# Lowered sex drive on medications - what can I do? Possible TMI **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668 "2007-10-31T03:29:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/1 "2007-10-31T03:29:52Z")
I’m currently on Xanax XR and Zoloft for anxiety and depression respectively. They both work pretty well. However I notice 2 issues. One, I have sort of a decreased sex drive. My girlfriend and I used to do it at least a few times a week, but now it’s more like once a week. Secondly, I have a hard time reaching orgasm, although I can stay hard just fine. The last two times we had sex, I could not come. I had this issue when I first started taking the Zoloft, and I was told that it was normal. Within a few weeks it went away and my sex life was going pretty well. But about a week and a half ago I went from 75 milligrams to 100 milligrams, and I feel that same problem starting to creep back up. What can I do about this? Try to wait it out? For what it’s worth, I have an easier time reaching orgasm if I am, well, jacking off, than if I’m having sex. This has always been true in general for me, but more so since I started taking the medications. I know that a lot of people take these pills so maybe someone here can give me some advice, if you don’t mind speaking candidly. Thanks in advance for the help. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/2 "2007-10-31T03:52:28Z")
Mods, feel free to move this to GQ, it probably fits better in there. ---
**Author:** ![Frosted\_Glass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frosted_glass/32/3926_2.png) [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/3 "2007-10-31T04:09:25Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I’m currently on Xanax XR and Zoloft for anxiety and depression respectively. They both work pretty well. However I notice 2 issues. One, I have sort of a decreased sex drive. My girlfriend and I used to do it at least a few times a week, but now it’s more like once a week. Secondly, I have a hard time reaching orgasm, although I can stay hard just fine. The last two times we had sex, I could not come. I had this issue when I first started taking the Zoloft, and I was told that it was normal. Within a few weeks it went away and my sex life was going pretty well. But about a week and a half ago I went from 75 milligrams to 100 milligrams, and I feel that same problem starting to creep back up. What can I do about this? Try to wait it out? For what it’s worth, I have an easier time reaching orgasm if I am, well, jacking off, than if I’m having sex. This has always been true in general for me, but more so since I started taking the medications. I know that a lot of people take these pills so maybe someone here can give me some advice, if you don’t mind speaking candidly. Thanks in advance for the help. [/QUOTE] My vote, from experience is to wait it out. Your experience sounds identical to my own experiences on Zoloft. It was just a matter of letting my body adjust. Of course, there was a significant period of time where I would not be able to finish just like you said above. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/4 "2007-10-31T04:30:37Z")
I take 40mg of Celexa and occassionally have one of the same problems you do (unable to orgasm during intercourse). Two things I found that work are to try different positions, as with some it was still possible to finish. A much more effective method for me, however, was to skip a day or two of the medication. I do that and I’m like the Energizer bunny… but yeah, talk to your doctor before you take my second piece of advice. Oh, and I’d recommend against drinking more than a few servings also. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/5 "2007-10-31T04:35:30Z")
I’ll second the “it takes a few weeks to adjust” vote. I had “can’t finish” issues with Prozac that just gradually went away. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/94ad74/32.png) [@Only\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Human)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/6 "2007-11-04T01:25:20Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I have a hard time reaching orgasm, although I can stay hard just fine. The last two times we had sex, I could not come. [/QUOTE] Lucky stiff! I mean, really! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_of\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@Sock\_of\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_of_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/7 "2007-11-04T02:55:26Z")
Talk to your doctor about either switching to or augmenting the zoloft with wellbutrin (bupropion). It’s a different type of antidepressant, and has little to no sexual side effects (anecdotally, it made a couple people I know even MORE horny than usual). It has actually been used to counter some side effects of SSRIs, and may allow for a lower dose of the zoloft. (As usual, IANAD. Talk to yours.) ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/8 "2007-11-04T04:26:59Z")
\ Coming. MPSIMS \> GQ Moved. \ ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/9 "2007-11-04T13:45:25Z")
Talk to your doctor. Perhaps he will prescribe Viagra. This is not a spam. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/10 "2007-11-04T15:57:17Z")
[QUOTE=Only Human] Lucky stiff! I mean, really! 😛 [/QUOTE] Or not… being rightthererighttthererightthere but unable to jump Sucks Goat Balls, IMHO. No experience with the pills in question, sorry **Argent**. **Hari** , Viagra helps achieve and maintain erection. Doesn’t sound appropiate at all here. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/11 "2007-11-04T16:14:40Z")
I had a problem achieving an orgasm in 2001(ish). I had no problem getting or keeping an erection. But the orgasm was difficult for me to achieve. My doc actually recommended Viagra. I explained that I no problem getting erect, but he seemed to think that perhaps I wasn’t getting “all the way erect.” I don’t think it helped me. We achieved more from her going on the pill and dispensing with rubbers. I also think that getting into better physical shape helped me. (I’m not implying that you are overweight, nor as overweight as I was at the time.) ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Oak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Farmer\_Oak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Oak)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lowered-sex-drive-on-medications-what-can-i-do-possible-tmi/424668/12 "2007-11-04T23:07:48Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] For what it’s worth, I have an easier time reaching orgasm if I am, well, jacking off, than if I’m having sex. [/QUOTE] Maybe you’re just not attracted to your girlfriend anymore?