[Elfboy2]

Hello everyone,

I'm posting on behalf of my girlfriend who has bp2. We are both concerned about her mood and sex life ever since changing her meds. She's been on the following: Navane, Zoloft, Welbutrin, Seroquil, Saphris,Risperdal, and Lithium. She is currently on Zoloft and Lithium (900mg). She is always complaining about stomach pain (especially after breakfast, not sure if it's the meds).

She had to up her lithium and find another med ever since going back to grad school, which she had to temporarily withdraw after a year because of the stress. Her sex drive hasn't been the same since school/new meds. Last night she told me how frustrating it is that she can't finish during sex and she says she knows it's the meds. Sometimes I think it's my fault but I know I've gotten her off easily before her new meds/school. I think a lot of it is in her mind (she feels like a loser, depressed, etc) and part of it is the meds. She says the zoloft only works to eliminate her anxiety but she's still really depressed. When she told me that I was surprised because she doesn't LOOK or ACT depressed really, even though she tells me she is. Maybe it's bbecause she's in a good mood when she tells me?

So we're concerned about her depression and sex drive/ability to finish. Any advice would be very appreciated.

Thank you

[Elfboy2]

I didn't see an edit button. I just want to clarify that before she started school last year she was only on 300mg lithium, so quite the change since then

[Crazy Hitch]

From my experience depression and medication can play around with libido. Might take a while for her phase to pass. My libido on lithium and seroquel was zilch.

[Elfboy2]

Originally Posted by Hooligan

From my experience depression and medication can play around with libido. Might take a while for her phase to pass. My libido on lithium and seroquel was zilch.

Thanks for the reply. Can you elaborate more on this being a "phase", because she's been on zoloft for about 2 months now and lithium for years (but only recently upped to 900mg couple months ago).

[Crazy Hitch]

Only started the lithium a year ago. Off it now. Changed Seroquel from the slow release throughout the day - XR- to the fast release at night. Noticing an "improvement". But I'm currently depressed and going through a few issues so that's not very helpful to the situation.

[hiddenfriend]

When I was on seroquel I had nothing. No drive. Or maybe I did but just wanted to sleep halfway through sex. Pdoc took me off seroquel after I complained and put me on abilify. I feel much better now and my sex drive is much higher. She may want to talk to her pdoc about a change in meds.

[cool09]

Psychotropic drugs can do anything to you (especially if you've seen all of medication law action commercials on TV). Has she had her lithium level checked? Lithium is very hard to dial-in to a therapeutic dose because the therapeutic and toxic doses are so close together. My libido on lithium was nill. Paxil effected my libido the most: could not finish and retro-ejaculation. All psychiatric meds are horrible. I've taken at least 40-50 of them over 28 years with very little relief.

[~Christina]

I hope that she has spoke to her Pdoc about all this.. I do know many people feel weird bringing up sex issues but the reality is Pdocs hear about this unwanted side effects all the time.

There are tons of psych meds that can be tried and stopped if side effects are unacceptable for any reason.

Also just as a side note .. If she hasnt had a physical with blood work done recently she should.. Hormones and Thyroid can cause these kinda of problems also.

Meanwhile .. Since sex isnt working for her.. Spend time just holding her and cuddling will make her feel loved and she wont have the pressure to have sex and try and finish but only wind up more upset.

Take care

[StayinAlive]

From my experience, Zoloft (and any SSRI or SNRI) will decrease libido and, um, enjoyment.

[wiretwister]

My meds have completely removed all sexual feelings, all desires and all physical responses.. I suspect the geodon,, might be the lamictal but i dought it as it was the same way to a degree on depakote also...have just grown to accept it.

[tatertot514]

Originally Posted by Elfboy2

Hello everyone,

I'm posting on behalf of my girlfriend who has bp2. We are both concerned about her mood and sex life ever since changing her meds. She's been on the following: Navane, Zoloft, Welbutrin, Seroquil, Saphris,Risperdal, and Lithium. She is currently on Zoloft and Lithium (900mg). She is always complaining about stomach pain (especially after breakfast, not sure if it's the meds).

She had to up her lithium and find another med ever since going back to grad school, which she had to temporarily withdraw after a year because of the stress. Her sex drive hasn't been the same since school/new meds. Last night she told me how frustrating it is that she can't finish during sex and she says she knows it's the meds. Sometimes I think it's my fault but I know I've gotten her off easily before her new meds/school. I think a lot of it is in her mind (she feels like a loser, depressed, etc) and part of it is the meds. She says the zoloft only works to eliminate her anxiety but she's still really depressed. When she told me that I was surprised because she doesn't LOOK or ACT depressed really, even though she tells me she is. Maybe it's bbecause she's in a good mood when she tells me?

So we're concerned about her depression and sex drive/ability to finish. Any advice would be very appreciated.

Thank you

With meds, if she ever feels like she isn't how she wants to feel, she should call her doc. I called mine once a week for almost 3 months. A lot of medicines made my stomach upset, and I refused to feel gross. Try reading about "mixed episodes". They can be a mix of hypomania (mild mania which looks like just happiness) mixed with depression, which is masked by the hypomania. Sex can be effected by this greatly. I know for me, there's phases where I act happy, everyone finds me hilarious, etc., but then I feel like a failure, or ugly, or whatever. It's difficult to explain. I suggest encouraging her to speak with a doc, EVERY time she isn't comfortable with how she is feeling. That's their job, to make people feel "normal". Phone consults are fine too. They can adjust meds that way as well, and maybe help the problem.
Good luck with everything!