Anyone here on Prozac experiencing decreased sex drive?

[handiacefailure]

I started Prozac five weeks ago.   Been going through a lot of stress lately and feeling really down (my GP is hoping I’m only on it for a year or so, and not for good and had no issues putting me on it when I told her about was going on in my life).   I started out on 10 MG and then four weeks out she said it was time to increase it and asked me if I wanted to go to 20 or 40 mgs.   Not one for being heavily medicated so she put me on 20 and said if it didn’t help after two weeks to start taking two pills and she would call in a new script for 40.

Did anyone else experience their sex drive going down?    I am single fortunately so don’t have a patter/husband to please.   Since being on it my sexual arrousment/wanting to get off has decreased big time.   I’m on a couple facebook groups for it and there are all kinds of side effects/horry stories on there but haven’t noticed this problem mentioned (but quite a few of the people are females).    Fortunately no other side effects and while it hasn’t cured it, my depression level has gone down big time and when I do wake up from a nightmare, the anxiety attacks are nowhere near as bad as. Before starting it.  

[+ Gar1eth]

SSRI's are known for decreasing sex drive. I was on one for a few weeks back around 1998. At that time I was a total virgin-had never been with a man or woman. I also thought there was a good chance I was going to die a virgin because I didn't want to be gay. 
 

About the only thing that made me feel any kinship to other males was the fact that I masturbated frequently. On whatever SSRI it was -I couldn't even get hard enough to perform. That made me even more depressed. So I stopped taking the medication. 
 

There are two non SSRI antidepressants that I know of that you could talk to your physician about
 

1). Wellbutrin

2). Vilazodone

 

I never got to a full dose on Wellbutrin because it gave me headaches. 
 

Vilazodone supposedly has no or fewer sexual side effects. When I was on it, I could still masturbate-but I thought things felt a bit weird-difficult to describe and it was around 10 years ago now. So I can't remember exactly. 

 

The other suggestion is to try Viagra or one of the related drugs and see how they make you feel while on Prozac. 
 

PS:  I've heard that often sexual side effects of any drug are underreported because people don't like to admit to them even if asked. 

Edited March 30 by Gar1eth

[+ GoingGood]

The Wellbutrin increases dopamine and for me improves sexual performance.  

[mtaabq]

20 years ago I was on Lexapro and my doc warned me that my ability to get an erection and ejaculate would go away for about the first 7-10 days, which it did although I was still horny as hell. Then my hard-on would come back once my body adjusted to the drug, and that is exactly what happened. Now I was no longer depressed and I could get off, lol! Lexapro kept me on an even keel. I’ve been off it for some time now as I haven’t felt that I needed it. I’ve simply gotten older and moved on to other drugs. 🙂

[+ Gar1eth]

3 hours ago, mtaabq said:

20 years ago I was on Lexapro and my doc warned me that my ability to get an erection and ejaculate would go away for about the first 7-10 days, which it did although I was still horny as hell. Then my hard-on would come back once my body adjusted to the drug, and that is exactly what happened. Now I was no longer depressed and I could get off, lol! Lexapro kept me on an even keel. I’ve been off it for some time now as I haven’t felt that I needed it. I’ve simply gotten older and moved on to other drugs. 🙂

I'm glad it was just a temporary problem for you. For some people I think SSRI low libido/erectile dysfunction is longer lasting. From what the OP writes-he might be one of them.  

Edited April 2 by Gar1eth

[mtaabq]

7 hours ago, Gar1eth said:

I'm glad it was just a temporary problem for you. For some people I think SSRI low libido/erectile dysfunction is longer lasting. From what the OP writes-he might be one of them.  

You make a valid point. I should have said that my posting was in an effort to offer an alternative or possible solution to the OP’s issue.