PSSD Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction

[kostakonkordia]

7 minutes ago, Parisien said:

On the other hand, having read a good part of the subject and being interested in it because it concerns me, I note that for me it is different from some.  Under seroplex 10mg I had a really very very strong libido a good erection on the other hand I could not manage to ejaculate or it was difficult to delay ejaculation much.  Some people say that their libido had dropped by taking an antidepressant, but it was quite the opposite.  And since the stop I ejaculate very very quickly so really the opposite.  If it's permanent, it's still terrible.  Are there people who have managed to stop the treatment without resuming it and who can testify please?  To know their evolution if it is to fix and after how long thank you in advance

No it is not permanent. Go and test for dysbiosis and please don't make any experimentations with drugs. You only have these symtoms for a month. And go check for dysbiosis. 

[kostakonkordia]

13 minutes ago, Parisien said:

On the other hand, having read a good part of the subject and being interested in it because it concerns me, I note that for me it is different from some.  Under seroplex 10mg I had a really very very strong libido a good erection on the other hand I could not manage to ejaculate or it was difficult to delay ejaculation much.  Some people say that their libido had dropped by taking an antidepressant, but it was quite the opposite.  And since the stop I ejaculate very very quickly so really the opposite.  If it's permanent, it's still terrible.  Are there people who have managed to stop the treatment without resuming it and who can testify please?  To know their evolution if it is to fix and after how long thank you in advance

The best thing you can do besides testing you're gut is trusting in healing and in love. Remember sexuality is deeply connected with you're emotions, you're penis isnt like a mechanical engine. Try to stop ruminating about this topic as best as you can and focus on other things and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

[Parisien]

I have a question, have any of you recovered by playing sports?  If I exercise, do I produce serotonin to feel good like before taking the treatment?  Or else I'm out of order for life.  I am desperate @Altostrates

 

Alright thanks @kostakonkordia I'll take a look at the dysbiosis.  But this has to do with premature ejaculation due to stopping antidepressant treatment?  Has anyone got over it here yet?For a man I speak more precisely.  If premature ejaculation is permanent then it really is terrible. The lack of pleasure during orgasm too.

[Parisien]

2 minutes ago, kostakonkordia said:

La meilleure chose que vous puissiez faire en plus de tester votre instinct est de faire confiance à la guérison et à l'amour. N'oubliez pas que la sexualité est profondément liée à vos émotions, votre pénis n'est pas comme un moteur mécanique. Essayez d'arrêter de ruminer sur ce sujet du mieux que vous le pouvez et concentrez-vous sur d'autres choses et maintenez un mode de vie sain. 

Thank you for your advice, that's what jesseye to do.  Unfortunately I don't see any improvement and in some people it never comes back or very late from what I read.  This is cause for despair.  I would so much like to believe that by doing things right it will come back.  But just not being sure of that is sapping my spirits.

[Altostrata]

Exercise is good for you because it helps your entire body to work better, and then it can better repair itself.

 

Please do not tag me in this topic. Thank you.

[kostakonkordia]

5 minutes ago, Parisien said:

I have a question, have any of you recovered by playing sports?  If I exercise, do I produce serotonin to feel good like before taking the treatment?  Or else I'm out of order for life.  I am desperate @Altostrates

 

Alright thanks @kostakonkordia I'll take a look at the dysbiosis.  But this has to do with premature ejaculation due to stopping antidepressant treatment?  Has anyone got over it here yet?For a man I speak more precisely.  If premature ejaculation is permanent then it really is terrible. The lack of pleasure during orgasm too.

I already told you. No this is not permanent. And yes the gut is involved in almost every single thing in our body. It's important to take a pcr based test, like 16s or gunshot sequenzing. 

[Parisien]

C'est noté désolé pour la gêne occasionnée.

 

@kostakonkordiaTrès sincèrement je vais faire des tests de dysbiose mais je pense que si ceux-ci étaient la cause de tous nos problèmes sexuels ce serait trop facile

[kostakonkordia]

1 hour ago, Parisien said:

C'est noté désolé pour la gêne occasionnée.

 

@kostakonkordiaTrès sincèrement je vais faire des tests de dysbiose mais je pense que si ceux-ci étaient la cause de tous nos problèmes sexuels ce serait trop facil

Can you translate in english pls. 

[Avicii]

4 hours ago, Parisien said:

On the other hand, having read a good part of the subject and being interested in it because it concerns me, I note that for me it is different from some.  Under seroplex 10mg I had a really very very strong libido a good erection on the other hand I could not manage to ejaculate or it was difficult to delay ejaculation much.  Some people say that their libido had dropped by taking an antidepressant, but it was quite the opposite.  And since the stop I ejaculate very very quickly so really the opposite.  If it's permanent, it's still terrible.  Are there people who have managed to stop the treatment without resuming it and who can testify please?  To know their evolution if it is to fix and after how long thank you in advance

I also had a good sex life when taking the pills except for some delayed ejaculation. My problems started about 6 weeks after my CT when my CNS was destroyed. I think my problems is due to a CSN that couldn’t take it any more and I have to wait it out. If you can do sports you should! My CNS can’t handle hard training right now so I’m talking walks, meditations and so on.

 

you are only 1 Month in having very mild symptoms, it’s gonna be alright!

[Parisien]

9 hours ago, kostakonkordia said:

Pouvez-vous traduire en anglais svp. 

It is noted sorry for the inconvenience caused.

@kostakonkordia Very sincerely I will do dysbiosis tests but I think if these were the cause of all our sexual problems it would be too easy

[Parisien]

6 hours ago, Avicii said:

J'avais aussi une bonne vie sexuelle lorsque je prenais les pilules, à l'exception d'une éjaculation retardée. Mes problèmes ont commencé environ 6 semaines après mon scanner lorsque mon système nerveux central a été détruit. Je pense que mes problèmes sont dus à un CSN qui n'en pouvait plus et je dois attendre. Si vous pouvez faire du sport, vous devriez ! Mon système nerveux central ne peut pas gérer un entraînement intensif en ce moment, alors je parle de promenades, de méditations, etc.

 

vous n'avez que 1 mois à avoir des symptômes très légers, ça va aller !

Hello, thank you for your answer.  How long have you been off?  Can't run at all?  Yes it's only been a month it's true I hope for an improvement but if in a year nothing has changed then I will be depressed even more

[Avicii]

14 minutes ago, Parisien said:

Hello, thank you for your answer.  How long have you been off?  Can't run at all?  Yes it's only been a month it's true I hope for an improvement but if in a year nothing has changed then I will be depressed even more

I am one year of….I have seen improvements but my sexual problems are still severe. My cognitive problems and my anhedonia has improved alot. 
 

I can run och do sports but its not the same anymore…I dont have the same strength as I used to. I guess my body and brain needs to rest for some time. 
 

I have been forced to accept that this is gonna take 2-4 years and yes that is very depressing but I try to live everyday with a smile even though its hard.

[Sofa]

Is it possible to get PSSD after quitting antidepressant? Quit mirtazapine beginning of january after taking it on and off. And after 1.5 months there was like i switch went off. Suddenly i had no emotions at all! Complete zombie, feeling dead inside. No libido, no interest, intense dp/dr and struggle to orgasm. Blank mind and severe cognitive issues. Keeps getting worse.
 

Is this normal? I feel scared 

[ChessieCat]

12 hours ago, Sofa said:

Is it possible to get PSSD after quitting antidepressant

 

PSSD stands for:

 

Post (after)

SSRI (antidepressant)

Sexual

Dysfunction (abnormal or impaired functioning of a bodily system or organ)

[Sofa]

Hi,

I really struggle with the cognitive and emotional aspects of PSSD. Very low cognitive function and no emotions, severe anhedonia and akathisia. Cant visualize or daydream or even think. Massive headpressure and no possibility to distract myself from the misery. My depression is crushing right now. I have lost myself completely. Decreased orgasm does not seem to matter that much right now.
 

I have had some crashes (caused by ginger, zopiclone and recently benzos). Now i Feel like a vegetable in my head. I am constantly anxious and hate what i have done to myself. 

Also hit my head, which seemingly worsened the symptoms. And my symptoms worsened after a massage session. But it could be that i drakk tea, but i have not reacted to coffein before. But then i also felt that paracetamol crashed me. Maybe i am getting more sensitive.
 

Just wondered if it is possible to heal? Even though i have gotten worse so many times. 
 

Is there anything i should avoid, so that i can stop it from getting even worse?

[Scrountz]

@Sofa I know when symptoms arise it feels like it's never going to end, but the truth is everyone heals. Withdrawal just always takes longer than we'd like. PSSD seems to be one of those symptoms that lasts the longest if you get it, but there are plenty of success stories of people recovering over time.

 

If I were you, I'd try not to take anything else. Adding more drugs to an already sensitized nervous system sometimes contributes to further instability. Your nervous system needs to find its way back to homeostasis, and that takes time. You're gonna make it if you're gentle with yourself and just go one day at a time.

[Sofa]

@Scrountz @Altostrata

 

So its possible to heal even though i have only made myself worse these past three months? 

With taking zopiclone and benzo, and the ginger and painkillers? 
Still getting worse every day since.

 

My orgasm is also completely gone. Cannot have and orgasm at all. No good feelings down there. Just feels like a regulat place on my body. Nothing erogenous. Also have zero libido. This has also gotten worse. Was not this bad just a few days ago. 

 

Did you also have the pressure in your head when trying to think? Just writing this makes my head hurt. Reading and talking makes my head hurt. Its really scary because i Feel like i cant think at all, my brain is literally straining to get the thoughts out. When trying to visualize or dream or remember, the pressure gets worse. Cant do anything. So scary.

[Altostrata]

Please read my responses in your Intro topic. Please do not tag me elsewhere as well.

[Sofa]

Is it normal for the PSSD to get worse before it gets better?

 

I have almost complete anorgasmia now and zero libido!

 

Possible to get better?

[ChessieCat]

25 minutes ago, Sofa said:

Possible to get better?

 

Link to search for PSSD in the Success Stories forum:

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/search/?q=pssd

[PiedoDerPSSD]

6 hours ago, Sofa said:

Is it normal for the PSSD to get worse before it gets better?

 

I have almost complete anorgasmia now and zero libido!

 

Possible to get better?

Tldr: it's still long, but i feel important to explain how this works for you. I feel there is very little details of very detailed descriptions of pssd. Mine started slowly and over a year it kept getting worse, from slight emotional bluntness, loss of libido, then full impotence, tinnitus, anhedonia became worse ect... all this throughout the course of almost a year. From late Feb_early Mar 2020 until oktober 2020. Then i got my first window of 3 days. Until today i had a handful of really good windows, and many subtle windows, of durations ranging from minutes up to few weeks as of lately.  First 1.5 years a window was never longer than 3 or 4 days. Also during windows it's not always feeling 100% and recovered, it's just feeling better sexually and emotionally. 

Today, i have an acceptable baseline, i can function sexually but i am not like before. I am a male, and not a female so this is different for us. Also i cannot give you proper description of my function and how it changed because it's not allowed here and could ban my account as i was warned before. Emotionally, i am not cured, but a little better, still numb but at least could feel connected again and realize i am in a love with a woman, unfortunately she dumped me not long ago. This has reversed any cognitive and mental improvement, even a healthy person would feel depressed and sad after a break up.. so, i can't focus on anything anymore because of her. 

 

 

Hello Sofa, i have been receiving email notifications and following your messages this whole time. I wanted to log in and share my experience with you.  

First, look up my post and comment history to know what my symptoms are. It's been 2 years and 3 months almost since i got pssd. For the first year it only kept getting worse, and i believe my emotional and mental state got much much worse even now. The reason is ocd and i am obsessed about my pssd. It ruined my life, all this negativity and feeling doomed got me more depressed and sad. I suffer sexual and cognitive functions,  not only few months ago i realized that sexual dysfunction is a walk in the park compared to cognitive dysfunction. Feeling no emotions, no excitement, void, mo love towards even mother... surprisingly i can only feel sad amd negative. And i have zero ability to day dream or fantasize anymore, blank mind, i was able to day dream and create movies in my head, it was so intense with music. Now i no longer feel any of that. Oh and tinnitus as well... these are some things i didn't post when i joined, i was like you only focused on my sexual function. 

 

 

What's my state now 2 years later

It's better, not cured but it's getting slowly better, very slow. I am having more and more windows occasionally. My baseline is not fully broken and dysfunctional.  

 

Contact me privately on a message and i will answer your questions in detail, all damage is in the brain, it's not permanent, could get better. Also i feel tinnitus started to feel slightly less since about a month when i felt the best improvement since this begin 2 years ago. It's very subtle and slow improvement in my case. It will be different from person to other.

[Sofa]

@PiedoDerPSSD

Thank you so much for the hopeful post! I really need that. 
 

You are right, the sexual dysfunction is not the worst part. 
 

The cognitive decline, blank mind and no daydreaming, anhedonia and no emotions and total disconnect are the worst. Thats what i want gone!

[Sofa]

Anyone know if rooibos tea is safe for PSSD? Both sexual and mental symptoms? I try to stay away from caffeine, supplements and herbs now! But i really like tea, and Rooibos has no caffeine in it. It says its a herb though, so just wondering if anyone tried it?

[Sofa]

Does anyone know if ginger can permanently crash you? 

[kostakonkordia]

25 minutes ago, Sofa said:

Does anyone know if ginger can permanently crash you? 

There is no permanence in this condition. 

[Fairsome]

I wonder, guys, what do your doctors think of PSSD? Do they accept it as a condition at all? Or they lie that it happens to almost nobody, which, according to research, is a total lie - there are a lot of articles on Rxisk supported with enough evidence that it may be a quite common condition, very often underdiagnosed because there is no physical test to prove it or for some people it may just be mild. 

 

My idiot doctor ofc completely neglects the existence of PSSD or withdrawal syndrome. I have also heard from many people on various sites (including SA) the same attitude from others.

 

Also based on what I've seen, PSSD may or may not be a part of the withdrawal syndrome. It may be the result of autonomic disruption caused by ADs (what we call withdrawal syndrome), it may also be a result of desensitization of serotonin receptors which is a different thing from withdrawal syndrome. 

 

Another horrible lie on AD leaflets is that sexual side effects happen to approximately ~10% of patients, it may be up to 80% actually.

 

In conclusion, psychiatry by its very nature is an absolutely pseudo-science, because it relies only on 'theories', doing things to the brain that nobody really knows what they are. For example, a study from 2015 showed that people with social anxiety disorder actually have higher, not lower levels of serotonin in the brain. Then we can only guess what will happen if we decide to increase the levels of serotonin lol. We don't know if the brain will work its way alone through these changes made by ADs, or how the nervous system will respond after the "treatment" with drugs.

[Avicii]

My Dr just smiled at me and then almost pushed me out of the room, he obviously didn’t want to discuss that topic. Of course they can’t accept PSSD or WD because that would mean that they ruin peoples lives, do you think they will admit that?

[Fairsome]

Almost all of the doctors are pre-programmed to follow strictly the guidelines - otherwise they are out of the business. If the guideline says PSSD/WD syndrome doesn't exist, then their opinion is the same. I have found this thought on another forum and it's so true.

 

If doctors really tell patients how dangerous these drugs are before prescribing them and that in most cases they do more harm than good, very few people will be taking them. This will destroy the pharma business, we know very well that patients are looked as clients rather than anything else.

 

Another misconception is that you shouldn't read anything from the forums because you will find mostly negative feedback and blindly trust your doctor that these drugs are very safe and help a very high percent of people while harming a very low percent of people. Unfortunately I became a victim of this bullsh*t. If I had known of sites like SA and Rxisk before, I will have never ever taken the poisonous pills. This is not to say that there aren't people who find them very helpful. But it's a fact that they are Russian Roulette with your brain and health and it's best to avoid them if possible.

 
 

[Sofa]

Have have been getting worse the last few days. More anhedonia and have lost my inner voice. Its totally gone. 

The only new thing is that i have started drinking hot water with lemon. 

Could lemon extract/juice cause a crash?

 

I also crashed from ginger four weeks ago, and i am still getting worse. Is that normal? 

When you crash from ginger or other supplements, it should happen the same day or the next, and not day or weeks after right? The ginger is not that powerful to cause worsening symptoms for days or weeks? 

 

I had worsening symptoms a few hours after the ginger. But then four days later i had a completely new symptom that keep getting worse. Six days later i noticed reduced orgasm and then anorgasmia. And a week later my anhedonia got way worse.

 

is that normal patters with crashes? From just one ice tea with ginger? 
 

Can you heal from a crash? Its been a month now!

 

 

 

 

[kostakonkordia]

1 hour ago, Sofa said:

Have have been getting worse the last few days. More anhedonia and have lost my inner voice. Its totally gone. 

The only new thing is that i have started drinking hot water with lemon. 

Could lemon extract/juice cause a crash?

 

I also crashed from ginger four weeks ago, and i am still getting worse. Is that normal? 

When you crash from ginger or other supplements, it should happen the same day or the next, and not day or weeks after right? The ginger is not that powerful to cause worsening symptoms for days or weeks? 

 

I had worsening symptoms a few hours after the ginger. But then four days later i had a completely new symptom that keep getting worse. Six days later i noticed reduced orgasm and then anorgasmia. And a week later my anhedonia got way worse.

 

is that normal patters with crashes? From just one ice tea with ginger? 
 

Can you heal from a crash? Its been a month now!

 

 

 

 

Look, I understand this is hard but many people have reversed their pssd (so in theory it must be reversible for everyone which I indeed believe) so this is not a permanent state you are in. 

You have to stop obsessing over every symptom you have. This is not brain damage. 

[Dantegra]

Did someone tried to reinstate and taper?

[Patient2022]

On 4/9/2022 at 6:36 AM, Sofa said:

@Scrountz @Altostrata

 

So its possible to heal even though i have only made myself worse these past three months? 

With taking zopiclone and benzo, and the ginger and painkillers? 
Still getting worse every day since.

 

My orgasm is also completely gone. Cannot have and orgasm at all. No good feelings down there. Just feels like a regulat place on my body. Nothing erogenous. Also have zero libido. This has also gotten worse. Was not this bad just a few days ago. 

 

Did you also have the pressure in your head when trying to think? Just writing this makes my head hurt. Reading and talking makes my head hurt. Its really scary because i Feel like i cant think at all, my brain is literally straining to get the thoughts out. When trying to visualize or dream or remember, the pressure gets worse. Cant do anything. So scary.

It’s so frustrating isn’t it! Especially when gaslighted by the same doctors who prescribe it!
 

I haven’t completely stopped my AD, but taking it has definitely affected orgasms. When on sertraline, I completely lost the ability to orgasm. On fluoxetine though, I’m able to but it’s not as intense and just not the same. I wonder if anyones had their normal sensitivity return after tapering off. Please share what’s helped and/or success stories. 
(ps I’m a 33 year old female)

[Sofa]

Does Anyone know the mechanism behind How antidepressants can cause lasting PSSD and anhedonia? 
 

I have been off for five months and have not seen improvements, only gotten worse. I would love to understand what is actually happening in the brain 

 

Any theories?

[Ariel]

@Sofa

Have you read through this entire help topic? 

It's running on 32 pages and includes posts where members share theories and links to other resources as well. 

If you start at the beginning you may discover some useful information.

 

[kostakonkordia]

6 hours ago, Sofa said:

Does Anyone know the mechanism behind How antidepressants can cause lasting PSSD and anhedonia? 
 

I have been off for five months and have not seen improvements, only gotten worse. I would love to understand what is actually happening in the brain 

 

Any theories?

There are alot of theories. I personally think it's a positive feedback loop that's needs do be interrupted. Also what we have found is that alot of people with pssd have chronic mercury toxicity(from amalgams or probable exposure in the woumb etc) which makes you prone to advers effects from medication(Andrew cutler talks about this) . For example beeing floxed by certain antibiotics.

Everyone who tried chelating with pssd responded to it indicating the presence of mercury.

Maybe genetics/epigenetics play into this too but this doesn't say its not reversible. Many people have recovered through certain remedies which appear "random" to us now because we don't understand the mechanism yet... 

[kostakonkordia]

6 hours ago, Sofa said:

Does Anyone know the mechanism behind How antidepressants can cause lasting PSSD and anhedonia? 
 

I have been off for five months and have not seen improvements, only gotten worse. I would love to understand what is actually happening in the brain 

 

Any theories?

And btw this whole desensitization theory is bs it lead nowhere. You have to look at biochemistry to understand this phenomenon. And move away from the brain fixation. 95% of the serotonin receptors are in the gut and is located on enterochromaffin cells...