Sandra

Age: 26 | Germany

“Ever since I was a child, I have always been a very sensitive and emotional person. I also have always struggled with high anxiety and depression.

5 years ago I went to a psychologist to work on my anxiety and depression. After a year of almost no change I got sent to a psychiatrist, where I was prescribed sertraline.

I took it for 4 months and my anxiety and depression got better, but my libido went to about 30% and I started to gain a lot of weight.

Due to the libido decrease and the weight gain I was recommended try out bupropion.

I took it for only one month since I developed really heavy side effects like brain zaps, dizziness and memory loss.

After that, I got prescribed venlafaxine, which I took for 2 years with a dose of 225mg.

In that time, my libido went to zero and I had no desires, emotions or feelings anymore. I lost all my romantic feelings for my boyfriend. I used to enjoy a lot of things but this is all gone.

I went to my psychiatrist very often and told her many times that my libido is gone but she told me that my libido will come back when I stop taking the medication. I trusted her. I wish that I did more research before taking medication like that.

Before I took the medications my libido was always high, even when I was feeling anxious and/or depressed.

I have been off the medications for more than a year now and my libido has not come back at all.”