Q. My husband was put on Zoloft for depression about 1.5 weeks ago. Already he has no interest in sex. We are also going to try and conceive our first baby soon. I would like to know if he should ask for another medication or continue with Zoloft. I have heard that it is near chemical castration.
A. SSRI medications like Zoloft can cause problems with orgasms, but loss of sexual interest is extremely uncommon - and when it does happen, is usually a great clue to look for the generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The GAD has an elevated serotonin II level which is increased by serotonin increasing medications like Zoloft.
The concept that medications like Zoloft are "near chemical castration" is completely untrue.