It is a side effect of the meds. Some people find it longer to achieve orgasm. The only way you can have idea is to masterbate and find if it takes longer. You may need more foreplay before having sex. You may prefer clitoral stimulation than vaginal stimulation to achieve orgasm. IIRC if you achieve the former you may need your partner to use a vibrating ring to give you an orgasm when having vaginal sex.
My partner has been on Citalopram for almost a year now,and gradually he lost his ability to get an erection,which he finds really frustrating and i keep saying to him,its probably the tablets. Now, its almost like he's not interested in sex and i did mention it to him,and he said he misses it too,like me! We have considered going to the Dr and seewhat she suggests, but he feels a bit embarassed i think because his Dr is a woman,but she's an excellent GP!
I have been taking just 10mg for only a week. I'm not sure about the effects on my anxiety, but it has had a dramatic effect on my sex drive already, going from astronomical to zero in less than 7 days. At the moment I'm considering this to be a positive thing, as I hadn't realised just how high my libido was operating, and it has caused me much personal turmoil and trauma over the last two years now. I am however concerned as I am now due to up my dose to 20mg. What are the long term effects on sex drive. I'd like my libido to be controlled but not erased completely. Could this loss of sex drive become a permanent state?
"... Could this loss of sex drive become a permanent state?" Only time can tell, it's not inevitable, in deed it could even bounce back x 2, one of it's effects is that you can become very much into things, random things
I'm trying to set a date each month where we can both have sex. It sort of mental preparation. If you have trouble reaching orgasm you may need help with vibrating rings to stimulate you.
I think this is a very common side effect. I feel exactly the same, no sex drive...the only time I feel slightly 'horny' is before my menstruation. I am able to get an orgasm and it's actually quite intensive - cannot complain here 
I take 10mg Paroxetine - I've been using it for over 8 years - I almost do not remember how it feels to have a 'normal' sex drive.
It is very frustrating at times but I am sure once you stop taking your meds - it all will be back.
I'm on 40mg, and I'm the exact same, it's horrible, my partner feels like I just don't want him, never good.. however tell your man how you feel and that, he'll understand you just need a bit more "getting in the mood time".. works for me
Thank you all for these stories.
Smurflbws I relate to yours most recently in terms of 'mental preparation'. It ruins it for me and my bf.
I took Citalopram 5mg once, I had major long lasting side effects.
This was 2.5 years ago and it completely ruined my sex life!
I have had quite low libido since then, feel numb to my sexual area, also my nipples, and generally can't get an orgasm, no matter how long I try for. If I get any feeling it get's vaguely close to an orgasm but just stops before I get there and just isn't much fun, so I have no desire to try it again.
It's completely frustrating.
I've seen a couple of specialists and tried hormones but didn't help. I suppose I have to wait and see if it eventually comes back.
If I had known how severely Citalopram would be affecting my quality of life I would have NEVER taken it.
I have been on mine for the second time 40mg for 5 yrs this time and can confirm this is a written side effect on the instructions. ...I did also read somewhere that if you went to your doctors and explained they can prescribe you with something to help as its a written side effect, I just wish I had the guts to ask the doctor until I have looked into it properly to see how common it is...wish me luck!!
I've just had my Citalopram upped to 30mg I suffer with depression with anxiety I have noticed over the past few months that I have next to no sex drive at all.I am really concerned about it but don't know what to do about it if that makes sense I know I need to be on these meds!.My partner is very understanding but how much more understanding will it take before he can't take anymore!.
I thought I could take it when my wife's labido dropped. I stamped around like a hormonal nut. My wife viewed me as sexually aggressive.
Sometimes you have to agree with each other to have sex.
But it's up to you to review.
My other half has been taking this medicine and since he has started it(about 2 months ago), he has been getting hornier and his erections have lasted longer. he has always had trouble reaching ejaculation and says that now he is feeling closer to achieving it...so its not everyone who suffers adverse affects...im certainly happier
Four months ago I gave in to my doc and decided to give citalopram a go after she looked at me and said, "Well, ya can't go on living like this, can you?" I was sitting there crying my eyes out. She was right. I couldn't go on like that. I started with ten then made it up to twenty and I finally stopped crying. The doc tried to up the dose again to see if it would help with my chronic pain but I refused. I had stopped crying - that was good enough for me. Unfortunately the intimacy stopped with my fiance as well. I couldn't figure out why since I was feeling so much better! Deductive reasoning equaled the citalopram. I started to taper off the drugs last week. About an hour ago I got a 'twang' in my 'musn't-touch-it' (what my grandma used to call it. lol!) and it hit me soooooo hard I had to stop in my tracks! First time since about a week after taking this med that I had any type of urge to attack my man. Finally!
So, this all leads to one thought in my mind - would I rather be down and have an intimate relationship with my fiance (sex is so powerful for the body!) OR do I stop crying and remain numb all over?? I will know the answer when I'm completely off this med in the next couple of weeks and see where my head is at. Does anyone else feel this way? o.O
I am 49 and have always had a high sex drive. I am not in a relashonship now but use vibrators and have no trouble reaching orgasm. I was taking 20 mg citalopram and recently increased to 40 for my depression and anxiety. I can get 'excited" but have trouble reaching orgasm now which is very frustration. I am thinking it could be all in my head.
Hi wantpeace..i dont think its in your mind.My partner was diagnosed with anxiety and depression early on this year...he had been suffering with not being able to ejaculate anyway for some time, but was put on these meds, after they initially made him very sleepy he then began to buck up, (after about 2 weeks), he was getting enormously sexually excited, and i was happily amazed. but then after about 6 weeks on these meds, he started to feel horrible again so the doc put the citalapram dose up and then we started with the lack of sexual feelings in him. He told his counsellor who told his GP and they both agree its the citalopram, so they have raised the dose of his other med..with a view to slowly reducing the Citalapram. sometimes he will get an erection but no matter what we do he loses it anyway. We dont get upset about it, we just accept that for now they are affecting his libido. I would rather see him happy than stop the drug and not feel sexy because he's depressed.
I was on citalopram for 5 years and have been off them for 3 months but my sex drive is non-existent. I don't have a high libido to start with but can anyone shed any light on whether or not this is 'normal' as I feel really guilty not being interested at all.
Hi,
I am thinking about taking Citalopram but I am concerned about the side effects being discussed here - particularly it can affect your libido for life. Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks.
My wife and I holidayed for a long weekend in Portugal 5 days after moving on from 10mg to 20mgs.
The morning after arrival I was very sexually excited and was able to orgasm, but the next 2 days whilst able to have lots of penetrative sex with my gorgeous wife, I have not been able to cum.
I am in a state of sexual preparedness, but the orgasm may not be achieved.
Being as sexual as I am my wife actually commented if I was gay? Not nice!
I trust this will change when I feel better?
At first this drug actually INCREASED my sex drive and sexual urges, but with some sexual side effects as described and typical for both male and females (delayed climex, de-sensivity).
However, I noticed after 1 month on 10mg my sex drive (which is usually very high) diminishing.. and now at 15mg, it's just gone.. totally gone. I have no sexual desire _at all_. Unusually though, another "side effect" seems to have manifested as a result of these supressed sexual feelings... in the form of unusual sexual themed dreams... some are not particularly pleasant and quite disturbing too.
I could see this lack of sexual limbo could be a problem for couples, but I'm single, so it's not for me, and is actually a benefit. I still look at women and find them attractive etc, but have no urges or impulse desires to view women sexually. Quite strange for me to feel like this but it doesn't bother me. It might do if I met someone I was really attracted to though on holiday for example and she wanted to take things further.. I'm not sure how I would handle it or explain it!
I just don't feel sexual anymore, that doesn't interest or excite me, the thoughts don't even cross my mind when I see attractive women. Does that make sense to anyone else on this? Does the lack of sex drive go away in time or stay? I've only been on it 2-3 months, and only recently moved to 15mg this week.. I started on a slow "taper-up" dosage over a longer period, from 2.5mg to lessen the side effects..