Sexual side-effects on zoloft

This thread may trigger some people, but hopefully won't.

I'm on Zoloft, 50mg/day (so, the lowest normal dose). I know that it is helping me - there are times where I haven't taken it for a while (forgetting for a few days, then finding myself unable to be bothered with it) and my moods have plummeted, I've not felt like leaving my bed, and suicidal and self-harming thoughts have been constantly on my mind.

Take the Zoloft again, and the depression symptoms clear up quickly.

The only side-effect that I am really having a lot of trouble dealing with is that I have no sex drive now whatsoever. Not even if my husband starts playing in the (usually) erogenous areas. For me, him touching those is as non-sexual-feeling as him touching my nose.

This is really becoming a problem in our marriage. He's been very patient, and I know he'll continue to be for a while, but I don't want him to feel unloved or unwanted. He's asked me many times already if I've only been having sex with him for a baby (something he's had previous girlfriends do), or if it's because of his looks, or his performance, and even though it's got nothing to do with any of that, he's still feeling rejected (which I understand).

So what I want to do is get off the Zoloft, but I don't feel like I'm at a point yet where I'm stable enough to not be on anti-depressants. A few days ago (after being off the meds for about a week or so) I was sharpening my self-defense knife, and had to put it down and out of sight because I kept getting the urge to plunge it directly into my belly button. Which is a huge problem because I'm still pregnant! I'm terrified of what will happen if I go off the meds completely.

So I guess I want to know if anyone knows what anti-depressants have lower sexual side effects. I don't even care about the weight gain anymore, if I can be on something that lets me enjoy sex even if it does make me gain, I'm okay with that.

I also want to know what others have done to make getting off anti-depressants completely safer for them, and if the low passed.

I am not a professional which is why it is important to discuss this with your Dr but ADs can certainly mess with your libido. The problem is that everyone is different so there is unlikely to be one AD that is guaranteed not to mess with your libido. It sounds like you may need to go for a trial and error approach as this can clearly not continue into the long term but whether this should be done whilst still pregnant is something that will need to be carefully weighed up.

Cracked

I'm going to be waiting until after I give birth to bring this up with the doctor, but I've only got 4 weeks left until my due date so I've decided to start trying to find some ideas on what to do next. This is driving my husband and I nuts. If I am able to breast-feed, then that will also be talked over with the doctor - Zoloft passes into breastmilk but not enough to give the baby any problems.

I'd much rather just be med-free, I wish I could so badly.

pheonixrise wrote:I'd much rather just be med-free, I wish I could so badly.

I know it is horrid being on meds.

Hugs

Cracked

I believe Agomelatine doesn't have many sexual side effects.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agomelatine

Good luck,
Mirage

Thank you for that. I've done a bit of research since posting and discovered Wellbutrin also has low or no sexual side effects, I'll add that one to the list so when I do see a doctor I can talk over what I've researched.

I wasn't on Zoloft (I was on Paroxetine), but the medication killed my libido too. I couldn't even bear to be touched. My doctor only changed the medication when i became suicidal because i felt i was tearing my relationship apart, and i couldn't understand why i loved my man dearly, but couldn't even bear to kiss him.

Changing to Mirtazapine sorted me out, and now I'm back to 'normal' (whatever the hell normal is anyway, LOL, but you know what I mean?). hey, i've even got a 'crush' on someone from the TV now, which would *never* have happened on the previous drug!!

So complain to the doctor, make them change you onto something else. This is a very important issue. It might take a few months for the residue of the Zoloft to get out of your system, but it will, and you will regain your sexual powers.

Thank you, loreleivr. It's encouraging to read that you've been through this and come out with a better result (:

I've added Mirtazapine to the list of potential meds I'll be talking over with my doctor after the baby is born. I think the doctor will listen quickly - the only thing keeping me from feeling suicidal is that I keep myself busy when those thoughts/feelings come in, because my child needs me more then my husband needs sex right now.

loreleivr wrote: I couldn't even bear to be touched... i couldn't understand why i loved my man dearly, but couldn't even bear to kiss him.

Thank you so much for mentioning this! I've been feeling like this for so long now, and haven't been able to understand it. I thought that it was to do with PTSD (which it could be) but it had never happened before being put on Zoloft!

Pheonix, just a word about mirtaz, it is a wonderful drug but it can make you put on weight so just be aware of that.

Cracked