Q about sexual side effects of SSRI, hypomania, and worries about changing meds

[dontbedenied]

Hi new here and glad to find this forum! I hope this isn't an annoying question.

 

I was diagnosed with depression in October after years of struggling with it. I started at 10mg Lexapro and felt better, but had a depressive episode in late January leading to a bump in medication to 15mg Lexapro. I felt awesome! So awesome! So awesome that I'm pretty sure I went right into mania. This behavior led to some reflection and I realized that I have had manic/hypomanic episodes (usually in spring) for a long time as well (they're just usually drowned out by depression, and manifest more as irritability and impulsivity -- I have been learning about mania and can now see that I've had manic tendencies all along but thought they were just me being crabby!).

 

I told my psychiatrist about this last week. She didn't want to move into a mood stabilizer yet, but I'm doing a timeline and mood diary. I recognize my behavior as problematic, but am stressing at the thought of being less happy when I just finally started to feel good. I have some anxiety issues but nothing debilitating. I'm not officially dxed as bipolar but see that probably happening.

 

I have a long history of alcoholism. I've been sober for 15 months. I haven't been a wreck in a long time, but it's still out there as an issue.

 

In a convo a few nights ago with my husband, I realized that I've been experiencing sexual side effects from the Lexapro since upping my dosage. I can get aroused just fine but coming takes forEVer and it's become a real drag. (Maybe I am also hypersexual?? I kind of don't want that to go away.) I left a message about this with my psychiatrist, and now am feeling all worried. I really want to resolve the sex problems, but I'm afraid to mess with my Lexapro dosage as I feel that (other than the mania, which I think is also a seasonal thing) it is helping me fundamentally with the depression. Do you think my drinking history or manic ways will complicate this? Will I ever be stable, happy, and able to have amazing sex?   OK, brain dump over. Thanks for reading, and for advice!

[notfred]

Crypoheptdine is used to reverse SSRI sexual problems for a short term. It's an antihistamine that you would take an hour or so before sex.