Group focus

[Guest guest]

To the Group:

I am beginning to feel that our focus is drifting. As I understand the

purpose of this forum, it is to address the problem of persistent

sexual side effects after STOPPING SSRI's. There have been many posts

lately from members who are still taking SSRI's or who are switching

to a new one in hopes that another SSRI will have a different impact

on sexual functioning. At this point, even though the official drug

literature from the big pharm industry would tell you that sexual

dysfunction is about 5% on SSRI's, it is well established in post-

marketing research that the figure is that 75 to 80% or more of users

will experience sexual problems while ON them. And there is no reason

to be optimistic that if you've experienced sexual problems while on

one SSRI you won't experience them on another one (Welbutrin, which is

not an SSRI might be an exception).

I would like to make a plea that this forum re-commit to being a place

for discussion of a unique problem, that of persistent sexual

dysfunction after stopping SSRI's. I have sympathy for those of you

who have sexual dysfunction on the SSRI's and feel you can't risk

getting off of them because of depression or other difficulties,

however this is a different problem than where I want our collective

energy to go in the group.

Velden