calibrich

I was just put on Zoloft for anxiety. The doc told me about possible weight gain and he said lower lobido. Thats all he told me. I went online and searched and fount that males that take zoloft sometimes have a side effect of not being able to orgasm, or that its just tougher to do.

Ive only taken 3 pills, but last night when my girl and I had sex, I couldnt make it happen. Of course I started to think about it so that might be why. I know the can really mess with your body. I guess what Im asking, is it common to have side effects so soon on something like zoloft and has anyone here ever taken it and not gotten side effects?

analog

zoloft altering your brain chemistry to go into affect could take time, but affecting your power of erection or climax is pretty much right away.

And yeah, that's a fairly common side-effect of that drug.

calibrich

I knew the drug wouldnt really help my problem for about a month. Guess I thought the side effects would be the same. I really dont know how this drug is supposed to help anxiety if now Im just going to be pissed and down that I cant orgasm anymore.

tenniels

I was on Zoloft for quite some time and loved it. I am female though, so I'm not sure what difference it makes. I seemed to have a decent libido on it, it's also a matter of not sitting back and saying oh the pill makes me not want sex, time for bed. YOu have to want to do it as well. That being said, I'm not sure of the specifics of how it affects males. Also, it would be my opinion that after three days of taking it, the sex thing would not be Zoloft's fault. It could be that this was in your head and it was a psychological effect. Thinking sex wouldn't work so it didn't. I don't know. If you're that worried about it, talk to your doctor about other options and educate yourself on supplemental ways to deal with anxiety and depression (relaxation techniques etc).

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Halx

Listen to analog. This is a big reason why I refuse to take any sort of happy pills. Thankfully I'm not depressed anymore.

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noodle

Wellbutrin XL has been a godsend DISCLAIMER: for me. I read up on everything and didn't want the weight gain or any of the side effects. Went on it to quit smoking initially and didn't quit for two years, but when I did, there wasn't a second thought. In regards to the anxiety and depression I was feeling, it was just what I needed. Turned down some of the volume of my Id and Superego arguments until I actually wanted to listen to the dialogue. I just feel more like I can think clearly without the negative thought patterns.

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shesus

lower sex drive?
...yes

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cyklone

In my experience, Zoloft normally affects your ability to climax and usually pretty much as soon as you take it. (There is a general belief in the profession, that if it isn't affecting your sex life, it isn't likely to be working). This frequently resolves after a few weeks, but not always. Zoloft is an antidepressant and better doctors will prescribe it for anxiety rather than an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) because they tend to be addictive, whereas Zoloft isn't. If you want a drug free solution, see a psychologist, but that will involve you practising a relaxation routine everyday, which is a lot harder than just taking a pill.

There are some herbal remedies, (Valerian, St Johns Wort, Chamomile tea, kava etc) but whatever you do, DO NOT USE THEM WITH ZOLOFT, especially the St Johns Wort or kava (kava will also affect your sex life negatively).

*Nikki*

shesus

What's his dosage, Nikki?

That can make a difference.

Also, is he going to therapy?

There can be many factors to take into consideration and maybe he's doing something right. Or maybe he's just the small percentage that doesn't react that way.

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tenniels

One thing to check out when on a medication is the side effects in people taking the drug vs the side effects on people taking a placebo. It is very interesting that a lot ot the time people taking a placebo pill are experiencing all sorts of "side-effects". I'm in no way saying side effects do not happen, it's just interesting to think whether they are real or in ones head.

Calibrich, are you having panic attacks? I know how miserable that can be, so if you need someone to talk to about it all, just let me know.

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cyklone

If you read the literature with each medication you will see that the likely symptoms are set out as percentages of people who suffered from that symptom in the tests, so one thing that is abundantly obvious with all medications is that different people are affected in different ways (and indeed this is obviously so for all food and chemicals). Because of the complexity and sensitivity of the brain, idiosyncratic reactions are even more evident with medications that affect the neurotransmitters.

calibrich

I've never had a full on panic attack. I just constantly have this feeling of being scared or nervous. My heart is always racing. So I have high blood pressure. Ive had the feeling since high school over stupid reasons. I was hoping it was go away, but it never really did. I dont think Im depressed. Im pretty happy, just happy and terrified at the same time.

Acetylene

The side effects level out over time. Give yourself extra time and attention and keep it low-pressure. You should return to normal eventually.

The effects of the anxiety and depression are also lowering your libido so when you are feeling better you will feel sexier too!

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kelkel

Different people react differently to different anti-depressants/anxiety drugs. For some, some side effects give troubles that for others aren't and issue. Talk to your doctor about other options available if you think that this particular drug is giving you unacceptable side effects.

Of course being worried about it not happenning will have a massive effect on things, i've been in similar situations myself. In my experience I found that talking with my partner about my headspace and the pressure that I was putting on myself helped ease the situation. Focus on the journey, not the destination.

gustaf00

I was on that for a few months, and yeah, it definitely screwed up my libido after a month or so. We were pretty confused until I read up on the side effects and realized what was happening. I ended up discontinuing the zoloft because sex worked way better as an anti-depressant (for me at least).

tooth

Yep, yep, and yep.

There are a gazillion choices out there for anti-depressant and anti-anxiety treatment. Be open and honest with your doctor about whats going on to help find one that works FOR YOU.

Nimetic

Gee.

I took Zoloft, and it pretty much took my entire sex drive away - as well as a lot of my emotion. I become a highly functional and cold blooded Vulcan.

These things work differently though, for different people, at different doses (and most antidepressants reduce sex drive apparently). But I think that Zoloft has a relatively bad record on sex drive, based on the data that I've been able to find.

In terms of the side effects. Most people seem to agree that with anti-dressants, the side effects start right away. The positive effects take much longer. In fact, with Zolof, I felt shit for the first few days - then emotionally I was very negative for a week. After that I came good (except for the sex drive as I say).

My advice is this... if you got the prescription from a regular doc, chat to them about alternatives. There are alternative drugs. If it's a regular doc, you might want to research the drugs first. GPs seem a little vague on this stuff and the suburban GP is used to fairly uneducated patients it seems. When I raised the side effect thing, I was forwarded to a specialist - who was much more useful in terms of knowing relative effects.

(Of course, they charge more).

On the other hand... you might be wired different to begin with... Take care of yourself during the first few weeks though. That'll pass. Also... a little tip. These things reduce salivation, which is bad for your teeth (partial fact here, and partial option/speculation on my behalf). You might want to take extra care with oral hygiene and diet - to save yourself big money on dentists later.

calibrich

Thanks for the posts. Im on my second week now and so far, the only effects Ive noticed is the harder to have an orgasm part. In ways its good and in ways its bad. Guys are all about going longer to pleasure their woman, but sometimes, you just need a quickie for both parties. Ive only had one instance where I couldnt at all. Had a few times where it was harder, but happened eventually. last night it seemed I had a pretty normal experience. So Ill see how it goes as time passes. Right now the urge to have sex is still strong. I get excited for no reason which is making me feel better about the medicine. Still waiting for it to kick in to see how the rest of my body will react. Im scared about the zombie factor most of all.

Zar

SSRIs destroyed my sex drive and my ability to orgasm in addition to transforming me into an emotionless zombie.

Yeah, they weren't really for me. But if they end up being a positive influence in your own life, go for it.

safronlove

Yes on of side effect zoloft has but i do not think it will effect as fast.
Also check http://www.zoloft.com/zoloft/zoloft....mmon_questions

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Aladdin Sane

I have chronic depression. It's a chemical imbalance. After seven years of therapy, I went on Zoloft, and I've been on it for 12 years, give or take. In short, it saved my life. I am able to carry on without depression and major anxiety. I can perform like a porn star, in that I can fuck for hours and not cum. This side effect I have been aware of since I started taking Zoloft. When I do orgasm, it is less intense. My sex drive is not affected. Insomnia is another problem with this drug. It's something I live with.
I didn't connect other side effects to the drug until recently, when I decided to try to live without it. They are weigh gain, constipation, and night sweats, to name a few.
Zoloft flattens my highs and lows, which means I am less spiritual and less creative. This became much more apparent when I stopped taking it. Oh, well.
That said, I have tried many different SSRI's, and for my money, Zoloft gives the most benefit and the least trouble. It also allows me to function as a husband, father, worker, and friend. It's a trade off I'm willing to make. It's my pact with the devil, I suppose.

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Nimetic

Bloody hell, that's the manufacturer's site. Don't take that as an authority. It reads like a cheap nightime "infomercial". This is like asking McDonalds whether it is a good idea to each their food.

Look. There are a lot of positives to these substances, I'm sure. However on the negative side... lets be real. SSRIs and Zoloft seem to have, overall, the worst reputation in relation to sex drive. I don't have all the references handy (I checked years back), but check this point

http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/?art...ntidepressants

On another note... while Pfizer happily points out that no adolescent has committed suicide in their studies (they are very careful with their words) - in the wider world, there are people out there debating the influence of these drugs in cases such as Columbine.

So... pros and cons. And each person is different of course.

tenniels

I don't know about things like SSRI's and Accutane causing suicide or homicidal/suicidal rampages. I've been on both types of drugs, and never had any of those feelings. I think in order for that to happen there would have to be an underlying urge in the first place. I was actually on Accutane and anti-depressants at the same time and it did not affect my mood negatively. I don't know. I know that medications are not for everyone, however, I am very much for them, if the person willingly chooses to be on them and understands the benefits and risks. The medications I am on allow me to start my day on the same level everyone else does. They do not make me high (unfortunately haha) and they do not prohibit me from feeling. I know my quality of life would be drastically different had I not found a combination of medications that work for me. That being said, I don't like to push the idea on anyone, I know there are a lot of people out there that are vehemently anti-drug. I find that a lot of people who take any sort of medication contribute to the placebo factor. A lot (and by no means all, I know side-effects ARE real) of side-effects seem to be psychological. Anyways, I think it's most definitely an individual thing and as long as everyone is able to find a way to cope that's great. Whether or not medication is a part of the equation, who's to say?

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baggy20

I’m sorry I can’t help you because I take lexapro and not Zoloft. I take my medicines from http://www.drugdelivery.ca/. On this site they provide explicit description of all medicines. I think you can get better information from there. just type in the drug’s name and a full page of information will be loaded to you.

analog

The idea of suicidal thoughts actually being enhanced or increased in frequency/severity is more a phenomenon of children and adolescents, not so much in adults. This is generally attributed to/explained as the differences in the way that the neurochemical makeup in our brains function as kids vs. adults. As kids/adolescents, things are very much in flux and it's believed that the increase of suicidal thoughts in that age group is due to the way their constantly-changing serotonin levels react to the drugs. Some circles believe it boils down to making them "more confused" instead of "more focused". In adults, our neurochemical balance doesn't (normally) change/fluctuate nearly as much as it does in adolescents, so the drug has a more controlled environment in which to operate. This generally means a more steady thought-pattern for the user.

Oh, and I haven't read of an FDA clinical drug trial yet where a kid actually DID kill themselves. It's not just Pfizer, they have all been super-cautious (or maybe super lucky) about it.