Fluoxetine and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 5)

• J-d...
• September 16, 2016

For Depression "After a year of stress and then going back into my addiction that had been dormant for 2 decades, I tried 20 mgs of Prozac. The first 3 weeks were completely miserable. Anxiety, irrational thought, mood swings, constant bowel movements... but I was determined to hang in there. Amazingly, I started to feel better. After 6 weeks, I was a different person. I feel completely normal now. My wife was diagnosed with cancer and things went really bad in my life before Prozac. I am now on a much better path. I take 0.5 mgs of Xanax at bedtime and wake up feeling great. It is like a miracle of sorts. Mood side effects: a little bit of thinning hair, sex drive is down as I find it hard to climax, and I'm a little less empathetic."

• Amy...
• November 18, 2013

For Depression "I'm 19. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and told to take fluoxetine. I have been on it for 3 weeks, and since then, I have stopped having panic attacks but have experienced some horrible side effects, including headaches, vomiting, heartburn (that lasted hours), insomnia, fits of giggles, lethargy, muscle aches, loss of libido, dizziness, sensitivity to light, and a general feeling of not being altogether. So, the medication has stopped my low mood and constant anxiety but has made me feel ill."

• wil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 27, 2023

For Depression "Fluoxetine changed my life. I have generalized anxiety disorder, depression, PTSD, and after 20 years, I didn't realize how different the world could feel. The first 6 weeks were definitely an adjustment: sweating, the disorientation does occur, there also was a decrease in libido, but with counseling as well, it can become easier to manage. Now, 2 years after being prescribed, no side effects that disrupt my day-to-day."

• iam...
• April 20, 2010

Prozac (fluoxetine) for Depression "I have clinical depression, and Prozac is how I initially got introduced to the world of pharmaceuticals. I took two types of fluoxetine; one from the hospital (green) and the other from Target (white). While the ones given to me at the hospital worked well, the ones from Target did not work at all! The side effects for me were: no ability to feel any emotion, zombie-like, tired 24/7, no appetite (I lived off of one slice of pizza a day along with some cranberry juice, and it had to be forced down), decreased libido, giddiness, constant mind fog, a feeling of euphoria followed by fatigue, dry mouth. It worked better than Cymbalta, but since fluoxetine is generic, my doctor doesn't approve of it."

• Anonymous
• November 21, 2016

For Depression "This medicine is horrible. I just started taking it a month ago and I'm already considering stopping it completely. Side effects were not horrible. I had lots of dizzy spells, though. Only lasted for the first week, though. Now I feel even more depressed than I was before I started the meds. Absolutely no sex drive whatsoever. I also have bad chest and upper back pains that I believe are due to anxiety from the medication. Would not recommend this medication to anyone."

• Anonymous
• March 7, 2012

Prozac (fluoxetine) for Depression "I am 19 years old, and I was on liquid Prozac for about 3 months. During the 3 months of Prozac, I found that I was more tired and unable to concentrate. I found that I was even more anxious when on this medicine, more depressed, and I gained a considerable amount of weight. Before Prozac, I was 130 lbs, then I was around 155 lbs by the end of the 3 months. While on this, I had no energy, no motivation to move on with my life, or no desire to engage in social interaction. My sex drive had gone way down, and I was not very interested in having sex. Now, I have been off the Prozac for about 6-7 months, and I am slightly more motivated, my sex drive has gone way up, but my weight is still the same."

• Man...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2018

For Depression "I have been taking fluoxetine off and on for about six months. I had previously been on Cipralex for a year and had tapered off due to side effects. I am happy with Prozac, it’s addressed my anxiety, depression, and PMDD issues quite well. I am on 20 mg daily, and sometimes I take a break due to sexual side effects. All in all, I am very happy with this SSRI. It has very few side effects, and I feel like my true self on it, like I did when I was a kid and relatively carefree. Sometimes I think I can live without it, but after a while, my bad outlook and negativity come back, no matter how hard I try to escape it and focus on CBT."

• PTS...
• January 27, 2016

For Depression "Changed my life within a month of taking. Initially gave me an upset stomach, but the wait was worth it. My wife said she 'felt like she was walking on eggshells.' Now, I am more relaxed and a better husband. Sex drive has been affected, but I can live with that, just being happy and enjoying life again."

• Ann...
• July 17, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "I had been experiencing anxiety for a long time and have always been a worrywart in general. I had been going to therapy, and my therapist suggested going to a psychiatrist, who diagnosed me with generalized anxiety and prescribed me 20 mg of fluoxetine. I gotta say, it has truly helped! I've been on it about 10 weeks now, and I feel pretty great! I still get anxiety, but nothing compared to what I had before. I'm also generally happier. My only complaints are that I don't sleep as well. I take the fluoxetine in the morning, but still find myself waking up through the night, which makes me very tired during the day. My libido has also basically disappeared since going on it, so I will talk to my doctor about it. Other than that, it's great!"

• sag...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 21, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "Fluoxetine can really help, but you need the right dose or else it will mess you up. My psychiatrist has me on 40 mg right now for depression/anxiety, and it makes me feel extremely nauseous if I don’t eat something with my meds and in the morning. Keep in mind I’m 18, about 5’7" and weigh around 120 lb, so based on the other responses I probably shouldn’t be on that high of a dose. I also can’t cry and have no sex drive and have been experiencing night sweats, which I know can come from fluoxetine. I went up to 40 mg within the last few months, and I’m pretty sure I'm worse off for it, so I’m going to try to lower my dose at my next appointment. It does help stabilize my mood, and I feel better in general, but I wouldn't say they make me happy, just more numb to negative emotions."

• Flo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 7, 2017

For Depression "Helped with depressive thoughts and episodes quite a bit. I was in a toxic environment at work and home, which were one and the same. Started at 10 mg for 4 weeks, which helped a little with my symptoms of 'negative rumination,' where I could only think of mistakes I made and how I couldn't concentrate at work. Went from functioning 30% to 70%. Increased to 20 mg, even though I hesitated because I was experiencing some unpleasant side effects. They indeed worsened on 20 mg, to my un-surprise. I had low sex drive before because of the depression, but my desire is gone now because of the medication. Starting to feel numb, and there's something inside me that won't relax. I quit my job and moved, too. Still have some anxiety."

• Nat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 25, 2021

For Depression "While fluoxetine was better than other SSRIs I have tried, it was not good for me by any means. If anything, this really neutralized me out and didn’t help my anxiety. It also destroyed any libido I had and made me gain 20 lbs. When I went off it, I gained an additional 10 lbs, despite being active and a healthy vegetarian of 13+ years. For the first time in my life, I am obese. It’s been difficult trying to shed the extra pounds and it’s not helping my confidence."

• Whi...
• June 9, 2015

For Depression "For the first few months, the medication was very successful in terms of giving me the energy and 'drive' to get out of bed and do something with my day. However, there are sexual side effects as climax became near impossible. This wears off with time, both the energy and the sexual side effects. After my body became accustomed to the medication, I lost the extra energy and I became sexually 'functional' again. After approximately 6 months, my depression returned and was accompanied by severe anxiety, a condition I had never dealt with before. I've since stopped taking Prozac and noticed significant improvements in my overall life. My experience with Prozac was that it's good in the short term, but not for the long haul."

• Anonymous
• February 8, 2013

For Anxiety and Stress "20 y/o female being treated for anxiety. I have been on Zoloft, Lexapro, and am now coming off of fluoxetine to switch to Viibryd. Lexapro made me feel like I was just physically present, I only went through the motions of life, I felt lifeless. Zoloft made me sleep all day, I could sleep for 12 hours at night and take two naps and do the same thing the next day. I really loved fluoxetine, it really worked for my anxiety, however, some days on this medication, I would go into a deep depression, but only for a night. I have lost all my libido being on fluoxetine, which is my main reason for switching. Would recommend trying this because I have also heard many success stories from others I know on it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 17, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "I was initially placed on fluoxetine for anxiety. My symptoms over time shifted from anxiety to more depression. My dose increased over time to 80 mg once a day. For me, it completely and fully treated my anxiety, and I was able to do things that my anxiety would have prevented me from doing before. I did notice a decrease in libido, and I experienced weight loss on this drug (it seems to be completely dependent on how your anxiety/depression impacts your appetite, I would overeat when I was stressed, the fluoxetine helped manage the stress so I wouldn't overeat, meaning that I lost weight). At the dose that I was on though, I was extremely drowsy at all times and could sleep for 16+ hours a day if I didn't set alarms, and had to take multiple naps throughout the day. I was brought back down to 40 mg, and the drowsiness has almost completely disappeared. Different people can have very different reactions to the same SSRI."

• Bon...
• June 26, 2015

For Anxiety and Stress "It killed my libido and made me emotionally numb. Still waiting for my libido to come back 2 months after discontinuing. It lessened my anxiety, though, but the side effects are not worth it. I regret having taken this drug."

• Dot...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 23, 2015

For Anxiety and Stress "Started 6th of May, so hasn't been long. Suffered severe post-natal depression with youngest child 9 years ago, got over that and have been fine up until recently. I had a miscarriage over Christmas, and over the months following, found myself getting very low again, but most of all noticed the anxiety, hypochondria, and irritation. Doctor put me on 20 mg fluoxetine a day, and seems to be good so far. Definitely less anxiety, but also definitely lack of energy, and I have tiredness. No matter how much sleep I get, I feel like a zombie in the morning and yawn a lot until I have some coffee. My sense of humor, libido, and appetite have decreased, but I am putting that down to a 'can't be bothered' feeling. Sticking with it for now. Gives a hangover from hell too!!!"

• Gem...
• March 6, 2021

Prozac (fluoxetine) "I had a great experience on Prozac for my generalized anxiety disorder and mild depression. At a higher dose, I got some sexual side effects. Now on Trintellix, and it’s not going so well, so I may just switch back. It helped my mood a lot and calmed me down. Great drug."

• exo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2021

For Depression "Was prescribed fluoxetine many years ago due to depression, anxiety, and OCD. I also have autism, which was diagnosed some time later. My anhedonia (lack of pleasure in things) got much worse - I was losing interest in my hobbies. I also had physical side effects such as lower libido. I could never get past the trial stage because I felt better without it despite my suicidal thinking."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 16, 2021

For Depression "I’ve tried 5+ other antidepressants prior to trying Prozac. Everything worked for a while but eventually lost efficacy or resulted in side effects that were too much to handle. I weaned off Zoloft and transitioned to Prozac per my doctor’s recommendation and felt better in 3-4 weeks. I’ve been on 20mg for a year now and just elected to up my dose to 40mg due to the overwhelming inertia of the world right now. I’m looking forward to the results, honestly. For women who lost their sex drive or ability to orgasm on other meds, Prozac reversed the issue, and it’s been a game changer! Don’t let society’s views of mental health direct your choices, the medicine works better for some, and maybe Prozac isn’t your best med, but it beats feeling awful all the time, I promise!"

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 16, 2021

For Depression "I’ve tried 5+ other antidepressants prior to trying Prozac. Everything worked for a while but eventually lost efficacy or resulted in side effects that were too much to handle. I weaned off Zoloft and transitioned to Prozac per my doctor’s recommendation and felt better in 3-4 weeks. I’ve been on 20mg for a year now and just elected to up my dose to 40mg due to the overwhelming inertia of the world right now. I’m looking forward to the results, honestly. For women who lost their sex drive or ability to orgasm on other meds, Prozac reversed the issue, and it’s been a game changer! Don’t let society’s views of mental health direct your choices, the medicine works better for some, and maybe Prozac isn’t your best med, but it beats feeling awful all the time, I promise!"

• Hop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 3, 2022

For Depression "I have dealt with sensitivity, depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidality, emotional fluctuations, and insomnia since childhood. Since I have two sisters on fluoxetine, I decided to try it, but on extremely low dosages due to my sensitivity to SSRIs (they induce hypomania). I had to start with 1.25 mg daily, and gradually increased to 2.5 mg and 5 mg. Short-term effects: drop in libido, slight urinary blockage, 'tunnel vision', change of body smell, pressure in my lower throat, itchiness and warm feeling in the face, fast heartbeats, and gas. One week later - intense suicidality and emotional pain, intrusive thoughts, and sensitivity to sensory input. Ten days later - woke up feeling calm, hopeful, and normal. Three months later - a bit tired during the day, flatter emotions, fewer thoughts (for better and worse), drop in visual imagination and creativity, fuzzily warm and happy no matter what. Depression is a nightmare, so I'm willing to pay the price (creativity returns when not taking for one day)."

• apa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 18, 2012

For Anxiety and Stress "I had mild OCD, MDD, stress, and anxiety since childhood due to a bad environment. Then I went on venlafaxine and nortriptyline. When I was on it, I did some terrible things like stealing without fear of getting caught, violent behavior, mind going blank, forgetfulness, apathy, and sexual dysfunction. After 3 months, I started to feel better mood-wise."

• Anonymous
• December 12, 2008

For Depression "I have been taking fluoxetine for about four years now. I love what it does for me in the emotional part of my life, but lately I have noticed a couple of side effects. I can't sleep and have a lack of sex drive. That is a bummer, and the lack of sleep, well, I do get more done in a longer day now."

• Mda...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 11, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I really liked Prozac initially. I was prescribed for OCD, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety. I have had depressive episodes in the past, but not my main concern. I was really sweaty and headachy for the first few days. After that, I had little appetite and no sex drive, which was disappointing. I could not sleep for the life of me on 20 mg or 10 mg of Prozac. My doc had me stop because I had a pretty lengthy derealization episode that was scary. It worked better than fluvoxamine for me though."