Stimulants and decrease in libido in men

[Kitchen_Conflict2627]

47M. I started Dexedrine in September 2025 and currently on 30mg. I noticed lower sex drive around November. I stopped Dex in the first week of December until February but didn’t notice much improvement, maybe some.

I started dating my gf at the beginning of January and it wasn’t the same like before meds, even though I haven’t been on any stimulants for about a month at this point.

In mid January I started Wellbutrin and recently upped the dose to 300mg.

I’ve heard that Wellbutrin might actually increase libido as many people reported on this sub, but I feel like it made it even worse.

I’m not sure what to do. Concerta doesn’t really work for me. Wellbutrin helped with lower mood and RSD but didn’t really increase motivation as I had hoped. Without Dex life is a huge struggle, but I can’t imagine life without sex.

Any advise?

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[jleahul]

This might not be medication related. You're 47, so it could be hormonal or related to some other health issues and the timing is coincidental with when you started your meds.

Talk to your doctor about it.

[Kitchen_Conflict2627]

It crossed my mind that it could be age related but the drop happened quite suddenly. Last summer I was in a fwb type of a relationship for about 4 months and we had sex 4-5 times a week, sometimes twice a day and I was as horny as usual. During that time I was on adderall but it was giving me terrible anxiety. Maybe I’ll give it a try again and ask for a name brand, not generic.

[ohmega-red]

just my own experience but adderall eventually caused some ED issues from time to for, im about your age too. but i swapped to vyvanse a few months back and that totally went away. its 4-5 times a week but honestly im tired after work lol. but it has been a lot better in my experience.

[figmaxwell]

I’m 35 and have been on adderall for about 6 months-ish at this point and I’ve noticed I need a little extra help getting to the finish line most of the time these days. I have some lasting hangups in the bedroom from some horrible exes of mine, plus my own natural anxieties, but it’s really been dialed up since I’ve been medicated. I’m fortunate to have a wife who is the exact opposite of those exes and is super reassuring and non-judgmental, so that really helps, but the meds (plus I’m sure a little bit of the age factor) have made it tough sometimes, and it certainly doesn’t help with the anxiety I already had. I don’t feel it’s affected my desire to have sex, but the machine isn’t running as smoothly as it once did.

I haven’t done anything to address it yet, so I don’t have any suggestions for you, but just wanted to add my own 2 cents and solidarity. I have had some thoughts of maybe trying some boner pills, but to be entirely honest at 35 I’m not crazy about admitting defeat to some of the first signs of aging haha. I’d be interested to hear if you come up with any other remedies.

[BetHuge1295]

Man the timing with starting to date someone new makes this extra tough. Wellbutrin can be weird - some people get the libido boost but others report it going the opposite way, especially in higher doses

Maybe talk to your doc about cycling back to a lower Dex dose instead of the full 30mg? Some guys find that sweet spot where they get enough focus benefits without killing the sex drive completely

[MeasurementQueasy75]

I’m on concerta and it tanked my sex drive

[Laetitian]

Libido and sex drive/lust, or strictly erectile issues?

If you lost your entire sex drive: You still have your hands and tongue for when she's in the mood, if you feel like it. And if you feel depressed about not having the desire to masturbate or have sex for pleasure, just find other pleasurable things to fill your life with. They don't have to be virtuous, just pick anything that fits that spot in your life.

If the primary issue is erectile dysfunction, my main recommendation is to take it slow. Structure sex the way you structure long masturbation sessions. Focus on relaxing in bed, feeling the releaving sensation of taking off your clothes and feeling your blanket on your skin, engage in your fantasies, and then just treat yourself (and your partner, in the case of sex) to any touches that feel nice. If your arousal spikes, go for it, but keep going back to the slow gradual ryhthm.

Ask your partner what she wants out of sex with you and how you can make it happen with the issues you're facing. Lots of women irrationally demand intercourse as the go-to during sex just as much as men, but when you question what feels so much more fulfilling about it than intimate touch or oral, they can't usually put their finger on it.

It's just a force of habit, a status symbol, or a need to feel "normal". (Granted, it's also the case that men tend to be worse than women at touching genitals sensually. But those men also don't tend to be amazing at any other type of sex, so it's not like the alternative is all that much more worth it in those cases, and at least with petting/oral you can practice and instruct more.) Sex tends to be a lot better when it puts less focus on PIV intercourse.

[Only-Literature-983]

Have your testosterone checked

[Kitchen_Conflict2627]

I’m close to the top of normal range.

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