Certain medications affect sexual function and drive. The sexual response cycle goes through four key phases. Your sexual response cycle goes through excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. Lack of sexual function or libido can be caused by both physical and emotional factors. Certain medications have side effects that also hinder your sexual function.
Types of Sexual Dysfunction:
These following four categories are the way sexual dysfunctions are primarily categorized.
Desire Disorders: Having a lack of sexual desire or disinterest in sex.
Arousal Disorders: Not being able to become aroused during any sexual activity. Erectile dysfunction is considered an arousal disorder.
Orgasm Disorders: Not being able to achieve an orgasm or having a very delayed orgasm.
Pain Disorders: Having painful intercourse. This mostly affects women.
Medications That May Cause Sexual Dysfunction:
Some medications affect your ability to achieve an orgasm while others affect your sexual desire. The following is a list of over-the-counter and prescription drugs that may affect your sex life.
Some over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants cause erectile dysfunction or problems with ejaculation.
Antidepressants
Thanks to the Cleveland Clinic, here is a full list of antidepressants and anti-hypertensive medications that may cause sexual dysfunction:
- Tricyclic antidepressants, including amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), and nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor)
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), including phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate)
- Anti-psychotic medications, including thioridazine (Mellaril), thiothixene (Navane), and haloperidol (Haldol)
- Anti-mania medications such as lithium carbonate (Eskalith, Lithobid)
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and paroxetine (Paxil).
Anti-hypertensive medications (used to treat high blood pressure)
- Diuretics, including spironolactone (Aldactone) and the thiazides (Diuril, Naturetin, and others)
- Centrally acting agents, including methyldopa (Aldomet) and reserpine (Serpasil, Raudixin)
- a-Adrenergic blockers, including prazosin (Minipress) and terazosin (Hytrin)
- b-adrenergic (beta) blockers, including propranolol (Inderal) and metoprolol (Lopressor)
Hormones:
- Lupron
- Zoladex
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At OB-GYN Women’s Centre of Lakewood Ranch, we are passionate about helping women in every stage of their life. Whether it’s family planning or how to get your regular sex life back, we are here to provide you with answers. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
