Mild NSFW warning: this post mentions sexual side effects of medication.

SSRIs are the most common type of antidepressant (examples are Prozac/fluoxetine, Zoloft/sertraline, Paxil/paroxetine).

If you have experience with them, do you think they’re a good idea?

I came across a paper about side effects which I haven’t heard discussed before. Many people know that SSRIs have sexual effects, but apparently they also affect fertility.

This paper describes SSRIs as “gonadotoxic”, leading to effects like “decreased sperm concentration and motility, increased [DNA] fragmentation, and decreased reproductive organ weights”.

The paper does say “this effect does seem to be reversible”, so if you stop SSRIs, your sex organs should apparently go back to normal. But still, some people are on SSRIs for long periods of time, right?

I would be interested to hear others’ thoughts, if you have any.

Edit: Thanks for the replies to this post, they’re interesting.

  • nickwitha_k (he/him)@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    If you have experience with them, do you think they’re a good idea?

    If they help with treating one’s illness, absolutely.

    The paper does say “this effect does seem to be reversible”, so if you stop SSRIs, your sex organs should apparently go back to normal. But still, some people are on SSRIs for long periods of time, right?

    Correct on both points. There are a number of medications that have similar effects and similarly have good profiles for reversal (including TRT).

    It’s something that warrants more study, yes, but the risk vs benefit is a very good balance. If further study shows teratogenic effects, it should be widely communicated and handled appropriately. However, there are many lives saved.

    If you’re worried by being prescribed them, noone can tell you what’s right for you and your doctor but, I’d probably not pay it any mind. They’re not super scary things and don’t say anything bad about you.