sertraline effects and libido
NSFW
Hey, I just started my SSRI (Sertraline), because I needed that I was feeling terrible last week.
To be honest it's been 2 days since I took Sertraline and somehow I feel wired in a weird way. Like I have too much energy but not in a manic way.
At least I'm feeling good. It's weird I didn't expect the effects to start that fast and expected to feel empty.. Anyway, the effects will most likely stabilise. But here's my main issue. My libido has dropped immensely. That and I've barely slept, too much energy last night I hope tonight will be better.
To be more explicit, let's say the anticipation has stayed the same but the effect of being touched has dropped like 90-95% on pleasure. I barely feel anything which is quite annoying and at some point the anticipation will just lower too because there will be a difference between what I expect and got. Like my tits used to be so sensitive and now it feels like pre-hrt level (which honestly I'd rather not it to stay like this I hate it.) I'm finally with a person I love physically and it feels bad that my body doesn't respond the same.
My question basically is : Will it come back when my body adapts to the SSRI? Have anyone had a similar experience?
7 replies
Hi! I was on Sertraline for several years. I started at 25mg a day and slowly ramped up to 125. It was way before I transitioned so I can't speak to any changes I felt due to HRT. I feel like it helped me round out the peaks and valleys of my anxiety and depression so that I could at least function and try to institute some positive coping strategies without cratering into a puddle of depressive goo. I had several weeks of onset where it just felt like I was literally floating and extremely disassociated. This subsided as time went on but would come back if I ever missed a dose.
Libido wise, it didn't really effect my desire too much. It helps that my wife was a smoke show (still is but used to be too), but I understand what you mean when you say the sensation has dropped. I sometimes wouldn't be able to orgasm for hours. Overall, I think you definitely need to wait for it to normalize in your system before you can really notice the effects of the sertraline specifically. I haven't been on it for a long time but I think like some of what you're experiencing could also be due to HRT. In my experience, that initial onset was so wacky that it's hard to pin anything down as being specifically caused by the medicine. Hope this helps :)
Honestly it is not hrt that stopped me being sensitive there and other things. I just knew how my body reacted to the touch, the feeling that radiates through my chest and belly too sometimes. And that feeling dimmed way too much from the day before taking sertraline to a few hours later starting it.
I also asked my GP if upping the dose is a good idea I'm not sure if what I'm feeling is akathisia too because I don't remember how I felt pre depression level. But I feel restless and jittery nonetheless
Libido effects and reduced physical sensitivity are the primary reasons people stop taking most of these meds. I can say the effects do usually reduce a bit over time, but not usually completely.
Each med will affect different people in different ways. It took me many years to find the correct combo of meds to keep me going. I tried several SSRIs and SNRIs and some that act on norepinephrine and dopamine like Wellbutrin, etc. Somewhat recently, I found out I had ADHD and switched to Adderall as my primary medication and the other meds became less necessary. It can take a fair amount of time to find the correct combo.
All medical procedures and medication are a balance of risk of negative effects vs benefit. You just have to decide which treatment has the best balance. Unfortunately, especially with mental health, there are no simple cures.
When I started my SSRI I got nausea for three (?) months while my body adapted.
My libido was also affected, but as I had no partner at this time I didn't care. When I started to touch myself again—yeah, libido was back—I wasn't able to climax as easy as before or at all. This lasted until I reduced the dosage.
Talk to your doctors about dosage, side effects and how to start psycho therapy, as an SSRI enables you to be therapyable.
Last words from me: staying alive is more important than having a sex drive.
I would like to emphasize this as well.
Low libido and that lack of stimulation was my MAIN point of contention with sertraline. It modified my sex life to the point where I had to abstain from too much activity and focus the build up to even bring on some form of climax.
For me, it didn't abate so much as I got used to it and reduced sexual activity to make each instance of it feel better.
Hope this helps.
SSRIs can just be so... chaotic to our bodies. The wired effects and insomnia can last like a week or two. It could also end up making you manic. The libido issues, at least in my experience, will last until you stop taking the medication and it's out of you system. Both things you're experiencing could potentially be alleviated by lowering your dose, but, honestly, you might want to schedule a follow-up in a week or two and see if there's another SSRI if those side effects stay. I tried almost every one on the market when I thought I had MDD 🫠 Not all had the libido issues.