i am a 24 years old male who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 2 years ago. i initially took 30mg citalopram along with 450mg divalproex sodium, but after the first months i started experiencing apathy and cognitive and emotional numbing, along with severe sexual side effects (almost no libido at all, i had trouble mantaining an erection and i was nearly unable to reach orgasm). my psychiatrist said it was due to citalopram, so he gave me vortioxetine (15mg, then 20mg) saying it would improve cognitive function and resolve all sexual problems.
well, after some time on the new drug i was again able to think and feel things and sexual effects were milder. my sexual life was still less satisfying than before SSRIs, but i thought it was a small price to pay for my mental health, and honestly after some months i got used to it.
now that i got off vortioxetine (i'm still taking 300mg carbamazepine extended release), sexual side effects improved a lot, but i still feel like something is different than before taking meds. i was expecting some kind of return to baseline but, comparing to 3 years ago, i have less sexual desire, erections are weaker, i am less easily aroused and even if orgasms feel way more pleasurable than when i was on citalopram or vortioxetine, i still feel like "well, that was good, but nothing special".
it's been one month since i took the last pill, and i'm afraid i will never go back to the same sexual functioning.
did someone have had the same problems? how long did it took for you to go back to normal after vortioxetine (or other SSRIs) discontinuation?