sexual symptoms of depression

[blinky]

I'm new to the forum and have been reading through some posts on this topic -- seems there's a lot of knowledgeable people here and thought I'd ask for a responses to a what seems to me a basic question but one that my doctors don't agree on.

After seeing many specialists (internists, neurologist, etc.) I've been diagnosed with chronic fatigue (by an internist) and finally depression (by a pdoc), but my symptoms don't seem typical of either. The diagnoses seem to be based on having excluded everything else. I don't really feel that depressed except for the physical symptoms, which have been going on for so long it's now hard to know what is causing what ... they include fatigue, mental fog, ringing in the ears, and others, but the one I want to ask about here is sexual problems. I know it's common to have reduced libido, which I have too, but what about erections? i.e. not able to have them or at least full ones, including night time or morning involuntary erections? And anhedonia (no pleasure)? I haven't taken any pharmaceuticals so it can't be a side effect, and I've been to a urologist and he ruled out low testosterone and diabetes. The docs weren't able to say this was a normal symptom of either condition, yet have given up in finding any other cause. My pdoc says that he thinks sexual problems are usually caused by a problem in the relationship, but I really don't think that is the case.

If depression is the cause, then logically an anti-depressant might help, but of course many have bad sexual side effects ... so then is the answer to try one that doesn't (e.g. wellbutrim)?

Any thoughts? Thank you!

[area99]

I'm new to the forum and have been reading through some posts on this topic -- seems there's a lot of knowledgeable people here and thought I'd ask for a responses to a what seems to me a basic question but one that my doctors don't agree on.

After seeing many specialists (internists, neurologist, etc.) I've been diagnosed with chronic fatigue (by an internist) and finally depression (by a pdoc), but my symptoms don't seem typical of either. The diagnoses seem to be based on having excluded everything else. I don't really feel that depressed except for the physical symptoms, which have been going on for so long it's now hard to know what is causing what ... they include fatigue, mental fog, ringing in the ears, and others, but the one I want to ask about here is sexual problems. I know it's common to have reduced libido, which I have too, but what about erections? i.e. not able to have them or at least full ones, including night time or morning involuntary erections? And anhedonia (no pleasure)? I haven't taken any pharmaceuticals so it can't be a side effect, and I've been to a urologist and he ruled out low testosterone and diabetes. The docs weren't able to say this was a normal symptom of either condition, yet have given up in finding any other cause. My pdoc says that he thinks sexual problems are usually caused by a problem in the relationship, but I really don't think that is the case.

If depression is the cause, then logically an anti-depressant might help, but of course many have bad sexual side effects ... so then is the answer to try one that doesn't (e.g. wellbutrim)?

Any thoughts? Thank you!

If your worried about sexual side effects, then yes, wellbutrin might very well be the thing for your chronic fatigue and depression. Wellbutrin is good for helping anhedonia. I personally can't take this med because it makes my anxiety worse.