on Effexor XR. Now that I'm off it, the libido is back to normal.
QUOTE Actually I have gone from venlafaxine to moclobemide 450mg(about 4 weeks
in & getting some good benefit ) & libido & performance seem back to normal again - perhaps increased libido even. Perhaps I'll report back later into treatment. QUOTE I'm dealing with a good news/bad news thing with Effexor and sex. The good news is I'm experiencing a gigantic INCREASE in my libido (42 year old woman) but real difficulty in orgasm (months without one). Talk about frustrating!
QUOTE My sexual side effects are two fold. My lobito has increased but my ability to ejactulate has decreased.
I was entertaining a sexual partner of mine for over four hours before I could ejaculate even a trickle.
Not to say she wasn't impressed with my newfound longevity, but sex isn't nearly as fun without the big 'O'.
I also take Wellbutrin, but not being able to ejaculate didn't start until I began using effexor also. QUOTE I've just started Venlafaxine 3 days ago. So far I feel like hell with side-effects and have also got serious sexual side-effects. After taking the first tablet the next day I couldn't ejaculate at all. Prozac it took a week before this side-effect happened.
For those of you who are fed up with sexual side-effects you might want to try Manerix (Moclobomide - MAOI). I was on it for 5 months and had NO side-effects what so ever. I was on 300mg. I think they say for Anxiety you need 600mg. I only stopped it because I found it never really helped my depression much. However, I've heard of many other people saying how much it helped them.
QUOTE I used to wonder if my loss of sex drive was an age thing- I dont know if sex drive significantly decreases after puberty?
I'm 20 now, male and have been on Venafaxine for about a year. Starting on
37.5mg, then 75mg and now on 150mg daily. After I started taking it I was more concerned with the sickness and dizzyness symptoms but as soon as I started feeling a little better I noticed I was finding it really hard to get an errection, after a month or so this gradually got easier but ejaculating was still nearly impossible, another month or two later, I was gradually finding it easier to ejaculate and my sex drive has returned to an extent.
Anyways. One year after being on the drug- I still have a sex drive, but it's not as strong as before. Reaching a climax takes more time and concentration and keeping an errection for a long time can be difficult- I'm not sure if most men off the drug would find it tricky to stay errect for 30-60 minutes or however long it takes to climax or whether it's a side effect? QUOTE Hi takes more time to reach the big 'O' does this get better with time on these meds. only been on them for 2 weeks
QUOTE can't say if the time to O will decrease, but if it goes the same way as other side effects then it should get better. QUOTE I have been on Effexor about a month or five weeks and found from Day 1 that orgasming was going to be a much rarer thing for me as long as I was on it. It does nothing to reduce my desire, nor do I get any less easily excited, but there is no "final page" to the story. Soooo frustrating!
I have succeeded in orgasming a few times, both by myself and with company, but it is a hit-or-miss proposition. Like someone said earlier, lasting longer is not something women usually complain about in a male lover!
On the other hand (pardon the pun), my depression has lifted!
QUOTE The anorgasmia is dose related. I didn't start having that problem until I went up to 225. My doc just added wellbutrin though, and after 4 days I could orgasm again.
The frustrating thing has been that the effexor has increased my sex drive insanely, but I could not finish unless I was willing to devote an hour or more to vigorous self-stimulation. My girlfriend had no complaints, however, because I could last for hours.
Adding wellbutrin doesn't work for everyone. Other options i've read about are yohimbe and viagra, but yohimbe has a chance of causing serotonin syndrome, so be careful if you go that route. QUOTE I have been lurking on this board for several weeks now and would like thank you all for sharing your experiances. It has helped me gain a small bit of insite into what the person being treated goes through. I am dating a guy that is being treated for depression and is currently on Effexor xr. I met him on the internet and he lives in very far from me. He has been down to visit me and we have been intement. The sexual side effect of this drug almost cost our relationship. I was so confused as how I could get him excited but couldn't finish the job so to speak.I thought I was doing something wrong. And he kept blaming himself. I was ready to let him go ( push him away) because I felt I couldn't ask him to stay in a relationship that wasn't sexualy satisfing for both of us. The guilt over having multiple Os and him having none was eating me alive.He assured me that he gets pleasure from giving me pleasure but my question to him was is that going to be enough if we are to have a lasting relationship. Needless to say the conversation was very emotional and ended with me crying and making him cry and we went to sleep with it still hanging between us. When I woke up the next morning he was reading a book. I think the title is Living with depression. He read me a passage about Effexo that explained the sexual side effects. I felt so much better and he did a web search and found out that there are many people with this problem. That day I made a promise to him that I would support him and be with him until he told me to go. I made a promise to myself to learn all I can about this disease so I can be a supportive positive influence in his life.That is the day I found this forum and I am really glad I did.The reason I posted this is so you can get the perspective of someone on the otherside of the problem. Thanks for your time. Sorry this is so long I just had to share it.
Take care and be good.
Tam
QUOTE Welcome to the forum. You should share this site with your boyfriend. It is a great place to find information.
I'm glad you pointed out the "other side" of the problem as I am never on
it, but you also pointed out some important aspects of managing sexual
side effects with your partner.
Educating yourself about the meds that you are taking and sharing that
information with your partner is so important, and talking it out together
even more so. There can be so many misunderstanding and misconceptions
otherwise. Working at talking about intimacy is a good thing. It can be
so hard for some people because of the way they were raised. But it goes
a long way in making everyone as happy and comfortable as possible.
Sounds like you and boyfriend have a good relationship and will work
through the rough patches... QUOTE I know from experience that when a guy can't keep it up or finish the girl thinks it's something she's doing wrong or that she doesn't turn him on anymore. These are common feelings in girls(at least all the one's i've been friends with or dated).
I assure you this is not the case. It's the meds, or anxiety, or depression, or a combination, and it is not your fault, so don't become offended or guilty feeling. Just be there for him and make sure to express ALL your emotions to each other.
QUOTE I'm going through the male version of this.
Although I'm on Effexor with NO sexual sides (yet?), only dry eyes,My girl was on Lexapro for 6 months. It killed her libido. She didn't even tell me she was on it for the first 6 weeks until I sat her down and said "What is going on with us?!!!"
I was feeling totally inadequate. She would not, touch, kiss or hug me in bed as before. Foreplay was "hurry up"! Initially I was frustrated about the loss of this part of our relationship. I acted out my repressed anger even though I didn't want to. We have been on the brink of break up more than a few times over it. I don't want her to stop her meds and I want her to feel better because I love her, but it is hard living with a zombie! Her doc took her off the Lexapro two weeks ago, because it wasn't working as well. She is now on Prozac but from what I read, I can expect no change in Libido. QUOTE Hi All: I am a 51 year old female. Started taking Efffexor XR about one month ago. Had been taking Lexapro for about 7 months with no improvement. Since being on the Effexor I have had my first orgasm in about 1 1/2 years. Don't know if this is a trend....I hope so. I did not feel especially sexually excited in the begining but I did catch up to my spouse and things went well from there. It seems it does take me a bit longer to get the old engine running. good luck
QUOTE Well, I'm new to the board, so before I start talking about sexual side
effects, I should tell you how long I've been on effexor. I've been on it
since August of 2002, and since then, I've been much happier and more
sociable and it really helped with the depression, (or so people tell me).
As for sexual side effects, I haven't noticed any. Previous to taking the
drug, I had a very little sex drive. I had no desire whatsoever for
anything sexual, which is odd for me, being 19 and all. After I started
taking it, my sex drive came back with a vengence, baby! But that's the
only thing I've noticed. QUOTE Wellbutrin (generic name bupropion) is available in the UK as Zyban, used for helping to quit smoking. So it is available in the UK just under a different name.
I am on effexor (venlafaxine) 150mg/day working up to 300mg/day (going up
75 mg each week) and also zyprexa (olanzapine) 2.5mg each evening. I have
found that my interest in sex has plummeted and I am pretty much unable to
orgasm. I'm a 21 year old female in a secure relationship (we live
together) and have had no previous sexual problems, even when my
depression & anxiety was at its worst, except for when on other meds. My
partner is incredibly understanding and I'm thankful for that, but I miss
enjoying and wanting sex! I do see the big picture and right now I need
these meds to get me through.
Reading through this thread I'm quite confused. Is it glinko bilboa or
ginseng that is the herbal remedy recommended to counteract the sexual
side effects? How much success have people had with this?
I understand Wellbutrin/Bupropion/Zyban is an antidepressant drug in its
own right. Is it common practice to add it to other ADs to counteract
sexual side effects? Is it ok do you think to ask the doctor to prescribe
it for you if you're having problems?
Sorry for all the qus, I am doing my own research into this as well but
finding it all incredibly confusing especially when concentration and
understanding whats going on around me isn't my strong point when I'm
going through an "episode".
QUOTE I think also that is the Ginko Biloba that is supposed to help in these matters but according to one Drug Interaction Checker it says that there is a risk of increasing the effects of the efexor ( look at < http://www.drugstore.com/ >
QUOTE I couldn't get an erection on effexor QUOTE I was 21 years old, and impotent I think that it was caused by the overall negative effect that Effexor has on the vascular system, among many other things.
QUOTE I have been one of the fortunate ones to not notice any issues relating to sexual side effects QUOTE I'm male, and I'm on E for the second time, just moved up to 75 mg. I
have a question about the slow response, difficult to ejaculate side
effect that occurred on my previous attempt, and seems to be a common side
effect.
Does that pass with time? I stayed on a couple of months the last time,
and didn't notice any change in side effects--I still yawned a lot, crazy
(sometimes entertaining dreams), and lights seemed a bit overly bright.
Just wondered if SE's tend to decrease with time.
Thanks. Good energy to all.
QUOTE i have had major sexual side effects from effexor.. i don't even want sex or even remmeber what an orgasm is....
However the show must go on they say... so with that in mind i went and
bought the KY warming liquid... its great!!! i still can't have an orgasm
but its made sex much more enjoyable....
and single people... go ahead and buy it.. its great for yourself too ;) QUOTE I had sexual problems when i was on Luvox and my p-doc added Buspar 20 mgs daily and i was back to normal
QUOTE I had an increase of libedo (sp?) while on effexor.
i was on 300mg daily for 4 months +.
i found the greatest need/urge came from pressure changes (or maybe thats
just me) such as after taking a flight, or after scuba diving.
i did find that effexor didnt give me the energy buzz that it normally
gives users. Which im tending to think might be connected to its sexual
effects. QUOTE So it's not just me . . . (I did kknow that)! Yes, depression squelches my libido, the zoloft squelched it - my dr switched me to Wellbutrin (gave me headaches & made me vomit - daily - not a sexy thing!!) - then to Effexor. Effexor made the biggest mood improvement & didn't seem to be a libido-crusher but lately - I feel like a very bad partner because I just have no interest. So I am working iwth my dr & a naturopath to sort things out. Sure hope there is something that works for me. The ideal situation would be: normal moods & normal libido!! QUOTE I do wish you luck. But remember its not quantity that counts but quality! QUOTE I am taking 150mg of Effexor and have been for approximately nine months.
Libido is fine but orgasm...oi! I used to be a very orgasmic female but
Effexor has changed that quite a bit. I can have one but it takes a lot
more effort than it used to. Fortunately my husband doesn't mind working
on it. ;) QUOTE I am new to this board and saw this topic - and thought
Oh good - because - I haven't talked to my doc about it....since
increasing my dose of Effexsor to 300mg (6 weeks ago from 150) - I can not
have an orgasm - and believe me I have tried...and tried...and tried...
I would love any advice .... thanks QUOTE I do recommend that you talk to your dr, there may be another med that he
could augment your efexor with. However some folk in this thread have
suggested marital aids (the battery kind). I'm single so maybe I'm not
the best person to ask, but perhaps your partner and you could experiment
a little (or a lot) or take a bit of time exploring your bits. Try
something new!
Tongues, creams, lotions, touching caressing, kissing (lots of that)
sharing a bath or shower. Its amazing what soapy bubbles can be like and
you have to clean every little bit . One boyfriend of mine tried a
mouthfull of liquid along with his tongue
Also I know that an O is amazing but don't you think that at times we
concentrate so much of achieving an O we miss out on the pleasure of our
bodies being together and touching each other. If an O is impossible then
maybe its a small price to pay for the benefits efexor gives us.
Now maybe I'm speaking a load of crap, but accepting that an O isn't
always going to be guaranteed means that you won't be disappointed when
you don't get one. You won't be on efexor for ever (and if you were going
to be then definitely talk to your dr) and the Os will be back.
sorry if it sounds muddled. I don't think I've got the words out right.
I hope you are sucessful. Do go to the doc if its really bothering you. QUOTE All SSRI's I've been on have decreased libido and physical sexual side effects are prevalent (male, 38 years old).
Though it won't help libido, I tried some Viagra and holy sh*t it worked
for the physical side effects!! This is NOT an option if you are on meds for blood pressure - not allowed with Viagra. QUOTE I'm not on effexor so I hope it is OK to post this. Also, I didn't read
throught this thread, so if someone already suggested this sorry for the
duplication.
On another board I post on, and individual from Australia has had great
luck using remeron to counter act the side effects of effexor. For him,
remeron takes away the nausea he experienced on high doses of effexor and
made him able to have an erection again and able to climax.
Just passing this along. Hope that was OK. QUOTE I was put on effexor xl (xr) 75 I noticed the sexual numbness from day
one. I notice I'm very dry (I'm male). Would a lubricant help? Sorry if
this is embarrassing. The penis produces natural lubricants, either under the foreskin or from the tip. I get neither on the medication. During sex this wouldn't matter, but, er.... QUOTE of course you can use a lubricant. And safe sex as well I hope. KY Jelly or somethjng similar. Petroleum jelly, some massage oils (becareful if using with condoms) etc. Even saliva can help... QUOTE I have been on this medication and other SSRI's for 4 1/2 years for
anxiety. I decided to wean off of it because I do not like the weight
gain and sexual side effects.
I have been weaning off very slowly and am currently down to less than
half of the 37.5 mgs. I take a product called Immunocal, which is a
supplement, to help curb the funky side effects of withdrawls. The only
side effects that I am having is a little dizziness and some headaches.
The Immunocal really helps get rid of these. I also take my vitamins and
supplements regularly which is vital in my opinion. I hope to be
completely off of this medication within a month.
The good news is that the sexual side effects have dissappeared which is
wonderful.
--------------------
Take care Firelizardee "Eat a live frog before breakfast and nothing worse will happen to you all day" "Only Robinson Crusoe can get things done by Friday!"   Suicide help on DFUK help for people who are suicidalI am not a medical professional, when I reply to posts I do so basing my reply on personal experience or a wish to support the poster. |
SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS, questions and answers |
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Depression Forums - A Depression & Mental Health Community Support Group > DEPRESSION & ANXIETY MEDICATIONS - LOOKING FOR ANSWERS > Effexor® (Venlafaxine)
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Jul 6 2004, 01:34 PM
