# SSRI Sex Drive Problems



## genabee (Nov 26, 2016)

My husband did three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan has been diagnosed with PTSD. Although he plays it down and says it is a "crutch", I have been witness to some very bad nightmares that he has had in the past few years. I finally got him to talk to the VA and they prescribed him with Celexa in March to calm his nerves. About a month into taking the Celexa he lost almost all ability to orgasm. He could still get an erection, but our normal sex life did not give him an easy orgasm.

He has always been able to last a fairly long time and our normal sex life included him pleasuring me with fingers and/or oral and then PIV lovemaking in different positions with him choosing to finish most of the time on my chest or in my mouth (we are not in the baby making stage of our relationship).

We have traditionally tried to make love on average once a day for the entire time we are married. Some days it is a quickie in the morning before work and some days it is slow love making at night. When we are apart due to work or travel he usually masturbates daily to achieve orgasm and is open with me about his frequency.

He stopped taking Celexa three weeks ago and we are still not able to get him to reach orgasm easily. I've tried everything in our box of tricks including porn, prostrate massage, and anal. He still has no problem achieving or keeping an erection, but the fact that he can't orgasm has affected his entire personality.

I have been looking at other discussion boards related to SSRI medications and their side effects, but often times the sexual effects are not the prime concern.

Does anyone have any experience or insight into this? His doctor at the VA is next to useless and although my husband is a saint and the love of my life, he is becoming a different person when he doesn't orgasm daily. From what I am reading, this is supposed to be a temporary condition, but it has been three weeks since he stopped Celexa and there is still no relief.

Gena


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## Townes (Jan 31, 2018)

Celexa probably wasn't the best choice by his doctor given how active your sex life is. It's actually been used effectively to treat premature ejaculation. Very likely he'll return to normal functioning though, especially since he took it for such a short amount of time. You'll just have to give it more time. Maybe consider having sex less frequently in the meantime so he can sensitize. It won't be daily but at least he can orgasm when you do have sex. 

A lot of other good treatments for anxiety and ptsd, so don't give up hope on that front either. Kudos for being such a caring and committed wife too.


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## kag123 (Feb 6, 2012)

Three weeks is not enough time to rid himself of the side effects. 

I am more concerned that he's stopping a medication that might be helping him deal with the PTSD. Was it helping? There are so many different SSRI (and similar) meds out there and it takes a lot of time and close evaluation by a doctor to find one that works. 

All of them seem to have side effects. You have to weigh the benefit of the medication (peace from the PTSD symptoms) against the negative of the side effects. 

I have been taking SSRI for about 10 years now. I have found a decent med that works for me and gotten it down to the absolute lowest dose I can go to that still takes away my anxiety/depression. There are still side effects... including sexual ones...but the benefits outweigh the side effects for me at my current dose. 

He should discuss these issues with his doctor. 

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## PigglyWiggly (May 1, 2018)

I can't wait until Molly/MDMA is approved for PTSD treatment......this is going to be a gamechanger


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## BluesPower (Mar 27, 2018)

Yes, not with PTSD but anti depressants and Blood pressure meds...

Like someone said, I am not sure that is the best med for that, I would get a second opinion on that. 

I am like your husband in that I takes me a long time to get there even if I am not on my meds. 

What I have done is take a "Med Break" or miss a day and go at it then. Usually I can O. 

While it is not a choice for him, I got off the Anti-Depressant Med since I am no longer married to my Ex W, I find I don't really need it. 

But you can ask the doctor if it is ok to skip a day or make sure that you take it after sex and not in the morning to give you time to have sex. 

Also, for some men that take a while, if you pay attention, there is a window that you can O. If you take that opportunity when you feel it you can achieve O. Problem is that window, when it comes, is usually to early in the process and I don't want to. 

The other thing that helps is... if we take a 5 minute break after 45 min or an hour, I can kind of start over and get there some times as well.

But my GF wants me to O when ever I can so she pretty much says to let it happen whenever it happens and we can go again if she is not finished yet, or is she wants to have more O's herself. But after about 4 or 5 for her she wants to rest anyway.

It is not a perfect solution but it does help some I guess. She likes that payoff so she is rather insistent. 

You should know that it is very enjoyable whether I finish of not for me. I am in kind of the reverse position of most couples from what I read. But I also like to have sex for a long time, so there is that...


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

SSRI's are horrible for causing sexual problems....sometimes the effects can last for many years unfortunately. 

Doctors are not informing patients of the issues that SSRI's are causing.


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## Mr. Nail (Apr 26, 2011)

I'm in my second month of Escitalopram Oxalate 10 mg. Yes difficulty reaching Orgasm. Actually the medication is doing a great job of reducing stress in my life as I really don't care about my wife's low sex drive. We are down to once a week. Her participation is more enthusiastic. I've skipped some scheduled encounters.


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## genabee (Nov 26, 2016)

I just want to report back that after a couple of weeks things have gone back to normal for my husband (thankfully). He went to a different doctor for the PTSD issue and was given some other alternatives that do not seem to affect his sex drive or ability to orgasm. Neither of us had any experience with anti depressants and we should have researched things more.


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## SweetAndSour (Feb 25, 2012)

I was put on SSRIs after I learned about my wife's real past during our marriage, my prescription was changed few times due to side effects. I had all the side effects in the books so bad that I quit the last one suddenly from full dose to none in a day, following days were hell but I was much better in a week. I had to quit all at the end, including the wife.


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## AKA Broken Arrow (Feb 19, 2016)

I took Zoloft for about 6 months and along with the inability to orgasm, I also gained about 20 lbs. Not cool. I went off of pretty quickly and sex is back to normal but I'm having some trouble with the weight.


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## No Longer Lonely Husband (Nov 3, 2015)

There are other solutions as I was prescribed these a few years back. Has your husband tried EMDR? If not he needs to consider. 

Secondly find a reputable holistic doctor. Pills are not the best solutions. I had similar issues related to Effexor.

I control my depression via natural methods and a great natural doctor.

I would encourage your husband to do a mineral analysis which is done via a hair sample. Sometimes too much toxic metals in your system cause problems.

I no longer take any medications other than supplements.


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