Wellbutrin and hypersexuality

[Brokenlamp]

Hello,

I’ve been recovering from pretty severe treatment resistant depression. In short my treatment has been Wellbutrin 300mg, Zoloft 200mg and abilify 5mg each day. During this period I did had little interest in sex and with the zoloft I developed erectile dysfunction and when I did have sex with Viagra I often could not climax. Over the course of a 18 month I finally started turning the corner and my doctor slowly weaned off the ability and zoloft. Then because of some persistent energy and anhedonia problem after stopping these meds my doc has increased Wellbutrin to 450mg. A combination of improvement in depression, stopping Zoloft and bumping up Wellbutrin has skyrocketed my sex drive much much higher than it was ever before I became depressed. I am married and I love this change but it has led to some practices that I never regularly engaged before such as daily masturbation and porn viewing 1-2 times per week. This has been going on for three months now without my wife knowing. I feel close to my wife and I tried talking to my wife about both my recent increase in desire, my masturbation and porn viewing. She didn’t respond well with some shaming and when I mentioned I felt like the Wellbutrin likely was playing a roll in this increase sexual desire she wanted me to call my doctor and change the medication. As far as depression I do feel this is the best I’ve felt in years. I’m conflicted in whether the Wellbutrin is “problematic” and needs to be changed, whether I need to try to work out the hypersexual desires out more with my wife, or just keep my keep my behaviors to myself.

Any other options?

Any advice would be welcome?

Thanks

[luthien]

Hey. I don't have direct experience with what you've mentioned.

It is interesting; could your increased libido come from both the medication and your in a way feeling a little better and happier in yourself?

I see no problems with daily masturbation or porn, and this is coming from a woman with a high libido! There's nothing wrong with it, and I've learnt to accept mine as part of me

I guess it's probably a more psychological situation than physical, yes there's the physical desire, but what I mean is the barriers we and others and society place on us. I don't know if that makes sense. I've found that women tend to dislike masturbation, or porn, or anything of the sort as they themselves feel they cannot be open, therefore feel like they shouldn't have an interest in that sort of thing. And because they feel that way, it affects those close to them. I've never come across a male whom feels that way! So taking it back to your relationship; I don't know how close / how often you do have sex / intimate moments, but if they feel they "shouldn't" do things that often - society thinks us women don't need sex / shouldn't enjoy it so we block it rather than being open - then your wife may feel a little taken aback that you suddenly have an increased libido, and considers what you do as a "male thing", that she should be put off by. It's all fine.

You've talked to your wife about what you do, so it's not really a secret, and it's your body, so you can do what you want on your own, in your own space to help you be yourself. If she's really rejecting it then that may need a bit of a chat.

Perhaps see what she'd like to do / not do with your increased libido, could you spend time together? bring the romance and spark back in? That could help the conversations. Perhaps recall when you were first married, if that was when you also had a high libido. We always think back to those times and it kind of re-ignites us especially when I'm feeling a little weird about it all.

I know it's not great help, I'm not good at wording these things.

The main thing I wanted to say it if this is you on your medication and feeling better with things then that is fine, don't stop doing things which make you happy!

[LadyZen]

Is it just possible that your sex drive is back to normal? Or you're going through withdrawal from your other medications? Could exercise help?

I was on Wellbutrin for a couple of years at a time in various parts of my troubled life and it saved my life. I didn't experience any hypersexuality, but when I weaned of it I was extremely hungry all the time. I had to drink protein shakes so I wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night.

[lillyofthevalley37]

It's definitely the welbutrin that's causing it because it boosts dopamine maybe even contains dopamine

Dopamine overload is what fuels bipolar mania and the accompanying high sex drive

Serotonin is the polar opposite of dopamine , serotonin is used to trest BPD mania and SSRI s are given wily nily to everyone who is depressed even though they don't test for serotonin deficiency

Dopermine not serotonin is often needed for some people's depression

So why don't you reduce your dose of wellbutrin ?