DinaDina: overactive/painful bladder, PGAD? after sertraline

[DinaDina]

Hi everyone!

I’m not a native English speaker but I’ll try to write my story.

 

I was taking Zoloft (Sertraline) and one Russian antipsychotics drug for 3 weeks. 2 weeks - 12,5 mg of Zoloft. 1 week - 25 mg. Then I got an overactive and painful bladder. I didn’t know what happened with me. It wasn’t UTI because of good tests. I cancelled cold turkey all of drugs. And my bladder became ok over 3-4 days. My psychiatrist insisted that I needed to figure out which drug was caused an overactive bladder. I trued one pill of antipsychotics and my bladder became overactive again. I immediately cancelled it and my bladder became ok again. A psychiatrist said that I had an negative reaction to this antipsychotic so I had to cancel it and continue treatment by Zoloft.

 

I was so stupid and believed a psychiatrist. After returning Zoloft (12,5 mg) me bladder became overactive and painful again. I don’t know why 2 different types of drugs were caused problems with a bladder.

 

I immediately stopped taking Zoloft. It seemed that my bladder was getting better but 3 days later I felt a strong spasm in my bladder, lower abdomen, back, sides. IT WAS AWFUL. My bladder was became overactive and painful again. I wanted to urinate really all time. It was a month ago.

 

Of course my psychiatrist said that all of these were symptoms of neurosis. She said that I had to take another drugs but I refused.

 

When my bladder became less overactive, I started to feel something strange. Maybe it’s in a clitoris, maybe it’s in an urethra. I want to urinate and feel arousal at the same time. I have a feeling of urine in my urethra. When I change my position I feel as if something is overflowing in my urethra.

 

I don’t know I have PGAD or smth else. I think it’s not a clitoral sensitivity, I feel arousal a little bit higher than clitoris and on my right side. And I have a normal sensitivity on my left side. I'm able to orgasm very quickly and it does not bring relief and sometimes makes it even worse.

I have many WD symptoms now but painful bladder and PGAD are the main. I’m so scared. I read many posts about PGAD and problems with bladder here and I just need some more hope.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @DinaDina

 

It does sound like you got PGAD from those drugs. Since you were taking them a short while, you probably will see very gradual improvement over some number of months.

 

If I were you, I would avoid psychiatric drugs in the future and pursue non-drug treatments instead.

 

In general, many people find fish oil and magnesium supplements helpful, see

https://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

https://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

You might try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[DinaDina]

10 hours ago, Altostrata said:

If I were you, I would avoid psychiatric drugs in the future and pursue non-drug treatments instead.

 

I WILL. Thank you.

 

I hope that I will get better but I have bad days now

[DinaDina]

Just an update about my symptoms after 6 weeks of stopping Zoloft

 

• Bladder pressure (I can’t sleep on my belly)
• Feel the urge to urinate in the right side of clitoris (sounds crazy)
• Very sensitive area of clitoris. I can orgazm very quickly and without enough relief
• Pain in lower abdomen (especially on the right)
• Pain in the sides (near the low back)
• Lower back pain and pain in the right thigh randomly come and go away

 

If anybody have/had PGAD or bladder issues after AD I will appreciate to read about your experience and symptoms 

[jipavl]

Overactive bladder is known side effect of Sertraline. It is even mentioned in the package leaflet.

I'm dealing with that too, but I cannot quit Sertraline unfortunately.

[DinaDina]

Hi jipavl, I'm so sorry that you're dealing with it. I stopped Zoloft because of developing overactive bladder and without Zoloft my bladder became ok but 3 days later bladder pain and frequency returned with a new force

[Boris]

I'm coming to the tailend of my experience with this. Mine came on several months after getting off Paxil of 10years.

 

I had the urge to urinate 24/7, pressure, strange sensations, feeling of urine stuck in my urethra, pain. All tests were negative and eventually some symptoms started to drop off. I'm now in and out of frequent urination but mostly don't think about it. I never thought it would end but it has improved so much. I believe there is a secondary fear going on with it as well due to the experience. If I worry and start giving it attention it can start up and it cascades from there.

 

I honestly thought I was going mad and no one seemed to understand.

 

Keep going, it will settle down.

[DinaDina]

Boris thank you for your support and sharing your experience.

 

It seems I’m going mad with this symptoms. They change with time but it doesn’t receive a relief. All of my tests are negative too. But I didn’t do a cystoscopy (I know that you did) because my urinary symptoms and mental symptoms appeared at the same time. That’s why I’m sure that it’s WD. Though if I even have IC what I can do. IC «treat» by amitriptyline and I don’t want to take any ads. 

 

I hope you'll get better and better!

[manymoretodays]

Hi DinaDina,

And welcome aboard.

And that is so common, to feel like you are going mad with symptom(s).

I don't know if this will help or not, but it IS fairly common:

Health anxiety, hypchondria and obsession with symptoms

 

And I'm hoping that, like most here, you will begin to have some really nice windows soon

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

And best, Love, peace, healing, and growth,

manymoretodays(mmt)

[DinaDina]

Hi manymoretodays. Thank you for your message.

 

It is hard not to obsess about something as PGAD and constant feeling urge to urinate. I’m so tired and desperate. I don’t know how people live with it for years. I’m not so strong. PGAD is absolutely the worst thing.

 

7 weeks after stopping Zoloft.

[DinaDina]

I notice that I usually have the strongest symptoms of PGAD/bladder when I get out of a bed in the morning. Meanwhile I feel almost fine when I just wake up and lie on a bed. But when I get out of a bed, the process seems to start and it gets better (only better, not fine) in the evening.

 

It’s just a thought. But maybe it is as a good sign? 

 

I also sometimes feel a severe anxiety when I wake up and it continues until I get out of a bed. So funny: when I wake up and continue to lie, I feel an anxiety but a bladder issues and PGAD are tolerable; when I get out of a bed, an anxiety decreases and bladder issues and PGAD increase.

[Boris]

I found something similar with my urinary issues. Most of the time the mornings would be better so I would try stay there as long as possible. Obviously with work I had to move at some point  As I got up it would start getting worse and peak around 5-7pm then I'd be exhausted and the evening might be better.

 

My long experience with anxiety/Akathisia was the opposite. Mornings would be what I consider to be an absolute sh*t show while evening around 6pm would be much calmer.

 

So going back to urinary I do suspect a lot of it is down to the pelvic floor. My sub pubic area and around the bladder would feel so tense and actually flutter at times like the muscles were in spasm. I've had something similar in my upper back that caused all kinds of arms and hand nerve issues. Good news that cleared up and ironically thats what got me on these meds in the first place.

 

I'll keep telling you I didn't think I'd get better but I have improved. You will as well.

 

 

[DinaDina]

7 hours ago, Boris said:

I'll keep telling you I didn't think I'd get better but I have improved. You will as well.

 

I need to hear it all the time. Thank you. You're so kind. 

 

7 hours ago, Boris said:

Most of the time the mornings would be better so I would try stay there as long as possible. Obviously with work I had to move at some point  As I got up it would start getting worse and peak around 5-7pm then I'd be exhausted and the evening might be better.

It definitely sounds like our CNS wakes up with us. I think this condition can't be IC (I'm still afraid that it's IC or something else "real", which doesn't have a treatment).

 

Did strange sensations in your genitals go away too?

I absolutely hate it. I feel it like the urge to urinate and the arousal at the same time. I think I have this feelings because the female urethra and the clit are close together. That's why I do think that all my problems come from my bladder and urethra. 

 

[Boris]

4 hours ago, DinaDina said:

I need to hear it all the time. Thank you. You're so kind. 

 

It definitely sounds like our CNS wakes up with us. I think this condition can't be IC (I'm still afraid that it's IC or something else "real", which doesn't have a treatment).

 

Did strange sensations in your genitals go away too?

I absolutely hate it. I feel it like the urge to urinate and the arousal at the same time. I think I have this feelings because the female urethra and the clit are close together. That's why I do think that all my problems come from my bladder and urethra. 

 

 

Yes the strange sensations were one of the first to go and with the intensity of pressure etc, this was after the major pain. For me being male I felt it at the end and was constantly trying to urinate it out. I just read someone else describe it as restless leg syndrome but in the genitals.  The strange sensations and pressure were by far the most distressing for me. Working from home I would work for 5mins then pace and squeeze, sit on hot water bottles, ice, sit in the bath, anything. Sometimes I get a flutter of it now but it is fleeting.

 

I never realised I might of had PGAD as I didn't have  what I thought was the arousal part but masturbation was the only break I could get from it, that stopped all the feelings but it would come back shortly after. 

 

IC is even being re classified here in the UK as they reckon true IC is very rare and people are misdiagnosed. There seems to be a lot of confusion medically down there. As soon as I ruled IC out my symptoms improved which was probably the extra stress I was giving myself. I was diagnosing myself with all sorts to be honest.

 

I was on Paroxetine 10 years by the end of the taper so I'm confident you will a more rapid recovery.

[DinaDina]

14 hours ago, Boris said:

IC is even being re classified here in the UK as they reckon true IC is very rare and people are misdiagnosed. There seems to be a lot of confusion medically down there.

 

 I agree about IC. There is the opposite story in Russia. If doctors can't find something they diagnose IC. It's like chronic pelvic pain here.

 

14 hours ago, Boris said:

I never realised I might of had PGAD as I didn't have  what I thought was the arousal part but masturbation was the only break I could get from it, that stopped all the feelings but it would come back shortly after. 

 

Masturbation makes me feel worse because after that arousal increases. It's awful  

 

 

[DinaDina]

I'm terrified but my PGAD is getting worse and worse. Today I woke up at 4 am because of new clit sensations. Like twitching and tingling. I couldn't continue to sleep. And while I was trying to sleep again, very strong arousal came and my clit became too heavy. It looks like how I need push something out but I can't. At the same time it seems that my bladder issues are getting better. I have a window without pain and strong bladder pressure now (I have pressure but it's really mild). But this arousal...

 

Sorry for TMI but maybe it helps somebody with similar symptoms. 

[DinaDina]

PGAD is awful. I really want to die. I always love my life but I’m surviving now. I feel how doctors ruined my beautiful life. They said me that only AD helped me with my stomachache. They said that my ache was only inside my head. I didn’t want to take AD but I believed them. And I’m in absolutely bad place now. Moreover, I understand that it could get worse.

[Boris]

On 2/26/2021 at 9:15 AM, DinaDina said:

PGAD is awful. I really want to die. I always love my life but I’m surviving now. I feel how doctors ruined my beautiful life. They said me that only AD helped me with my stomachache. They said that my ache was only inside my head. I didn’t want to take AD but I believed them. And I’m in absolutely bad place now. Moreover, I understand that it could get worse.

 

I was given anti depressants to deal with arm pain I was having from doing my degree course. Then they tell you it's your original condition coming back when you're in withdrawal.

 

It will level and ease off at some point we just don't know when that will be. I use to get a hot water bottle or frozen peas and sit with them squeezed between my legs to try alter the sensation. I'd have several baths a day while working from home which would give me a break. Also lying on my front on the floor stretching out my pelvic region.

 

It's good news your bladder area is calming.

[DinaDina]

8 hours ago, Boris said:

I was given anti depressants to deal with arm pain I was having from doing my degree course. Then they tell you it's your original condition coming back when you're in withdrawal.

 

The same story. When my bladder became overactive while I was taking Zoloft my doctor told me it was neurosis developing and with my stomachache added bladder issues - «It’s so common when people with neurosis have overactive bladder». I’m happy that I didn’t believe her and didn’t take another meds. But it’s pity it didn’t help me a lot.

 

 

Last night my bladder issues came back (I had a 10 days window without strong pain). I feel pain in lower abdomen, can’t lie on belly and want to urinate more intense again. But PGAD symptoms are tolerant now. 

 

I feel that my genital area (especially urethra) is wet but it’s not true, it's just my feelings. Sometimes an air bubble come out from my urethra. It all sounds absolutely crazy. Month ago I stopped to look for a doctor who will be able to understand me. I’m just waiting.

[DinaDina]

2 months after stopping Zoloft

 

I’m crying all day. Pain went away again and PGAD is strong now. I don’t know how live with it and can’t relief myself. I can’t do anything. I feel so helpless, hopeless and useless. 

[DinaDina]

It seems my symptoms/sensations are changing every day. I can't remember 2 identical days. My CNS are really insane.

 

I miss my period (more than 10 days). Is it common case?

 

 

 

 

[DinaDina]

Last week was a nightmare. I had to take 1/2 phenazepam (Russian benzos) 6 days ago. I’m scared of this drug and it was a one-time thing. It seems after that my physical symptoms became slightly less intense. I hope it’s so. I always feel me genitals but I think it’s not arousal it’s sensitivity and strange sensations. I hate them. I must be very carefully and don’t touch myself. 

 

I noticed that I want to urinate much more strongly when I’m siting now (I was in the opposite situation 3 weeks ago). Does anybody notice it too?

 

My anxiety is increasing. I feel anxiety in my calfs and belly especially in the morning. I hate calfs feelings. Sometimes I feel it like arousal. Sometimes I feel it like anxiety. Sometimes I just feel it. I just want to get out of my body.

 

I fall asleep well but I always wake up 2-3 times because of bladder pain and fullness. Month ago I was able to sleep for all night. I always think maybe it’s still «real» urinary decease but I remember that my bladder was always fine before AD and everything became bad when I stopped AD. I have to constantly assure myself.

 

My period is back. I try to think that’s a good sign. 

[DinaDina]

PGAD is here. My genitals are very sensitive (especially on the right). Please, somebody tell me that it will heal

[DinaDina]

I was horribly losing hair and I had to cut my beautiful hair off. I understand that this is not the main my problem but I feel it like the last straw. I'm feeling really sad.

[DinaDina]

Today is 3 months off Zoloft.

 

I’m still suffering very much. I’m worse than I was in January and when I was taking Zoloft. Sometimes my physical symptoms literally kill me and I don’t know how I can help myself. I often want to give up.

 

The worst symptoms:

 

• very sensitive genitals, pelvic pressure/PGAD. (I think I will be able to keep fighting if this symptom will go away)
• painful and fulness bladder
• anxiety

 

I have about 40 symptoms, they come and go and most of them are tolerable. Urinary frequency and urgency became better. I don’t have «last drop feeling» and strong constant urge now. Lower abdomen pain became better too. I can sleep on belly without problems now. But sensitive genitals are very bad for last 5 weeks. I’m afraid to touch myself. It gets situation many times worse. Sometimes I can’t sleep because of these feelings. I’m so tired of suffering. 

 

Will I be better? I’m so scared to live with it for months/years. It seems I can endure everything except PGAD.

 

I believe that my any symptoms will able to go away but I can’t bring myself to think this way about PGAD. I'm so terrified by this symptom.

[SeekingMeaning]

Hi Dina, sorry to hear your problems with this nasty and not well enough publicised side effect.

I lost all genital sensation when I was on Sertraline and Olanzapine.  Slowly as I reduced the Sertraline over the course of 2020 I did get some ability to feel sexual stimulation again (I know from where you are that might not sound so much a  cause for celebration but after five years of no sensation at all I was delighted).  I am on minute dose of Sertraline now, just to try and control the WD side effects from jumping off it too fast.  The Olanzapine does not seem to be interfering with my genital sensation as far as I can tell. 

I do have strange sensations in my urethra, sometimes as if I may be passing some urine but I check and I have not.  I can't totally blame this on the drugs though as I had interstitial bladder symptoms even before the medication and was often plagued by discomfort that was never traceable to any physical cause such as infection or allergy.

From our different sides of the same experience all I can say is keep hoping for improvement, our nervous systems are so very clever and flexible and will do their best to correct balance if they can. Best wishes

[Healthanxiety101]

Thank you dina for putting your experience up. I am going through a similar situation. I came off citalopram and have been left with the strong constant urge to pee all the time. Its so so frustrating. I have also been through this once before when I was on citalopram 5 years ago. God knows why I went back on them! I suppose our systems have to get back to "normal" after taking these drugs.

[DinaDina]

@SeekingMeaning Thanks for visiting my thread! Thanks for visiting my thread and giving me encouragement. It means a lot. 

 

PGAD and PSSD are absolutely different side effects but both of them are absolutely awful. Of course I would prefer PSSD now but I'm sure if I had PSSD before my experience with PGAD I would be very sad. 

 

I hope that our bodies will eventually be able to heal. 

[DinaDina]

@Healthanxiety101thank you for your message. I absolutely understand your pain, this condition is really frustrating. Do you have bladder/low abdomen pain or just urge? How soon did you feel better the first time?

[DinaDina]

@Healthanxiety101thank you for your message. I absolutely understand your pain, this condition is really frustrating. Do you have bladder/low abdomen pain or just urge? How soon did you feel better the first time?

[Healthanxiety101]

@DinaDina

I mostly struggle with the constant urge, I find warm baths help to ease it in the evening but it never actually goes..until it goes completely if that makes sense. 

 

I do get the occasional pain in my bladder etc sometimes like an ache. 

It seems to change daily though, one day I can be bursting to go every half an hour and other days It's just the feeling of the urge.

 

The first time I had this, if I remember rightly, it took a good 6 months to clear up. I was seeing a homeopathic doctor at that time which I do honestly believe helped me and I'm currently seeing the same doctor again and have seen improvements here and there. I had exhausted all of modern medicines options and was desperate for a cure hence why I went to see the homeopath. 

 

I think a big part of it is mental too. We get so focused on the symptoms nothing else really matters or can seem enjoyable. Meditation has also helped at times, it can be uncomfortable to sit with the feeling but I find once I'm deep into meditation it dissapears. Only to come back once I come around from the mediation. 

 

I'm going to try some different natural supplements this week so will post any updates if they help.

[DinaDina]

Today is 4 months off Zoloft.

 

I didn't believe that I would survive but I'm still alive. April was the best month in my WD.

 

Genital sensations became less intense but they are still here. My bladder is still painful and fulness. I have low abdominal pain. Frequency is still here too. But all of symptoms are tolerable now. It seems that my body is healing. Am I right?

 

I'm scared to jinx my progress.

 

 

[DinaDina]

I didn’t write here for a long time but I’m very upset today. I’m still struggling. My main symptoms are overactive/painful bladder and strange genital feelings on the right side. I’m scared that I will never be a normal person without searching toilets and avoiding sex. I’m used to feel pain but sensitive genitals are the worst.

[Boris]

I would get strange sensations through my penis usually on the left side. It would move but generally be at the public bone area down towards the end where mostly it would stay. I remember asking the doctor as I was that distressed and confused if it right to feel need to pee at the end of my penis. The sensations were bizarre and screwed up all my normal bladder function. This combined with the constant urge to urinate/pressure and pain was really rough like you know. I use to try ice/heat, numbing gels, wraps things round 'things' to try pressure to change the sensations. I would lay on my front on the floor to apply pressure. Very hot water bottles helped a bit. Having to explain to anyone what was going on was near impossible as well. People would actually joke about it which was hard as I was ready to maybe call it a day.

 

I continued with sex/masturbation as it gave me a small break from feeling this way. Getting an erection would literally stop the urge to urinate and tone down the sensations. I guess it would over ride the same pathway. Sorry if too much information.

 

I asked about pgad and other diagnosis but it was almost like they weren't interested. It was probably more confusion and not sure what to do with me.

 

Anyways the sensations (pgad maybe) calmed down towards the end of the second year for me. Then came and went but less intense. I've not had any really for a while apart from my bladder flutters. They were bad as well at one point, made me feel very unstable to the point I couldn't walk. It's got so much better so hang on. It was never as consistent with patterns as my main withdrawal symptoms but it does seem to be getting there.

 

This has been a tough one to get through but I do see some hope of getting my life back. Remember I was on 10years and did some very daft things up till 2013 that didn't help me so I've had a long recovery. 

 

I don't mind answering any questions if want to know more.

 

Chris

[Boris]

Actually by the way I forgot to say.

 

Physio stretches got rid of the pain eventually for me. At first it would bring it down for a bit and then it would back off. It would come back at times so I did the stretching again. I use to believe the pain was coming from the bladder but it was mostly likely from the pelvic floor due to tension.

 

My bladder would also be extremely painful when it was full, I say full but I doubt I got full back then. This also seems to have gone.

 

You probably have done already but it might be worth looking for a physio for help with that. Here in the UK nearly all professionals in this area are for females so it was a bit difficult for me to find someone. They use to blame the prostate for these issues in males but that's changing now.

[Healthanxiety101]

Couldn't of said it better myself Boris! Spot on.