Can Anti-Depressants Affect Bedroom Behavior?
Author : Dr. P. Sándor Gardos    -   Subject : Sex

Q: I have been on Prozac for several months, and it has done wonders for my depression. However, I have suddenly found it very difficult to reach orgasm. Could Prozac be causing this, and if so, what can I do about it?

A: Prozac is one of a class of anti-depressants known as Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs include Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and a number of others. All SSRIs have been linked to sexual difficulties including erectile dysfunction, lowered libido and orgasm disorders.

Having difficulties reaching orgasm is one of the most common side effects of Prozac. Indeed, SSRIs are sometimes prescribed to men to counter premature ejaculation. But many men and women find such side effects to be quite annoying rather than helpful. There are, however, several things you can try (all of which require consultation with your doctor):

1. You might be able to lower the dose. Newer studies have shown that lower doses can be just as effective in treating depression while reducing side effects.

2. You could switch to another type of SSRI. Sometimes one version will cause orgasm difficulties in a person while another one won't. Also, such problems do sometimes develop over time, so it can be helpful to cycle through two or three different SSRIs.

3. If your doctor OKs it, you can take occasional "drug holidays." For example, if you are going away for a romantic weekend, it might be acceptable to go off Prozac for a day prior to, and then during, the trip. It takes some experimentation to determine how long and how frequent such "holidays" can be without impacting the effectiveness of the treatment.

4. You could supplement Prozac with a drug shown to counteract this side effect. Unfortunately, the results on this approach have been mixed. However, if the first three options are not possible or do not work, this one might be worth a shot. Talk to your doctor.

5. You may need to learn to live with some delay in your orgasms. Use this as a growth experience, learning how to really enjoy your sensations -- and your partner's -- without being so focused on "the big event." Perhaps you'll even come up with ways to have sex that are so arousing to you that you can overcome Prozac's side effect. You may also find that sex can be enjoyable without always having an orgasm.

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