Risperidone (Risperidal) and Depakote cocktail that's giving me sexual dysfunction.. please help

[Anonymous1991]

Hello,

I'm 25 and was hospitalized in September 2014 for manic episodes. The doctors put me on 3mg of risperidone (risperdal) and 750mg of depakote daily.

After 9 months of taking the medication I really started to see a decline in sexual drive and performance; my libido was essentially taken away. The risperidone/depakote pretty much kills orgasm and gives me erectile issues... I can't maintain an erection. It's like getting your manhood stripped. I feel helpless, I'm at wits end, and I don't know what to do. 

I talked to my psychiatrist about my erectile dysfunction issues and he decided to lower the risperidone to 1mg and leave the depakote the same. So I've been on 1mg of risperidone for the past month but lowering the medication didn't really do anything. How am I still having this erectile dysfunction problem if I'm only on 1mg of risperidone and 750mg of depakote daily? The bigger question is how am I going to be able to solve this problem that's making me question whether I want to live anymore. My penis was my biggest asset, no pun intended. But now if I don't have that, I feel useless and like nothing, worthless. It's like I'm half a man because I'm only 25 and am already having erectile dysfunction.

I don't want to have to start taking any more pills to solve this problem! No viagra, wellbutrin, or any other pill. I ultimately want to get off this medication so I can live my life normally without dependence on any pharmaceutical drug. I'm tired of being a chemical prisoner and just want to live the rest of my 20s like a man should, with a lot of sex. 

What should I do? 

 

[San]

This is a pro-treatment, and therefore, pro-medication website/forum.

Get your prolactin checked. Simple blood test. Some AAP's can raise prolactin (in men and women) and this can cause sexual side effects. They can switch AAP's, or use something like bromocriptine (dopamine agonist) to lower it. Yes, more pills. Or switching pills. 

[Wonderful.Cheese]

I agree with San. We are definitely pro-treatment here.

Talk to your dr about a switch or a different med to counteract the sexual side effects.