Reducing sex drive

[robbo12]

Hey all!

I literally just signed up for this site, so please excuse me if I've posted this in the wrong section, I just don't really know what to do.

i'm a 24 year old guy at uni in the uk, and have suffered on and off with depression since the age of 17, I was finally persuaded to go and see my gp last year and was then referred to a psychiatrist.

One of the main things that was bothering me then was my sex drive, the desires I have have developed through years of self loathing and I've grown to the point of not wanting a sex drive anymore.

I realise removing my sex drive entirely is dangerous and could possibly have irreversible effects (upon my research of anti-androgens) but i'd quite happily settle for what i'd deem a "normal" sex drive, (aka wanting sex maybe twice/three times a week) although at the moment it can range anywhere up to 6 times a day and it genuinely upsets me having urges to do something that i actively do NOT want to do.

And for the record this isn't because I cannot get a partner. getting a partner is not an issue.

So in my round about way what i'm asking is is it possible to take a smaller dosage of any antiandrogens and have my sex drive reduced but not entirely eliminated and without any serious long term risks? :/ many thanks guys!

and once again sorry if this is in entirely the wrong section! x

[kelly_aus]

This sounds like a self-medding question, and as such can't be discussed here - against the rules..

But, as with any medication-related question, the standard answer also works: Ask your doctor.

[ImagineKate]

Apart from the self med thing, everyone is different. Your doctor would be able to help you best.

[AnonyMs]

I'm not sure it will work. I had a pretty sex drive that was causing me problems, and when I finally had a baseline blood test done before starting HRT I discovered my testosterone was really low. I couldn't understand why at the time, but now I suspect the high sex drive was related to stress. The low testosterone was something else.

Its also pretty dangerous if you reduce your testosterone too far as you'll end up with osteoporosis. Presumably if this was to work a doctor would have to monitor your blood levels and try to find a point what reduces sex drive without being dangerous, if that's even possible. I'd guess that if you needed to go lower than normal with testosterone you'd need bone density tests to check for osteoporosis as I don't think you can do it with blood tests.

I don't have any problem with sex drive now, but then I've not much stress and practically zero testosterone.