Posted by SLS on January 24, 2001, at 19:37:14
In reply to Long-term dopamine depletion from meds possible?, posted by PhoenixGirl on January 24, 2001, at 14:41:28
Dear P.G.
At this point, I think your lack of libido may be integral to your depression. Depression and its symptoms tend to get worse over time. Your libido may be more affected now than several years ago. If you found imipramine more helpful than desipramine, I recommend that you consider trying nortriptyline. When your depression remits, your libido should return.
Hopefully. No guarantees, of course.
- Scott> Drugs that increase the effect of serotonin apparently decrease dopamine. If these drugs are taken for years, can dopamine depletion continue even after they are stopped?
> I've heard that drugs that increase dopamine, like amphetamines, will in the long term deplete dopamine (or something like that). Do scientists even know about long-term dopamine depletion from serotonergic and dopaminergic drugs?
> The reason I'm asking is that I used to have a decent libido when I was on imipramine for a few years, but lost it during subsequent drugs like anafranil and celexa. I was on imipramine for about 3 years, and on the more serotonergic drugs for about 5 years. In the past two months, I've been on desipramine, which is similar to imipramine and actually less likely to cause sexual side effects than imipramine, but my libido has only slightly improved
> and is not as good as it was on imipramine. I am wondering whether the especially libido-ruining drugs
> have caused long-term libido problems in my brain.
poster:SLS
thread:52430
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010122/msgs/52468.html