Ok. I don't know how much this will help, because everyone's situation is a little different. What is more, my being a guy and you being a woman makes the dynamic a little different. But here are some thoughts:
1. First off, based on what you say here, you are likely right: the fears of him cheating are likely all in your head. If he is being affectionate, that suggests he cares and is making a legitimate effort here.
2. It sounds like you know this part, too: some of these drugs DO impact sexual arousal, and not always in a good way. Odds are this is the root of your problem. It is not his fault or yours. So start by accepting this fact of life to help readjust your feelings about this. Your poor husband has a disease, and that is the fact of the matter.
3. Now, my wife is bipolar and has been on tons of medications over the years. Some of these meds have taken her out sexually at times. We have handled this in several ways:
a. Accept that you won't get as much sex as you really want. Even when the medications are not hurting her sex drive, the ups and downs of bipolar means we are not in the sack together all the time. I love this gal, so I just deal with it. Life is not always perfect, and there is more to a relationship than sex. We probably do it about once a week, but sometimes there are slumps (and once in a great while a flurry of activity).
b. There are a lot of sexual activities that do not involve actual sexual intercourse. Those are handy in times where the sex drive is not quite driving like you'd like. Discuss options with your husband.
c. BUT- you should NOT have to go through life with NO sex. If it is SO bad that he NEVER wants to have sex, then the medications are not really working. It may be time to switch them. It is tough when your spouse finds something that is working for them mood-wise, but if it is killing the intimacy, then it is not good enough. Try something else. One important thing about medication and bipolar: there are LOTS of possibilities and combinations. It takes trial and error to find a combo that works for you. Heck, sometimes you will find the ';perfect'; mix of medications... and suddenly six months down the road they don't work anymore. It happens. It is not an exact science, unfortunately.
4. So my overall recommendation: talk to your husband about it and then discuss it with the doctor. You deserve to be happy, too. Bipolar sucks, but it is not an excuse for a one-way relationship. But treat it like any other disease: keep the lines of communication open and adjust as things change. Work together as a team and you can beat this!
5. One final thought: being that I am a male and my wife is, obviously, not, this has never occurred to me: but can your husband stay on the meds he is on and try Viagra or something? That is something to discuss with the doctor, too!
Hope this helped some!How to cope with a spouse on bipolar meds?
The University of Pennsylvania has documented on its website the information regarding what is called a ';signal protein.'; This signal protein has been shown to do a great deal of repairing and healing of the body. Dr. Rulin is a physicist in Hawaii and has spent years researching how to make this signal protein available. Pearlcium comes from the pearl which has a dna that is quite similar to the human dna. Due to Pearlcium's healing nature, you might find that it stimulates your husband's sexual drive. Dr. Rulin has stated that Pearlcium is so safe that a pregnant or nursing mother can take it, and so could a baby. It increases cell stem production.
My friend that told me about Pearlcium used to be a lab technician and is currently coping with diabetes. He is on Pearlcium and so is his wife who has spent many years coping with an autoimmune disease and manic depression. When she first took Pearlcium, she slept for 3 days. She wakes up smiling now, she laughs easily where before she would become agitated and angry. Their sexual intimacy is steady, intense, and very satisfying.
www.pearlcium.com/0338978
I hope you find this helpful.
My husband is bipolar as well and we have gone through the same thing. I have felt the same way you are now. It really does suck.
My husbands meds have been switched many times and unfortunetly, I have found lack of sex drive to be a side effect of most of them.
My husband finally asked his DR for some meds to help this problem. I don't remember which is was (something like viagra). He doesn't take it everyday- only when we need him too and its good for 48 hours. Really works too!
Sorry I can't remember the name, But my husband HAD to bring up this subject to his DR and his DR understood- no big deal.
It worked- that part of our lives is better now- I just had a baby 4 months ago!
Good Luck to you!
My Blog http://manic-depressive-bipolar-spouse.blogspot.com/ Manic Depressive Bipolar Spouse
Celexa (Citalopram): Side Effects of This Medicine - More common: Decrease in sexual desire or ability.
SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION: ANTIDEPRESSANTS:
Very common on any of the SSRI's-Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, Luvox, etc.
You can try a couple things to resolve it:
1) Try Periactin (Cyproheptadine) a few hours prior to having relations-it's an antihistamine that is generic and inexpensive, but I believe it requires a Rx. It works for some people, but not all. You need about 4mg usually.
2) Ask your doc to add Wellbutrin-it often is prescribed to help with this side effect and is usually effective, but can add some other side effects (like sweating) but not everyone gets side effects.
3) Reduce the dosage or try a drug holiday occasionally, but check with your doc before decreasing.
4) Men can try Yohimbine or Viagra/Cialis if not otherwise contraindicated.
5) Try another SSRI-not all produce the side effect in every person. You can also try Cymbalta or Effexor which are both combined SSRI/SNRI and tend to diminish this side effect (similar to adding Wellbutrin).
Switching to a different antidepressant with a lower reported incidence of sexual dysfunction, such as bupropion or mirtazapine Watermelon: One-pound slice = $0.59 On a hot, summer day, who can resist a big, juicy slice of watermelon at the family picnic? As it turns out, this universally loved melon has health benefits as well, and it won鈥檛 break the bank. Like berries, watermelon is loaded with phytochemicals, including lycopene, beta-carotene, and citrulline. When citrulline is consumed, it is converted to arginine. Arginine is an amino acid that has beneficial effects on the heart and circulatory system, as well as the immune system. Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, leading to another beneficial side benefit of watermelon ... a Viagra-like effect without the hazards of a toxic drug! Watermelon -- an aphrodisiac? Who knew? Arginine also helps the urea cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from your body. More tips may be found in the first 3 pages of section 2, at http:/www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris
No comments:
Post a Comment