# What anti anxiety meds have little or no sexual side effects?



## ferrellwolf (Jan 7, 2010)

My PPO insurance just kicked in so I can finally get some "real" meds. There's been a great deal of talk about the sexual side effects of drugs like Xanax, so I was looking into getting a less sexually debilitating drug. Any suggestions?


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## Ash09 (Apr 27, 2009)

Benzos like alprazolam are about the least sexually impairing drugs you're going to get for SA, aside from perhaps buproprion and tianeptine.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

ferrellwolf said:


> There's been a great deal of talk about the sexual side effects of drugs like Xanax...


Other than myself, I've heard few mention the issue of sexual side effects from Xanax. This would seem to be largely an issue of dosage: very few take as much as I do and unless you take a lot you're not likely to get any sexual side effects from Xanax nor other benzos.

Sexual side effects are certainly documented as occurring more often with Xanax than placebo, but that was in a study of panic patients taking 6 to 10 mg daily. That would be vastly more than most SA patients would ever take.


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## ferrellwolf (Jan 7, 2010)

UltraShy said:


> Other than myself, I've heard few mention the issue of sexual side effects from Xanax. This would seem to be largely an issue of dosage: very few take as much as I do and unless you take a lot you're not likely to get any sexual side effects from Xanax nor other benzos.
> 
> Sexual side effects are certainly documented as occurring more often with Xanax than placebo, but that was in a study of panic patients taking 6 to 10 mg daily. That would be vastly more than most SA patients would ever take.


That actually makes me feel a whole lot better. It's just that I've heard stories of prolonged sexual impotence and the like, so I just wanted to cover my options first. Well, Xanax it is then.


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

If you think benzos have bad sexual side effects, wait til you try SSRIs.


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## ninjew (Feb 9, 2010)

Like someone mentioned earlier, Wellbutrin/Bupropin really have very few sexual side-effects. While it's much more effective as an antidepressant than it is as an anti-anxiety drug (it can actually make anxiety worse in some people) Wellbutrin definitely helps at least some people with social anxiety, and has very minimal side effects. 

I've been on it for about a month now, and I really don't have any noticable side-effects whatsoever; when I first started I had a hard time getting to sleep and my hands would sometimes shake when I was nervous, but that's long gone. 

This was basically the exact opposite of my experience with Zoloft. That drug made me feel floaty, distant and depersonalized, bored with everything, and completely killed my sex drive. On top of that, when I started taking it, changed my dosage, or was a couple hours late to take a pill, it would feel like my brain was being zapped by lightning! (Which isn't exactly a pleasant sensation, even if it did sometimes make me giggle.)

Anyway, though, similar drugs can have different side effects in different people, so even if one drug makes your life a living hell, another can work perfectly.


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## Vega (Feb 12, 2010)

I take Paxil and while it does have sexual side affects, I haven't noticed any difference. Many of these side effects are minimal or don't affect a large percentage of those taking the medicine. The best thing to do is try one your doctor prescribes you and if you don't like any of the side effects, then talk with your doctor and switch to another one until you find one that is best for you. Each medicine reacts differently for each person, so it's hard to judge until you try it.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

ninjew said:


> Like someone mentioned earlier, Wellbutrin/Bupropin really have very few sexual side-effects. While it's much more effective as an antidepressant than it is as an anti-anxiety drug (it can actually make anxiety worse in some people) Wellbutrin definitely helps at least some people with social anxiety, and has very minimal side effects.


Wellbutrin is often added to an SSRI to reverse some of the side effects such as sexual dysfunction and apathy, so while it's not a very effective anti anxiety drug in itself, when added to an SSRI the combo can act synergisticallly as a good antianxiety/antidepressant combo.


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## karoloydi (Feb 18, 2010)

Drugs that will increase dopamine like l dopa are effective in treating social anxiety and will also INCREASE your sex drive. But good luck getting your doctor to prescribe them.


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## mark555666 (May 1, 2008)

Remeron?


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## Ash09 (Apr 27, 2009)

Freesix88 said:


> Remeron?


As long as the sedation doesn't cause a loss of sexual interest...


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## Ronaldo10 (Feb 12, 2010)

UltraShy said:


> Other than myself, I've heard few mention the issue of sexual side effects from Xanax. This would seem to be largely an issue of dosage: very few take as much as I do and unless you take a lot you're not likely to get any sexual side effects from Xanax nor other benzos.
> 
> Sexual side effects are certainly documented as occurring more often with Xanax than placebo, but that was in a study of panic patients taking 6 to 10 mg daily. That would be vastly more than most SA patients would ever take.


Xanax is know to have sexual side effects than any other products. But as long as you stay in the proper dosage given by the doctors i think you are safe from any sexual side effects or not so strong if you follow your doctor prescription.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Ronaldo10 said:


> Xanax is know to have sexual side effects than any other products. But as long as you stay in the proper dosage given by the doctors i think you are safe from any sexual side effects or not so strong if you follow your doctor prescription.


I do follow my doctor's dosing intructions, which happens to be 10 mg a day.


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