Today I spoke with two female patients who were taking anti-depressants (SSRI’s) for depression and experiencing significant sexual side effects.   In both cases, their lack of libido and inability to orgasm were causing significant challenges in their relationships.   They came to me to use medical marijuana to help their depression and anxiety and also in turn repair their sex lives.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s- i.e Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro etc) are drugs commonly used to treat depression and anxiety.  They work by increasing the amounts of serotonin that build up and concentrate around nerve cells in the brain which in turn elevates patients moods.   They are THE most common drug to treat depression and anxiety.

One of the downsides to using these medications is that they can reduce a patients libido and also make orgasm very difficult.

My first patient was a 27 year old women who had been taking Lexapro for the past 12 months for her Social Anxiety.    She went on to tell me that she is engaged to her boyfriend of 7 years.  Over the past year her sex drive has been “non-existent” which has made her relationship very challenging.   Even though her fiance has been extremely supportive she told me she feels “inadequate”  because of this.   Her boyfriend decided to search out alternative therapies when he came upon my website and read about previous patients in similar situations.

SHE TOLD ME THAT FOR THE PAST MONTH SHE HAS BEEN MEDICATING WITH CANNABIS AND HER SEX LIFE HAS BEEN GREAT. In addition to having sex more she stated that she was less inhibited which even enhanced her sexual experience with her fiance.   Her plan is to continue to use the Lexapro and use cannabis to stimulate her sex life.

My second patient was a 44 year old women who came in with her husband of 13 years.  She had a very similar story although she had been taking lexapro for depression which she had “as long as I can remember.”   They also had two autistic sons ages 10 and 8 which made time for romance very difficult.    Although she initially felt apprehensive about using marijuana as a medicine those feeling quickly subsided as her sex life started to improve.   Her husband was definitely supportive as he said there marriage is “in a place that it hasn’t been in… in a long time.”

I tell every patient that comes into my office that there are benefits and risks to using every medication.  Cannabis is no different.   In these two examples both women had to weigh the benefits they were receiving from using Lexapro from the risks… which in this case were a decline in their sex life—-> leading to stress in their relationships.

The plan was simple.  If cannabis improved the quality of their lives and relationships then they would use it… if not no harm done.  Cannabis is relatively benign if used responsibly.