Citalopram and Loss of Sex Drive

Hi Susie,

I experienced a slight decrease in my sex drive while I was on the meds...Same dose as you, too. Since coming off them, I've experienced a complete lack of one. Don't let this worry you about coming off them, though - so far, I haven't found anyone else on this medication who has experienced the same thing. I think the norm is to go back to 'normal' after you come off?

Hi, I've had a loss of sex drive too; 20mg for 2 weeks now. I think it's not unknown for this to happen. I can get horny, it just takes longer and reaching orgasm is difficult and if I do its not as intense as it was, like you I also have a very loving and understanding husband. You have to make a choice balancing the benefit of the meds with any side effects, you can get sexual side effects with all these types of meds so swopping meds isn't always a good idea, plus the depression itself can affect your sexual motivation too, so it should get better in time anyway! It might be an idea to talk with your doctor if it's really bothering you, they will definitly know about this side effect so you won't be embarassed or anything. For me I think being able to cope, one day at a time and not crying all the time is more of a benefit at the moment so I'll keep taking them. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi SusieJ

I was on Fluoxetine for a few weeks and then switched to Citalopram. My boyfriend and I haven't had sex since March! I thought it was weird at first as I had always had the higher sex drive in our relationship but one day it just went away. I didn't think about it until after a few months when I started drinking more, thinking it might make me happier and put me in the \"mood\". When I started falling alseep in a bath full of water after drinking too much I realised I needed help. I also felt like everyone was out to get me.

I've been on citalpram for two weeks now and sometimes I've felt a weird urge to jump my boyfriend. I had been on the contraceptive injection for a year so I came off it and took no contraception at all to give my body a rest. Especially as we weren't having sex - I didn't see the point. My period has finally arrived and it feels like my boyfriend and I are just waiting for the day it finally finishes so we can reconnect again, after so long.

So I think perhaps once you start to feel more like yourself, and the tabelts have had time to get into your system, you might start to feel better. My counsellor advised me to have naked cuddles in bed with my boyfriend and we were not allowed to touch genitals or boobs etc. That way you don't feel pressured to go further and you start to feel comfortable lying naked with your partner. Once the pressure is taken off you and you both agree to lie naked with nothing to happen you may find it helps to relax you.

Sorry to go on for so long - just felt like writing it all down in case it helps.

Flow

I have a very low sex drive anyway so if this is going to affect my sex life then i probably won't notice it. My partner is very understanding and always makes me feel good about myself so hopefully it won't have much of an affect.

Hi all,

This is my second time on Citalopram and I too lost my sex drive on both occasions. But I found in the 2 year spell between taking these tablets that it came back. This time around I started on 20mg a day and then reduced down to 10mg, I was hoping that it may have got better ( sex drive ) with a lower dose but it didn't. I spoke to my doctor about it and he told me not to worry too much as the main objective is to get rid of the depression, worrying about lack of sex drive is just another thing to get us down. What I am trying to say in a nutshell is, that it does come back so talk to your partners and look forward to getting better.

Lots of love and all take care...Rob..xxx

yeah, i've had a similar experience and its very frustrating..i don't feel like having sex and when my partner wants to i just can't do anything my hands and arms just go to mush and i can't even perform..its actually very frustrating because i know my partner wants to and i cant give anything. I had to actually apologise the other night and obviously she took it the wrong way that i didnt like her anymore or i'm cheating so this also causes relationship problems and i don't know what to do. Although, i did know this was a common side effect before starting the drugs.

abby,

I think the best thing you can do is sit your partner down and talk to her about the effects of your tablets, ' show her this site ' you will find she prob will have a lot more understandingif you are honest with her. Please don't put more pressure on yourself.

Rob..

I have only been on celexa for 4 days but I have had a completely opposite experience, my doctor switched me from zoloft to celexa b/c celexa is simply more affordable to me... since I have been on the celexa I have found that my sex drive has increased to the point that I am always horny! I have always had a high sex drive... some meds have decreased and even caused me to have no sex drive, the zoloft never let me down with sexual side effects but I was always afraid to try other meds with the risk of decreased sex drive... this one however is so different it's like I feel that tingling sensation constantly and have such a strong desire for sex! I was recently on effexorXR which I completely lost my sex drive. I guess all meds work differently for each person. I am wondering if this will slow down after I've been on it for a while or will it continue this way as long as I am on celexa. I don't have a problem with it... decreased sex drive is one thing this is fine with me however!

It's killing my sex life :cry: I hate it I really do and it's getting me down.

It probably sounds so silly I've gone from having PND to being depressed that I have no sex life! :roll: Yet my husband completly understands and doesn't care just as long as I'm getting better.

But anyway yes I'm having the same side affects

SJ xx

I have been taking this for PND since October and it was only last month at a smear test I plucked up the courage to ask the nurse why on earth I hadn't wanted sex for so long now. She asked what meds I was on and we discovered that these little buggers were the cause. So I have a choice either be happier or be as sex mad as I used to be.

Hubby does kind of understand he says but I think it is more a case of having learnt to live with it like i have. He has never had as high a sex drive as me so me going from that to absolute zero has perplexed him slightly.

I hope that soon my PND will go away and I can return to me. Especially as I have been on Orlistat for 6 months and loosing weight. I look forward to being the new slimmer sexier me soon :D

I started on Citalopram 20mg last Saturday for my OCD problems and im now always more horny than usual :shock:

The side effects are minor..The drug is still not working (Too early)

Being able to last longer in bed is a side effect that i can live with.. :lol: :lol: