SSRIs and sexual side effects

[Silkenray]

Originally Posted by llewtrah

My experience is different. No matter how much physical (or mental) arousal there was, or what type of physical arousal it was, orgasm simply wouldn't happen.

That's exactly where I am with it right now. Everything feels as good as it always did, and I can feel things kind of ramping up like they would immediately before an orgasm, but the feeling just dissipates rather than leading to anything.

Mental arousal is easier for me than normal. Physical arousal is pretty normal. But no matter how good it feels or how long it lasts orgasm just doesn't happen.

[llewtrah]

Like I said, it will pass. Don't try to force things to happen or dwell on disappointment. Having been through that stage (I knew what to expect) I now find physical arousal and climax are easier than they were in the past. I also no longer need the extreme sensations I used to need.

[Twankydillo]

Oh dear. I just started Citalopram last week, and wasn't warned of this side effect. I am still interested so I don't know if I will be physically effected or not, it's too early for me to say.

I have a hard time finding my ideal medication because I have anxiety, depression and something related to OCD, and I haven't found anything that suitably deals with all of these, and some have made one worse. I recently started having panic attacks due to volunteering with many people around and that's what I was prescribed Citalopram. I've never found sexual side effects with any other tablet I've taken, though.

[llewtrah]

The sexual side effects are listed on lots of websites about citalopram. Well worth reading them so you know what to expect. I also got the dilated pupils (temporary side effect), headache, morbid thoughts, restlessness (all normal and temporary) and also jaw clenching (which has eased off a bit).

[Twankydillo]

Originally Posted by llewtrah

... and also jaw clenching (which has eased off a bit).

Oh! I've had that! I was wondering why, I didn't associate it with my tablets, so thank you. I've had sore teeth for the past two days (I've been taking these tablets for 10 days) and think I've been clenching and grinding my teeth in my sleep, as I keep waking up to discomfort in my jaw. I never normally do that.

I've also not felt hungry at all for the past two days, even when I know I should be.

I've also been drinking, when I know I shouldn't. I noticed two nights ago that two pints sends me into the same frame of mind that 6 pints might have otherwise, which means I should either follow advice and not be an idiot and not drink, or else be more aware of my new limit and drink slower.

I've learned that I should read up on tablets I take. It occurs to me that it's very stupid to not do so, which I never do and I'm not normally stupid.

[Kallah]

Originally Posted by Twankydillo

I've also been drinking, when I know I shouldn't. I noticed two nights ago that two pints sends me into the same frame of mind that 6 pints might have otherwise, which means I should either follow advice and not be an idiot and not drink, or else be more aware of my new limit and drink slower.

I would strongly suggest, if it is at all possible, to cut out as much alcohol as you can from your lifestyle. Order a soft drink when you're out with your pals, keep sipping a single glass of wine with dinner and dessert, and don't drink when you're all alone. There are some very serious side effects you don't want to run into, and it's always better to be safe than sorry - there's no way to tell who will just get buzzed faster, and who will wind up in the hospital.

[Twankydillo]

Originally Posted by Kallah

I would strongly suggest, if it is at all possible, to cut out as much alcohol as you can from your lifestyle. Order a soft drink when you're out with your pals, keep sipping a single glass of wine with dinner and dessert, and don't drink when you're all alone. There are some very serious side effects you don't want to run into, and it's always better to be safe than sorry - there's no way to tell who will just get buzzed faster, and who will wind up in the hospital.

It is very possible, but I'm my father's daughter, and my father is an alcoholic, though he'll never admit that. I just drank a bottle of wine tonight, alone, which sounds bad when I say it. I've seen the side effects, as I've had to pick up my sister in a taxi when she had a night out, being on similar SSRI tablets, and was so out of it I didn't recognise her for the first time in my life, which scared me more than I can say. I saw myself there and saw how vulnerable drink can make a person. I'll go without - my willpower is stronger to cut than it is to reduce. It's too easy to grab a bottle when you have anxiety, and I'm a bottle peeler as well, and tomorrow I'm at a party with people who know I'm sleeping with their son, which usually makes me quickly grab for a bottle and make a joke of it. I won't at all, and will be pleased with myself more than I can say too. I have a job interview the day after, so I need to stay sober!

Man, I sound a mess when I put it like this. I wonder if I need more help than tablets.

[Kallah]

Originally Posted by Twankydillo

Man, I sound a mess when I put it like this. I wonder if I need more help than tablets.

Almost everyone needs more than just a bottle of pills - but that doesn't mean that you're a "mess". Remember that you can count on your friends and family as well as professional advice (which I highly recommend to everyone dealing with tough situations, if they have insurance) to keep you going on the right track. You can just as easily make a joke at that party tomorrow about how you're the only one with a soda pop, instead of a glass of beer or wine, and it'll probably go over just as well. Also, even semi-strangers, vague relatives, and brand new friends appreciate a designated driver - it keeps everyone safer, and you come out looking like the good guy willing to make the mature choice. Not a bad way to impress your guys' parents without even trying.

[moonfall]

I have to be very careful with my drinking- no more than one or two drinks, and usually less than once per week. I'm small to begin with, and I've been sick more than once over-estimating how much I could drink or not realizing how strong a particular mixed drink was.

[Silkenray]

Citalopram is an antidepressant with an off-label use of treating anxiety and panic attacks. It is really really commonly prescribed for people who are experiencing both anxiety and depression. OCD is classified as an anxiety disorder, and there's evidence citalopram works for it, so when it kicks in it should help with those thoughts too.

It's been working great for me in treating both anxiety and depression. I don't have OCD in with the mix, but I have had occasional panic attacks.

Hang in there. You're still in early days, and the first couple of weeks with the citalopram are the worst. I had really bad insomnia and physical jitters for my first couple of weeks on the citalopram. It went away gradually over the second week, and now I'm sleeping as I always did. I've also had the jaw clenching, but I've noticed that it is decreasing as time goes by. The good bits started at around the second week, and aside from a brief relapse caused by some life stresses at around the third week, I've been feeling better and better almost by the day. But it might take up to 6 weeks for you to notice it having an effect.

Definitely watch your drinking with them. I'm still drinking as much as I ever did, but as much as I ever did is maybe once or twice a month having a glass or two of wine with dinner. Psychoactive pharmaceuticals and alcohol don't tend to mix well.

And I recommend asking your GP for a referral for therapy. Pills will help, but a combination of meds and therapy are better than meds alone. You can get cognitive behavioural therapy on the NHS, and although I haven't started it, the people I know who have done it have found it really helps. CBT works to help you identify and change harmful thought patterns, and it's been shown to be really effective in treatment of these sorts of problems.

Hang in there. There are a lot of us out there who have had those sorts of problems, and there's no shame in getting whatever help you need to get better. Just like someone with arthritis might need a combination of meds and physical therapy to help them with their problem, you might need a combination of meds and therapy too. It's no different, even if there is sometimes a part of our minds that tells us that since it's all in our heads we should just be able to think ourselves better.

[Esprise Me]

The effects of alcohol vary tremendously from person to person, which is why it's always a good idea to tell your doctor about these things and to be very careful until you know how it will affect you. But just in case anyone out there is reading this and thinking, "crap, if I go on antidepressants, will I not be able to go out for cocktails with my friends/wine tasting with my S.O./have a couple beers watching the game?" I'd like to throw in my yet-again-different personal experience: I've found the difference in how alcohol affects me to be nearly unnoticeable. True, I don't drink like I used to; when I was in college, I might have six or eight drinks in one sitting (pretty easy to do when you're downing giant beers and Long Island Iced Teas that count as 2-3 drinks each), whereas these days I tend to stick with one to three. But that change happened gradually long before the antidepressants. My tolerance dropped considerably as I began drinking less, but didn't change appreciably with the meds. So stories like Twankydillo's are definitely a reason to keep a close eye out, but not the inevitable result for everyone.

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by Twankydillo

Oh! I've had that! I was wondering why, I didn't associate it with my tablets, so thank you. I've had sore teeth for the past two days (I've been taking these tablets for 10 days) and think I've been clenching and grinding my teeth in my sleep, as I keep waking up to discomfort in my jaw. I never normally do that.

I've also not felt hungry at all for the past two days, even when I know I should be.

I've also been drinking, when I know I shouldn't. I noticed two nights ago that two pints sends me into the same frame of mind that 6 pints might have otherwise, which means I should either follow advice and not be an idiot and not drink, or else be more aware of my new limit and drink slower..

If you get the bruxism (grinding) it would be wise to see your dentist and get a guard to wear at night. My sister grinds so badly she chews right through guards though (and she isn't even on any medication).

The appetite eventually returns, which is a pity as I rather liked being able to stick to 3 meals a day and not feel peckish!

Do not drink with citalopram! I had a half of shandy and was unsafe to drive. Alcohol and SSRIs affect the same mechanisms in the brain so those warnings are there for a reason. One of my friends stops taking citalopram on the days when he knows he will drink alcohol (e.g. family parties). If you are on it long-term, you may find the occasional half or a glass of wine is okay on special occasions. A lot of people self-medicate on alcohol. If you are a habitual drinker then I suggest you seek help in changing that behaviour.

[Silkenray]

So my update on this is this side effect wasn't going away after about 3 months, but I had to change medications anyway because the citalopram was actually making me actively suicidal. I'm just finishing tapering off the citalopram. I was torn between conflicting warnings - one which said if you were having suicidal thoughts you should stop immediately, and another which said you should never stop immediately and should ask your doctor to taper your dose.

I'll be starting another class of antidepressant once I have finished the citalopram. I don't want to deal with anorgasmia again.