Some medications are extremely helpful in the treatment of a wide range of conditions, but they also have the potential to cause unwanted side effects, such as disturbances in interpersonal relationships. Medication-induced interpersonal dysfunction manifests itself in distraction, inability to initiate or complete tasks, intimacy issues, and delay or lack of discharge.
With your doctor's help, you can treat your underlying condition while also reducing these medical complications. Please consult your physician if you are taking any of the above-mentioned commonly-prescribed drugs and are experiencing any changes to your intimate health.
Medicalnewstoday lists the following six common medications as ones to avoid before engaging in sexual activity with your partner.
Opioids
Opioids are highly effective at alleviating pain and treating other medical conditions, but they have some undesirable side effects when used to address sexual health issues. Opioids such as Vicodin, OxyContin, and Percocet reduce testosterone (male hormone) levels.
Drugs used to treat epilepsy.
Tegretol, an anticonvulsant also used to treat bipolar disorder and seizures, has the potential to lessen stimulation and a person's desire, but it is used to treat these conditions. And it's been linked to more cases of erectile dysfunction in men.
Tegretol may cause some undesirable sexual side effects, so if you're having issues, it's best to discuss alternatives with your doctor.
Contraceptive medication.
Oral contraceptives can hurt a woman's sexual health because they can reduce her hormone levels, particularly her testosterone levels, which can lead to decreased libido.
Drugs for hypertension.
The beta blockers used to treat hypertension have been linked to erectile dysfunction in recent studies.
Antiepileptic drugs
Carbomazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, and valproic acid are just a few examples of anti-epileptic drugs that have been linked to negative effects on sexual health, such as decreased sperm count and an inability to maintain an erection.
Depressant medication
When it comes to intimate health problems, such as a drop in sperm count, the most commonly prescribed antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Next, come tricyclic antidepressants, then monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and so on.