Mild NSFW warning: this post mentions sexual side effects of medication.

SSRIs are the most common type of antidepressant (examples are Prozac/fluoxetine, Zoloft/sertraline, Paxil/paroxetine).

If you have experience with them, do you think they’re a good idea?

I came across a paper about side effects which I haven’t heard discussed before. Many people know that SSRIs have sexual effects, but apparently they also affect fertility.

This paper describes SSRIs as “gonadotoxic”, leading to effects like “decreased sperm concentration and motility, increased [DNA] fragmentation, and decreased reproductive organ weights”.

The paper does say “this effect does seem to be reversible”, so if you stop SSRIs, your sex organs should apparently go back to normal. But still, some people are on SSRIs for long periods of time, right?

I would be interested to hear others’ thoughts, if you have any.

Edit: Thanks for the replies to this post, they’re interesting.

  • shneancy@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    i’m glad it worked out for you! :)

    for me it was a gradual climb of worsening anxiety until those near panic attacks kicked in with no signs of improvement

    soon ish i’ll be trying adhd meds since i suspect my anxiety is caused by rejection sensitivity dysphoria and feeling of overall inadequacy and uselessness. And on them i’ll be hopefully able to do things and slowly prove to myself that i’m not useless

    • wise_pancakeEnglish
      2·
      2 months ago

      I didn’t realize how much depression was affecting me, so probably very different underlying issues to you.