Impotence Support - RE with Lexapro

Author

RE with Lexapro

Doug Goncz

2006-07-10, 8:22 am

Hello, my new group. I have got a few posts out to this group now.

I experience RE with Lexapro, but I LIKE Lexapro, even need it. I
remember meeting a woman on the train and having two five minute
conversations with her in half an hour; on the train and at the
station, when I took Lexapro. It *really* helps me. I'm just *sparkly*
on that drug.

But at that time, I pounded the daylights out of my then dear parter,
causing her to complain and me to stop Lexapro. Mild vaginal abrasion.
Frustration for me, leading to a period of compulsive masturbation,
which has ended recently.

I wonder mostly if I can get my doctor to give a fair survey of all the
SSRI meds like Lexapro, so that by experience, we might find one that
works as well but doesn't induce RE/anorgasmia given my unique
chemistry. Your mileage *will* vary.

Doug Goncz
Replikon Research
Seven Corners, VA 22044-0394

Wanderer

2006-07-11, 4:22 pm

On Mon, 10 Jul 2006 08:56:08 -0400, Doug Goncz wrote
(in article <1152536168.637137.289890@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com> ):

> Hello, my new group. I have got a few posts out to this group now.
>
> I experience RE with Lexapro, but I LIKE Lexapro, even need it. I
> remember meeting a woman on the train and having two five minute
> conversations with her in half an hour; on the train and at the
> station, when I took Lexapro. It *really* helps me. I'm just *sparkly*
> on that drug.
>
> But at that time, I pounded the daylights out of my then dear parter,
> causing her to complain and me to stop Lexapro. Mild vaginal abrasion.
> Frustration for me, leading to a period of compulsive masturbation,
> which has ended recently.
>
> I wonder mostly if I can get my doctor to give a fair survey of all the
> SSRI meds like Lexapro, so that by experience, we might find one that
> works as well but doesn't induce RE/anorgasmia given my unique
> chemistry. Your mileage *will* vary.

Doug, I think the problem is that your unique chemistry is precisely that:
unique. So it doesn't matter if 90% of Lexapro experience no anorgasmia, if
you're among the 10% that does experience it. A couple of suggestions:

1) If you really need to be on Lexapro, find ways around the anorgasmia. One
of these is to learn to enjoy sex without an orgasm every time. You'd be
surprised at how pleasurable that can be. Another solution, if you can bring
yourself to orgasm by masturbating, is to finish off that way with your
partner. Again, having a sexy woman beside you "helping out" can be a very
satisfying conclusion to sex, without causing wear on tear on your lady
friend's vagina.

2) See if your doctor will consider switching you to Welbutrin, at least for
a trial. Many people experience positive sexual effects on Welbutrin, unlike
the SSRIs. (By the way, I was on an SSRI for about three years, and initially
loved it for the same reasons that you do. After 3 years it had wiped out my
libido and lowered my testosterone to off-the-chart levels.)

3) Try lowering your daily dose of Lexapro. Many drugs are prescribed in
overkill amounts. You may be able to get the same clinical effect without the
anorgasmia.

Good luck.

Doug Goncz

2006-07-12, 2:21 am

Hi, Wandered, thanks for chiming in.

Wanderer wrote:
>
> Doug, I think the problem is that your unique chemistry is precisely that:
> unique. So it doesn't matter if 90% of Lexapro experience no anorgasmia, if
> you're among the 10% that does experience it.

Bingo. Exactly right.

> A couple of suggestions:
>
> 1) If you really need to be on Lexapro, find ways around the anorgasmia. One
> of these is to learn to enjoy sex without an orgasm every time. You'd be
> surprised at how pleasurable that can be.

I wouldn't be surprised. I already do a little of that. I'd like to do
it every day to establish that constant reassurance that makes
relationships stabilize and grow. A hug, a kiss, and a diddle. Nothing
to it, but it means so much.

> Another solution, if you can bring
> yourself to orgasm by masturbating, is to finish off that way with your
> partner. Again, having a sexy woman beside you "helping out" can be a very
> satisfying conclusion to sex, without causing wear on tear on your lady
> friend's vagina.

Well, when the abrasion began we responded with lubricants and foreplay
so it never got bad. We were certainly able to discuss it. Female
partners usually don't know until the day after if they overdid it, as
far as I know. I will ask on news:soc.sexuality.general about abrasion
to get a female consensus.

Good news! Since the original post, and prior to your reply, my
secondary partner and I did exactly that and it worked great. The way
it happened was we had sex the regular way, then once with a little
frustration of expected orgasm, but a lot of feeling and enjoyment,
then rested and snuggled and talked, and *she* said she wanted to feel
me finish inside her again. She said she would like it, but that she
enjoys every caresse with or without orgasm. That prompted me to
explain that through conditioning I could probably bring myself near
orgasm and finish inside her.

Well, I masturbated to near orgasm and we were like a couple of kids
goofing around trying to get me inside her before I ejaculated. It was
*glorious*: sexy, fun, and lots of communication happening.

She's masturbated me to orgasm before but this was something new. The
excitement and communication were great. Thank you, PDE5 inhibitors!

> 2) See if your doctor will consider switching you to Welbutrin, at least for
> a trial. Many people experience positive sexual effects on Welbutrin, unlike
> the SSRIs. (By the way, I was on an SSRI for about three years, and initially
> loved it for the same reasons that you do. After 3 years it had wiped out my
> libido and lowered my testosterone to off-the-chart levels.)

You know I have low T as well, and never thought it might have been
amytriptyline, Effexor, or nefazadone that caused it. I experience a
reduction in ejaculatory vigor with Wellbutrin, and so recently went
from 300 to 225 mg.

My pulmonologist says asthma drugs like Singular or Albuterol increase
libido. So I will talk to him, too.

> 3) Try lowering your daily dose of Lexapro. Many drugs are prescribed in
> overkill amounts. You may be able to get the same clinical effect without the
> anorgasmia.

Yeah, psychiatrists sure are enthusiastic about success, but short on
balance. I crave the Lexapro. SSRIs do me good. I will try 2.5 mg of
Lexapro, starting at 1.66 mg.

We achieve intermediate doses of drugs with long kinetics by alternate
dosing odd days and even days, or taking one pill every n days. Some
have month-long kinetics.

Doug