I have always been a sex positive woman. My husband and I had sex everyday (sometimes multiple times per day) for twenty years. There was hardly a time when I didn’t have a fulfilling orgasm (or multiple). I am 40 and I had a total hysterectomy three years ago. This tanked my sex drive. However, I limped along and managed to have sex less frequently, but it still happened and sometimes it wasn’t a chore to orgasm. Then, after years of avoiding mental health care out of denial and prior bad therapist experiences, I summoned the courage to see a psychologist. He prescribed Lexapro for anxiety and depression. I feel like a part of me has died. I’m distraught over the loss of our bonding/relaxing sexy times that had strengthened and enhanced our relationship. That anxiety doesn’t make this any easier. My clitoris doesn’t get as aroused or engorged as it used to, and there is significant vaginal dryness. Touch even seems less stimulating. My mind wants to do it. I think about sex often. I cannot convince my body to cooperate.
I am 5’9”, weigh 200lb (I’m working on it and I have dropped 20 lbs in the past two months.) I have slightly elevated triglycerides and cholesterol, normal blood pressure, no heart, liver, or lung disease. I do not smoke. I do take estrogen 2mg/day po for HRT. Increasing my hormones from 1mg to 2 mg a day helped slightly. I tried quitting Lexapro cold turkey (Against medical advice) and after 5 days of noncompliance, I was horny and had a terrific orgasm, however; I was struggling with depression and unmanaged anxiety. Does this drug have any likelihood of working to improve libido in a patient such as myself? Do you have other suggestions that I could research? Thank you for the help.