I have not been on Effexor myself (I currently take Lexapro for depression and anxiety.), but when I began dating my husband he was on Effexor. We never had a problem with sex. He did not seem to have a low libido at all! People react to medications differently. Just because someone else has had "sexual side effects" doesn't mean that you will experience them. Just take note of any changes you may be feeling and discuss them with your Dr. If this is the first antidepressant you have tried, it may not be the right one for you. Usually doctors are willing to let you give something else a try if a medication is not working well for you. Good luck with this and keep in touch to let us know how things are going.

- T

Been on Effexor XL for over 8 years..........but then again I am also 50....so this could be menopausal or just age, but I do not have the drive or urge I use to have. If it happens so be it. I've had my day in the sun...........guess I need a break! But I do think taking this has decreased my desire, as did hte other things i took well before this. Paxal, Prozac and Zoloft. I do believe all antidepressants have this effect, but don't quote me, Wellbutrin is not suppose too.........Could just be hormones or soemthing else.....

There are a lot of antidepressants out now that claim not to cause sexual side effects. That is what they "claim" anyway. But like I told dbrod1689, people react differently to medication. If there is a need for the medication it is best to give it a try and see what happens. The benefit may outweigh the side effects. Depression effects your life, all day, everyday. You can't have sex 24 hours a day.

dbrod1689,
That might be something to think about when you are weighing the pros and cons of taking the medication versus getting your antidepressant type "fix" from sex.
Just something to think about.

- T

I don't know about Effexor, but I took Prozac for a while and lost the ability to have an orgasm. This unpleasant effect lasted for five years after I stopped taking the drug, then the ability slowly returned. I have noticed similar effects from other anti-depressants and stopped taking them. Things aren't still working properly and I really fault the medical and pharmaceutical professions for hiding these effects. I say 'hiding' because they knew about them or should have. I had read a warning in Playboy or Esquire, and if those non-scientific journals are hip to it so should the Journal of the American Medical Association be. And if you don't think it's depressing to lose sensation in your penis, join a monastery. The key question is whether the effects will persist after you stop taking the drug. If it's just a temporary thing, you can tolerate feeling unsexy if in return your depression goes away. I bet your doctor doesn't know of any research on this question because I doubt the drug companies are eager to fund it. They know the likely result would be unreassuring. Someone should sue the pants off them, so to speak. And the doctors are to blame as well for ignoring what is a legitimate concern for so long. Final point: if these drugs normalize your brain function, does that mean that a normal brain causes impotence and penile anaesthesia? That's simply absurd. More likely they disturb your brain function in a way that (don't ask them how) helps with depression. But I don't want to scare you. My reaction was worse than most and it was on a different drug. But I would say that depression has to do with more than chemicals and you might want some 'talking therapy' as well. Good luck. - Peter

Hi!
I was prescribed Effexor XR a little over a year ago (I'm a healthy 22 year old male, just to give you a background). I stopped taking it a year after I started, and I feel better than I've ever felt. I hope it works for you, because it has done me wonders.

With regards to Sexual Side effects: With me, personally, I felt like I had been chemically castrated for the first 5-7 days. I wasn't in a relationship with anyone at the time, so it wasn't a big deal. It was kind of liberating (dare I say it). However, after the first week, I found that my sex drive had returned. Sometimes I found it to achieve orgasm when I missed a dose, and took the normal dosage the next day (this was after that initial 30 days of taking it). This got frustrating when I did end up dating. Just watch your consistency with taking it... that would be my recommendation. Another one would be to not get frustrated with any side effects for the first couple of weeks.

I hope this helps!

I have been on 150 mg a day for 3 months now. The libido wained a little at first but returned full strength. The main problem is the inability to climax. The doctor mentioned adding Welbutrin to help the orgasm problem but after furthur discussion, she ruled that out because Welbutrin increases anxiety and my depression causes severe anxiety (which the effexor has prevented). Has anyone found a combination of antidepressants that does not cause the inablility to have an orgasm??