Drugs can generally have many effects on our body and our sexual health as well, which include an increase or decrease in libido and difficulty with orgasm. We have listed 5 drugs that can affect your sex drive.
- Birth contraceptive drugs
Having sex and wondering if you will get pregnant causes more anxiety that outweigh the thrill of the action. However, you have a solution to this problem. Simply enroll for a birth control therapy.
These pill work by increasing your sex-hormones binding globin (SHBG). The resultant proteins produced trap testosterone floating in your blood. Thus, a reduction in T-cells increases the level of progestin. By regulating your fertility, this compound makes it much harder for you to conceive.
And this how you reduce your odds of becoming pregnant by more than 90%. Hence, birth control pills offer you the freedom to have sex without wondering whether you are safe and unsafe.
But did you know that these medicines also bring about unintended effects? It may come as a surprise that these preventive measures overreach.
For many women, taking family planning pills also reduces libido. A study found that you may take up to four months after quitting your contraceptives, to regain your natural libido.
Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t. Birth control pills transfer additional punch of the female hormones, estrogen and progestin.
An article on WebMD publication notes that stress, anger, and anxiety all affect sex drive to certain extent.
So appreciate that while birth control pills protects you from pregnancy, it also lowers your libido.
- Diabetes treatment
Diabetes presents real health issues. Its long-term effects expose you to other dilapidating sicknesses such as hypertension and heart condition. What’s more, it adversely affects your sex life.
Type 2 diabetes is particularly nasty. It’s associated with nerve damage that results in numbness, pain, and lack of feelings. It also results in poor circulation, which may cause inadequate lubrication and genital dryness in women.
But medications can eliminate the frustrations arising from this condition. The one thing that this treatment doesn’t resolve is sex life. Insulin-resistance medications are notorious for libido extinction. This is because they try to limit the effects of sex that exhausts your blood sugar levels.
Insulin therapy includes the patch, injectable and oral medications. Drugs such as Metformin and Sulfonylureas are common here. They work by regulating the secretion of insulin by the liver. They also create increased sensitivity to glucose, allowing your cells to expend insulin more effectively.
Combining exercises, weight loss, and healthy eating are useful in reducing unwanted medical outcomes in your sexuality.
- Antidepressants
The modern work pressure is resulting in much anxiety. Being always stressed out eventually cause depression. This situation is especially true in a competitive working environment.
But there are ways to avoid such traps. You can bypass depression by following your passion and working at a reasonable pace. Further, making time to meditate and relax also helps.
But in some unfortunate situations, you may revert to antidepressants to relieve the harmful effects of depression. To manage these symptoms, most physicians prescribe serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
This medicine group (which includes Bupropion and Vilazodone) works by inducing the secretion of dopamine. Dopamine is a feel-good enzyme that increases your cheerfulness and zeal.
However, your elevated mood is never without a side effect. These drugs can also cause a drastic drop in your sexual desire. Serotonin usually results in calmness and induces sleep.
This situation results in less anxiety and some semblance of bliss. But its presence also causes your pleasure stimuli to diminish, according to an article appearing on the Healthline website.
The article titles “Managing Antidepressant Sexual Side Effects,” also warns that the same hormone numbs your sexual senses. It prevents your body from transmitting sex pulses to your brain.
As a result, women experience lack of libido, delayed lubrication, and blocked orgasm.
Thus most drugs that treat depression also invariably lower your libido.
- Treatment for bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a growing medical menace. Its symptoms are seizures and convulsions. This is a dangerous occurrence and could result in death when the patient is alone.
Image having a fit near a fire or on the highway driving alone with no one around. This is a recipe for death. To forestall such ugly incidences, these patients always carry epileptic drugs.
These tablets eliminate epileptic tendencies by helping your body to pump more prolactin hormones. But an increase in prolactin levels tends to curtail the secretion of DHEA hormones.
The absence of DHEA reduces your libido. And with a low sex urge, you are unlikely to cooperate in matters intimacy. Taking phenytoin and carbamazepine are essential for treating epilepsy, but also dulls your sexual desire.
In case you suspect that the anti-seizure drugs you are taking are extinguishing your bedroom flames, you can seek safer pills.
- Anti-allergy therapies.
The allergy season is one of the most dreaded not only by parents but also by the children involved. Allergies manifest in many ways include sneezing, whizzing, coughing, and fever. Luckily, many treatments are available.
The medicines you take to cure allergies are technically called antihistamines. These are many variants and include brands such as Benadryl, Allegra, and Zyrtec.
These are readily available over-the-counter in most provision and gas station outlets. All of these medicines work well in subduing the uncomfortable effects of the allergies.
They ease the pain and discomfort associated with allergies, making you sleep and breathe better. But the medications also brings drowsiness and weak feelings. At this point, it impacts on your sexuality.
The medicines dry up everywhere, from your running nose to your vagina. Besides, it also makes you sleepy and fatigue. These circumstances aren’t the best mood for sex. You are unable to engage in sex in such situations.
Antihistamine medicines are also sedating, thus tend to induce sleep more than sexual desire. According to a WebMD publication, using this medication present libido issues.
To gauge against these unwanted sexual effects, you could use nondrug solutions. Using air-conditioning to filter out pollens, or the old school salt and water help.
You recover from your allergy without suffering sexual senses blockade.
In conclusion, five drugs were elaborated that have been known to affect sex drive. We hope the evidence-based knowledge we provide can help you learn more about these drugs and how they can affect your body.
Medications That May Be Affecting Your Sex Life
Medications are an essential part of modern medicine, and they have greatly improved the quality of life for millions of people around the world. However, many medications have side effects that can affect different aspects of our health, including our sex lives. Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect of many medications, and it can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life and their relationships. In this paper, we will discuss some of the medications that may be affecting your sex life and what you can do about it.
1. Antidepressants
Antidepressants are a class of medications used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Some commonly prescribed antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants, have been known to cause sexual side effects, including decreased libido, difficulty achieving orgasm, and erectile dysfunction. These side effects can be distressing for both men and women and may lead to a decrease in sexual desire and satisfaction.
What can you do?
If you are experiencing sexual side effects from your antidepressant, it is essential to talk to your doctor. They may be able to adjust your medication or prescribe a different one that is less likely to cause sexual side effects. Your doctor may also recommend adding another medication, such as bupropion, to counteract the sexual side effects of your antidepressant.
2. Birth control pills
Birth control pills are a popular form of contraception for women. However, they may also have a negative impact on a woman’s sex life. The hormonal changes caused by birth control pills can decrease libido, make it difficult to become aroused, and lead to vaginal dryness. These side effects can make sex uncomfortable and less enjoyable.
What can you do?
If you are experiencing sexual side effects from your birth control pills, talk to your doctor about alternatives. There are many different types of birth control pills with varying levels of hormones, and your doctor may be able to find one that has fewer sexual side effects for you. You may also want to consider non-hormonal forms of contraception, such as a copper IUD.
3. Blood pressure medications
High blood pressure is a common health issue that can be managed with medication. However, some blood pressure medications, such as beta-blockers and diuretics, can cause sexual side effects, including erectile dysfunction and decreased libido. These side effects can be particularly frustrating for men, as they can affect their self-confidence and intimate relationships.
What can you do?
If you are experiencing sexual side effects from your blood pressure medication, talk to your doctor. They may be able to prescribe a different medication or adjust your dosage to minimize these side effects. You may also want to consider lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and a healthy diet, to help manage your blood pressure and potentially reduce the need for medication.
4. Prostate medications
Men with an enlarged prostate may be prescribed medications such as alpha-blockers or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors to help manage their symptoms. However, these medications can have sexual side effects, including erectile dysfunction and decreased libido. These side effects can be particularly distressing for men, as they can affect their sexual function and satisfaction.
What can you do?
If you are experiencing sexual side effects from your prostate medication, talk to your doctor. They may be able to prescribe a different medication with fewer sexual side effects or adjust your dosage. You may also want to consider alternative treatments for an enlarged prostate, such as herbal supplements or a minimally invasive procedure, which may have fewer sexual side effects.
5. Allergy medications
Allergy medications, such as antihistamines, are commonly used to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies. However, they can also cause sexual side effects, including decreased libido and difficulty achieving orgasm. These side effects can be particularly frustrating for women, as they can affect their sexual desire and pleasure.
What can you do?
If you are experiencing sexual side effects from your allergy medication, talk to your doctor. They may be able to prescribe a different medication or recommend alternative treatments, such as nasal sprays or allergy shots, which may have fewer sexual side effects.
In conclusion, many medications can have a significant impact on our sex lives. If you are experiencing sexual side effects from your medication, it is essential to talk to your doctor. They can help you find a solution that manages your health condition while minimizing the impact on your sexual function and satisfaction. It is also important to remember that not all medications will affect everyone in the same way, and some people may not experience any sexual side effects at all. However, being aware of the potential impact of medications on our sex lives can help us make informed decisions about our health and well-being.
