[Blueberrybook]

Has anyone else found that often the price of stability on meds is often sex drive? Even if I'm hypo or manic, I don't have much of one, unless I've unwisely decided to stop all my meds (which, yes, has happened a time or 2). I am not on any sort of birth control, so my cycles are natural. Even at the time of the month when a woman's sex drive is supposed to be highest (around ovulation, usually 2 weeks into a standard 28 day cycle though cycles vary quite a bit, which can cause a woman to ovulate earlier or later). I've had no sex drive for so long, it's been pitiful.

I finally have a bit of one again, but I think that is due to being on Adderall, as it mysteriously started a couple days after I began taking Adderall. Hopefully, Adderall doesn't end up causing hypomania, but thank God, it's finally helping me concentrate to read, and if it helps my sex drive, all the better.

It just seems so wrong that one of the costs of keeping BP stable often is your sex drive, at least in my case. Has anyone else experienced this?

[Unrigged64072835]

My sex drive is pretty much gone at the moment. Part of it may be stress as well.

Not that it matters--my husband is impotent from MS and his meds as well.

[Victoria'smom]

My sex drive is gone. My husband's is not. It causes issues in our relationship.

[Moose72]

I experience the opposite. I have a high sex drive and figured it was the hypomania.

[pirilin]

I heard there is Viagra for women. Dunno fer sure.

In my case, the shrinkette told me specifically that with Paxil, forgetaboutit.
I wasn't willing to give up the most important part of my life.
I'm the son of Ochun and Chango. (Santeria).

I went to the GP for a prescription of Cialis. 30 pills was the most he was willing to write.
I went to CVS, and the cost was 378 dollars. Walgreen was even more.
My insurance refused to cover it. Even if it was medically necessary for my well being.

I went back to the shrinkette that same week, and explained the situation.
She was in shock, like me. And words escaped her mouth, and told me in Spanish:
"Then how much is a **** gonna cost you?" I was non-chalant and to her "Imagine".

To make a very painful and long story short. I found Cialis abroad for two dollars a pill.
Use it for a while, afraid of a strikeout. And I started batting in the Majors again.
It was more of a mental blockage. I don't need it anymore. I still have 20 pills left, just in case.

"When the is a will, there is a way". Ancient Chinese proberb.

Good luck. Cheers.

[yellow_fleurs]

I don't know about stability specifically, but as a side effect it seems that both the Lexapro and Lamictal decrease my sex drive. Although, on the lower dose of the Lamictal it was potentially increased. Was hoping it was a sign it wouldn't mess with it, then got to the therapeutic dose and it's decreased again, but perhaps not as bad as on the Lexapro. Depression also significantly decreases my sex drive though. I had basically none months before even starting the Lexapro. Fortunately it hasn't affected my relationship too much besides the actual sex part.

[Pookyl]

Mine is related to low estrogen and testosterone levels.

[Blueberrybook]

I could always get my levels tested, I suppose, but I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with them just yet (my mom didn't go into menopause until late and they say generally what happened with your mom is what you can expect for yourself). I supposed it's always possible the meds have messed up the levels of my hormones, but I don't think so. We had a lot of testing done when we were first dealing with secondary infertility (able to have one child easily then unable to conceive again). Everything was normal on both ends; that was maybe 5 years ago. Finally gave up on that because you can drive yourself nuts waiting on a pregnancy that never comes. It happens to a lot of couples, and you finally just have to move on. In hindsight, my daughter is a challenge to parent, so it's probably good she's an only child.

[Pookyl]

Originally Posted by cln1812

I could always get my levels tested, I suppose, but I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with them just yet (my mom didn't go into menopause until late and they say generally what happened with your mom is what you can expect for yourself). I supposed it's always possible the meds have messed up the levels of my hormones, but I don't think so. We had a lot of testing done when we were first dealing with secondary infertility (able to have one child easily then unable to conceive again). Everything was normal on both ends; that was maybe 5 years ago. Finally gave up on that because you can drive yourself nuts waiting on a pregnancy that never comes. It happens to a lot of couples, and you finally just have to move on. In hindsight, my daughter is a challenge to parent, so it's probably good she's an only child.

In another thread you mentioned that your daughter is awake til late sometimes. Maybe time of day plays a part in whether you feel in the mood?

[MoodyMountain]

I have a reduced sex drive from Latuda, and it's probably a good thing. Hypersexuality is a symptom I've had since I was very young, and I have it except when deeply depressed. It gets worse during hypo/mania, but I always have it. It's more like normal now, as opposed to wanting sex or masturbation multiple times a day.

[Tucson]

If ADs are making your sex drive go to out to lunch, consder going on a holiday from them over the weekend. I had a doc suggest this. I imagine serum levels will not be significantly affected for just a couple days. Get your pdoc permission first!

[Blueberrybook]

I actually have some sex drive for the first time in forever though I think that is due to the Adderall.

It's not at all related to recent late nights with my daughter. This is years and years, even after I got off the pill, I think it got better when I got off most psych meds in order to prepare for pregnancy. And sex drive during pregnancy is weird, there are times you have it in droves and times you don't.

Since I've been on psych meds, I've pretty much lacked a sex drive, and that started when I was 19. But I realize too being on the birth control pill can affect sex drive as well. Before that, yeah, I was hypersexual. My daughter was born when I was 29, about a month away from turning 30. Meds have pretty much affected my sex drive most of my adult life. After my daughter was born, I had a copper IUD for awhile to avoid hormones and then had it removed around the time she was 3, 3 1/2 years old, but I was on psych meds again and again no sex drive. I remember I took Cymbalta a long time, this is when they figured I had post-partum depression, I don't know, maybe I did, who knows? I did OK on it for close to a year and then it stopped working, but post-partum, hormones are haywire for awhile anyway.

[Blueberrybook]

Originally Posted by Tucson

If ADs are making your sex drive go to out to lunch, consder going on a holiday from them over the weekend. I had a doc suggest this. I imagine serum levels will not be significantly affected for just a couple days. Get your pdoc permission first!

I imagine it would depend on the med. If you did that on Effexor, you'd have yourself more brain zaps than you could count! Some meds have a very short half life and shouldn't be suddenly stopped, even for a couple of days.

[Tucson]

Originally Posted by cln1812

I imagine it would depend on the med. If you did that on Effexor, you'd have yourself more brain zaps than you could count! Some meds have a very short half life and shouldn't be suddenly stopped, even for a couple of days.

Well then, check it out. I might be wrong here, but I think the addition (or replacement) by Buproprion can help.

[Blueberrybook]

Originally Posted by Tucson

Well then, check it out. I might be wrong here, but I think the addition (or replacement) by Buproprion can help.

Never a good idea to self-medicate though. What works for one doesn't work for all. And not at all a good idea to go blind into Effexor brain zaps.

Of course, I'm probably like many of us here, I imagine, have built up a veritable pharmacy over the years. Really need to take it down to one of the those medication take back day things, but I can't bring myself to do it. I think (hope) it's the idea that I can self-medicate should I want to (a bad idea, but it lingers for some reason) and not that I can't get rid of it for more sinister reasons.

Now, I would be able to take back the fibro meds and the other meds containing NSAIDs I was prescribed for fibromyalgia or various pain like breaking a toe or something. After my experience with ulcer surgery, I'm just done with NSAIDs. That is easily one of the worst & most painful surgeries that exists with a brutal recovery, one of my worst life experiences ever (and I've had a lot of crappy life experiences).

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by cln1812

Has anyone else found that often the price of stability on meds is often sex drive?

Yes. I wish I didn't have to choose!

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by Tucson

If ADs are making your sex drive go to out to lunch, consder going on a holiday from them over the weekend. I had a doc suggest this. I imagine serum levels will not be significantly affected for just a couple days. Get your pdoc permission first!

I do this and it is some improvement. But then you hit Monday unmedicated...

My sex drive is missing and presumed dead. I blame drugs and the government.

[Tucson]

I do not know where you got the idea that I thought you should medicate yourself. I think you should check out my suggestions with your doctor instead of guessing. I would think your doctor would be able to come up with a solution. But then this is up to you. I am just telling you what did actually work for me.

BTW Did I say you are a good mother? Probably a good wife too.

[Moose72]

Zoloft reduced my sex drive a lot AND i asked my pdoc to take me off it because I couldnt orgasm.

[Blueberrybook]

Originally Posted by Tucson

I do not know where you got the idea that I thought you should medicate yourself. I think you should check out my suggestions with your doctor instead of guessing. I would think your doctor would be able to come up with a solution. But then this is up to you. I am just telling you what did actually work for me.

BTW Did I say you are a good mother? Probably a good wife too.

Thanks Tucson. Sometimes, I wonder how I do as a wife and mother. There are times when I think my daughter definitely got the short end of the stick when it comes to mothering.

My pdoc is extremely cautious about any med changes. I don't think he'd ever suggest going off a med for a weekend on purpose. Often, if he changes a med, I either have to have a telephone appointment or come in within 1-2 weeks. He definitely is not one to change more than 1 med at a time; he says he wants to be sure he knows which med is affecting me how. My retiring pdoc did this too (she is the best pdoc I ever had) except she required every follow up appointment in person.

[Werewoman]

In my experience, Wellbutrin revs me up. Viibryd doesn't interfere with it.

[Blueberrybook]

When I've been on Wellbutrin, I've still had no sex drive though it does give me more energy. Of course, I'm usually on a cocktail of meds at the time, so who knows?

Sorry if my post has been said by someone else. I haven't read everyone's posts.

No sex drive. It mostly stopped on Lamictal. Then Rexulti killed whatever was left. But I don't really care right now. I'm not dating anyone, nor am I interested in dating someone, since I'm experiencing extreme instability. (Mood is fine, but hallucinations are significantly more rampant. It's pretty bad—bad enough that I needed an eval to look into some form of schizo, which is important for insurance reasons.)

I think APs are *usually* to blame for lack of sex drive, but that's just my personal opinion, as I've never had a lack of sex drive until I started APs. However, some ADs have a bad reputation for killing sex drive, like (I think) Celexa. So you could ask your pdoc about sex drive to see which meds have affected his other patients' sex drives. Obviously everyone is different, but if, for example, he's had like 5 patients on Wellbutrin with no sex drive, then maybe that's the culprit.

[UpDownAround]

Lamictal did not affect my sex drive. Sometimes I wish it would as my wife has zero interest in sharing a bed with me for sleep or sex.