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PSSD Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction


Altostrata

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Potions please dont do anything to hurt yourself. I have often felt hopeless and thought of suicide too. 

 

But its not worth it. There must be a way out of this hell. Other people have recovered after many years off. Why not us?

Last took an SSRI January 2009.

Last took a benzodiazepine May 2015.

Free from all prescription medication since May 2015.

Everything has mostly healed apart from PSSD which is still very bad, and is my most distressing symptom. Also i have developed some allergy problems/ sensitivities to things in the environment which i believe was possibly caused by the prescription medications (SSRI's and benzos).

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  • 3 weeks later...

I don't get it. This thing seems permanent. There are not many recovery stories out there and everybody who has PSSD seems to have it for the rest of their lives (+3 years) without improvements. I don't know how I cannot be in despair when I keep reading and find nothing. And the most painful thing about this is that we are not even believed. I don't thing there is a more unbearable insult than this. So-called professionals put us in this mess and they refuse to admit that they messed up our lives. I'm only 23. Have had this condition for 10 months. Should I have any hope?

 

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There are many recovery stories documented online Dark0047. Many of them are hidden in various forums. And also you have to remember that not everybody with PSSD talks about it online. One of the most hopeful things that I have read is quotes from people who have seen doctors who admit and acknowledge PSSD and have had patients with it, and that the doctor has said that in their experience most people to eventually recover - even though it can take years. 

 

I have PSSD and am 14 months off. It is still early days. 

 

The people talking about PSSD online are those suffering with it. And for sure that suffering is real. The problem is it can be a downward spiral reading these. Because it leaves you with the feeling that this relatively small sample of people represents everybody that has ever had it. 

 

I have read of people convinced that PSSD was permanent, but who eventually recovered.  So there is much hope for all of us. 

 

But I do understand everything you feel. I feel it to. 

 

 

Escitalopram for anxiety (dates below are approximate).

 

Oct 09 - Apr 10, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 10 - Feb 11, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 11 - Aug 12, 20mg (started to taper off but failed). 

Oct 12 - Dec 13, 20mg.  Dec 13 - Apr 14, 10mg.  Apr 14 - Nov 14, 5mg. 

Nov 14 - Jan 16, 20mg.  Jan 16 - Aug 16, 10mg.  Aug 16 - Dec 16, 10mg every other day.  Dec 16 - Jan 17 5mg every third day.  Jan 17 - took last tablet.

 

 

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" everybody who has PSSD seems to have it for the rest of their lives (+3 years) without improvements."

 

So you're saying that people with PSSD only live for three years after contracting it.  I think some more research on your part would be a good idea.

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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2 hours ago, 1Day said:

The people talking about PSSD online are those suffering with it.

 

As I posted in the Why aren't there very many success stories? topic.  We don't stay in hospital when we are well. 

 

People who recover don't continue to hang around in support forums because they no longer need that support.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Is it statistically probable that we will recover from PSSD though? There’s no way of knowing. Especially if the condition is related to altered gene expression, which—considering the fact that there are sufferers who have had the condition for 20+ years— seems likely. I’m part of a Facebook group for PSSD and many on there have taken ssris for just a few weeks or even days and have had pssd for years, I’m talking 8 or more. That can’t be related to withdrawal or nerve damage... it seems definitely gene expression related in my opinion. I’m not sure why some recover and some don’t, but it really is not guaranteed that anyone with pssd will recover, considering the fact that long term sufferers of this condition do exist.

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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Also, about the doctors, isn’t it possible that the doctors might have said those things to PSSD sufferers to calm them/make them feel better? My friend with PSSD saw a doctor who told him that there was treatment for pssd, but when my friend inquired more, he didn’t have anything helpful to say. Maybe the doctors are just trying to calm people down? Also it seems hard to believe that most doctors have never heard of pssd, yet there are some doctors who have somehow had multiple patients with pssd and most of those patients recovered? There might be some bias on both sides of this question here. I really just wish there was a way to accurately judge how statistically likely it is for people with PSSD to actually recover over time, because my hope for a cure has been fast fading.

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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Sorry, there are no statistics. You will have to cope with uncertainty. You might as well err on the positive side, which will be better for your quality of life, rather than making yourself even more miserable worrying that you will never recover (which may not be true).

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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Did you completely recover from PSSD altostrata? 

 

If so how long did it take and do you have a success story for your recovery from PSSD?

 

I would like to read it if you do, as i need all the hope i can get right now.

 

 

Last took an SSRI January 2009.

Last took a benzodiazepine May 2015.

Free from all prescription medication since May 2015.

Everything has mostly healed apart from PSSD which is still very bad, and is my most distressing symptom. Also i have developed some allergy problems/ sensitivities to things in the environment which i believe was possibly caused by the prescription medications (SSRI's and benzos).

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Potions, I think that Doctors generally speaking are 'good' at giving bad news. I don't think that most would shy away from speaking the truth about the outcome of a condition. 

 

One of the reasons that there are no statistics is that there are probably many people who have had, or have PSSD, who have never spoken about it online. The current sufferers discussing it online are therefore most likely a fraction of the big picture.  It is therefore very easy to latch on to the worst case stories and scenarios. Those that have recovered over the years are now living their lives. 

 

That is not to say that I am not very scared by PSSD. 

 

Altostrata, do you still hold the view that most people with PSSD eventually recover? 

 

 

Escitalopram for anxiety (dates below are approximate).

 

Oct 09 - Apr 10, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 10 - Feb 11, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 11 - Aug 12, 20mg (started to taper off but failed). 

Oct 12 - Dec 13, 20mg.  Dec 13 - Apr 14, 10mg.  Apr 14 - Nov 14, 5mg. 

Nov 14 - Jan 16, 20mg.  Jan 16 - Aug 16, 10mg.  Aug 16 - Dec 16, 10mg every other day.  Dec 16 - Jan 17 5mg every third day.  Jan 17 - took last tablet.

 

 

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7 hours ago, 1Day said:

Spruce30, for how long do you suffer?

 

 

 

On 6/5/2017 at 2:48 PM, Spruce30 said:

Great idea ghost. I would like to see more recovery stories for PSSD too. I am still suffering from PSSD everyday.

 

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I haven't recovered from PSSD Amq A. Been off everything for almost 3 years, but have been suffering sexual problems from the SSRI's and benzos for about a decade

Last took an SSRI January 2009.

Last took a benzodiazepine May 2015.

Free from all prescription medication since May 2015.

Everything has mostly healed apart from PSSD which is still very bad, and is my most distressing symptom. Also i have developed some allergy problems/ sensitivities to things in the environment which i believe was possibly caused by the prescription medications (SSRI's and benzos).

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1 hour ago, Spruce30 said:

I haven't recovered from PSSD Amq A. Been off everything for almost 3 years, but have been suffering sexual problems from the SSRI's and benzos for about a decade

What about your feelings? Is it possible to fall in love with someone when you suffer from anhedonia? Some form of feelings?

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2 hours ago, AmqA said:

What about your feelings? Is it possible to fall in love with someone when you suffer from anhedonia? Some form of feelings?

I've personally experienced that the worse my PSSD symptoms are (the more genital anesthesia I have), the more emotionally blunted I am and the less infatuation I feel. I believe they are directly related. PSSD has messed up my ability to feel infatuation and emotions and pleasure in life which actually upsets me more than the PSSD itself.

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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11 hours ago, AmqA said:

1Day, For how long do you suffer from PSSD? How long does it take approximately to recover?

And 1Day is still suffering from PSSD; I believe he's only around 14 months off SSRIs. Nobody can tell you how long it will take you to recover. I hope I recover, but with the sheer number of long term PSSD sufferers I know/have read about (8+ year sufferers), I think it might be permanent for me. I've been off SSRIs for 18 months.  Some people recover after a year, others 4 years, others 6, others claim they get worse as the years go on, others improve slightly but never improve further than that for the rest of their lives, etc. It's extremely variable among sufferers and nobody knows how long it will take anyone to recover, if they ever do at all.

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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2 minutes ago, potions said:

And 1Day is still suffering from PSSD; I believe he's only around 14 months off SSRIs. Nobody can tell you how long it will take you to recover. I hope I recover, but with the sheer number of long term PSSD sufferers I know/have read about (8+ year sufferers), I think it might be permanent for me. I've been off SSRIs for 18 months.  Some people recover after a year, others 4 years, others 6, others claim they get worse as the years go on, others improve slightly but never improve further than that for the rest of their lives, etc. It's extremely variable among sufferers and nobody knows how long it will take anyone to recover, if they ever do at all.

I think the worst thing is the emotional anhedonia, which is directly related. Pssd alone is terrible, but this whole suffering is very hard. I got severe pssd (including genital sense loss) and anhedonia after 2 weeks of bupropion, which is falsely marketed safe. It can be equally bad. That was 11 months ago, and nothing has returned. My anhedonia is so severe I have even lost my job and basically losing everything in life. I would like to be optimistic, but how could one suddenly heal after years in a non-linear or gradual way? Any thoughts? 

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8 minutes ago, potions said:

And 1Day is still suffering from PSSD; I believe he's only around 14 months off SSRIs. Nobody can tell you how long it will take you to recover. I hope I recover, but with the sheer number of long term PSSD sufferers I know/have read about (8+ year sufferers), I think it might be permanent for me. I've been off SSRIs for 18 months.  Some people recover after a year, others 4 years, others 6, others claim they get worse as the years go on, others improve slightly but never improve further than that for the rest of their lives, etc. It's extremely variable among sufferers and nobody knows how long it will take anyone to recover, if they ever do at all.

I'm upset that there are somewhere successful recovery stories everyone is talking about, but no one knows whose or no one knows a person that recovered. It's becoming a myth largely because ppl explain to themselves that those who recover don't want to return and read about something they've left behind. I think it's unlikely that people are that much selfish. But, hope dies last :) I really hope that brain with it's plasticity is extraordinary in healing itself and returning in normal functioning. Did you try tianeptine? I had paradoxical effect and felt depressed which I never was. I have social phobia and GAD. The medication that helps a lot of people didn't work for me, and it's said it works opposite to SSRI mechanism.  I tried many supplements :) it's hard to think of which I didn't try. 

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3 minutes ago, AmqA said:

I'm upset that there are somewhere successful recovery stories everyone is talking about, but no one knows whose or no one knows a person that recovered. It's becoming a myth largely because ppl explain to themselves that those who recover don't want to return and read about something they've left behind. I think it's unlikely that people are that much selfish. But, hope dies last :) I really hope that brain with it's plasticity is extraordinary in healing itself and returning in normal functioning. Did you try tianeptine? I had paradoxical effect and felt depressed which I never was. I have social phobia and GAD. The medication that helps a lot of people didn't work for me, and it's said it works opposite to SSRI mechanism.  I tried many supplements :) it's hard to think of which I didn't try. 

I'm right there with you--I've tried multiple supplements, random drugs (which probably messed me up more), and a ton of herbal remedies recommended on pssdforum to try to reverse this condition. It has taken such a huge part of my life, and I refuse to accept it. I'm upset about the lack of recovery stories as well, but I have to say that I have personally spoken to a very nice girl who took SSRIs all throughout her adolescence which she cold turkeyed about 2 and a half years ago. I inquired whether she had persisting sexual dysfunction after coming off, and she said yes, she had PSSD and genital numbness and anhedonia for a year after coming off SSRIs but it got better in the second year off. I felt significantly better after hearing her story. And I agree that the brain is neuroplastic, but this condition might have messed with our gene expression/peripheral nerves, etc--nobody really knows what causes PSSD so I don't trust my brain to just recover from this after a while--I  don't even know how much of the brain is involved. It could be combination of receptor downregulation, gene expression alterations, nerve damage, nervous system dysregulation etc. I have social phobia and GAD as well, which is why I took SSRIs in the first place (which they did absolutely nothing for by the way.) PSSD has been the only thing I have been able to think about for many months now, and it has stolen such a large part of my life. I wish I could see into the future and know if I will recover or not, but unfortunately I'll have to live with this uncertainty.

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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32 minutes ago, potions said:

I've personally experienced that the worse my PSSD symptoms are (the more genital anesthesia I have), the more emotionally blunted I am and the less infatuation I feel. I believe they are directly related. PSSD has messed up my ability to feel infatuation and emotions and pleasure in life which actually upsets me more than the PSSD itself.

I know what you mean. Sexual attraction is a base for developing emotions and not feeling excited about anything, specifically if there is no arousal it is difficult to feel attracted to someone. But, I have windows of sexual excitement, not as I used to or with same intensity. I also have a person really dear to me 

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Yes, I am 14 months off. 

 

Potions, I understand your distress, but it is beyond doubt that people have recovered from this. I actually know of somebody through a friend that has recovered. 

 

How many people exactly do you know of that are 8+ years off and still suffering? Also I would ask do you know everything about them in terms of drug history and what they might still be taking?

 

I don't think it is a myth that people move on and don't return to the forums. I know that Spruce once asked somebody who had recovered to post a comment about their recovery on the Rxisk site and they declined because they simply did not want to revisit the horrible time that they had gone through. 

 

I would post about recovery for sure. But I can totally understand that as people start to significantly improve they simply start to move on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Escitalopram for anxiety (dates below are approximate).

 

Oct 09 - Apr 10, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 10 - Feb 11, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 11 - Aug 12, 20mg (started to taper off but failed). 

Oct 12 - Dec 13, 20mg.  Dec 13 - Apr 14, 10mg.  Apr 14 - Nov 14, 5mg. 

Nov 14 - Jan 16, 20mg.  Jan 16 - Aug 16, 10mg.  Aug 16 - Dec 16, 10mg every other day.  Dec 16 - Jan 17 5mg every third day.  Jan 17 - took last tablet.

 

 

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4 minutes ago, potions said:

I'm right there with you--I've tried multiple supplements, random drugs (which probably messed me up more), and a ton of herbal remedies recommended on pssdforum to try to reverse this condition. It has taken such a huge part of my life, and I refuse to accept it. I'm upset about the lack of recovery stories as well, but I have to say that I have personally spoken to a very nice girl who took SSRIs all throughout her adolescence which she cold turkeyed about 2 and a half years ago. I inquired whether she had persisting sexual dysfunction after coming off, and she said yes, she had PSSD and genital numbness and anhedonia for a year after coming off SSRIs but it got better in the second year off. I felt significantly better after hearing her story. And I agree that the brain is neuroplastic, but this condition might have messed with our gene expression/peripheral nerves, etc--nobody really knows what causes PSSD so I don't trust my brain to just recover from this after a while--I  don't even know how much of the brain is involved. It could be combination of receptor downregulation, gene expression alterations, nerve damage, nervous system dysregulation etc. I have social phobia and GAD as well, which is why I took SSRIs in the first place (which they did absolutely nothing for by the way.) PSSD has been the only thing I have been able to think about for many months now, and it has stolen such a large part of my life. I wish I could see into the future and know if I will recover or not, but unfortunately I'll have to live with this uncertainty.

I'm so afraid of gene expression alterations that I don't want to even think about it. SSRIs have helped me actually. My OCD disappeared, so did social phobia:) Libido was surprisingly the same as before medications (I took Zoloft 25-50mg for a 1.5 year) and when I started to feel like that is my new me, I quit cold turkey. And I felt well for the next few months unlike many ppl who suffer from withdrawal symptoms from the beginning. Then, some major events in life shook me to my core and I started to feel anxious again. So I started taking Zoloft, the same dosage again, but it wasn't effective as the first time. Docs switched me on various meds after and none of it helped. So, after I quit meds for good, I got brain fog, sexual dysfunction, anhedonia and also anxiety that I had before. It's been 5 yrs since last med.

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From the little I have read, my understanding is that gene expression is not a constant anyway i.e. changes naturally take place. Even the food we eat leads to changes according to what I have read. Based on this, I think it is fair to assume that things can revert back. 

 

 

 

 

Escitalopram for anxiety (dates below are approximate).

 

Oct 09 - Apr 10, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 10 - Feb 11, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 11 - Aug 12, 20mg (started to taper off but failed). 

Oct 12 - Dec 13, 20mg.  Dec 13 - Apr 14, 10mg.  Apr 14 - Nov 14, 5mg. 

Nov 14 - Jan 16, 20mg.  Jan 16 - Aug 16, 10mg.  Aug 16 - Dec 16, 10mg every other day.  Dec 16 - Jan 17 5mg every third day.  Jan 17 - took last tablet.

 

 

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Like I say, it is only based on the little I have read. But I do think sometimes it is easy to become scared by the name of something: alteration to gene expression sounds so serious. But after the little I read, I felt not so concerned. Maybe there is somebody on here with a medical background who can add something further...

 

AmqA, do you feel you have seen improvement in your PSSD over these years? 

Escitalopram for anxiety (dates below are approximate).

 

Oct 09 - Apr 10, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 10 - Feb 11, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 11 - Aug 12, 20mg (started to taper off but failed). 

Oct 12 - Dec 13, 20mg.  Dec 13 - Apr 14, 10mg.  Apr 14 - Nov 14, 5mg. 

Nov 14 - Jan 16, 20mg.  Jan 16 - Aug 16, 10mg.  Aug 16 - Dec 16, 10mg every other day.  Dec 16 - Jan 17 5mg every third day.  Jan 17 - took last tablet.

 

 

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59 minutes ago, 1Day said:

Yes, I am 14 months off. 

 

Potions, I understand your distress, but it is beyond doubt that people have recovered from this. I actually know of somebody through a friend that has recovered. 

 

How many people exactly do you know of that are 8+ years off and still suffering? Also I would ask do you know everything about them in terms of drug history and what they might still be taking?

 

I don't think it is a myth that people move on and don't return to the forums. I know that Spruce once asked somebody who had recovered to post a comment about their recovery on the Rxisk site and they declined because they simply did not want to revisit the horrible time that they had gone through. 

 

I would post about recovery for sure. But I can totally understand that as people start to significantly improve they simply start to move on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

on the other hand I think most people would like to make a recovery/success post, since they know how much that can encourage others. I think it would be a minority not posting. And yet we have very few success stories in relation to members. It often puts you down no matter how much you hope. 

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17 minutes ago, 1Day said:

Like I say, it is only based on the little I have read. But I do think sometimes it is easy to become scared by the name of something: alteration to gene expression sounds so serious. But after the little I read, I felt not so concerned. Maybe there is somebody on here with a medical background who can add something further...

 

AmqA, do you feel you have seen improvement in your PSSD over these years? 

Yes, but whatever causes pssd has caused extremely long lasting sexual dysfunction in people. I am sure we are all aware of this. Gene expression can change back, yeah, but sometimes things need to trigger it which is (according to ghost) why some people recover and others don't. Their gene expression changed back. I don't know too much about this at all, but all I know is that long term sufferers do exist and they are very miserable.

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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A general question to anyone with pssd and anhedonia: have they improved gradually over time? Do they seem to go hand in hand in terms of recovery, if there has been recovery? I have had a severe case of both for 11 months now, and no progress and thus getting quite hopeless. And this all started while using bupropion which often is cited a potential cure and risk free of pssd. I am a living proof this can be far from the truth. Equally poisonous. And as for other drugs, how often do you here that the original problem is healed? For me this **** made also the original depression and anxiety much worse. So bad that with anhedonia caused by it I had to be hospitalized and force fed lexapro and seroquel for 6 weeks against my will. That is when I got just enough power to leave the hospital. Those weeks of extra poison certainly did not help my catastrophy caused originally by bupropion, and emptied my mind to the max. 

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1 hour ago, 1Day said:

Yes, I am 14 months off. 

 

Potions, I understand your distress, but it is beyond doubt that people have recovered from this. I actually know of somebody through a friend that has recovered. 

 

How many people exactly do you know of that are 8+ years off and still suffering? Also I would ask do you know everything about them in terms of drug history and what they might still be taking?

 

I don't think it is a myth that people move on and don't return to the forums. I know that Spruce once asked somebody who had recovered to post a comment about their recovery on the Rxisk site and they declined because they simply did not want to revisit the horrible time that they had gone through. 

 

I would post about recovery for sure. But I can totally understand that as people start to significantly improve they simply start to move on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I very much hope you're right, and I admire your positivity; I just looked at your profile and you seem to be very upset about pssd as well. I am part of a new pssd facebook group with around 50 members and the average length of suffering for them is around 5-6 years I'd say. I know a 14 year sufferer, as well as a couple 8 year sufferers, a 15 year sufferer, an 11 year sufferer, a 5 year sufferer, and a few year to year and a half sufferers. I asked on pssdforum about how long everyone has been suffering from pssd and most said one to two years, but there were still quite a lot who said 3-5 or 6-10 and a few who said 10-20 and 20+. Spruce has been suffering for 10 years from pssd even though he took benzos three years ago (which do not cause persistent sexual dysfunction as far as I know) and I don't think he's improved much at all. So I have been skeptical about whether I will ever recover from this. I do personally know one person (the girl I talked to ) who recovered from pssd after a year but that's all. She also said she still gets genital numbness "from time to time" so I do not think she's completely recovered at all, maybe just improved. Also, even in the few recovery stories I've read, some people who claim to have recovered are taking inositol which only puts a bandaid on the issue in my opinion. It's only recovery if you are not taking anything else and your sexual functioning returned.

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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Sure. I am miserable after only 14 months; I cannot imagine 10 years of this. 

 

I think most of the recovery stories I have read have been natural recoveries. 

 

To what degree gene expression is involved, I have no idea. But I think nervous system dysregulation and for some people hormonal imbalance are major factors.

 

People do recover. So we have to keep going. Don't give up at such an early stage. 

Escitalopram for anxiety (dates below are approximate).

 

Oct 09 - Apr 10, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 10 - Feb 11, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 11 - Aug 12, 20mg (started to taper off but failed). 

Oct 12 - Dec 13, 20mg.  Dec 13 - Apr 14, 10mg.  Apr 14 - Nov 14, 5mg. 

Nov 14 - Jan 16, 20mg.  Jan 16 - Aug 16, 10mg.  Aug 16 - Dec 16, 10mg every other day.  Dec 16 - Jan 17 5mg every third day.  Jan 17 - took last tablet.

 

 

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Sure. The long term cases are concerning. I am very upset and angry about what has happened to me and to all of us. 

 

I think there are many recovery stories hidden on various forums. I have read ones where people have reported recovery. And I also read that there used to be a forum called Paxil progress that had dozens of recovery stories. But the site got shut down. 

 

Look up Charlie Browns recovery. It gives great hope. 

Escitalopram for anxiety (dates below are approximate).

 

Oct 09 - Apr 10, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 10 - Feb 11, 20mg (tapered off over about 6 weeks). 

Jun 11 - Aug 12, 20mg (started to taper off but failed). 

Oct 12 - Dec 13, 20mg.  Dec 13 - Apr 14, 10mg.  Apr 14 - Nov 14, 5mg. 

Nov 14 - Jan 16, 20mg.  Jan 16 - Aug 16, 10mg.  Aug 16 - Dec 16, 10mg every other day.  Dec 16 - Jan 17 5mg every third day.  Jan 17 - took last tablet.

 

 

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I spoke to my psychologist last week about pssd (and he believes and supports me), and he told me a patient came to him who came off ssris 8 years ago and his sex drive never came back. 8 years is far too long in my opinion to be waiting for recovery, and I feel like if no healing takes place in 8 years, probably no healing will take place ever. Genital anesthesia does not seem to be related to hormone imbalances in my opinion either. It’s the fact that these real life people (not online)  have been suffering for so many years that makes it so real and makes me think it’s likely I won’t recover for many many years either (if at all).

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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3 hours ago, 1Day said:

I actually know of somebody through a friend that has recovered. 

Hi 1Day. Do you know how long it took your friend’s friend to recover?

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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I have heard of one person taking 12 years to recover after cold turkying benzos and SSRI's. He was on the benzo buddies forum under the name MR B. He had almost no sex drive and genital numbness for 12 years, along with a load of other symptoms. He thought he would never recover, and was quite surprised when he did. This is the longest i have heard of someone taking to recover.

 

Charlie brown and Altostrata both took about 9 years to fully recover i think. With different aspects of their sexual functioning returning to normal at different times within those 9 years.

 

Potions;

benzodiazepines can sometimes cause sexual problems that persist for years after you come off them. I know a lot of people from both a tranquilizer support group, and the benzo buddies forum, who have come off benzos and have never touched an SSRI, and have had erection problems and libido problems for years after coming off them. Most told me they eventually recovered, but told me it took years for everything to go completely back to normal.

 

Benzodiazepines suppress nor adrenaline, and a lot of other neurotransmitters involved in awareness and arousal. Benzodiazepines can also cause blunting of emotions etc. It is well documented that benzodiazepines can cause a lot of different sexual problems, while taking them, and there is anecdotal evidence they can persist after you come off them.

 

 

Last took an SSRI January 2009.

Last took a benzodiazepine May 2015.

Free from all prescription medication since May 2015.

Everything has mostly healed apart from PSSD which is still very bad, and is my most distressing symptom. Also i have developed some allergy problems/ sensitivities to things in the environment which i believe was possibly caused by the prescription medications (SSRI's and benzos).

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We should not give up fighting for justice about all this. I have lost 10 years of my life so far to withdrawing off these drugs, and all the sexual problems i have had to endure over the last 10 years. It made those years a misery.

 

I lost almost my entire prime/ youth.

 

We should keep fighting for someone to take responsibility, even if we eventually recover.

 

Last took an SSRI January 2009.

Last took a benzodiazepine May 2015.

Free from all prescription medication since May 2015.

Everything has mostly healed apart from PSSD which is still very bad, and is my most distressing symptom. Also i have developed some allergy problems/ sensitivities to things in the environment which i believe was possibly caused by the prescription medications (SSRI's and benzos).

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38 minutes ago, Spruce30 said:

I have heard of one person taking 12 years to recover after cold turkying benzos and SSRI's. He was on the benzo buddies forum under the name MR B. He had almost no sex drive and genital numbness for 12 years, along with a load of other symptoms. He thought he would never recover, and was quite surprised when he did. This is the longest i have heard of someone taking to recover.

 

Charlie brown and Altostrata both took about 9 years to fully recover i think. With different aspects of their sexual functioning returning to normal at different times within those 9 years.

 

Potions;

benzodiazepines can sometimes cause sexual problems that persist for years after you come off them. I know a lot of people from both a tranquilizer support group, and the benzo buddies forum, who have come off benzos and have never touched an SSRI, and have had erection problems and libido problems for years after coming off them. Most told me they eventually recovered, but told me it took years for everything to go completely back to normal.

 

Benzodiazepines suppress nor adrenaline, and a lot of other neurotransmitters involved in awareness and arousal. Benzodiazepines can also cause blunting of emotions etc. It is well documented that benzodiazepines can cause a lot of different sexual problems, while taking them, and there is anecdotal evidence they can persist after you come off them.

 

 

Wow Spruce, I didn’t know that about benzodiazepines so thank you for the information, that is very useful. I hope you and I both recover from PSSD.

 

I thought altostrata recovered after 4 years from pssd and Charliebrown 3? I think Charliebrown said it took 3 years for him to regain a good emotional range and his youthful lust I thought. And the person who took 12 years to recover: was he off all meds during those 12 years? And is he 100% recovered now—i.e., the way he was before ssris/benzos (sexually)? 

 

Do you think we will will recover from PSSD, even if it takes some more years?

Zoloft 50 mg from April 23, 2015 to August 28th, 2016 (1 year, 4 months).

4 week taper. Last dose on August 28, 2016

 

Mianserin 30 mg in an attempt to reverse PSSD from September 6th, 2017–around mid November 2017 after a few week taper. Did not fix PSSD

 

Currently taking: Melatonin and magnesium every night.

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