Sexual Side Effects: What Medications Cause Them and How to Manage Them

When you take a medication for one health issue, you don’t expect it to mess with your sex life—but it happens more often than you think. Sexual side effects, changes in desire, arousal, or performance caused by drugs. Also known as drug-induced sexual dysfunction, these issues can include low libido, trouble getting or keeping an erection, delayed orgasm, or even complete loss of sexual pleasure. It’s not weakness. It’s chemistry. Many common drugs—from antidepressants to blood pressure pills—interfere with the brain signals, hormones, or blood flow your body needs for sex.

For example, antidepressants, medications used to treat depression and anxiety like Prozac, Paxil, and sertraline are among the top culprits. Studies show up to 70% of people on SSRIs report some form of sexual side effect. PDE5 inhibitors, drugs like Cialis and sildenafil that improve blood flow to treat erectile dysfunction are often used to fix this problem—but they don’t work for everyone, especially if the root cause is a different medication. And while drugs like Abhigra, a generic form of sildenafil used for erectile dysfunction or Cialis Professional, a long-acting version of tadalafil for ED can help, they’re not a cure-all. Sometimes, the answer isn’t adding another pill—it’s switching or adjusting the one you’re already on.

It’s not just antidepressants. Blood pressure meds, cholesterol drugs, even some painkillers and antifungals like griseofulvin can quietly lower your sex drive or make it harder to perform. If you’ve noticed a change after starting a new medication, it’s not in your head. It’s in the interaction. The good news? You’re not stuck with it. Many people find relief by switching medications, adjusting doses, or using targeted treatments—without giving up the health benefits they need.

Below, you’ll find real, practical guides from people who’ve been there. Whether you’re struggling with ED after starting an antidepressant, wondering if your blood pressure pill is to blame, or looking for safer alternatives to Cialis or Abhigra, these posts give you clear options—not fluff. No jargon. No shame. Just what works.