Aneros and antidepressants

I have never taken antidepressants (although prescribe plenty).

I can imagine that because they damp down negative emotions and anxiety they could improve the aneros experience. There's nothing like negative emotions or anxiety to prevent an orgasmic response. Whether they affect the experience of orgasm though is a different question, they certainly affect normal sexual function in a negative way for some people, and so it's probably a balance that is tipped in favour of you taking them at the moment. Once you are better emotionally they might work the opposite way.

I'm new to aneros but not new to anti-depressants. I have been taking them for thirty-five years or more. I started out with the tricyclics (Elavil, Tofranil, etc) and later moved to the SSRIs and am currently taking both Lexapro and Welbutrin. The tricyclics had definite anti-collagen effects, which means that they dry up your fluids; and that has a major negative effect on orgasm and sexual sensitivity in a man. The orgasm comes much slower and is a let-down at the moment of ejaculation. Also, terrible dry mouth. The minute the SSRIs came out (Prozac etc.) I switched to those and they were a huge improvement. I was eventually prescribed Lexapro because my doctor said it had the fewest side effects of any. I have some incredibly pleasurable experiences with prostate massage; so at this point, I am willing to conclude that the anti-depressants are not inhibiting my pleasure with my Helix. It sounds like the Lexapro is helping you. My advice would be to stay on it.

@mack I was on several antidepressants (zoloft, wellbutrin, celexa) for more than a decade. About 6 months ago I weaned myself off all of them because I thought I didn't need them and they were interfering with my sexual life and suppressing emotions.

After I found quit I found a new world of emotions open up where I knew what I was feeling at any moment. It was a good experience, being in touch with my emotions. Sex and arousal was more powerful. Getting my testosterone more than doubled helped too.

Recently however I've become so depressed I have trouble functioning, have to push myself to do anything. I feel overwhelmed with anxiety. I've been doing all the usual things to stave off depression, meditation, yoga, gym, sunlight.

So I'm going back on antidepressants but want one with few sexual side effects and that don't completely suppress emotions. @spinx, Lexapro sounds good. Also I've read that Viibryd has no sexual side effects. Anyone on that?

@euphemistic Did that six or eight times during the course of the thirty-five years of my anti-depressant use: went off them because I wanted to feel with all the former intensity; felt with all the former intensity for about a week and a half; crashed very hard and went back on the meds, usually with some adjustment. I know exactly what you're describing. I've been there. I had to remind myself that those old emotions and the sexual hyper-sensitivity that I wanted to get back are inseparable from the depression: it's a package deal. Get a good psycho-pharmacologist and see what's new out there. Viibryd is a new one on me. I'll look into it. As new drugs emerge it is important to keep abreast of them. If I hadn't done that, I'd still be taking Elavil (ugh!)

Just looked up Viibrd, it's not something that's licensed yet to my knowledge here in the UK. It's vilazodone, which might be very similar to the old nefazodone which was known to have the lowest incidence of sexual side effects of any antidepressant and it was great for anxiety. It has been unavailable for about 10 years now taken off the market due to concerns over liver toxicity.
I hope they licence vilazodone here in the UK it might be very helpful, I have missed nefazodone as a prescribing option.

Just started low dose Viibryd which has few sexual side effects. It's supposed to feel effective in a week so I'll let you guys know.

Thanks for the comments guys. Taking the lexapro for me does make it hard to have a traditional wet orgasm but then with the depression I was having some of those problems before. I don't understand how I can have dry orgasms with less problems ,but I'm not complaining I have great sessions and the depression is much better, now I think about the good feelings I am having at that moment and I can relax into it,what more could a man ask for. Euphemistic...good luck on the new med.

Glad to hear it @mack. Funny how both depression and antidepressants lower sexual desire and function. I initially took myself off antidepressants in part to increase sexual arousal and desire, and it worked. Had more sex than in decades, my aless were amazing. I'm paying for that now with the consequences, depression. I'm already feeling better after 4 days on viibryd!