I am a mid fifties male who is in decent shape and very good health, that is, except for a past elevated cholesterol count and a present problem releasing during sexual activity.

I have been taking TriCor a Simvastatin medication for just over two years that works well in my particular situation by reducing the bad cholesterol. I take no other other medications.

I wrote to you last year concerning the other problem that I have which you referred to as "retarded ejaculation".

At that time I took your advise avoiding porno and did not masturbate for two months before seeing another provider with limited results.

I don't have a problem with want or desire so my situation is not one of low libido. I also have no problem whatsoever getting and maintaining an erection. My problem is releasing while I am with another.

I just read that some cholesterol medications may cause significant sexual side effects and wonder whether you might know this to be true.
Is it possible that certain medications (simvastatins) may be responsible for causing "retarded ejaculation" ?

Thanks for being there.

Yes, Stuckonthisone,

We did have a thread on cholesterol-lowering medications causing sexual dysfunctions within the last 300 days - please use the search keyword function on this board. Indeed, simvastatin can cause RE - so can the other statins, since each individual is affected differently.

You may wish to discuss this with your physician. S/he can switch you to another med if not contraindicated.

On a sidenote, it is possible to combat high cholesterol with a vegan diet, fish oil capsules and loads of exercise (60 minutes daily, minimum.) Granted, it's strict and severe, but it does work.

Please remember that high cholesterol is one ONE risk factor in determining the potential for heart attack and strokes. The other ones are:

Lifestyle
Blood pressure
Age
General health
Presence of diabetes
Excess weight
Smoking
Peripheral vascular disease

If the only risk factor you have is high cholesterol, you may not need medication because your risk of heart attack and stroke is probably already low.

I AM NOT A PHYSICIAN and this is strictly MY OPINION, but it seems to me that many people are being prescribed high dosages of cholesterol-lowering medications in the hopes that this will ward off strokes, heart attacks et al. This is in lieu of respecting and honoring our bodies which have evolved for a completely different diet than the one we have today. Instead of making radical changes in diet and exercise, patients and doctors jointly decide on medicating, with  resulting side effects such as sexual dysfunction which we are now seeing after a decade of freewheeling statin administration.

So head back to the doc and ask for a different statin prescription...and if you can, start exercising like a maniac and lay off any animal fats. You may be able to lower your dose or skip it altogether, or at least regain your sexual function to 100%.

Good luck,
The Love Goddess

About ten years ago, my cholesterol jumped from around 200 (Which isn't great, but acceptable.) to around 250.

My doctor wanted to start me off on Lipitor, etc., but I told him I'd rather just adjust my diet, so I stopped eating potato chips and french fries.  Just that one change brought me back down to 200 the next year.  I then started eating more fruits and vegetables, and now I'm down to 190.

I don't miss those greasy foods at all now, and my health is better than ever, including sexual capacity.

(Financial health is another matter 8o)

Everyone reacts differently but I can tell you that I have been taking Simvastatin for well over a year now and it has not caused me any problems with retarded ejaculation.  I also take Viagra which can make it more difficult to ejaculate but I find that abstaining form masturbation for 2-3 days before sex eliminates the problem.

Its funny because a few minutes ago I watched a commercial on TV that warns of sexual side effects related to taking certain simvastatin medications and that Levitra does not.

Its time to make a change.

Thank you everyone.