Ask Dr. K®: Writings For Your Mental Health
ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS
His doctor placed my husband on an antidepressant. He feels better but our sex life is now non-
existent. It wasn’t so good when he was depressed and I expected that to change with his feeling
I’m happy to hear that your husband is feeling better. Many people never seek help for their
depression (because that would be weak and they should be able to handle it on their own) and
continue to feel miserable when there is help available. I’m glad your husband mentioned it to his
There are many antidepressants available with some being around more than forty years. Some
antidepressants, those cal ed SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are more likely to
cause sexual side effects in men and women than other types. These antidepressants primarily
include Celexa, Prozac, Lexapro, Zoloft, and Paxil. The side effects usual y are a diminishment or
absence of the sex drive (not becoming aroused) or a delayed or absent orgasm. It’s estimated that
this side effect can occur in 30-40% of people taking these types of medicine and it’s not necessarily
related to how much of the medicine a person is taking whether a low or higher dose. You didn’t say
how long your husband has been on the medicine. Sometimes, over a few weeks, the side effect
If your husband wants to stay on the medicine because it’s working for him, there are some options
his doctor might try. If he has an inability to become aroused, there are the erectile dysfunction
medicines like Viagra, Levitra and Cialis. There are some other medicines that may decrease the
sexual effect of the antidepressant but he would have to discuss that with his doctor. Usual y, those
medicines have their own set of side effects and prove to be problematic too. The dose of his
medicine can always be lowered but we usual y don’t do that since he is doing wel .
There are other antidepressants that can be tried which have less sexual side effects. These would
include Cymbalta, Effexor and Remeron. Older antidepressants like Elavil, Pamelar and Tofranil can
also be in this group but they tend to have other side effects like weight gain, sedation and
The is one antidepressant, Wel butrin, which has almost zero sexual side effects and is frequently
tried if an antidepressant is causing sexual concerns. Sometimes, the Wel butrin is given with the
SSRI and lessens the sexual side effect. The alternative is stopping your husband’s present medicine
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Dr. K is Stan Kapuchinski, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist stil practicing in Punta Gorda, FL. For an appointment or if you have
questions, please email him a Dr. K.’s book, Say Goodbye To Your PDI (Personality Disordered Individual), Recognize People Who Make You Miserable and Eliminate Them From Your Lifefor Good! is available at
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Ask Dr. K®: Writings For Your Mental Health
There is no superior antidepressant that works better than another. They al can work wel in treating
depression. The issue is which one best works for you. Sometimes one SSRI causes sexual side
The main thing is for your husband not to give up on getting treatment (especial y since he’s feeling
better) and for him and you to seek out from his physician what can be done for the sexual problem
===========================================================================================
Dr. K is Stan Kapuchinski, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist stil practicing in Punta Gorda, FL. For an appointment or if you have
questions, please email him a Dr. K.’s book, Say Goodbye To Your PDI (Personality Disordered Individual), Recognize People Who Make You Miserable and Eliminate Them From Your Lifefor Good! is available at
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