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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Hiba on August 14, 2002, at 0:17:55
Hello everyone,
I am a chronic depressive patient. After the fourth relapse, my psychiatrist suggested a life-long maintenance therapy for me in order to prevent another devastating depressive episode. I know it is reasonable. But the drug he put on me is what my real problem now. I am on fluoxetine 40 mg a day and it really destroyed and still doing enough damages to my sexuality. Desire phase, excitement, orgasmic response, all are affected. But I am forced to continue the medication because depression is a real hell.
I had effectively stabilized on 1 mg of clonazepam for about eighteen months without any serious side effects like this. At least my sexual self was intact. But when my psychiatrist left the place, there was no choice for me except to seek another one who was a benzophobic. He tapered my clonazepam dosage and put me on this stuff which I am still taking.
Now my question is, If I want to go off fluoxetine, there should be a substituion of another AD. I have heard wellbutrinn is a nice option. Is there anyone to help me? My psychiatrist is ready to prescribe it for me, since I don't have any seizure disorders. I have heard, wellbutrin doesn't cause any sexual dysfunction, but actually increases sexuality. I have seen at least a couple of sites emphasizing on the effectiveness of wellbutrin and its wonderful libido enhancing effects. Is it true? Any male friends with this experience? Please help.
I am an anxiously depressed one. And concerned of wellbutrin's anxiety provoking effects. If anybody have experienced such a thing, let me know it. Please
HIBA
Posted by sleepy lizard on August 14, 2002, at 6:36:05
In reply to WELLBUTRIN AND INCREASED SEXUALITY. TRUE?, posted by Hiba on August 14, 2002, at 0:17:55
Sorry to hear of your difficulties. You are not alone with the sexual side effects. It is so frustrating. You may not realize how important an orgasm is till you can't have one. I've been taking Wellbutrin SR for two weeks to help with the sexual side effects of Effexor. (Male, age 49.) It has increased my energy some, but I don't think it has made me more anxious. However I'm only taking 100 mg once a day (A.M.) so far. I can post more info later when I have more experience. (Buspar is also said to help with the sex problems but I have not tried it.)
Posted by Essence on August 14, 2002, at 7:05:02
In reply to WELLBUTRIN AND INCREASED SEXUALITY. TRUE?, posted by Hiba on August 14, 2002, at 0:17:55
I have had depression/severe anxiety/panic disorder for 13 yrs. Last December, after a med switch to Wellbutrin I thought I would lose my mind. The anxiety and panic was the worse I have ever experienced and I thought it was bad to begin with. I lasted two weeks and had to come off of it. I couldn't beleive that my psydoc had prescribed it to me knowing it could cause increased anxiety/panic. He didn't even warn me. In all the years of being depressed and anxious I had never felt so close to losing it as I did those two weeks. As for anything sexual, can't help you there. The way I was feeling, sex was the last thing on my mind. I now take Rem, 30 mg for the past 8 mos.
Essence
Posted by Rob829 on August 14, 2002, at 13:34:01
In reply to WELLBUTRIN AND INCREASED SEXUALITY. TRUE?, posted by Hiba on August 14, 2002, at 0:17:55
I took 300 mg Wellbutrin at one point. It does cause a minor increase in sex drive at first, but if your depression goes away, that really causes your sex drive to increase.
Posted by Christina on August 14, 2002, at 13:43:19
In reply to WELLBUTRIN AND INCREASED SEXUALITY. TRUE?, posted by Hiba on August 14, 2002, at 0:17:55
Posted by dave40252 on August 17, 2002, at 10:38:16
In reply to WELLBUTRIN AND INCREASED SEXUALITY. TRUE?, posted by Hiba on August 14, 2002, at 0:17:55
hi have experienced sexual side effects with ssri's and effexor. also tried wellbutrin along with them. for me, the combination is definitly beneficial. unfortunatly, for me anyway, the wellbutrin doesnt help with the ssri side effects.but many report that it does so it is worth a try.
Posted by sleepy lizard on August 18, 2002, at 16:01:53
In reply to Re: WELLBUTRIN AND INCREASED SEXUALITY. TRUE?, posted by dave40252 on August 17, 2002, at 10:38:16
These medications have been listed as causing no incidence or rare incidence of sexual side effects (from September 2001 Human Sexuality, p. 15):
Parnate
Manerix (not available in US)
Serzone (recently linked to liver damage)
Desyrel (usually used only for sleep problems)
Wellbutrin (activating)
Ludiomil
Remeron
Posted by Lorelai on August 19, 2002, at 8:26:25
In reply to WELLBUTRIN AND INCREASED SEXUALITY. TRUE?, posted by Hiba on August 14, 2002, at 0:17:55
> Hello everyone,
>
> I am a chronic depressive patient. After the fourth relapse, my psychiatrist suggested a life-long maintenance therapy for me in order to prevent another devastating depressive episode. I know it is reasonable. But the drug he put on me is what my real problem now. I am on fluoxetine 40 mg a day and it really destroyed and still doing enough damages to my sexuality. Desire phase, excitement, orgasmic response, all are affected. But I am forced to continue the medication because depression is a real hell.
> I had effectively stabilized on 1 mg of clonazepam for about eighteen months without any serious side effects like this. At least my sexual self was intact. But when my psychiatrist left the place, there was no choice for me except to seek another one who was a benzophobic. He tapered my clonazepam dosage and put me on this stuff which I am still taking.
> Now my question is, If I want to go off fluoxetine, there should be a substituion of another AD. I have heard wellbutrinn is a nice option. Is there anyone to help me? My psychiatrist is ready to prescribe it for me, since I don't have any seizure disorders. I have heard, wellbutrin doesn't cause any sexual dysfunction, but actually increases sexuality. I have seen at least a couple of sites emphasizing on the effectiveness of wellbutrin and its wonderful libido enhancing effects. Is it true? Any male friends with this experience? Please help.
> I am an anxiously depressed one. And concerned of wellbutrin's anxiety provoking effects. If anybody have experienced such a thing, let me know it. Please
> HIBA**Just tossing in another female perspective, for what it's worth. I'm bipolar and Prozac touched off major manic episodes with increased sexual feelings, but zero ability to orgasm. Depakote killed all sexual feelings, period. Wellbutrin does NOT mess with my sex life (I've been on it for only a few weeks now), but on the other hand, I haven't noticed any increase or decrease in sexuality.**
Posted by sleepy lizard on August 20, 2002, at 21:21:14
In reply to Re: WELLBUTRIN AND INCREASED SEXUALITY/women » Hiba, posted by Lorelai on August 19, 2002, at 8:26:25
The antidepressants that I know about that do not cause sexual (or only rare occurances) are (most effective and least side effects first):
Remeron (a tetracyclic)
Wellbutrin XR (increases norepinephrine and dopamine)
Ludiomil (a tetracyclic)
Parnate (a MAOI)
Desyrel (a phenylpiperazine AD)The only one that does not significantly increase serotonin in the above list is Wellbutrin. I have taken 100 mg Wellbutrin and only had some dry mouth and a little thickening of the bowels. In combination with Effexor XR it did cause some tremors so I reduced the Effexor.
Posted by wired on April 18, 2003, at 19:22:12
In reply to NO NO NO! (female perspective) n/m (nm), posted by Christina on August 14, 2002, at 13:43:19
Been taking wellbutrin for about two months to counteract the sexual side effects of lexapro.
Believe me, I can't speak for anyone else, but as for me; I've never had a sex drive as strong as mine has been since starting Wellbutrin.
And it only took two days to make me feel it.
I was on Wellbutrin last year to help quit smoking. I noticed after only a short time just how I was feeling. I asked my Dr. about this and was told that Wellbutrin can have this effect.
I spend alot of my time at indoor sports since retaking Wellbutrin. Oh,I almost forgot to mention. I DID start smoking again. But now at least I have a reason to.
This is the end of the thread.
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