How to Avoid the Sexual Side Effects of Psychotropic Medications(Part I)
The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, such as Prozac and Zoloft) are the safest and most widely prescribed antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications available and a real boon to millions of patients worldwide. They are highly effective, non-addictive, and they save lives.
Unfortunately, among the most common of side effects of induced by these medications are those that typically prove to be among the most recalcitrant: sexual dysfunction, in the form of 1) a relative inability to climax (delayed orgasm or complete anorgasmia) and/or 2) decreased sexual arousal, including in a minority of males, erectile dysfunction.
While other side effects caused by these medications, such as queasiness, headaches and diarrhea, resolve rapidly and, for all intents and purposes, completely with continued use, sexual dysfunction is one of those side effects that can persist for many months, or even indefinitely, with little or no improvement (like weight gain, temperature disregulation and disruptions in the sleep-wake cycle--see my other articles).
Don't take an SSRI. If you require treatment with psychotropic medication, one obvious strategy is avoiding those antidepressants that are known to cause sexual dysfunction. The problem is that most of them cause it. While it is true that Wellbutrin, for example, does not cause sexual side effects, Wellbutrin is not an SSRI; Wellbutrin does not act on the serotonin system. It is by increasing the neurotransmission of serotonin that sexual dysfunction is induced.
Although Wellbutrin be much less probably to deliver sexual side effects of wellbutrin than other antidepressant medications, sexual side effects Wellbutrin are nevertheless a possibility. Modifications in sex generate and impotence are among the sexual side effects that could possibly occur. However, if anybody does create any of those side effects of all through treatment, it is difficult to get out whether or not these concerns are because of Wellbutrin or depressive disorders itself.
However, it is also by increasing the availability of serotonin that we get effects such as protecting a person from crying spells, decreasing irritability and blocking panic attacks. So, while Wellbutrin is a good antidepressant for some individuals who are not particularly anxious or irritable, it doesn't do much for these symptoms in others, and can actually make anxiety and irritability worse in some cases. So, while avoiding manipulating serotonin levels is one certain way to avoid sexual dysfunction, there are relatively few available medications that work this way, and the ones that do often are not indicated.
Wait for it to get better. This is obviously the easiest thing to do, and sometimes it even works! Almost all side effects do improve over time, most fairly rapidly and significantly, if not completely. Unfortunately, sexual dysfunction tends to persist, often indefinitely. It does get somewhat better for most people given enough time, however, so a conservative "wait and see" strategy is not entirely unreasonable, especially for those patients who are suffering fairly serious mood problems for whom sexual health can wait.
Disclaimer: The author is not a doctor, physician or specialist. This article does not attempt to give medical advice since seizure disorder cases may vary for each affected individual. It would still be best to consult your neurologist for the best treatment for your particular case, if any.
About The Author
Luis Garzon. Have You Taken Wellbutrin?..Wellbutrin linked to serious side effects of birth defects and other painful illness. Want to know what is Wellbutrin about? Learn about Wellbutrin Wellbutrin and Wellbutrin adverse effects. Visit Wellbutrin Side Effects Now
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