Dear doctor, I am a 35 year old male. Recently, I consulted a psychiatrist for a health issue and the doctor prescribed tablet Flunil 20, an antidepressant. After about two to three weeks, I noticed that I was becoming more and more asexual. My sexual desire and interest started to diminish. I can masturbate but it is not pleasurable and I end up extremely dissatisfied and tired at the end. My overall sexual desire has gone down and sexual feelings are kind of lost. Are these the side effects of the antidepressant drug? Should I stop taking this drug?
Hi. Fluoxetine (Flunil 20) belongs to the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) class of antidepressants. Fluoxetine is one of the notorious antidepressants in relation to sexual side effects. The available data indicate that about 30 to 40 % of those taking Fluoxetine develop some sexual side effects. In regard to the reversal of side effects, it is said that once you stop the drug, the side effects recover almost completely. There is no need to worry if you are recovering from the ailment for which Flunil was prescribed. But, if you do not see any improvement even after four weeks of treatment, then it is advisable to stop Flunil and use a better alternative.