First time on buspirone and I need advice regarding the sexual side effects

38-year-old female here. I've been on Prozac for over a year now (this time around). I've struggled with depression and generalized anxiety disorder for many years. I used to be prescribed benzos (Xanax, then Klonopin), but they began causing extremely strange and rare reactions, so I stopped them years ago. However, I recently had a panic attack for the first time in a while, which prompted me to start seeing a new provider.

I told this provider everything I mentioned above in my first session. He upped my Prozac from 30 mg to 40 mg about a month ago. He also prescribed me Propranolol, which helps my anxiety a little bit, but not much.

In our second session, I told him that I felt like my sex drive was low but that I wasn't sure if it was related to taking Prozac or not because the issue persisted even when I wasn't taking it. He seemed to think the two are related, so he prescribed me Buspirone, since it is used off-label for low libido from SSRIs.

He prescribed 30 mg tablets. I was told to break them in half for the first 8 days and then take the full 30 mg after that. I began taking it. Everything seemed okay until 2 nights ago.

On Saturday evening, I started feeling a little weird, pacing around a lot. I also noticed that evening that my sex drive had suddenly become much higher and that I was becoming aroused easily. At the same time, I also realized that I was feeling almost a bit– not numb, but less sensitive–in that area. I tried to masturbate on 3-4 occasions, for literally HOURS, and I could not achieve an orgasm. This has never happened to me before through self-stimulation. I have taken other medications that made me feel this way a little, but not anywhere near as bad as this. It was so unusual... I kept feeling like I was so close to climaxing, but nothing ever happened. I had intercourse with my partner, and that was better, I could feel it more, but I could still tell something was off. I continued feeling hypersexual all through the next day.

Now, keep in mind that when this started happening, I had only been taking the medication for 5 days. I've been doing as much research as I can online, and here is what I've gathered:

  1. If you keep taking this medicine, some initial side effects may go away once your body becomes used to the medication.
  2. This seems to apply to some “initial” symptoms such as restlessness, headache, etc. (which I had both, mildly) as your body adjusts.
  3. However, the general consensus seems to be that the sexual side effects don't really change or go away.
  4. Inability to achieve orgasm can be one of the negative sexual side effects of this medication, although it is less common, apparently.
  5. Yet, for those who do experience these negative sexual side effects, there is a possibility that even if you stop the medication, this can be PERMANENT.

I haven't taken another dose in the last 2 days. I'd much rather have a low libido and actually be able to achieve orgasm than to be hypersexual but not able to achieve orgasm. That is way worse.

So, I'm really wanting to know what you all have experienced. Can anyone give me any advice? Has anyone experienced anything like this before (both positive AND negative sexual side effects)?

  • Is this a side effect that could go away if I keep pushing on and taking the meds? Or is that too much of a risk?
  • Can taking this med for only 5 days even do this?
  • If so, is it possible it could last, even now that I've stopped taking it? I feel a little better, but certainly not normal.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated. And yes, I know I should schedule a follow-up with my provider ASAP to discuss, but that will probably take at least a week. Furthermore, as I mentioned, this is a brand-new provider for me, and I'm not sure how much I trust what he has to say yet. I mean no disrespect, but the provider I'm seeing is actually a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, not a psychiatrist. And while there is nothing inherently wrong with that, I have had some bad experiences in the past with Nurse Practitioners prescribing me medications without even really knowing what all the side effects are or how they interact with my other meds. So, I'm a bit skeptical, which is why I wanted to hear from people who have actually taken it and have experience with this.

Any help/advice is appreciated. Thanks!