There are at least one hundred reasons that your sex drive might be lagging and one of the most overlooked causes for this are medications and drugs taken regularly. When you get sick or face a life-changing illness that requires a certain regimen of medication to survive, we take them. We do what we need to do to survive, most often with other costs. Our sex drive is one of the first things to go, especially when we are stressed and focused on other things- like surviving.
If you notice your sex drive is lagging, it is worth a mention to your doctor, or even pharmacist. The pharmacist is a great tool to find out the most common side effects, ways to avoid them, and other possible alternatives if something is causing an issue. Most sexual side effects from medication stem from the dosage amount, rather than a negative body reaction. Discussing this with your doctor is advised, as well. He or she has heard it all before, even if they sometimes forget to mention certain aspects of the medication or treatment, so do not be embarrassed. In some cases, there are other medications to try or alternative ways to go about treatment to avoid the side effects and sexual dysfunction that might occur.
There are certain drugs that heavily affect the body and sex drive. The following list is ever-changing and ever-growing. As more and more prescription medications arrive on pharmacy shelves to treat more and more conditions, ailments and illnesses, more side effects and loss of libido will follow. Use this list only for informational purposes, or to begin a discussion with your doctors and specialists.
- Alcohol. Many people believe that alcohol helps boost their sex drive and that is incorrect. Alcohol can become a very intense, powerful central nervous system paralyzer that interferes with erection capabilities in men, and general sexual function in women. As Shakespeare said, “alcohol provokes the desire, and takes away the performance. “ If an average weight person drinks more than two beers, cocktails or glasses of wine in an hour the uplifting promise of the first few drinks will turn into the libido killer of the night.
- Tobacco. Many studies have been done and all prove that, because smoking narrows blood vessel in all of the body, this predisposition’s the smoker for sexual dysfunction and more. In men, the risk of erectile dysfunction increases substantially. In women, the decreased blood flow affects the natural lubrication of the vaginal walls. Not to mention, tobacco is linked to worsening many health conditions and illnesses.
- Blood Pressure Medication. These medications most often interfere with the ability for a man to achieve an erection. They can also cause loss of libido, delayed or no ejaculation, or general issues maintaining a fully-hard erection. In women, these medications can cause severe vaginal dryness. If you take these types of medications and find yourself struggling with your ability, reach out to your doctor to ease your mind, and help correct the problems.
- Antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants and most all are linked to sexual side effects. Loss of libido, delayed and no ejaculation, Priapism, and general erection issues have been reported in men. Inability to orgasm, vaginal dryness, and loss of desire have been reported with women. If you take antidepressants and find yourself experiencing these symptoms, check with your doctor about other brands or other possible alternatives
- Psychiatric Medications and Anti-Anxiety Medications. Much like alcohol, this class of drugs directly affects the ability to achieve and hold an erection in men. Loss of libido has been reported for both men and women on these types of medications. This is one of the harder classes of drugs to change or alter because these help control the way our brain works. If our brain is not functioning up to par, libido will be one of the first things affected.
- Illegal Drugs. No matter if you are using an “upper” like amphetamines or cocaine, or if you are using “downers” like narcotics or tranquilizers, all street drugs impair the ability to have normal sexual function. The level of lost function depends on the strength, amount, and internal damage these drugs do, which is often unknown until the “too much” mark has been surpassed. Marijuana is the only drug that has been reported to go both ways: for some, it helps the sex drive, and for others completely hinders it. Many state that this is due to the strain of the plant being ingested.
- Seizure Medication. If you are on medication to control convulsions and seizures, there is a good chance your libido and sex drive have been affected. These medications have been reported to hinder the ability to achieve and orgasm with guaranteed loss and lack of libido while taking.
Miscellaneous Prescription Medications. There are multiple other medications in separate classes that also severely affect the sex drive and libido. Some of these are:
- Congestive Heart Failure medications: breast growth in men, loss of erection and function
- Methadone: loss of libido, delayed or no ejaculation in men
- Muscle Relaxers: delayed or no ejaculation, loss of libido for men and women
Remember, never simply stop taking a medication because you do not like certain side effects or the lack of libido. There are things you can do to help your lost libido find its way home, but abruptly stopping medication without medical guidance could be catastrophic. Always check in with your doctor and find the best way for you to change, alter, and work with your libido. For more information about how medications can affect your libido, check in with your pharmaceutical manufacturing company’s website, and check in to all of the listed side effects they have posted.