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Medications That Have Sexual Side Effects

Tue, 02/26/2008 - 9:00am by DearSugar
2,068 Views - 17 comments

Taking medications for everyday issues and symptoms is pretty common. We take pills for pain, for allergies, to prevent pregnancy, to regulate our periods, and when we have a cold. Some of these medications can affect our sex lives though. Want to see which ones? Then read more

  • Allergy medicines: These treat itchy and watery eyes, stuffy and runny noses, and sinus congestion. They can also dry up other areas of your body, too, like your throat, mouth, and unfortunately, your lady business. Luckily it's nothing a little lubrication can't fix.
  • Cold medicine: Any meds that are designed to deal with nasal or sinus congestion, or a runny nose probably have a decongestant in them. Just like with allergy meds, these can dry out your lady business, too.
  • Antibiotics: It's important to know that these can make birth control pills ineffective, so you should use another form of birth control such as condoms while you're on antibiotics.
  • Hormonal birth control: If you aren't on hormonal birth control, when your body ovulates, it creates very wet, egg-like mucus. This is so when you have sex, the sperm can swim more easily to your egg. If you're on the pill, the patch, the Nuvaring, or any other form of birth control that stops you from ovulating, your body won't create that mucus and you can become pretty dry down there. Again, nothing a little lube can't fix. Some women also notice that hormonal birth control affects their sex drive, and they're not as excited to get it on.
  • SSRI antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, include such drugs as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. They do a wonderful job managing depression and anxiety, but they can also decrease your sex drive or make it difficult to orgasm.

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17 Comments Add a Comment

  • Lovely_1's picture
    Lovely_1
    1

    Thanks Dear. I am sure these are always helpful for people! Espeically the antibiotics ones!

    40 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • FinnLover's picture
    FinnLover
    4

    About the antidepressants... When going through a depression, most people have no sex drive at all. Having a low sex drive is a big improvement. And you just get used to it and find ways to orgasm more easily. Trust me, I've been on antidepressants for the past 6 years.

    40 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • ur_momm's picture
    ur_momm
    5

    you know, i felt that when i went on the pill about 6 months ago, my sex drive went down around the same time... i wasnt sure if it was just a coincidence.. but wow, isnt that kinda sh*tty that i'm taking the pilll so i can have sex with no babies but it ends up making me not want to have sex as much.
    this is discouraging...

    40 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • bellaressa's picture
    bellaressa
    6

    I didn't know about the cold medicine. Interesting, thanks for the info.

    40 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • clareberrys's picture
    clareberrys
    7

    yeah finnlover...actually i have only been on SSRIs for about a month now and it is definitely harder to orgasm, but since I am in a better mood sex is more fun!

    40 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • sugarsister's picture
    sugarsister
    8

    like everyone else, i've been sick the last two weeks and took benadryl for the symptoms. i know i was sick but i had no sex drive to speak of for those couple of days on that stuff. it's like my body was just numb for those feelings.

    40 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • SusanTeufel's picture
    SusanTeufel
    9

    Oh my...I didn't know about the antibiotics...keep that in mind, I was going to start some.

    40 weeks 2 days ago Report Comment
  • emalove's picture
    emalove
    11

    Good to know...I take two allergy medications daily and I'm also on the Pill.

    40 weeks 1 day ago Report Comment
  • Sun_Sun's picture
    Sun_Sun
    12

    im so scared of pregnancy that i use a second form of birth control when i use ANY OTHER meds.

    40 weeks 1 day ago Report Comment
  • rocksteady830's picture
    rocksteady830
    13

    Contrary to my worries, Sarafem (which is the same makeup as Prozac) surprisingly didn't decrease my sex drive or make it difficult to orgasm... it actually has increased both! I don't really know why. I'm guessing maybe because my anxiety level is lower so I don't feel so much pressure on myself to orgasm. Also I think the neurotransmitter levels have helped because my serotonin and dopamine are balanced... although that's what it does to others too.

    I really don't know the reason, but I sure don't mind it!!

    40 weeks 1 day ago Report Comment
  • julieulie's picture
    julieulie
    16

    A lot of various medications (as in, many more than what is listed on here) have sexual side effects. It's generally something you can't avoid. I'm on a migraine-preventative medication which definitely reduces sex drive a LOT, but personally I value fewer migraines significantly above an active sex life, because I couldn't function when I was having continual migraines.

    40 weeks 1 day ago Report Comment
  • laluna27's picture
    laluna27
    17

    it totally sucks that the pill makes your sex drive go down. I've been wondering about that for a while and now I know. Thanks!

    40 weeks 1 day ago Report Comment

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