Never stop, pause, reduce, or change a prescribed medicine because of anything on this page. Some of the medicines listed here are dangerous to stop suddenly, and the condition being treated does not pause while you experiment. Everything here exists to make your next conversation with a prescriber more specific — not to replace it.
Frequently reportedAntidepressants
SNRI antidepressants and sexual side effects
SNRIs raise serotonin the way SSRIs do, so the orgasm-delay and desire effects look much the same. The additional noradrenaline action can add its own effect on arousal and on erection. Duloxetine is also prescribed for pain and for stress incontinence, so some people meet this class without ever being treated for low mood.
What the rating means: Sexual effects are among the better-documented effects of this class. Frequent does not mean inevitable — plenty of people take these with no change at all.
What is reported
Editorial categories, not percentages. Published rates vary enormously depending on study design and on whether anyone thought to ask the question.
Reaching orgasm needs far more time or stimulation than before. Some people find this a welcome effect and some find it exhausting; both reactions are worth saying out loud.
Wanting sex less often, or losing the spontaneous interest that used to arrive on its own. This is the effect people most often assume is psychological and most often is not only psychological.
Arousal works but orgasm does not arrive. When this starts within weeks of a new medicine and had never happened before, the timing itself is information.
Erections that are slower, softer, or do not hold. Because this depends on blood vessels and nerves, it can also be an early signal of something cardiovascular — which is why it is worth a clinical conversation rather than only a product.
The body responds less, or much more slowly, even when the interest is there. Blood flow, nerve signalling, and hormone levels all feed this, and medicines can act on any of the three.
Less natural lubrication, a tight or raw feeling, or discomfort that arrives during rather than before sex. Medicines cause this either by drying mucous membranes generally or by lowering oestrogen.
Timing and reversibility
Typically within the first weeks of starting or of a dose increase. These medicines need a supervised taper when they are eventually stopped, which is one more reason never to experiment alone.
Each of these has its own sexual effects, separate from the medicine’s. Working out which half you are dealing with is usually the whole question.
DepressionThe condition and its treatment pull in the same direction, which makes attribution hard.
Anxiety disordersArousal and anxiety compete for the same nervous system.
What to ask the person who prescribed it
Is this a recognised effect at the dose I am on?
Am I taking this for mood, for pain, or for both — and does that change the options?
What would a review of this look like, and how long would it take?
Things that help without touching the prescription
A glycerin-free water-based lubricant for dryness, used generously rather than sparingly.
Planning sex for a point in the day when the dose has settled, if the effect feels dose-timed.
Common questions
Can snri antidepressants affect your sex life?
Frequently reported for this class. SNRIs raise serotonin the way SSRIs do, so the orgasm-delay and desire effects look much the same. The additional noradrenaline action can add its own effect on arousal and on erection. Duloxetine is also prescribed for pain and for stress incontinence, so some people meet this class without ever being treated for low mood.
Which sexual side effects are most reported with snri antidepressants?
The effects reported most often are orgasm takes much longer than it used to and lower sexual desire. Reported does not mean guaranteed — plenty of people take these medicines with no change at all, and published rates vary widely depending on whether anyone asked the question.
How soon would snri antidepressants cause a change, and does it reverse?
Typically within the first weeks of starting or of a dose increase. These medicines need a supervised taper when they are eventually stopped, which is one more reason never to experiment alone.
What should I do if I notice this while taking snri antidepressants?
No. Never stop, pause, or reduce a prescribed medicine on your own because of a side effect — several medicines on this site are dangerous to stop suddenly, and the condition being treated does not pause while you experiment. Bring the observation to the person who prescribed it; a dose review, a different preparation, or a different approach may all be options, and only they can weigh them against what the medicine is doing for you.
What should I ask about snri antidepressants at my appointment?
A specific question gets a better answer than a general one. For this class: Is this a recognised effect at the dose I am on? Am I taking this for mood, for pain, or for both — and does that change the options? What would a review of this look like, and how long would it take?
Educational information about categories of medicine only — not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not a statement about your prescription. It does not cover doses, interactions between medicines, or alternatives, and it cannot know what else is going on with your health. Sexual symptoms often have more than one cause at once. Pain, bleeding, or a symptom that is new and unexplained always deserves assessment.