Sexual Frustration due to meds?

I have not been able to have an orgasm in over a week. I had some problems before, but now I just get frustrated at trying. I have to say that I am on Zoloft and Lamictal. The Lamictal is up to 100mg as of a week ago.
I have no problem getting ummm... "ready" for sex, but cannot seem to get to the end result. I get close, but can't finish.
I don't know what to do, but I am really starting to get upset and even cry over it.
I want to just quit the meds all together, but am scared that things might get bad again.
I wonder if any other women have this problem or even any men. IDK what to do and I don't want my partner to feel like they are failing me or anything.
Thoughts? Suggestions?

i found this on the Zoloft website........i've never taken it but i have taken ADs that affected me........here is the paragraph:

Some people taking Zoloft might have some side effects. The most common Zoloft side effects are dry mouth, insomnia, sexual side effects, diarrhea, nausea, and sleepiness. Not everyone gets side effects.

Zoloft website...... sigh. Most people, especially women have this. You can usually get relief, so to speak, with adding a 50-100 mg of wellbutrin every morning.

Dr.S.

Thanks for the help.
I guess I am going to have to find a way to bring it up to my psychiatrist. Not an easy subject to talk about, expecially since I have only seen him 3 times.
I am really glad to know that I am not alone in this.

Believe me, he hears this every day. Aside from this, I feel that every prescriber should warn patients about this and give them hope about the treatment. Get some wellbutrin and you will be fine, and maybe a little better

Thanks Dr. S! Better would be great!!! Actually, it would be AWESOME...

i apologize for not telling you that wellbutrin helped in that area. i'm a bit overwhelmed right now.....i'm sorry......pat

Oh, Pat it's ok. You don't have to apologize.

was there a problem with me quoting the Zoloft website?

*shrugs* I don't think so...but maybe Dr. S has a thought?!

No problem with qouting it at all, but drug companies are the masters of misinformation...

how so?

I have this problem on every SSRI. The only thing that helped me with depression AND left me still orgasmic is Effexor.

Yes, tell your doc. He/she hears this every day from men and women. I think it's a much bigger problem than even the drug companies know because people are embarrassed to report it...so please do.

Take care, em

P.S. guys can take one the ED meds, but as far as I know the "viagra for women" still does not exist.

Thanks Em, I will talk to my doc about this. I know that I am not alone in this now and feel like I can talk with him about it.

Too bad there isn't a Viagra for women, that would be GREAT!

Actually the ED meds will work for women as well, and can be a good option for dysfunction secondary to SSRIs.

Hi only

I also had the same problem and unfortunately never said anything and it went on and got worse for far too long. It caused further problems.

I also had a male friend who had the very same problem and he changed it.

It's a very common side effect from those meds.

When I went on wellbutrin and was able to ahem. I was like omg I can do it... lol

Mind you I hadn't for like a year. (far too long)

It's good you are addressing the issue.

Good luck!

Maybe things have changed (this was about 3 years ago), but when my doc prescribed Viagra just to try to see if it would work, my insurance company would not pay for it because it had not been shown to work for women. I paid out of pocket for it, and it did not help.

em

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onlymedid said:
I have not been able to have an orgasm in over a week. I had some problems before, but now I just get frustrated at trying. I have to say that I am on Zoloft and Lamictal.

I want to just quit the meds all together, but am scared that things might get bad again.

I wonder if any other women have this problem or even any men.
IDK what to do and I don't want my partner to feel like they are failing me or anything.

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YES....... I would say that many men & women that take any kind of Serotonin medicine for Depression, Mood Swings etc will tend to have (at time or any other) complications in the bedroom... with the "Getting to the Finish Line" and some times even just "Trying to get in the Mood".
REASON: High Levels of Serotonin (from the meds) - (what we need to mentally calm us can also sexually calm us).

Now if I might give some personal advice here (from 1 yr experience) - I would have to say that all is not lost and that you are defiantly better off in the long for having taken the medicine... no matter how hard receiving sexual pleasure may become - for if your partner is any thing like my husband he wants you to be here in life with him physically more than he needs (or wants) sex.

I would say with out a doubt that you are better off in life & love being on the medicine you are taking than without..... for your emotions might just get the best of you on a bad day - and then what? - like it has gotten me many times over when I went off my meds due to the sexual side effects I was having problems with.

Talk to your T about the concerns you are having with sex and taking the meds and maybe even talk to your GP...... and see if they might be able to prescribe some WELLBUTRIN for you like Fayerody suggested.
I have been told by a doctor that this medicine can help you if you are having sexual problems with your other medicines. Now I am not for sure if you take it with your old medicine or if you stop the old medicine and start taking this one... but it something that I am going to ask my GP about when I see her in February.
.... the only thing I will miss if the Wellbutrin works for me is the extra time hubby takes with me to ensure that I get to the finish line with him.

Good Luck.......

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

oops...i was only one wellbutrin at the time. not in conjunction with other meds.....

how about some "self-love"? that way, you're more relaxed and things might move along with your partner.....i think that helps a lot of women......

Generally the wellbutrin is added to whatever AD you are taking at like 50-100 mg every AM. The reason SSRI's cause sexual problems are 2-fold. They bind solidly to one of the sub-serotonin receptors (there are many, and I can't remember which one), and this makes it hard to achieve orgasm, and is simply biochemical. Also after a few months alot of people notice a decrease in desire that has to do with downregulation of dopamine receptors. For some reason wellbutrin tends to fix both. I have had some luck with BuSpar and trazadone as well.

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psisci said:
Generally the wellbutrin is added to whatever AD you are taking at like 50-100 mg every AM.

....and this makes it hard to achieve orgasm, and is simply biochemical.

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Thanks very much for your last reply and for stating it correctly.... for it is the lack of being able to achieve the orgasm that is the REAL problem, and while a lot of us can get there - we cannot finish.

I am going to talk to my GP about getting some Wellbutrin ASAP!!! -


Thanks....
Rhapsody -

YES, not being able to finish is the biggest problem!!!! I talked with my Therapist today and she is going to talk with my psychiatrist because I am too shy. Then we are going to see what he says. I did tell my therapist that I have a money issue as Insurance only pays for so much. I am on so many meds and am trying to see if I can go off the Zoloft and replace it with Wellbutrin.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Thanks again for ALL of the responses, they really help
Oh and fayerody, I have tried "self-love" and get ummmm.... too tired to complete the task.

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onlymedid said:
Oh and fayerody, I have tried "self-love" and get ummmm.... too tired to complete the task.

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I hear YOU there......

and while a toy may help with the "getting tired" problem.... it cannot (will never) compare to the warm after glow one receives when sex is shared with a lover.

Take - Care (and) Maybe together - armed with knowledge - we can conquer all.

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

having the proper "EOB" is essential. PM me if you want a brand name. and what i meant was this.......if you work alone awhile, it seems to help you with a partner. something about the body "giving" in quicker......make sense? just PM me.......

Hi fayerody

I glad to read that you recommended an E.O.B instead of a B.O.B!