Ever Wondered How Sexual Issues Are related to Depression?

Clinical data published in the Physicians' Desk Reference indicate that only 1.6 percent of patients on Prozac experienced decreased libido, and 1.9 percent experienced sexual dysfunction. But subsequent studies from independent researchers began to find that the incidence of sexual side effects was drastically higher. One doctor reported in 1993 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry that out of sixty male patients on Prozac, 75 percent reported that they experienced difficulty ejaculating while sex or were unable to ejaculate. Lowering the dose helped ease the problems, and stopping the medication alleviated them.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have also been found to cause sexual problems in women, fluctuating from a loss of sensation while sex to an inability to climax. As more study weighs in, the data indicate that at least half of patients can expect to experience some sort of sexual qoute as a supervene of taking Ssris.

Four newer Ssris-Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and Luvox-also have a high rate of sexual side effects. In clinical trials of Paxil, nearly 13 percent of men had difficulty ejaculating, and 10 percent had other sexual recurrence within a year if they stop their medications. Many, though, are not informed of this risk, or would rather take this risk than tolerate the side effects. What a terrible option to have to make!

The trouble with antidepressants stems from their dual activity in the body: they address the chemical imbalance that was caused by depression, chronic pain, or some other medical health while disturbing the chemical balance in other areas of the brain and body, fluctuating from the hormonal to the digestive system. Like the vast majority of medications doctors use, antidepressants cannot target only the qoute they are meant to treat. They rebalance the activity of neurochemicals like norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, and elevate moods by changing the receptor function of nerve cells-not only in the brain but throughout the body.

This means that antidepressants can alter the workings of millions of cells from the brain down to the sex organs, which can impact the body's yield of a wide range of hormones and neurochemicals. The result: While rebalancing the body's mood-regulating neurochemicals, antidepressants generate imbalances in many other leading systems, which manifest as side effects.

Tricyclics can also work on heart function in a range of ways that can, in the vulnerable person, prove very dangerous. Tricyclics can also lower blood pressure, especially in older people, which can lead to dizziness when standing up or getting out of bed. Other side effects consist of constipation, difficulty urinating, fatigue, and sexual problems (impotence, loss of sex drive, inability to accomplish orgasm). Maybe the most troubling side supervene is that many habitancy feel as if they are floating through their days. This feeling of sedation causes drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, and an full, dulling of thinking acuity. Someone else insidious side supervene of tricyclics is weight gain-up to 20 percent of body weight.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors-phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate) being the most often prescribed-work by inhibiting the enzyme monoamine oxidase and raising the levels of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. But like that of tricyclics, their usefulness is undermined by their often severe side effects, which can consist of rapid heartbeat, sedation, dizziness, insomnia, sexual problems (inability to avow an erection, loss of sexual sensation), constipation, and agitation. Most important, Mao inhibitors can trigger a dangerous reaction if a person consumes aged cheeses or meats, or other foods containing high amounts of the amino acid tyramine. Normally, this amino acid gets broken down by the enzyme Mao.

Since the antidepressant inhibits Mao, tyramine can increase to dangerous levels, triggering a rapid rise in blood pressure. This reaction may cause severe headaches, flushing, profuse perspiration, blurred vision, vomiting, even stroke and, rarely, death.

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