Citalopram and Loss of Sex Drive

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Since taking 20mg Citalopram for almost 2 months now I have completely lost my sex drive. The medication has been excellent for resoloving my anxiety that I was suffering post a stressful 18 months being unhappy in a job. Are there any other men/women on 20 mg Citalopram that have noticed that Citalopram has effected their sex drive? Luckily I have a warm and loving partner who keeps reassuring me that my \"horny hormones\" will come back and in the meantime be patient! :wink:

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  • Posted

    hi everyone well im in same boat before i started the tablets we had fantastic sex life now i have no interest in sex and when we do have sex i find it difficult to orgasm! not happy and getting stressed about it my partner says he understands but for how long?? i also am having very dizzy spells especially when i get in to bed and lay down the room starts spinning its awful any one else feel this way?? also the tiredness and palpations are really bad im worring now im heading for heart failure!! i know it sounds funny but believe me its not nice and its worrying me is anyone else felling this way
    • Posted

      Funny as it sounds and I understand that I should give it more time but I took my first dosemester of celexa last night and I just felt weird. I was given this medication by my doctor because she said it would help me sleep. Well it did the opposite I couldn't fall asleep even after hours of lying in bed and then I laid there with my eyes closed for a long time and when I did fall asleep in didn't stay asleep. Also I felt very dizzy and shaky. I have always had a high sex drive and this morning my husband and I had sex and nothing happened for me even though I usually have multiple orgams.. should it be effecting me like this so soon? Will my sex drive come back? I had a baby boy 5 months ago and have had to have surgeries every six weeks or so since his birth due to cervical cancer causing my depresson... so our sex life has taken a major blow. I don't think I can handle not being able to take care of my husbands needs after all of this and him being so patient with me. I don't like the way I felt last night and I just hope it will improve.. is there something else I can take instead or is there something I can take along side the celexa to improve my sex drive and or help with having climaxes?

  • Posted

    i was on 20mg citalopram for 4 weeks and the effects i had were dry mouth and a sort of passive attitude to things. sex drive hmm it was decreased but i lasted way longer and it was harder to orgasm but when i came it was awesome :evil:

    doc put me on 30mg mirtazapine afterwards which was hell, knocked me out completely straight into rem sleep and i woke up one nite paralyzed (narcolepsy) and left me feeling very very very drowsy all day unable to do anything.

    so now im back on 20mg citalopram, gonna see how it goes

  • Posted

    sad Yes, I too have been on cit for 2 mnths now, and have completly lost my sex drive...i just no longer think about sex, i used to initiate the sex now my partner has to, and I do comply...really not bothered though as i also was crying all the time and thinking bad thoughts about close family around me not being around me and that really really upset me,,,but the tablets have helped those thoughts to subside, si i think the losing the sex drive is a small price to pay to not feeling anxious all the time....
  • Posted

    ive been on citalopram for 5 years for PND from 10mg to 60 mg. Sex Drive completely gone!! think the only time i can remember having sex was to have second baby!! I must admit my marriage is hanging from a tread and i think the lack of closeness has a lot to do with it. My new years resolution is to wean off these and save my marriage!
    • Posted

      Hi mum1,

      Were you able to wean off? I'm attempting to, but libido not coming back....

      I am looking for some hope....

      Best,

      Alex

  • Posted

    The loss of sex drive was overnight for me. Over the last 4 weeks I haven't looked back as my partner has a low sex drive too and I feel totally liberated. I hardly get erections I can think about pervy stuff and not be aroused.

    I would like to lie naked next to my partner but she doesn't want to do it. We have cuddled a bit but now I don't want that and if she came on to me I would probably say no. However I feel totally satisfied without any sexual desire.

    Part of my depression was also lots of masturbation but I haven't done that for a month and feel really great. So for me I am fine with it.

  • Posted

    I am on 40mg Citalopram and i have gone from having a massive sex drive to practically avoiding my missus's advances, i thought that maybe i was no longer sexually attracted to her and it was really playing on my mind. I'm glad i can now see its not just me, being a 25 year old male i thought there was something wrong with me
  • Posted

    I know what you mean. One side it's a relief from stomping around hormonally. My wife still gives me erections and we've been together 17 years. I would like to make love to her and also fear scared that it's something I don't want right now. The alternative could be mutual masterbation, but be honest with your gf because she may get the wrong signals. I think one thing that could get me going is if my SO was to masterbate in front of me... if I'm too slow then she should remind me that I'd better to quicker. Some sort of play.
  • Posted

    my Doctor put me on Citalopram 10mg after xmas to help me with a panic attack i had but i took myself of it after 3 weeks because i was getting head aches and decided to look Citalopram up on my computer and found it can make you loose sex drive and no way was i staying on them when i found out that.

    i have been so very upset since because i have lost orgasms which i have always had and want to no if any of you had the same and how long it took it to come back please

    • Posted

      Did your orgasmic functioning came back eventually?

      Best,

      Alex

    • Posted

      Hi Alex,

      Sorry to dive into a q for someone else, but I can tell you as a male, orgasms do come back, and much quicker and bigger, as the drug causing the blockage to orgasms or weak ones is out of your system, that's my experience anyways, I'm sure it's the same if male/female.

      Getting used to the meds, I noticed you can still orgasm , it takes longer, that's a good thing my gf can always finish first ;-)

      Cheers

      Sam

    • Posted

      Really?

      Just like in post ssri sexual dysfunction?

      Best,

      Alex

    • Posted

      Hi Annemarie22,

      Did your functioning recover after stopping the celexa?

      I myself am a pssd sufferer, and am hoping to hear stories of recovery....

      Thanks,

      Alex

  • Posted

    It is a side effect of the meds. Some people find it longer to achieve orgasm. The only way you can have idea is to masterbate and find if it takes longer. You may need more foreplay before having sex. You may prefer clitoral stimulation than vaginal stimulation to achieve orgasm. IIRC if you achieve the former you may need your partner to use a vibrating ring to give you an orgasm when having vaginal sex.

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