# Celexa and no desire



## AgentD (Dec 27, 2010)

So my husband has been on Celexa for close to a year now. He started out at 20 mg and is now at 40 mgs. He has said he noticed it has decreased his sex drive. He is supposed to go back to the doctor soon and he said he would mention it.

However, has anyone else been on this medicine or perhaps another kind and it decreased the sex drive, if so what did you do or what did your doctor recommend? The thing is this medicine has been working well for him with the depression.


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## AgentD (Dec 27, 2010)

Anyone? :scratchhead:


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## Mavash. (Jan 26, 2012)

This is one of the biggest reasons I've avoided meds. The side affects were worse than the depression I was trying to treat.

I wish your husband would try to FIX his depression instead of medicating it but I know you've said he's not really interested in that so my next suggestion would be to yes discuss it with his doctor. I think most add Wellbutrin to the mix to help with the sex side. But don't quote me on this I'm not a doctor or a pharmacist. I just vaguely remembering friends mentioning this to me and how they fixed it.


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## AgentD (Dec 27, 2010)

Mavash. said:


> This is one of the biggest reasons I've avoided meds. The side affects were worse than the depression I was trying to treat.
> 
> I wish your husband would try to FIX his depression instead of medicating it but I know you've said he's not really interested in that so my next suggestion would be to yes discuss it with his doctor. I think most add Wellbutrin to the mix to help with the sex side. But don't quote me on this I'm not a doctor or a pharmacist. I just vaguely remembering friends mentioning this to me and how they fixed it.


Thanks Mavash! Yeah hopefully the doc will have a solution. I don't really care much for meds myself, although I understand some people may need them and they do help some people. I would hate for him to not take anything at all, and the depression to return. I really wish he would get into some therapy as well, and learn coping skills etc, the meds IMO are like a band aid thats all. He does come from a family though, where if anything is wrong, popping a pill seems to be the answer for them.


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## Mavash. (Jan 26, 2012)

Therapy WITH meds is the best course of action.

My therapist wanted me to do that and I agree it is the best if the depression is bad.

It's too late for me now I beat depression but I probably should have listened to my therapist. Could have saved myself years of pain.


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## AgentD (Dec 27, 2010)

He is also on testosterone cream as well. Has been even back before he went on the Celexa. I guess I would have thought that would have helped some, so far it hasn't made even a little difference.


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## Mavash. (Jan 26, 2012)

Is the cream OTC or prescribed?

Overall I don't think it matters. 

The simple fact is meds decrease many people's sex drives.

My husband had a case of ED from taking OTC Zyrtec. Thankfully he figured it out and no longer takes it for allergies. We're a culture of pill poppers and have no idea exactly what we are doing to our bodies.


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## AgentD (Dec 27, 2010)

Mavash. said:


> Is the cream OTC or prescribed?
> 
> Overall I don't think it matters.
> 
> ...


Its prescribed. He was on a different kind at one point, and then doc took him off that one and put him on another one, but still no difference. 

I agree about pill popping culture.


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## love2laugh (Sep 16, 2012)

See if he can switch to Lexapro. I've been on and off many medications due to anxiety and Lexapro is the only one that didn't give me sexual side effects. 

My doctor said it was similar to Celexa. It's apparently a pretty new drug and "cleaner" than others. I currently have zero side effects on 10mg.


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## Mr B (Feb 6, 2009)

Many couples where one is depressed stop having sex. Before medication they stop because the depression kills sexual desire. And after meds are started, despite the patient feeling better the anti depressant meds also kill libido. So sex is really out for someone with depression. The couple needs to choose between being depressed and no sex or not feeling depressed but also having no sexual desire.


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## kezins (Aug 25, 2013)

Sadly, mental health drugs can really jack your life up. I had similar problems on drugs before. Finally, I've gotten to where I am a minimalist on medication I take. I always refuse high doses and find new ways to improve my mental health like being more active and eating healthy foods.


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## Cosmos (May 4, 2012)

SSRIs are notorius for causing ED and low libido. If your H's depression hasn't cleared up after a year, his doctor should have sent him for therapy. 

Long term use of SSRIs can cause a host of unwanted side effects. Obesity being another of them - and all the side effects that go with that, too!


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