Hi, im a 17 yr old guy and have been taking adderall for the past 3 months for add and it has helped tremendously in school and life in general.

While taking it, ive noticed a decrease in sex drive :( . I no longer think about it as much anymore, and I dont get turned on as often either. I used to get sexual thoughts really often, but now its not the same, i rarely get them.

I have also noticed a diminish in sexual performance. It is difficult to get an erection and even more difficult to maintain one. This was never ever a problem before. What is happening with me? Has anyone else gotten side effects like this? Should i tell my doctor about this? Can anyone give me advice on how to counter this?

Thanks for all of your help.
-matt

I currently take 25 mg Adderall XR in the morning, and 10 mg Adderal SR in the late afternoon.

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31366&highlight=adderall

post #13 identifies with you

It seems, based on the threads and posts in the Men's Section that this problem surfaces as well as the opposite and it really depends on the person and their reaction to the meds.

Anyone have any ideas what it is in Adderall that can cause this?

I have just been bumped up to 20mg XR and am starting to notice the same side effect.

NOT GOOD! :(

with all due respect, and also, i'm not male, but there _is_ more to life than sex. it IS possible that the adderall is providing you with the sort of focus you have been missing for other aspects of life besides having erections. i hazard a guess that perhaps life requires some balance. i assume, like the rest of us, that medication has been prescribed so that you can cope with life as it is lived in our society at this time. (as you can tell i'm not 100% convinced that ADD is a 'problem' in all situations) i'm making an assumption that your lack of interest in sexual stimulation may be because you are now more interested in other subjects. eventually there should develop a balance. the fact that some people are affected in the opposite way, i.e. become more sexual, seems to mean that the person's response to the medication and the new life situation reflects whatever their tendencies were prior to. if sex was or was not an issue in an either positive or negative way, then the medication and the life response will reflect this.

I would talk to your doctor, like solitary bee said, perhaps a slight decrease in libido wouldn't hurt.

The men's section would disagree with you. It's assuming they had a high libido to start off with. Or that they share your level of importance of sexual/physical pleasure in their lives. It includes women, as well. The last thing a woman with a low sex drive wants is meds that make her feel even less interested.

Ultimately, you have to weigh the side effects against the benefits. Are you willing to live with a lower sex drive or headaches or slight nausea, etc etc if it means clarity of thought and greater motivation? Again, different meds effect each person differently. You have to ask yourself if it's worth it, and only you can answer that.

Personally, on a different drug, I noticed a very slight decrease in drive, so minimal that it didn't matter (it actually helped). So I did nothing. Given time I didn't notice it. You may experience the same.

In addition to your doctor you may want to explore the men's section and the nutrition section. I have heard of men using natural supplements to increase performance. I do not know the validity of these claims (not being a man to try them) but it may be an interesting read.

i'm not male, but there _is_ more to life than sex. For a 17 year old male, most certainly not. Nor should there be. I'm pushing 54 and am realizing that the most exiting times of my life have been in bed.

v639 - I would give it some time, and then consider switching meds. I think its very person-specific, as Adderall has the opposite effect on me.

with all due respect, and also, i'm not male, but there _is_ more to life than sex.
Come on Solitary Bee, at 17 years old that is all life is about for an adolescent male, sex. We males are hard wired in that manner, to try and figure out how to mate.

v639dragoon - Talk with your doctor about the issue. It is a quality of life issue that is important to most men, and it is important to discuss these side effects. It may turn out that a different med or a different dosing may eleviate this particular side effect.

that is why i prefaced my comments with my own gender-based (age based) position on the importance of being consumed with sexdrive issues. at the same time, there's nothing wrong with a bit of perspective. no need to panic because bits are not responding exactly the same as before. it's easy to reverse the whole thing: just stop taking the medication. somehow though i can't really honestly see how short term erectile difficulties in a 17 year old are sufficient to offset the ability to focus, concentrate and get something constructive done in life regarding education and future considerations. but again, i'm not a guy.