[Sparksnorthern]

So I was taking 20mg of leaxapro for about a year, and I stopped taking it a year ago next month. I weened off of it well and everything, but I'm still suffering from the sexual side effects of them; difficulty urinating, impotence somewhat as well as a huge decrease in libido. Sexual thoughts never run through my head like they did before I took the medicine and It makes me just feel like I'm not normal and that I should have gone back to my old self. I'm 21 years old and in college so If anyone should be into sex it should be me. I'm scared that my body never will return to normal. Are there any other males in the same boat as me? Let me know anything, or any remedies. Thanks

Scott

[auntybiotic]

Scott,

How did you wean off of the lexapro?? What type of withdrawals effects did you have during the withdrawal and how long did they last.

Lexapro can stick around in the system for a very long time and I am wondering if a good detox would help with your symptom.

Try Milk Thistle and ask the Vitamin Shoppe for a good liver cleanse.

Also you may want to try acupuncture, ask them to do a liver cleanse treatment. If you feel worse after the first few treatments, my theory is correct. As the lexapro gets released from the bile (as it keeps recirculating thru the system even though you have not had any for over a year) you will feel withdrawal effects again, thus the feeling bad.

Sexual side effects is a side effects of being on Lexapro and it is very common for the lexapro to remain in the body for sometimes years if the liver is not functioning efficiently. I am curious, do you drink?? Are you taking any other medication or street drugs that may be compromising the P 450 Cytochrome system of the liver? Do you smoke?? These are factors that can make toxins remain in the system.

I am sure with some extra help thru detoxing, you will feel back to normal.

I am interested in how you tapered and if you actually did go thru the typical withdrawals and how long it lasted.....this will help to understand the situation.

[Sparksnorthern]

Well, what I did was reduce my dosage my 5mg each week for four weeks by roughly breaking of mgs of the pill so like a quarter of the pill. I didnt have any bad episodes really at all. I guess the only thing that felt a little weird was on the 2nd day after my last pill, I think I could see my brain chemistry changing back to how it was before I was on the pill, but without a lot of the anxiety. So that was really cool.

As for my liver...I tend to drink pretty heavily on the weekends considering I am in college. Thats pretty much the only drug I do.

I'm curious about the liver cleansing...I'm curious as to how it could be affecting my sex drive...?

Thanks for the response, I'm excited to hear more.

Scott

[auntybiotic]

Scott,
Do you study chemistry in college??

Lexapro, even though you are NOT still taking it remains in you body. It is held in the bile, is not filtered out by the liver and gets recirculated thru your system. Since you do drink, which affects the P 450 Cytochrome system of the liver, this cause the body to be even LESS EFFECTIVE at ridding the body of the lexapro, which is acting as a toxin in your system.

The sexual side effects are actually caused by the lexapro. It deadens your senses including your libido. So due to drinking and just the way the drug lexapro can hang in the body for up to a year (or more) after your last dose..................you are STILL suffereng the side effects of the lexapro.

The liver cleanse, maybe stop dinmking for a few months, anything you can do to help your liver rid your body of toxins (lexapro) will help with the side efefct of lack of sex drive and performance issues.

Try it for a few months and weigh the benefits yourself. Milk Thistle, liver cleanses thru acupuncture or other methods and put a hold on the drinking for just two months and see if you notice any difference.

Initially you may feel worse as the body releases the lexapro from the liver.................but that will clear up and you should notice a steady improvement.

What harm is there to try except possibly no time to study due to a overactive sex life.

[Sparksnorthern]

Haha, first of all let me say that I love that last line you wrote...

Do you know how good the chances are of the milk thistle cleaning out my liver? And how will acupuncture help with it?

Also, with the alcohol, if I just take it easy on the drinking will that be substantial, or does it need to be cut out completely?

[auntybiotic]

Scott,

The milk thistle will work very well to help detoxify the liver. The acupuncture will also aid in the liver cleanse if your insurance covers this, try it out. Cut down on the drinking, maybe no HARD stuff, just a few beers. Also drink LOTS of spring water, let me know in two weeks if you feel a difference. It could take about two months but your sex drive WILL come back...............be patient........Hmmm,,,maybe your grades will get better since you have more time to study now. (Smile).

Also get a AM PM Colon cleanse from the Vitamin Shoppe in pill form to help detoxify. Try to stay away from FAST FOODS and eat more protein and vegetables in the next two months. You can also buy a DETOX BOX of tea bags if you like and make iced tea to help. Stay away from caffeine. This sounds like no fun for a college student but keep the end result in mind.....................

[tackster87]

My wife takes Lexapro and her lack of sex drive is driving me crazy. What can be done to help in this department? What other drug is out there that can help her, but not mess with her sex drive?

The milk thistle will work very well to help detoxify the liver. The acupuncture will also aid in the liver cleanse if your insurance covers this, try it out. Cut down on the drinking, maybe no HARD stuff, just a few beers. Also drink LOTS of spring water, let me know in two weeks if you feel a difference. It could take about two months but your sex drive WILL come back...............be patient........Hmmm,,,maybe your grades will get better since you have more time to study now. (Smile).

Also get a AM PM Colon cleanse from the Vitamin Shoppe in pill form to help detoxify. Try to stay away from FAST FOODS and eat more protein and vegetables in the next two months. You can also buy a DETOX BOX of tea bags if you like and make iced tea to help. Stay away from caffeine. This sounds like no fun for a college student but keep the end result in mind.....................[/quote]

[idviceroy]

I started Lexapro a little over 2 weeks ago, and I too am concerned about the sexual side effects. I'm in my thirties and have battled depression on and off since my teens, but I've usually been able to beat it, in part by indentifying what put me in the "bad place" to begin with and working to get over it. But depression, alcoholism, and suicide run in my family. This latest bout, even though I was able to identify the many real world stressors that brought it about, had really kicked my butt, so I finally went beyond my general therapy sessions and sought medication.

At first, I was completely hornry for 2-3 days! Best I'd felt since before Christmas, and the hottest sex he and I have had for months! I'm in a relatively new relationship with a younger man, who has been very understanding. In my depression I experienced sexual impotence for about a month, followed by spurts (no pun intended) of healthy sex, punctuated by so-so sex, which usually lead to an even more depressive state.

At any rate, in the days following that initial burst of horniness, I've been having trouble ejaculating, experienced decreased libido, and even though I continue to enjoy sexual contact with him (in part b/c it is a new relationship and it's, well, fun and new), it's clear I'm enjoying it less between the legs than I should be. He's doing all the right things, but I'm either only partially stimulated, not stimulated at all, or when I can't come after 20 mins or so I just give up, generally feeling as there is no point for me to have sex if I can't reach climax.

That having been said, I can enjoy the sexual contact and the foreplay, but at somepoint I'd like to be a full participant and enjoy the climax!!

Do the symptoms subside as some sites suggest? Are there any natural remedies? What of Wellbutrin? Should I see about taking it in conjunction with the lexapro or instead of?

Any suggestions?
Tim

[KryCheQ]

Im having the same issue with Zoloft and im wondering if I could talk to you auntybiotic more about this condition as mine is slightly different from scotts and im curious is you've found this idea of yours to actually help anyone with sexual dysfunction caused by SSRI's?

[thailandsam]

Originally Posted by KryCheQ

Im having the same issue with Zoloft and im wondering if I could talk to you auntybiotic more about this condition as mine is slightly different from scotts and im curious is you've found this idea of yours to actually help anyone with sexual dysfunction caused by SSRI's?

I could be wrong here, but Auntybiotic's directions for Scott were to help him rid his system of the remaining Lexapro hanging around in the bile (liver), on the theory that his issues may be a held over side effect of the remaining drug. But he said he weaned himself off of it over a year ago. Taking Milk Thistle and getting a liver cleanse is not the answer for someone still on SSRIs, if that is indeed (and it is very likely) the problem. So unless you've already quit taking the Zoloft, your condition is radically, not just slightly, different. Sorry to disappoint you, but maybe Auntybiotic has found some supplements that do provide relief while still on SSRIs. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Cheers,
Sam

Day 2 of reducing Lexapro from 20mg to 10.

[KryCheQ]

Originally Posted by thailandsam

I could be wrong here, but Auntybiotic's directions for Scott were to help him rid his system of the remaining Lexapro hanging around in the bile (liver), on the theory that his issues may be a held over side effect of the remaining drug. But he said he weaned himself off of it over a year ago. Taking Milk Thistle and getting a liver cleanse is not the answer for someone still on SSRIs, if that is indeed (and it is very likely) the problem. So unless you've already quit taking the Zoloft, your condition is radically, not just slightly, different. Sorry to disappoint you, but maybe Auntybiotic has found some supplements that do provide relief while still on SSRIs. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Cheers,
Sam

Day 2 of reducing Lexapro from 20mg to 10.

I was on Zoloft for 4 months and ive now been off the zoloft for 4.5 months and the side effects still remain, i have numbness in my entire genital area and my overall skin sensitivity has gone down drastically for example parts of my body that were extremely sensitive and tickilish are no longer so, they feel sort of numbed but not to the extent of my genital area. Also I feel like my emotional range has been stunted greatly, I no longer have highs or low's im just in the middle all the time which is common when on SSRI's but ive been off them now for 4.5 months and all of these side effects still remain.

[KryCheQ]

Also I would like to point out that I did not ween myself off, once I read that the dysfunction I was experiencing had the potential of being permanent I stopped the zoloft that day and never took it again. I experienced some withdrawal for a couple weeks, most of which was just me feeling dizzy at random points thruought my day but it wasnt anything to bad, im guessing because I was only on it for 4 months on the lowest dose possible, 50mg.

[thailandsam]

Originally Posted by KryCheQ

Also I would like to point out that I did not ween myself off, once I read that the dysfunction I was experiencing had the potential of being permanent I stopped the zoloft that day and never took it again. I experienced some withdrawal for a couple weeks, most of which was just me feeling dizzy at random points thruought my day but it wasnt anything to bad, im guessing because I was only on it for 4 months on the lowest dose possible, 50mg.

You have my apologies--I had misread you post and thought you were still taking it, like the intervening posters who had just started or were still on Lexapro. I haven't read anything about Zoloft, but it may very well have left some residue in your liver like the Japanese soldiers holed up in caves 20 years after the end of WWII having no idea that the fight is long over. In that case, it wouldn't hurt to try cleansing your liver to see if that clears the symptoms. Milk thistle wouldn't do any damage, so you might as well give it a try. Congratulations on getting off with minimal withdrawal, but sorry about the dysfunction.