Can meds decrease your sex drive?

[bombom]

Hi I have had E Since I was 3yrs old I'm now 38yrs old. So I've had it for 35yrs over the years I have taken many diff. meds. With each new med I have had many diff side effects. My point is that I was always taking name brand. Except about a 1yr ago the insurance started giving me problems with helping me pay for the name brand. I take vimpat, lamictal, and serquel, but do to having trouble with the insurance. I have to start taking generic brand on my lamictal, and vimpat. Since the change I seem to have no sex drive. It's very frustrating to me because of it. My docs tell me that there's not a diff between the name brand and the generic. Although my sister looked it up on the computer and there's a 80% to 125% diff. I would like to know if anyone has gone throgh the same thing. And if you did what was it that helped to over come this problem. I would really appreciate some impute. Thank you

[momof3boys]

I just wanted to say that Ive always been on name brand medications for my seizures too. Ive never tried a generic, but I have heard of medications affecting a perons sex drive. Im on Keppra XR, and I dont think Its affected my sex drive. if anything affects it, its being so darn tired from being a SAHM.

Im sorry I cant be of more help, But wanted to just say that I have heard of certain seizure medications affecting a persons sex drive.

[Endless]

I've seen lots of posts in here on just this very topic. Go to the top of the screen to the bar that's just above the posts. On the right hand side there is a "Search" function with a little arrow next to it. Click on it. Then you can search all the posts for the word "Libido" or "sex drive." A bunch of threads should pop up.

http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/about.cfm is the first place to go when you research a drug. It has the package inserts for all drugs approved by the fda.

Not all the side effects are listed in a package insert, especially if the drug is really new. Another less scientific place to look is www.askapatient.com. It's info on drugs and side effects inputted directly from patients.

Here's the one for Vimpat:
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed...o.cfm?id=13350

For lamictal: http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed...817#nlm34084-4

For seroquel: http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed...295#nlm34084-4


None mention a decrease in Libido but that doesn't mean that the decrease doesn't exist. Try the askapatient site to see if many others have been experiencing the same thing. Seroquel does mention priapism, but that's a different problem altogether.

If it were me I'd have your doc take blood tests to determine the blood serum levels of your drugs. That should tell you if there is much deviation. I wouldn't think the binders themselves could cause this type of side effect, but an increased dosage due to being a generic might possibly do so.

Have you talked this over with your neurologist? We can guess all day, but he/she is the medical professional and has experience with the drugs. I'm really curious what the neurologist has to say.

[BlueSkies2220]

Yes, im a woman and I can say with absolute certainty that the med that i take has completely killed my drive. I have absolutely no desire to do the deed whatsoever now, and i used to be ravenous, hungry.

Now I don't even think about it, and its not that it turns me *off*, but that it takes some serious 4-play to get me there, and i am NEVER the one who initiates it.

I even had dreams about it, symbolic dreams that let me know that yes, a big part of my identity which came with my sexuality was taken from me and was absent.

It's not fair what these medications do to us but look on the bright side - it's better than where we could be if we did not have the medications.

It helps to have an understanding partner who knows how medications can effect these things.

and its also not fair that they have solved men's problems with a 'little blue pill' and that women can't just do the same thing.

For us, it is more than just a visual cue.. we have to be romanced, talked to, cuddled...we can't just turn it on with a sexy picture or outfit in an instant and then keep it going by taking a medication that just gives us that drive.

Women are too complex than to rely on just physical stimulation. Men do not understand this sometime because they have never, in their life, relied on anything more than just a cue from down below, if you know what I mean, lol.

I take tegretol, and i have studied on how it decreases certain hormones which means that the natural stimulation that is within me as a woman is now all but absent.

[bazpa]

Topomax killed mine, but as soon as I stopped taking it-it came back.

[valeriedl]

I take all generic forms of Depakote,Tegretol, Keppra and Lamictal . After I had my first seizure I lost pretty much all my memory from the 10 years before, which is when I first started having sex. As much as I can tell I really don't have any problems, but I don't have anything that I can remember to compare it to.

My husband is usually the one who initates it but I very rarely turn him down.

[Taylor's_mom]

One of my go's has this issue with one of her meds and she just uses the female arousal creme stuff from pure romance. Says it works like a charm. Obviously won't help you initiate sex but it can help u get in the mood if your partner wants to...


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[mel239]

Like Valerie,I never initiate but never turn down even though my headaches are so darn bad he is usually sensitive to that.However,on most antidepressents,there is a failure to "achieve" which is extremely irritating so I went off those.But I think you are sure it is the generic form which is a good thing because that can be remedied.I fall into what may be considered a temporal lobe personality and not only do I have no desire for sex but I maneuver my household tasks and schedule to try to make it impossible to fit it in with our children so I dont verbally have to say no-which I wont-but I really dont want to ever do it-So YES-I am happy for you that its the meds and not you

[Elaine H]

Sex drive??!! What's that? Oh yeah, If I sit for long enough, I might be able to remind myself what goes where!?! I can only offer my sympathy and understanding for your plight, but I totally understand what you are saying! I have just lost my fiance of twelve years, as we hadn't been near each other for the last four or five years, I am on so many different meds, I went through the menopause, lost my mum, several jobs due to unsympathetic employers, brain surgery, it's no surprise I didn't/still don't have a sex drive, you know what, it wouldn't bother me if I never went near a bloke again, that's how all these chemicals floating around inside me have made me feel!!
I would like to know more about the side effects regarding sex drive, but it certainly made me feel better reading that other women on here were feeling the same way, it can't be good for any of us to be on so many different drugs, I am currently taking Keppra, Oxcarbazepine, Zonegran, and Frisium but only for when I have a bad cluster attack, god, it's no surprising I don't have a sex drive, I'm too busy taking tablets to get my fishnet stockings and suspenders on for a wild night???!!! I can't really blame my partner for packing his bags and leaving that night back in April , and I have been trying so hard to rebuild my life since then, and in some ways, he did me a favour, I've learnt so much about ME nobody else, just ME, and I'm a pretty capable woman!!!! But, I'm trying these "social websites" Ok, I've had some amazing feedback and great compliments, from men worldwide, of all ages, shapes, sizes and colours, but, the thought of actually having to sleep with one of them is totally terrifying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ohmygod!! What do you think girls, should I just buy a "rabbit" for my top drawer, a budgie in a cage, a cat for my lap, and a bottle of gin, and be content with my own company for evermore?? No way, not a chance, there is a big wide world out there, and I just want it too stop turning for a minute so that I can jump back on again!! Lotsalove to you all!!!!!

Lainey
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[Elaine H]

Hi BomBom

I just thought I'd drop by and introduce myself, having just read of your dilemma with the drugs and sex drive, I have put a response on here as I know exactly how you feel, it is horrible isn't it? I don't think enough is known about what these drugs do to us, and maybe in years to come, doctors will understand, but in the meantime, us poor girls have to suffer, anyway, you are not alone ok?
Lol

Lainey
XXXX

[Cint]

Sex drive??!! What's that? Oh yeah, If I sit for long enough, I might be able to remind myself what goes where!?! unsympathetic employers, brain surgery, it's no surprise I didn't/still don't have a sex drive, you know what, it wouldn't bother me if I never went near a bloke again, that's how all these chemicals floating around inside me have made me feel!!

What do you think girls, should I just buy a "rabbit" for my top drawer, a budgie in a cage, a cat for my lap, and a bottle of gin, and be content with my own company for evermore?? No way, not a chance, there is a big wide world out there, and I just want it too stop turning for a minute so that I can jump back on again!! Lotsalove to you all!!!!!

Lainey
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Welcome back, Lainey,

I hear you. What is that sex drive thing?! As you know I've had a similar experience, brain surgery, more seizures, more drugs, and for me, a failed marriage. But in my case, I'm the one who left, but it had nothing to do with sex. Actually, I haven't had any for 6 years now and haven't missed it at all, but like you, after the surgery, depression and so many drugs, it plays mind games and makes me so tired, the last thing on my list is sex. I don't even want another partner...... I love my time to myself.... sure, I do get lonely and worry that I may go into a tonic clonic seizure and no one will know, but it is the risk I am willing to take. After all, before I left my husband, he was a pilot, so was gone long periods of time, so it didn't really matter anyway to me. I feel so much better now that I am free of him and, like you, have learned so much more about myself.

And like you said, there is a whole wide world out there, so who knows..... maybe some day the right someone will come across my path, but he would have to be very, very understanding and patient. That will be the day.

[ECadet]

I know any downer can decrease libido. It's a shame :/

[Zoe]

Yes, it works both ways for women & men; seizures can affect hormone function and so can some anticonvulsants. There's more on this issue in this discussion and also some links:
Men With Epilepsy
Should these discussions (3 now) be merged into one?

[LMReggcellent]

I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem. I'm currently taking Lamotrigine and Keppra and I'm grateful that my husband understands the issue.

[Brent]

Well, libido is a complicated animal for men and women alike. It is really difficult to say that a medication directly affects sex drive one way or the other. Rest, stress, nutrition, etc. all have an effect, and medications can impact these things as well. For me, I noticed a decrease when I started having seizures and before I started taking meds. This seems to be because of the physical and psychological strain of having frequent seizures. Now, libido seems to decrease during times when seizure activity increases - probably both affected by stress.

However, my doctor started me on lorazepam as a rescue med, and I've found that it has really helped me clear my mind and I feel better physically and mentally. As a result, this seems to have had a positive effect on libido.

I'm not saying that lorazepam should be taken to increase libido. I believe the effect is secondary.