SSRI to delay orgasm?

November 8, 2007 7:58 PM

SSRI to delay orgasm?

I've heard about taking small dosage of antidepressants to delay orgasm. I have a small problem of premature ejaculation and would like to give it a try. Since I'm single and have sex maybe two three times a month it might be a good temporary solution as I can get my hands on some from a friend. My question would be what is a good dosage and if anyone with experiences can provide me with some details.

posted by willy_dilly to health (20 comments total)

SSRI's do have that effect on some people, but also they have a strong emotional/psychological effect on almost everyone. This may not effect you, or it may screw you up and put you in a place you do not want to be. Patients who are put on it legitimately are given a while to adjust, and I wouldn't suggest taking them sporadically or as a "one-off" drug.

If you're hellbent on taking them, take a pill and see what happens.
posted by null terminated at 8:07 PM on November 8, 2007

Better to take some Viagra or Cialis. Believe it or not these help with control.
posted by ill3 at 8:08 PM on November 8, 2007

problem with SSRI's is that you have to take them chronically to get any effects, and they don't kick in for several weeks.
posted by brandz at 8:12 PM on November 8, 2007

I'm a woman and SSRI's did make it more difficult, if not impossible, to climax.

If you haven't any other reason to try antidepressants, I suggest seeking other methods. The side effects and tweakings of dosages/prescriptions are hard enough to deal with when one needs those meds.
posted by bonobo at 8:12 PM on November 8, 2007

Whoa, hold it, dude! (No pun intended.) Psych medications are very different from one another, so it's kind of important to be clear which one you're thinking of. They have different effects on different users, so a given medicine might or might not have any particular on- or off-label effect on you particularly, no matter what it did to anyone else. They typically have a really long equilibration period (as in, daily doses for three weeks) during which their effect is even less predictable. Look into whatever other delay techniques you can find, but don't screw around with crazy meds. (Heh. Pun also not intended.)
posted by eritain at 8:17 PM on November 8, 2007

you need to get a doctor to prescribe it to you knowing your medical history.

don't be silly and just get it from your friend because it's free.
sometimes these drugs have irreversible side effects.

if the doctor agrees to you taking the drug you can get from your pal... then, by all means, get it free from him/her.

just make sure that particular drug is good for you.
posted by taff at 8:22 PM on November 8, 2007

I wouldn't recommend it at all, you'll barely get a woody. Then you'll need Viagara to prop it up. Same result as without SSRI's for you.

'Aint worth it, look for other viable methods, I'm sure the internets have a lot of information or your doctor...besides, you're messing with your serotonin levels etc...And the SSRI's [Paxil] don't take effect till after using them for a few weeks daily. 10mg is a starter doseage.

The trouble may be in your head, but it isn't chemical, I'd surmise.
posted by alicesshoe at 8:51 PM on November 8, 2007

don't
posted by Wilder at 9:32 PM on November 8, 2007

SSRI's do delay orgasm. They also interfere with getting an erection. Which is better, prematuring, or being impotent?
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 9:46 PM on November 8, 2007

Do not take SSRIs irregularly. Irregular SSRI use will almost certainly cause you way worse problems than premature ejaculation.

Assuming you're using an SSRI continuously, it's still difficult to predict which of the possible side effects a particular person will experience with a particular SSRI. Your friend's medication is just about as likely to make you completely unable to orgasm, lose libido, or have erectile disfunction, as it is to do what you want. Don't forget all the wonderful non-sexual side effects. And the fact that it's going to be messing with your otherwise fine seratonin levels.

Don't be embarrassed about talking to your doctor about this. Doctors get questions like this all the time.
posted by Asymptote at 9:57 PM on November 8, 2007

Seriously, don't.

There are other, better ways. SSRIs mess with your brain chemistry, and the particular mess is dependant on the person. A range of possible (sexual only) side effects include:
- inability to become aroused
- inability to orgasm
- loss of libido
- raging libido (particularly annoying when combined with one of the first two items - speaking from experience)
- premature ejaculation

Not a good idea, quite apart from the other side effects.
posted by ysabet at 10:04 PM on November 8, 2007

This is a bad idea. The health effects of taking them without a doctor's supervision probably won't be life-threatening although there is that potential in certain people and with other medications on board. But beyond that, they're just a plain bad candidate for a 'temporary' solution. Using SSRIs to delay orgasm isn't an exact science. Some people benefit from taking a dose before having sex, some people need to be on them for a full course to get this effect, and some people never get this effect. Also the recommended dose is not agreed upon. Condoms with anaesthetic on them would be more reliable if you're desperate for a temporary solution (follow the instructions and precautions on the box).

Once you're ready for a more permanent solution, see a doctor or sex therapist or look up behavioral techniques for premature ejaculation. They aren't particularly onerous and they work for the vast majority of people.
posted by teem at 10:05 PM on November 8, 2007

This is a terrible idea. You're clearly not informed about how antidepressants work, and neither is your friend if he (or she) is willing to help you "get your hands on some." To have their intended effect (which isn't even the effect you're going for), antidepressants need to be taken regularly for days and weeks and months on end. Does your friend have that many to give you? What are you going to do when he runs out? I hope withdrawal symptoms get you hot.
posted by bluishorange at 11:15 PM on November 8, 2007

Others have already made many of these points. I'll try to make them into a quick list:

(1) It takes about three weeks for an SSRI to get up to the levels that are appropriate for treatment. SSRIs can never be effective as a one-off.
(2) Side effects vary from drug to drug, but none of the SSRIs on the market right now have just one sexual side effect, and only about 15% of people experience any sexual side effects.
(3) There are several potential non-sexual side effects, none of them pleasant.
(4) Your doctor can give you guidance on solving your problem. That might include an Rx. Not having a doctor you trust is not a valid reason to take SSRIs recreationally.
(5) SSRIs, by definition, fuck with your head. Don't do that.
(6) Focus on your partner. If you make a point of spending a half hour pleasing your partner without allowing your cock to get involved at all, I guarantee you your partner will not care how fast you come. You'll probably find that partner more interested in pleasing you in the future, too.
posted by tarheelcoxn at 11:21 PM on November 8, 2007 [3 favorites]

Maybe if appropriate try the condoms that are designed to delay orgasm; they have a numbing effect. However, in my limited experience that effect seems to last up to 48 hours.
posted by londongeezer at 12:53 AM on November 9, 2007

(Eponysterical.)

There are lots of techniques for delaying ejaculation. If none of those have worked then do talk to a doctor. This is not an insurmountable problem.

My favourite moment ever from the Conan O'Brien show was an interview he did with Sting, wherein he asked about Sting's practice of Tantra to delay orgasm.

Conan: "What is the longest time you've ever spent having sex?"
Sting: "Five hours."
Conan: "Oh, yeah, I've had sex for five hours before. Of course, four and a half of that was me apologizing."
posted by loiseau at 1:34 AM on November 9, 2007

brandz: "problem with SSRI's is that you have to take them chronically to get any effects, and they don't kick in for several weeks."

Yeah, if you're talking about the intended effects. Since delayed ejaculation is a side-effect, that doesn't go with the whole "chronic use" thing. And I know from experience that this side-effect in particular can occur within a few hours of taking one single pill.
posted by Wasabunchi at 1:55 AM on November 9, 2007

Talk to your doctor about this. SSRIs are, indeed, used to treat premature ejaculation in some cases. (Google: ssri premature ejaculation offlabel, or some combination of those things to read more about it.) This may or may not be a good idea and is something that you should give some thought to, as they are psychotropic medications.

Most of the information in this thread is just speculation. It may or may not apply in your case. Psychiatric drugs are 1) often prescribed for their side-effect profiles; and 2) best described by their effects rather than their so-called classes.
posted by OmieWise at 6:13 AM on November 9, 2007

Taking SSRIs for sexual performance is picking up pennies in front of a steamroller.
posted by tmcw at 7:37 AM on November 9, 2007

Subsequently...
posted by Asymptote at 2:51 PM on November 12, 2007