Thursday, August 21, 2008 icstarz11 asks

Q: Anxiety medication

I recently quit taking Paxil for my depression/anxiety. It worked wonders and i have been on/off it for a few years. My only problem is that it completely descreased my sex drive. When taking it, i cant ever get in the mood and the few times i would, i felt numb or couldnt feel anything at all. When i dont take paxil, i can orgasm very easily. I am 23 and dont want to keep taking paxil when it is taking this away from me. But i do need something. I have very bad anxiety, and i always think negative or look at the worst parts of everything. i cant focus on teh good because i am so scared of the bad. Is there a medication that i can take (besides lexapro and zoloft <- two very bad experiences) that i can take that wont affect my sex life?

Thanks

Answers (2)

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Richard G. Wirtz, Psy.D.

8/26/08 9:31pm

What you are reporting is one of the single most sited reasons why people stop taking medications in the SSRI family. Paxil and other medications in this family can be very helpful for depression and anxiety but most people aren't willing to give up their sex lives particularly when they are finally feeling well enough to be interested in sex again. You may want to ask your doctor to try you on one of the dual action antidepressants which rely only partially on the serotonin system. There is also some research that suggests that Viagra may help women overcome this side effect. Talk to your doctor about these options.

Rick Wirtz

Dr. Diana L Walcutt

9/11/08 11:51pm

Hi icstarz11:

Dr. Wertz is absolutely correct in his answer. The only thing I would add is that people often do very well on Wellbutrin, and do not site decreased libido as a side effect with this antidepressant/anti anxiety medication. It has often been stated that if Wellbutrin had been released before Prozac (the first SSRI on the market) then it would be the drug of choice because of it's effectiveness and fewer side effect problems.

What I have seen in my patients over the years is that Paxil is the hardest one to get used to. Always ask your physician about the pro's and con's of switching medications.

In addition, I am not a huge fan of taking yet another drug to fix the side effects of the first one. Serious complications can arise from this.

I hope this helps,

Dr. Diana Walcutt

The Stress Masters

*Dr. Walcutt is a Psychologist, not a Psychiatrist. Psychiatrists prescribe medications. Psychologists study them, but the majority of Psychologists are not authorized to prescribe meds or give you specific advice about them. Dr. Walcutt's answers are not intended to diagnose or treat any medical or mental disorder. Any information given in a post about medication is for educational purposes only, and primarily to aid you in having an informed discussion with your own Psychiatrist/Physician.

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