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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

Hi guys. Me and my husband

Submitted by Anie on Fri, 2007-02-23 - 09:32
Hi guys. Me and my husband had many arguments because of the sexual side effects of AED.In the beguining of our sexual life i could not understand why him being a man was just not interested in sex.Before me he never had any girlfriend/sexual partener so sex was all new to him too. After many arguments and checking all medication's leaflet and doing research on web,i found out that it is not his fault after all. It is all due the AED he has been taking since he was a child. He is just not interested in making love or show affection and this was very hard for me to accept.Everytime we were having sex it felt to me that i was forcing him and then there was also the erection problem.Either he could not get an erection or didn't last enough. After talking to the neurolgist about this problem,he said that is nothing new.It is a very common problem(and we thought he done a big discovery!!!). He prescribed another drug for erection(something like viagra). It those work but the problem is still there.To take the medicine in first place you must be willing to have sex;there should be that desire,feeling and that does not exist. I think this is what they say "no libido". This problem looks even bigger because AED also affects male fertility which complicates the situation if a couple wants to have a baby: a)less of sex life b)fertility problem. My question is: For you guys who have epilepsy and have sexual problems, how did you solve it? What is your advice? What was your doctors advice? Ladies comments are also welcomed. One more thing: Have you ever heard aboout psichosexual therapy? Do you think this might help somehow? Oh and he is taking Tegretol Retard 400mg twice a day + Keppra 1500mg twice a day. He has just come off of Phenytoin(this he was taking 100mg am + 150mg pm) Smile :)

Re: Hi guys.

Submitted by paulaschmidt32 on Mon, 2008-05-19 - 14:18
i had the same problem as your husband seems to have and it was a horrible feeling for those 5-6 years. as soon as i got off of my medications completly though it was the greatest feeling ever to actually find women attractive again. so i guess my only suggestion would be to get off the meds and find an alternate route, i had the vns implant about 6 months ago and that has worked very well so far. just feeling human again is such an amazing feeling. i can honestly say that i would much prefer to have grand mal seizures on a regular basis than lose my libido again. women are beatiful and it is amazing to be able to see that again.

Re: Hi guys.

Submitted by Bezalel on Tue, 2009-09-15 - 11:54
I had a VNS implanted about 1986. i was bout 18. it never worked. i had brain surgery three years ago and preparing to take another. i have a high drive and the meds I would skip for a weekend just be intimate with my wife. It just would never fail that I would have a grand mal afterwards and it would be worse sometimes than before my wife would say. she doesn't want me to skip meds but I do.

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