Ive been on Lexapro, 10 mg a day, for over 3 months now, and just worried about side effects on my sex drive. Are there bad side effects to sexual pleasure and are any of these effects permanent that I or anyone on SSRI's should know about. The pills have helped my mood but am I also doing damage to my sexual side. Any input would be helpful. I am also only 20 yrs old and this is very important to me. Thank you.

As far as I know most anti-depressents ( except Wellbutrin) decrease sexual drive and make it hard. Unfortunately the people who make them have not or will not figure out a way to make them so they do not interfer with your sexual desires. Once you stop taking the Lexapro your sexuality will come back in a normal way. Some people agument Lexapro with Wellbutrin and apparently that helps.
I am on 5 mg. of Lexapro now for about two months. It has really helped a lot with my anxiety and I sleep better now. As far as my sexual drive- it's still there but not as strong. The only side effects I do not like is that it makes me very hungry and even with working out daily I think I have gained some weight.

I was on Lexapro 10mg for five months, and got off of it because of the sexual side affects. It did not diminish my libedo, but it was impossible for me to climax, also I stayed hungry.

I switched to Wellbutrin XL and the orgasm problem went away, but I didn't feel nearly as well on it alone, just a few weeks ago I added 5mg of the Lexapro back to the WB and feel really good on it.

If you continue to have sexual problems with the Lex, ask your doctor to add Wellbutrin to help with that.

littlejmb- is the 5mg of lexapro enough to positively affect your mood without sexual side effects? how long have you been doing this combo? any advice would be great!

Sadiegirl, the combo of 300mg of Wellbutrin and 5mg Of Lexapro is working great for me. I feel better on this combo than I did on either of them alone. I have been doing this for close to a month now. I felt better just after a couple of days though. On WB alone, I was too irritable and had too bad of a temper. I knew I had to do something before I got really bad.

thank you so much littlejmb. I am on 300 of WB also and 30mg of Cymbalta. I am having some sexual side effects, though i have only been on the Cymbalta for under 3 weeks. My insurance wont cover Cymbalta and I think I may ask for 5mg of Lexapro like you are doing.....I need a litte seretonin I can tell or I am agitated and angry on the WB.....so no side effects for you? Thank you again for your help :)

Sadiegirl,

I know what you mean about needing a little bit of Seratonin to help with the anxiety and edginess. Also, it was hard for me to sleep on the WB alone, but taking the 5mg of Lexapro at night or late in the afternoon, I am sleeping really well again.

I can't say about the sexual side affects though, hubby has been really sick so I haven't had a chance to try that out! ;) Most people don't have any problems in that area on both together though.

littlejmb- I appreciate your replies! That is great that you are feeling good. I am so sorry about your husband, my best wishes to both of you.

You are welcome, Sadie. I don't know why sex is such a issue with me, we hardly ever have sex anyway sad to say. He's on Prozac and doesn't have a sex drive and that puts a damper on things too!

I know what you mean....it is such an issue to me as well....in my 20's all I cared about was if the guy was happy.....now in my 30's I feel like I deserve those pleasures too! Plus, I think I feel better (happier, sexier, more confident) when things go well in that area. I think that I will give the 5mg of Lex or something similar with the WB and if that doesnt work....well, I might be through trying.....It is tough that your hubby is experiencing the same side effects but at least he can understand your frustration!

Yeah, but the problem is, that if I don't climax and he doesn't either, he just thinks what is the point in even doing it?! So basically he just has sex because I want it. I think he could go the rest of his life without it!