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Sexual Side Effects

Wed, 03/29/2006 - 14:24
Why do you suppose that more neurologists and epileptoloists do not mention that a majority of anti-seizure pills do often make "normal" sexual performance for men difficult--if not sometimes impossible when it comes to erections? The first answer will pop up. And that is, even better-informed male patients will say "...to hell with my pills" and choose to live their sexual life "normally". Mind you, that last word I put in quotes, for who anyway should define "normal"? However, after having tried about as many anti-seizure drugs as the number of years I've had epilepsy (that's 35), I can speak as something of a lab rat. Many pills do affect a man's bedroom performance. And while this shouldn't become our reason for living, it is part of being a human, whether single, married or just evaluating our private parts. As society's attitude toward we handsome, educated humans with epilepsy matures, so does its understanding of "performance" when it comes to sex. Mind you, an honest woman will explain when love-making isn't just the thing for her; that does occur. My point is that this topic shouldn't remain in the proverbial "closet" any longer. Let's talk about it on this fine site, as well as face-to-face. Studies reveal how many men live virtually their entire lives feeling guilty for not performing sexually 24-hours a day, where in fact, there's most likely not one who ever has, other than in movies. And that includes this writer!

Comments

Re: Sexual Side Effects

Submitted by Marksman on Sun, 2009-01-18 - 18:23

Christina79...

 

I'm not familiar with Carbatrol but have taken Neurontin before as a pain reliever.  I am on Lamictal as a mono therapy.  I have 3 ruptured disks and a broken vertebral pedicle.  In short, I hurt a bit.  My neurosurgeon has submitted me as one of 16 people in the US to participate in a clinical injections trial.  Hopefully soon there will be no need for pain relief but until then, unfortunately it is necessary to get along with day to day life.  As is with many I fell into  dependence on opiate pain relievers.  I still take them in moderation and have someone close to me to dispense my prescription to make sure I never begin to take too much.  I turn the bottle over as soon as it is picked up from the pharmacy.

Before I get too off topic, I have a question about Neurontin.  When I took it I had a reaction of feeling like there was a slight mental fog present.  Bear in mind that this was 11 or 12 years ago which was prior to any seizure activity and also really didn't want to give up my pain meds.  This being considered I didn't give the Neurontin a good trial.  Do those side effects tend to subside after you have been on it for awhile??  If it would help with pain a quell all of my seizure, it would be a miracle for me.  I'm not willing to go through life with an altered mental state though.  

I was prescribed Cymbalta (a depression/pain med).  It haelped with the pain but made me puke my guts out the first couple of days.  I have a bad tremour as it is but this stuff made it hard to even write.  I am at a point to where I am about to experiment with coming off the Lamictal alltogether and see if I can live without any seizure meds. The insomnia, headaches, and nightmares caused by it has taken its toll.  Naturally I would like to know about other drug options (especially those who work as a pain reliver as well) in case I cannot kick the seizure meds alltogether.

Christina79...

 

I'm not familiar with Carbatrol but have taken Neurontin before as a pain reliever.  I am on Lamictal as a mono therapy.  I have 3 ruptured disks and a broken vertebral pedicle.  In short, I hurt a bit.  My neurosurgeon has submitted me as one of 16 people in the US to participate in a clinical injections trial.  Hopefully soon there will be no need for pain relief but until then, unfortunately it is necessary to get along with day to day life.  As is with many I fell into  dependence on opiate pain relievers.  I still take them in moderation and have someone close to me to dispense my prescription to make sure I never begin to take too much.  I turn the bottle over as soon as it is picked up from the pharmacy.

Before I get too off topic, I have a question about Neurontin.  When I took it I had a reaction of feeling like there was a slight mental fog present.  Bear in mind that this was 11 or 12 years ago which was prior to any seizure activity and also really didn't want to give up my pain meds.  This being considered I didn't give the Neurontin a good trial.  Do those side effects tend to subside after you have been on it for awhile??  If it would help with pain a quell all of my seizure, it would be a miracle for me.  I'm not willing to go through life with an altered mental state though.  

I was prescribed Cymbalta (a depression/pain med).  It haelped with the pain but made me puke my guts out the first couple of days.  I have a bad tremour as it is but this stuff made it hard to even write.  I am at a point to where I am about to experiment with coming off the Lamictal alltogether and see if I can live without any seizure meds. The insomnia, headaches, and nightmares caused by it has taken its toll.  Naturally I would like to know about other drug options (especially those who work as a pain reliver as well) in case I cannot kick the seizure meds alltogether.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Sexual Side Effects

Submitted by jon1216 on Mon, 2006-11-27 - 13:24
I'm taking Dilantin and my doctor did the same by adding the Lamictal in hopes to get me off the Dilantin. I love sex just as much as the next guy and have a beautiful girlfriend with a great body who loves sex as well. I have no problem getting an errection etc. but once I have an orgasm I'm pretty much done for the night. I'm 30 now and had my first seizure at 18 and in the past 5yrs or so I've found my desire for drasticly reduce. Like I said I love sex just as much as the next guy but I would rather have less sex them more seizures!!!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Sexual Side Effects

Submitted by IkeTurnerEatsStars on Mon, 2007-02-05 - 09:44
I'm 28 yrs old and have had epilepsy since I was about 12/13. I've had my fair share of sex and I was wondering if it was my age that was making the erections lose their endurance. There will be times when I can go 3 or 4 times a night and others when it takes a friggin' army just to get things started. Keeping the erection is the main problem. I just don't really understand it. I've considered trying to go for some of those pills that helps guys keep it up but the idea of it just makes me feel like less of a man. Over time I've took Tegretol, Zonegran, Dilantin, Keppra, and some other crap I can't remember but for the past few yrs I've just been on 400 mg of Dilantin. I also have Grand Mal/Tonic-Clonic seizures and those are the kind I've always had.

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