So, here’s the thing, not so long ago I have started to use Effexor and since I started to take it is impossible for me to orgasm. I mean, in the past I have been able to achieve orgasm with no problems but now it is impossible… I have been suffering from depression for a long time and because of that I was not having any girlfriends. I am now 25 years old and this is my first girlfriend I have ever had in my life and that’s why it is so important for me. I was on other anti depressants in the past but none of those worked so well as Effexor did. I have taken Lexapro, Wellbutrin and Prozac but they either did not worked at all or worked only a little bit. But I was having a good and firm erection and it was much more easier for me to climax. However, a couple of weeks ago I started on this Effexor and I can’t anymore. is there somebody else who have had this problem too? do you have any recommendations on what I need to do about it? maybe somebody else also had this problem and they can suggest me anything? Besides this side effect I have no other and it would be a pity if I would stop using it only because of this side effect since it works this way. But on the other hand, as I said, I have found my first girlfriend in my life at 25 and I really like her and I don’t want to lose her because if I do, I don’t know when it is going to be the next time I would have another girlfriend. Besides, it is really hard for me too, it is hard to live like that.
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Effexor causes ED
- Thread starter LeHestake
- Start date
Yeah, it is not uncommon that this happens to you… unfortunately sexual side effects are one of the issues that anti depressants have. I guess that it is even listed in guidelines of the Effexor. You need to call your doctor and to tell him or her about this problem that you are facing and I assume that they might do something for you: I mean either adjusting the dosage or they might try another med on your (or maybe an ED drug might be helpful too, I don’t know…). either way, your doctor should be able to do something about that. good luck
Well, I do know what you are talking about since I have had the exact same side effect and experience with Effexor. Exactly as you I did not had any other side effects than this ED issue with Effexor. Oh no, there was another side effect I have forgot about it – it has also made me sweat all the time. I went to my doctor and I complained about this and he switched me on Prozac and it was the same effective but it did not cause me to suffer from any sexual issue for me, as well as the sweating went away. However, since you have said that Prozac does not work for me then I don’t know… pretty sure there must be other drugs too that are effective but are not having side effects. I wish you good luck.
So look, I can tell you the following: coming off it has nearly killed me, it is a very potent drug that you should not underestimate. Only because you are not having any other side effects than the side effect of ED you should not think that it is a mild drug. I mean, look, I have been only on 75 mg per day of this thing for about 3 months and then I have tried cold turkey on Effexor… oh my… I should have never do it. I don’t suggest you to do it either. It has all started quick and with severe effects. motion sickness, brain zaps and everything else… of my god… it was so bad. It took me about another 3 months to heal myself up, however we also should not forget that we are all different and when I am reading or I am hearing anybody that is talking about Effexor, obviously I immediately remember about that about that experience that I have had with it and some kind of “brrrr” comes to me. that is why I recommend you that when you are coming off it, do not try to go cold turkey. Better ask your doctor about how to go off it. I have been on it only for 3 months. you only a few weeks which makes it even better, but I just imagine what a bad time have those people who have been on it for years.
Also, to answer your question… yeah, I also did have had issues with my sexual performances and that’s the way it is. If I would be you, I would seriously consider changing the Effexor to another medication because mine was not getting any better. I really hope this helped you somehow.
Oh yeah, something else that might really help you a lot. I have noticed you have not mentioned Celexa in the group of “ineffective” drugs for you, but certainly Celexa did worked for me and it did helped me a lot. it was way easier to get off it and it was not having side effects on me. personally for me, Celexa was the best drug, best anti depressant – way much more better than other drugs who either also did not worked on me (Prozac) or were having side effects (Effexor). I wish you good luck on finding your perfect drug. hope you will.
Oh wow unchain, I really find very interesting those side effects that you have listed. The point is that I have also had all of those side effects last weeks but I was thinking that they were happening due to the fact that I have been depleting (I mean, I was flushing my system and then I was carb loading) and I was doing it for a photo shoot. But, the thing is that I was also coming off of a SSRI (brand name Zoloft) during that period of time, initiating 3 weeks ago. it was pretty strange for me since I was not able to straight thinking, I was having shaky hands and I was fast talking etc. etc. and besides, as it is mentioned in all of your previous posts, I have had the exact same thing and that’s the reason why I am here and the reason why I stopped to take it and I am talking about the sexual dysfunction. Pretty much logical if you ask me but since I was not blaming those side effects on the drug, I found something useful that is why thank you. though all those issues seem to diminish now.
DirtyDiana
New member
I do know what you are talking about. I am being on Effexor prescribe by my doctor for the last 3 years and since them I have not experienced an orgasm. I know that it all started since I started to use Effexor because it was not been like that. and I’m so tired of it because this has ruined my sexual life and as you can understand when your sexual life has been ruined your relationship is also ruining but I really don’t want my relationship with my husband to be ruined but I can’t change anything since I am no longer interested in sex. I would really want to change it but I really have no idea what I need to do because on the other hand I cannot live without anti depressants ‘cuz I can’t function. I do understand it, my husband understands it too because if he wouldn’t we would already broke up a long time ago, but this is very hard to live like that. I guess I will consider either stop taking it or change the medications because I won’t sacrifice with my marriage. But yeah. You should be aware that it does happen not to have orgasms while you are on this drug. most annoying side effect I guess. When I started to take it, I did thought that it might have side effects, but definitely I haven’t thought that it would give me such an side effect…
Oh yeah, the exact same thing has happened to me in the time I have been taking Paxil so there’s absolutely nothing uncommon. In fact, as much as I think and as I have seen it is a very common side effect with SSRI’s. to be honest I think that everybody is affected by this, but while some are a little bit affected (they still can have orgasms, but they require more try and time) there are others like me and you who cannot achieve orgasm at all. and yeah, as other people said I do agree with them that the best bet is to talk with your doctor about this and ask him to do something about that. but yeah… don’t expect that you would be fine immediately because it can take a little bit of trial and error until you would figure out which is the best anti depressant for you. as you can see, different people posted that different anti depressants worked for them and while there might be some of them that have been mentioned to work for you – it might be that none of them would and you would have to keep searching. I’m just telling this not to scare you, but not to give up in case you won’t find something helpful, though I hope that you would soon. best regards.
SimpleLinda
New member
True, you need to talk about this to your doc. generally everything regarding your health should be told to your doctor. You should tell every little detail out there regarding your health. There are some certain anti depressants that are able to cause erectile dysfunctions and there are others that are able to cause weight gain. I know that doctors have a list of meds (anti dep) that are not causing any of those side effects. and yeah, there are some of them. you might ask why didn’t they gave it to you right away? The problem with them is that they might have other side effects than these or they might not work. Either way, I know that for example, Wellbutrin is not causing ED and neither weight gain. Hope you would find it beneficial.
Hello Simple Linda. Actually, I have to respectfully disagree with you about Wellbutrin and ED because quoting the Daniel J. Carlat’s MD’s book “unhinged” (from 2010), it is believed that around 70% of SSRIs are causing erectile dysfunction and yeah wellbutrin, although it is much more less likely to cause ED than other SSRIs, is also going to cause ED in about 20 % of cases when people take it. I’m just trying to say that it does not mean that whoever is taking wellbutrin surely won’t have ED side effect – the point is that only the chances would be a bit lower, that’s pretty much it. also, wellbutrin is having its own liabilities like for example lowering the seizure threshold such that seizures are occurring more and not less likely to occur in the patients. I guess that these details also should be taken in consideration, don’t you think?
Oh yeah, I have had some highly similar issues while I have been on Prozac drug. I was constantly sweating, I have had shaky hands, I have had a dramatically diminish interest in sex as well as a very big difficulty to attain climax. As other people have recommended here to go to a doctor, that’s exactly what I have done. I went to him and I have told about my problem and he took the decision to switch me to Zoloft and thanks god but those side effects have finally went away. I join all those people and I do recommend the same thing: go and discuss with your doctor about this and about switching to a different anti depressant. There are really a lot of anti depressants, sure thing you are gonna find one that is going to suit you. but be patient because there are sometimes when it does take a while until you are going to find that one that really works for you.
Yeah, as it was said here, about 70% of people are experiencing these side effects and I truly believe that this is true due to the fact that I have also had the exact same problem when I have been on Effexor. Good thing that I am no longer on it, but I’ve been for 3 months. it was my docs decision, he switched me from Prozac which I have been on it for a couple of yeah, however I really wish that I have had my dosage raised on Prozac instead of putting me on Effexor which for me turned out to be a far worse drug that Prozac. ED was horrible, the sweating while I have been on it were unstoppable and annoying AF and then when I have got to see my doctor once again (I have had to go to the clinic due to the fact that I was not working anymore) I have been put back on the old Prozac. Very glad that I have got off that Effexor because while I have been on it I was reading online information about it and I read a lot of horror stories of people that were coming off Effexor… oh that’s not fun… that’s not fun at all. I wish you sincere good luck.