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Is Your Medication Causing Sexual Dysfunction?

Sexual dysfunction occurs when any part of your sexual satisfaction is disrupted.

The process of sexual activity is usually seen in stages: desire, arousal, orgasm, and resolution. Men, women, nonbinary*, and transgender people can experience these stages in different orders. Cisgender* women experience high rates of sexual dysfunction at a whopping 43%, and cisgender men at a 31%. Transgender* men and women also experience sexual difficulty, but the rates are slightly different depending on their gender expression, as well – 15% and 29% respectively. Regardless of your gender expression, sexual dissatisfaction can be both frustrating for ourselves, and for our relationships.

What to look out for in your sex life

Symptoms of sexual dissatisfaction can range from pain during sex, struggling to maintain or get an erection, difficulty achieving orgasm, low libido, and loss of sexual interest or desire.

For people with penises, it can look like:

  • Delayed or pre-mature ejaculation
  • Struggling to get or sustain an erection

For people with vaginas it can resemble:

  • Pain during penetrative sex
  • Low or lack of arousal or desire
  • An inability to achieve orgasm
  • Little or no self-lubrication
  • An inability to relax the vaginal muscles

Anyone can experience a decrease in arousal or desire, which can be a symptom of depression, or the less-desired side effect of medication.

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Medication frustration

Some likely culprits of sexual dysfunction are the substances people take to manage their health.

  • SSRI’s like fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram (Lexapro), sertraline (Zoloft), and many more.
  • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MOAIs) such as phenelzine (Nardil).
  • Antipsychotics such as aripiprazole, risperidone, paliperidone, haloperidol.
  • Benzodiazepines like lorazepam, clonazepam, and diazepam.
  • Blood pressure medications like diuretics like spironolactone (Aldactone), thiazides (Diuril, Naturetin, and others).

Certain types of pain medication may also be a culprit; especially among people living with chronic pain. If you feel that this is your experience, speaking with a licensed medical professional about your concerns is especially crucial to avoid making your chronic pain worse, or to prevent meeting your overall health goals.

  • Hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine are some of the more commonly used pain medications that may cause erectile dysfunction, but the connection is still being studied.

There are also other substances commonly used for self-medication.

  • Substances such as alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco.

While the former three are not medications, they can influence the chemical compositions and side effects of prescribed medication.

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How to cope with sexual dysfunction

In order for sexual dysfunction to be diagnosed, an individual should seek professional help. The medical provider can be a primary care physician, a psychologist, or a sexual therapist. They will look into what types of medication are currently being taken, including the duration and dosages, discuss attitudes regarding sex, and offer suggestions.

Devices, medication, exercise, and therapy are some ways of adapting to an unsatisfactory sex life.

How Healthpointe can help

Here at Healthpointe, we know how important it is for our patients to lead normal lives and receive the healthcare that they need. Sexual health can require physical, mental, and emotional wellness in order to thrive. If you are experiencing physical, emotional, or psychological distress from experiencing sexual dysfunction, contact our offices today, so that we can help find the right treatment or help to guide you to the right combo of medication to avoid or alleviate sexual dysfunction.

Equally as important is the mental aftercare that is required to heal from any traumatic health concerns, which we can also help with. Our Psychology department can provide treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback therapy, psychotherapy, and cognitive rehabilitation therapy – to help you get on track to a healthy emotional state, and back to leading your regular life.

*Cisgender is a word used to describe the experience of people whose gender and biological sex align.

*Transgender is one word used to describe the experience of people whose gender identity differs from their biological sex.

*Non-binary is an umbrella term used to describe a multitude of gender identities and gender expressions that may span the inside and outside of the gender binary.

For further information regarding LGBTIA+ definitions, please visit the Los Angeles LGBT Center or your local LGBT Center’s website.

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