# women, sex drive, and anti-depressants **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 1, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279 "2000-11-01T18:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/1 "2000-11-01T18:29:22Z")
I know that that a similar thread has been done before, but I’ll be damned if I can find it using the search function. Anyway, I guess this is more of a poll than it is medical knowledge, so here I am in IMHO. Women, out of all of you that have been on/are currently on anti-depressants, which ones did you find had the most or least severe impact on your sex drive? What I’m really looking for is any of them that had little to no effect, or even better, boosted it! (Wishful thinking, I know.) ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/2 "2000-11-01T18:37:11Z")
I took Prozac for a while and mine disappeared almost completely. My bf at the time decided it would be best if he gave me “space” to work out my “problems”. ::grumble grumble:: I’m not bitter. Really. Anyway, I’m not taking anything now and, since I stopped taking Prozac, I haven’t really tried anything else for any significant period of time. So I can’t comment on the wide varity of other antidepressants. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/3 "2000-11-01T18:41:51Z")
I have been on several flavors of anti-depressants but usually when I am in a depressed state my sex drive is null anyway. Once I am out of my depressed state though my hormones go back into check… I think it depends on the person. Oh, 'sposedly Wellbutrin (aka Zyban) has fewer effects on sex drive. ---
**Author:** ![robinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@robinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinh)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/4 "2000-11-01T18:57:40Z")
I have been medicated twice with antidepressants. The first time I took Zoloft. I didn’t much care for the “overly perky” sensation it sometimes gave me, but the sexual side effects were awful. I didn’t have an orgasm for 18 months. It just shut down whatever part of my brain was involved. The second time I took something called nefazadone (sp?) that worked much better for me. All of the side effects were much less noticable. I think, though, that it will vary with each person. What works for me may be absolutely terrible for you. If you aren’t happy with the side effects of something you are currently on, do speak with your doctor. Most of the antidepressents currently being used seem to be variations on a theme, but one particular variation might be a much better fit for you. ---
**Author:** ![DavisMcDavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@DavisMcDavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavisMcDavis)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/5 "2000-11-01T19:10:40Z")
I’m not a woman, but I believe that Celexa is a similar SSRI without the sexual side effects. (Not to be confused with Celebrex, which sounds like fun but is for arthritis). Your best bet is asking your doctor. Okay, I know that’s kinda dumb advice, like Dear Abby suggesting counseling for everyone that writes in, but they should be able to find an antidepressant and/or dosage that doesn’t lower your sex drive. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/6 "2000-11-01T19:54:21Z")
My ex-gf tried Wellbutrin, but said it didn’t work. I think she was then on Celexa, which seemed to work to treat the depression. She claimed that both inhibited her sex drive, but I certainly didn’t have anything to complain about. She must have been a complete nympho before. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/7 "2000-11-01T20:04:58Z")
I went on Prozac during my unfortunate experience with Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress. Prozac wrecked havoc with my sex drive. I sometimes wanted to be held but couldn’t be “bothered” with anything else. Quite simply my train of thought was, “Yeah, we could take off all our clothes and have sex, but then I’d just have to get dressed again, what a pain.” After complaining to my psychologist, she recommended (together with my G.P.) that I swicth to Serzone. I got a new drug and boyfriend and everything was fine. About six months later I was tapering off and everything was fine. ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/8 "2000-11-01T20:08:07Z")
I was on one that reputedly increased sex drive. Since I was, ahem, doing it about 3 times a day at the time, it probably had some effect. It was called Deseryl (or something like that). ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/9 "2000-11-01T20:45:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Poysyn \* > \*\*I sometimes wanted to be held but couldn’t be “bothered” with anything else. \*\* Really? Wow. Generally, I just wanted to be left alone. I’d talk and everything, but I didn’t want _any_ physical contact. I hated Prozac. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![BornDodgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@BornDodgy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornDodgy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/10 "2000-11-01T21:41:53Z")
Paxil aka Seroxat for me. I have taken Zyprexa, BuSpar and Xanax aka Xanor too, but I was not sexually active at that time. So now it is only paxil (and I hope to get rid of it soon) and I can confidently say that no orgasms have crossed my way. dodgy ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/11 "2000-11-01T22:37:19Z")
lolagranola wrote: > [@](#): > > I was on one that reputedly increased sex drive. Since I was, ahem, doing it about 3 times a day at the time, it probably had some effect. It was called Deseryl (or something like that). My college roommate was on the same medication for a year or so after his father died. I’d guess his sex life totally stopped, since he tended to sleep 18-20 hours a day while he was on the drug. ---
**Author:** ![Pucette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@Pucette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pucette)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/12 "2000-11-01T22:47:24Z")
I guess I should start a thread about how birth control pills killed my sex life…What Poysyn said really rang a bell, sadly enough… ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/13 "2000-11-01T22:53:47Z")
I have been on and off Zoloft for a few years now. I don’t feel like having sex when I first start taking it because I feel like my skin is electric and my teeth stay clenched. It usually takes me about two weeks to even out. When I am “even” again my sex life turns to normal (better than without). When I am not on it I feel very fat and unworthy of attention so my sex life suffers from that more than Zoloft. ---
**Author:** ![Girlbysea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Girlbysea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlbysea)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/14 "2000-11-01T23:47:54Z")
Serzone works great. Been on it for three years, everything works just fine… Of course being 44 helps!!! ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/15 "2000-11-02T00:31:11Z")
With me, the SSRIs cause far more problems than they solve. I have no sex drive, no sleep and I bounce off the walls. Paxil was the lesser of the two evils that I’ve tried, but it caused side effects with no discernible relief from the depression. I’ve also used Serzone (nefazodone), but it puts me to sleep, and since I work an off-schedule, tends to make me dangerous on the road. I’ve been on Wellbutrin for a little while, and it’s helping some, but not enough. At least I don’t want to smoke anymore. :rolleyes: (I don’t smoke.) I have an appointment next week to see if he can switch me again. He said we’re going to try Effexor next. I can hardly wait. Robin ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/16 "2000-11-02T02:35:03Z")
You know, I get quite a “lift” from doing long-distance running every 3 or 4 days. All I needed was a reason to, like, oh, entering an upcoming 5K run competition. Like Prozac, though, the effects don’t really kick in for a couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/17 "2000-11-02T03:04:45Z")
I take Zoloft (for migraines, not depression) and I am horny as hell. The fact that I haven’t gotten laid in so long might have something to do with it, though. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/18 "2000-11-02T03:16:21Z")
Well, everybody knows migraines are just a symptom of sexual frustration. (At least, that’s the excuse _I_ use…) ---
**Author:** ![smilingjaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@smilingjaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smilingjaws)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/19 "2000-11-02T03:52:47Z")
Zoloft and Wellbutrin both killed my sex drive. Now that I’m off them, I still don’t have much sex drive–maybe because I am 44 years old? PRobably a good thing since I probably will never have another sex partner in this lifetime. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2000, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279/20 "2000-11-03T05:10:29Z")
here is a possibly helpful link for you… [http://www.cybercomm.net/~demarest/life\_after\_prozac.html](http://www.cybercomm.net/~demarest/life_after_prozac.html) You did not get this link from me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-sex-drive-and-anti-depressants/39279.md?page=2)