Ultram, Flexeril, Klonopin Hormones,sex drive and ability ?

[may19th2001]

Continued Progress Ultram, Flexeril, Klonopin Hormones,sex drive and ability ?


Thought I would drop a in to say hello and see if any one has any comments about the medications I am prescribed. I have not had much time latley as we have recently made a move, work and taking care of the family has been hectic, however I am again able to do it!

I am working night shifts again and I have been doing quite well able to work and live a normal life again outside of having to take medications to be able to do so. The few years of problems with hormones had really taken a toll on my body and well being.

I have been doing quite well however I have made an observation about my medications specificially Ultram which currently I have been using no more than 50 mg a day with a maximum dose of 100 mg which I have not had to take as I am trying to taper down as much as possible and hopefully off of this medication as I have notcied my sex drive as well as my ability is diminished when using this medication. I have noticed this has had an effect as when I did not need to take it for a couple days my sex drive and ability was much better then after taking it I noticed that it was not the same.

I am wondering if Ultram has some siginificant adverse effect on your sex drive, ability and possibly hormone levels and if it would be for the better of my benefit to try and have my Dr see what could better be used for the lesser pain I have had. She has been working with me well to taper down or off of this medication.

I am thinking also that the Klonopin may somewhat lower the sex drive and ability as well however not the same as the Ultram does however I am curious if it may also effect hormones as from my understanding the Ultram does.

As far as the Flexeril goes I do belive that Klonopin and the Flexeril would be a good combination as it does not appear to have such a siginificant effect on the sex drive ability and possibly hormones ? I do not see an ongoing need for the Ultram as I do not any longer suffer from the chronic pain I had before with my muscles as well as bones etc etc.

I just want to try and do what is best for my body and health as everything is so much more back to normal, it just takes time for the body to recover and my Dr she said I was looking good and my wife is happy that she has her old husband back and I want to do all I can to move forward to continue to progress from the effects of having low testosterone had on me before I received the proper medical attention.

Anyone who knows the effects of these various medications or if you have any opinions please reply to this thread it would be very helpful. I would like to know if any one has had any such side effects with the medications Ultram, Flexeril and Klonopin.

[tommytuna]

I have "heard" benzo's such as Klonopin disrupt the entire HPA axis. This is one of the reasons I believe so many people who have take "psychotropic" medications suffer from hormonal imbalances. . .just my theory.

"Psychoactive medications will play havoc with the HPA. While benzodiazepines usually help with anxiety for a certain time period, the feedback loop sending incorrect data will eventually cause cortisol levels to increase, and the result will be increased anxiety in the morning and mid-afternoon. Insomnia will usually follow the cortisol level increase. Other psychoactive medications have their own unique side effect profile and ultimate effect upon the HPA.

First year medical school textbooks describe hypothalamus as: “Hypothalamus is homeostasis or maintaining the body’s status quo.” As an example, blood pressure, body temperature, fluid, the electrolyte balance, and body weight are held in a precise value labeled the “set-point.” The body’s set-point may change over time, but from day to day, the set-point will remain nearly fixed. With the HPA receiving continual input about the state of the body and the ability of the HPA to initiate changes, as anything might sporadically fall out of balance, it is vital for the HPA to have at hand all necessary nutrients to assist with the compensation.

When the HPA is out of balance, you will have a problem with insulin, stress, anxiety, weight gain, thyroid problems, fatigue, unbalanced sexual hormones, and countless other body difficulties.

The hormone, ACTH, will eventually become out of balance, as will the other hormones and adrenals.

Psychoactive medication will directly alter specific areas within the HPA. Examine any patient using psychoactive medication for more than three months and you will probably find a problem with hormones, thyroid, adrenals, cortisol, and immune system or other areas within the HPA.

However, it will be equally important to move beyond the normal view of the HPA. Psychoactive medication side effects are quite varied and diverse. The intent here is not to rehash data from medical school, but to tie in the knowledge gained in the educational process with psychoactive medication.

Some fibers from the optic nerve go directly to a small nucleus within the hypothalamus (suprachiasmatic nucleus). This nucleus regulates circadian rhythms, and couples the rhythms to the light/dark cycles.

The nucleus of the solitary tract will collect sensory data from the vagus and relay the data to the hypothalamus. This data will include blood pressure and gut enlargement.

The reticular formation receives a vast supply of inputs from the spinal cord and relays that data to the hypothalamus. Part of that data will be skin temperature.

Nuclei, circumventricular organs, are unique in their own right as they lack a blood-brain barrier. They monitor substances in the blood and have the ability to monitor substances normally shielded by the neural tissue. Here you will find regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance, by controlling thirst, sodium excretion, blood volume regulation, and vasopressin secretion. Include in this the area postrema, and you have the detection of blood toxins and the vomit-inducing center. The OVLT and area postrema project to the hypothalamus.

The limbic and olfactory systems project to the hypothalamus. Psychoactive medication side effects, such as eating problems and reproduction difficulty, will probably be traced to this area.

Ionic balance and temperature will be subject to the hypothalamus via the receptors, thermoreceptor, and osmorecepter.

When the hypothalamus is aware of a problem, it will assert repair mechanisms. Neural signals to the autonomic system will attempt to regulate heart rate, vasoconstriction, digestion, sweating etc, and the endocrine signals to and or through the pituitary.

The pituitary side effects will include one or all six hormones, to include ACTH and the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

The repair output attempt, and the psychoactive medication side effect profile, seem to run near a 50-percent occurrence. Furthermore, you can directly trace psychoactive medication side effects to the autonomic nervous system in both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

The hypothalamus can alter blood pressure, control every endocrine gland in the body, body temperature, adrenal levels via ACTH, and metabolism.

The repetition of HPA information in this chapter has been intentional. Do not be surprised when you have a male patient with extremely high estrogen levels, a female with high testosterone or any other problem that can be associated within the HPA."

[biceps72]

don't know about any of these medications except klonopin. I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder when in fact I had low testosterone. I took klonopin for 4 years and had no problems with insomina or libido, etc. It is habituating as heck (but not addicting sensu strictu). I still take a small dose of klonopin at night and have no problems with libido or insomnia. Tesosterone pretty much cured my anxiety; klonopin treated the symptoms quite well.

Any benzo is a serious med but if you need them you need them; I could not have functioned without klonopin for 4 years when I was serving as Chair of a very large academic department and had untreated hypogonadism.

My experience is that klonopin WILL NOT KILL your libido; in fact, mine came back full force after being anxious 24/7 for 2 years. As usual, we are all different so your mileage may vary.

[cpeil2]

Originally Posted by may19th2001

Continued Progress Ultram, Flexeril, Klonopin Hormones,sex drive and ability ?


Thought I would drop a in to say hello and see if any one has any comments about the medications I am prescribed. I have not had much time latley as we have recently made a move, work and taking care of the family has been hectic, however I am again able to do it!

I am working night shifts again and I have been doing quite well able to work and live a normal life again outside of having to take medications to be able to do so. The few years of problems with hormones had really taken a toll on my body and well being.

I have been doing quite well however I have made an observation about my medications specificially Ultram which currently I have been using no more than 50 mg a day with a maximum dose of 100 mg which I have not had to take as I am trying to taper down as much as possible and hopefully off of this medication as I have notcied my sex drive as well as my ability is diminished when using this medication. I have noticed this has had an effect as when I did not need to take it for a couple days my sex drive and ability was much better then after taking it I noticed that it was not the same.

I am wondering if Ultram has some siginificant adverse effect on your sex drive, ability and possibly hormone levels and if it would be for the better of my benefit to try and have my Dr see what could better be used for the lesser pain I have had. She has been working with me well to taper down or off of this medication.

I am thinking also that the Klonopin may somewhat lower the sex drive and ability as well however not the same as the Ultram does however I am curious if it may also effect hormones as from my understanding the Ultram does.

As far as the Flexeril goes I do belive that Klonopin and the Flexeril would be a good combination as it does not appear to have such a siginificant effect on the sex drive ability and possibly hormones ? I do not see an ongoing need for the Ultram as I do not any longer suffer from the chronic pain I had before with my muscles as well as bones etc etc.

I just want to try and do what is best for my body and health as everything is so much more back to normal, it just takes time for the body to recover and my Dr she said I was looking good and my wife is happy that she has her old husband back and I want to do all I can to move forward to continue to progress from the effects of having low testosterone had on me before I received the proper medical attention.

Anyone who knows the effects of these various medications or if you have any opinions please reply to this thread it would be very helpful. I would like to know if any one has had any such side effects with the medications Ultram, Flexeril and Klonopin.

I don't know how Ultram affects one's hormone levels, but, when I took it, it definitely cut into my sex life. Libido wasn't affected, but erectile quality was poor, and ejaculation was next to impossible. The effect seemed to be very temporary, though. If I just went one day without taking the med, I was fine.

[may19th2001]

Thanks everyone!!

[silverwing]

Klonopin reduced my sex drive..even with TRT to almost nothing.

[may19th2001]

I am working on using it only when I have to, I am not sure how siginificant the sex drive or my errections may be effected by this prescribed medication.

Originally Posted by silverwing

Klonopin reduced my sex drive..even with TRT to almost nothing.

[silverwing]

I tried reducing my usage down to half and then a 1/4 of my dosage...did not calm my anxiety , but still killed my sex drive....my anxiety gradually has improved..but now...if I start to get anxious..I just drink a couple of beers...don't need to do this too often..but it will generally take the edge off and leave my sex drive intact.

[may19th2001]

I use it only when I really need to, I think we need to try and cut out the things or decrease the natural benefit of being a male.

Wonder how Pregnenolone may work for you?
I think it is fair to good and is quite a helpful thing to use that should not harm the sex drive.

It is good you do not have to drink too often, hopefully that will not get out of hand, you sound to manage your issues in a maner that works.

I would imagine our medications may mask some of the benefits of our sex drive.

Originally Posted by silverwing

I tried reducing my usage down to half and then a 1/4 of my dosage...did not calm my anxiety , but still killed my sex drive....my anxiety gradually has improved..but now...if I start to get anxious..I just drink a couple of beers...don't need to do this too often..but it will generally take the edge off and leave my sex drive intact.

[may19th2001]

With my hormones untreted lets see ou never had Anxiety until your testicualr infection, lets give you a bar of dizapeam some Viagara and you will fell all better again this is what my internist did and I had weak errections and little desire.
Guess he thought I would forget about my testicles saying it was anxiety because of the infection.

Originally Posted by biceps72

don't know about any of these medications except klonopin. I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder when in fact I had low testosterone. I took klonopin for 4 years and had no problems with insomina or libido, etc. It is habituating as heck (but not addicting sensu strictu). I still take a small dose of klonopin at night and have no problems with libido or insomnia. Tesosterone pretty much cured my anxiety; klonopin treated the symptoms quite well.

Any benzo is a serious med but if you need them you need them; I could not have functioned without klonopin for 4 years when I was serving as Chair of a very large academic department and had untreated hypogonadism.

My experience is that klonopin WILL NOT KILL your libido; in fact, mine came back full force after being anxious 24/7 for 2 years. As usual, we are all different so your mileage may vary.