☼ escitalopramsucks: PSSD by courtesy of escilatopram

February 6, 2015

ME: 37 y.o. female
STORY: In escitalopram 1 year and two months:
low dosis (10 mg per day) from Jun 2013 to May 2013,
then I low to 10 gr every two days.
eventually quit on September 2013
WHY STARTING WITH IT? I had the drug because I experienced a great general anxiety. It really cure my problem.
Other drugs you are having or gone back to this one : NO

SIDE EFFECTS:

- Not arousal, not libido: the sensation of "I could live without sex"
- I can get orgasms but they are much weaker.
- I have noticed that my breast don´t get swollen before menstruation
- Lack of vaginal discharge
- Barely absence of vaginal odour

Any improvements since then: NO

Natural suplements or herbs you are having?: 1500 mg oil fish omega 3 daily since 28/1/2014

"if you come up with any good ideas, please let us know"

February 6, 2015

Hi escitalopramsucks , Welcome to SA. You'll find there's loads of information here , way too much to digest in one go.

Just to clarify , were you taking 10mg from June 2013 to May 2014 , then stopped in September 2014? So it's been 5 months since your last dose (10mg on alternate days) ?

Are you having any odd sensations or thoughts lately? Have you noticed any other changes since stopping?

Please let us know how we can help you.

Best wishes , Fresh

February 7, 2015

Hi Fresh...

The only thing I can add to my report is my GP recommend me to take Wellbutrin to try to reverse the effects of the PSSD.

I just was able to give it a try for 3 days, because I became horribly anxious and I just stop having it inmediatly.

No more things to add except I´m joyless... I have focused my life in another things but I remain an anguis difficult to get rid of.

(*)It was September or August when I had NO medicines... but the last two months before that the quantity of escitalopram I took was insignificant as I was being reducing it until quitting...

Thank you. Best wishes for you too

February 7, 2015

Thanks escitalopramsucks ( love your name). It's going to take a while to get your "old self" back , everyone says it's very gradual , but it comes.

Try to be interested in other things , regular activities , structure your days/weeks.

You need to be patient - your body is repairing itself as fast as it can.

Fresh

February 8, 2015

Hi Fresh,

Your words are a balsam for me... I feel down today after a few good days.

I like reading the words "get your old self back" because I´m very scary about remaining the same forever...

This is like being diagnosed a Chronical disease....

Thanks a million. Hope you are well.

February 11, 2015

Welcome escitalopramsucks,

I'm sorry you are still having symptoms since stopping escitalopram 5 months ago. Would it be right to say that since you stopped taking it, you are still only experiencing the side effects you had while taking it, but there have been no new withdrawal symptoms?

For how long were you taking it on alternate days? We need a little more information about how you stopped taking it.

Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature. Putting a short version of your drug and tapering history in your signature helps people understand your context, it appears below each of your posts. Here are instructions for how to do it:

http://survivinganti...your-signature/

You will recover, but it may take some time. Many people find fish oil and magnesium helpful, see King of Supplements: Omega 3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil) and Magnesium, Nature's Calcium Channel Blocker

You can use this thread as your ongoing journal to track progress, write about symptoms, ask questions and communicate with the community, add to it whenever you want. You will find a lot of friendly help and support here.

Petunia.

February 14, 2015

Dear Petunia,

Thanks for your reply,

*since you stopped taking it, you are still only experiencing the side effects you had while taking it?

I would´t call it a remaining effect... since you quit this drug, it completely gets off your body system as maximum after 4 weeks... so after 5 months (more, if I consider the extremly insignificant dosis (10mg on alternate days) I had the last months before quitting. *I think I had his dosis between Jun 2013 and Aug 2013 (tapering)

Today I found this:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/509385-lions-mane-mushroom-for-nerve-damage/

It may help, for me is unaffordable in that moment, but it is said to be good for the nervous system- (natural)

Some doubts that come out when I read other women´s stories are...

Some of them complain of problems to have orgasms, but their desire and arousal is intact

On the other hand other people suffermostly from (and this is my case):

- Desire: the brain´s response towards an image... a person etc... (more emotional),

- Arousal is the physical response to the desire: with physical signs in our bodies (the emotional translated to the physical)

- Because I can have orgasms yet weaker and *mechanic... (without sexual tension, makes sense).

So... even if someone come across with a solution... Will be valid for everybody? Do we have the same problem or we could start talking about PSSD type 1, PSSD type 2... or is only a question of severity...?

My question is for the people who recovered from PSSD...

Could you please, explain whick of the symptons you get recovered first and which were the ones that remain longer? Lile put them in order of recovery?

(If we wanna fight with an enemy we have to get as much info as possible)

Forum question: Last question. It´s very difficult to find out information in that forum because all the personal stories and symptons are all together. Should we organizate this a little bit? I just can´t read all people´s stories to figure out if they are discussing the topic of my interest, in this case PSSD, so I guess it happens to anyone.

Thank you!

February 14, 2015

Hi escitalopramsucks,

Thank you for filling out your signature. We have a short topic on Lion's Mane Mushroom, if you decide to try it, perhaps you could add your experience to the discussion: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7488-lions-mane-mushroom-for-nerve-regeneration/

The best way to search this site for specific information is to use Google. Type in survivingantidepressants.org then the symptom or information you wish to search for.

I typed in 'survivingantidepressants.org PSSD' and got a list of intro topics from members who have this symptom. I hope this helps.

Petunia

February 15, 2015

Welcome, escilatopramsucks.

Please read our topic on Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD) and other topics in the Symptoms and Self-Care forum.

10mg escilatopram is not an insignificant dose; it's equivalent to 20mg or 30mg Paxil or Celexa. Skipping days is a good way to confuse your nervous system. It sounds to me like you are still recovering from this irregular tapering pattern.

Recovery tends to be very gradual. You will need to be patient and take care of yourself.

Is PSSD your only post-escilatopram symptom?

February 15, 2015

Thanks for encouraging me and give me hope. I though it was good for the body and brain to lower dosis and have 10 mg in alternate days! I mean to taper little by little and avoid abstinence syndrome and getting back to anxiety,,, so...

Yeah, it´s the only sympton I got... actually I was healed from my anxiety after fighting with ir most if my life.

.

April 16, 2015

Hi,

Something unusual ocurred to me and I would like to update my experiences.

Since I have been sufferering from PSSD my menstruations became softer and less painful. My breast barely swell and the pain of my legs I had before vanished.

This last month menstruation was very "hormonal" : long premenstruation syndrome with headache, swollen legs and when It finally came I had a very painful one and eventually my breast swoll like they used to!!! I had a little acne and feel more sensations.

My intuitioin says there´s a big imbalance problem with my hormons and having this menstruation I felt like everything is trying to be right again ...

I really felt my body was similar functioning as before the Escitalopram (in terms of menstruation) and felt happy.

I had the opportunity to have sex after this good menstruation and it was much better and could enjoy sex first time in ages. Not as good as before the PSSD but still nice.

Now, 10 days after, I feel asexual again...

What do you think about having a normal menstruation again? Do you think is a sign of my body of recovering? a window? Have any female experienced the same while suffering from PSSD?

Hugs

May 2, 2015

I had the same issue with escitalopram, and I was only on it for a month or two. I took brand name lexapro for years and experienced no side effects whatsoever, but the moment I went on the generic I literally felt like someone gave my clitoris a shot of novacane. As a result, I stopped taking it after a month or two. I was prescribed wellbutrin to counteract it, and take that now, though I am considering coming off of that too. It helped, but it did not solve the problem completely. I have been off of the escitalopram for 5 or 6 months now, and I can relate completely to feeling asexual at times. I have a gorgeous, sexy boyfriend, and I am very attracted to him. But half the time I could take it or leave it. I used to think about sex all day, and now it takes almost 2 months before I start getting really frisky (lol). I used to be insatiable. I have more sensation than I had while on the escitalopram, but it is still drastically reduced, and it takes forever for me to achieve orgasm. After reading the PSSD thread, I have decided to ask my acupuncturist for help with this, as well as do some sacral chakra meditations and see an energy worker (which I have been meaning to do anyway). I will report back. Another thing I picked up from the other thread was that exercise seems to help. As with any healing process, diet and exercise always move things along much more quickly. I would imagine there are herbs out there that would help as well, aside from the fish oil. If I find any I will let you know. Good luck! I know how much this sucks. <3

May 2, 2015

Hi, escilatopramsucks. It sounds like your body is fixing itself. The results might be a little rough at first, but it will get better and better at it.

May 11, 2015

Hi again,

Altostrata. A pleasure to have your comment in my topic always full of hope and respect.

I just would like to post some thinkings after a blood test I had last month (the month with the strange menstruation indeed) related with my readings about sexual desire and hormones-neurotransmitters.

I have told quite a lot about my lack of atraction for men and reduced sexual pleasure, but not about this lack of butterflies in the belly and euphoria.

-In some articles it is said that testosterone and estrogens are responsible of desire and attraction (first step)

- That leads you to the next step... euphoria and infatuation (butterflies in the belly): dopamine is very important in that stage, but as all the studies about PSSD say our dopamine after SSRI´s is low because it was meesed up due to an increase of the serotonine.

Also are important in that stage

feniletilamine, norepinefrine and serotonine!! serotonine is the one that gives you control, so you don´t overreact too much to guys and don´t feel infatuation and euphoria in excess

I REALLY MISS BEING EUPHORIC. I used to be an enthusiastic girl and I´m truly sure my lack of euphoria has to be with my lack of sexual desire, i mean, both come from the same issue.

The results of the hormone test showed this:

testosterone. is 0.20; the normal range is 0-0.75

estrogen is 83; the normal rage is 21-312

progesterone is 4.4; normal range is 5.18-18.56

prolactine is 21.5 the normal range is 3-27

s-dhea is 0.83 normal ranges is 0.85-4.10

I´m not a doctor, I don´t really know but these results can be very significative: testosterone, estrogene and s-dhea are low what causes low desire and prolactine is quite hight that means the same...

I´m very into the natural recovery... but if after some years I keep the same...What if our solution would be to find a good endocrinologist expert in female sexuality who gave us a hormone treatment?

In a few weeks I´m visiting a natural medicine doc and I´ll bring these blood test to see if my conclusions are correct.

Have some of the females with PSSD joined a hormonal therapy, please?

Thank you for listening, always.

Hugs,

June 17, 2015

Not very well: My menstruation has vanished this month: I am under 10 of libido.

I have started with Acupuncture and homeopathy. I´ve already had two sessions. The doctor commented he is gonna fix it in some months. He seems very confident and I got shocked when he talked about my symptons withouy any explanation from my part: he told abour dopamine and link ot with my feelings and blood data : he didn´t found PSSD odd or a psychological: he just considered it as a natural consequence of the ssri´s. He told me all the issues we know about neurotransmitters and hormones... I was flipping out!!

I liked it, but at the same time, now, back to my country I feel quite despaired and grouchy-sensitive... I am crying and shouting all the time. All the time I was abroad I was surviving and here I have let off my steam and desesperation. My mood changes from the grief to the hope in hours.

He mentioned when saw my blood test that he can´t believe I can still ovulate: low testosterone and imbalanced hormones.

I haven´t noticed any improvement: what is worst is my menstruation is gone.

I think I need to cheer up and get rid of my sadness

June 18, 2015

The interplay of hormones for libido and sexual response is very complicated. It's best not to try to fix it with drugs, your body needs to heal itself.

Get good exercise and sleep to help your body heal. If you go to a psychiatrist and ask for help, you will get a prescription.

Many people do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

June 18, 2015

Thanks for the quicly response.

Oh! But it is homeopathy! I though homeopathy can´t be harmful... He is not a psychiatrist, but a naturalist doctor who offers homeopathy and acupuncture...

Now I feel scared. Do you think homeopathy can make it even worst?

Thank you

June 19, 2015

Homeopathy is not likely to cause additional problems.

August 25, 2015

Hi!

I decided to quit the homeopathy. Since having the PSSD now for more than a year I become frightened of any kind of f* pills... I don´t even have paracetamol for minor colds... I just can´t trust medicine and have a very different view of the health system than before.

If I´m writing here today is to say that I had last week a window or a recovery period or whatever... but SOMETHING. And I would like to tell you all to go ahead and send a cheer up message.

Last month was very depressing for me: My emotions were like a roller coaster trail... going from hope to the entire desesperation but last week I spent the weekend with a person and libido out of a sudden woke up. I started to have fantasies and desire...

It is the first time I experience libido in one year and I experienced desire for sex. I just can´t really believe it as after the weekend PSSD came back again... but I could have a satisfactory intercourse after a long time.

My thought is now... if I have had it once it can happen again.

Lately I though everything was lost and out of the blue this happened to me, so please, be positive and hold on

I haven´t done anything different as usual but starting in a very physically demanding job (it is like work out in the gym) and sunbathing while landscaping a bit.

I think from now onwards I´m gonna be more in peace with this frustrating and emotional devastating illness. Yes! This is an illness that change all your world...

August 25, 2015

That's great

Having a physically demanding job can be good for you. Idleness is not good for the libido. Have you enrolled in the new study?

August 25, 2015

Hi! I think I was the first in replying to the doctors... same day I received their message.

We all do need to enroll in it... I just hope this will be a serious and relevant study to help us not only for informational issued but with healing purposes too...

Thanks for your mail and take care!

August 25, 2015

Cheer up, ES. You've had a window. Your body is getting closer to repair.

This will be off and on for a while. See The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

August 25, 2015

Thanks Altostrata. You can't imagine how important you words and encouraging testimonyhave been from the first moment...

December 1, 2015

Dear friends,

I'm terribly depressed and I got anxiety back.

I thought escitalopram caused me PSSD but cured my anxiety. But about two.months ago I started to feel anxiety again and now I'm in a very difficult situation as I can't cope with my dark depression and anxiety.

I try to stay positive and go out... work... study... I just can't do it better and I don't improve.

I'm crying all the time cos I have a deep anguish and going to a part time job is big trouble.

I attend a psychologist.

I want to.overcome pssd someday... but I think.I need some medical help. Do you know if all kind of antidepressants mess up the neuronal function?

I don't know if I can continue living this way.

I don't want to be a zombie with emotional.anesthesia and no willing for sex the rest of.my life. But I can tell you this is.no life.

This is.misery and everything I do is lack of joy ...

Is there any alternative please? How have you overcame your depression not interfering the healing from.PSSD?

The idea of dead is starting to be a relief... this.is no life...

December 1, 2015

I'm in the same situation, but I have arrhythmia, drowsiness and fatigue, the pssd improved about 25% in recent months. Lately I am very hopeless, I'm 24 years old and look like a vegetable. 15 months off lexapro.

December 8, 2015

Hi again,

I feel abandoned. I don´t trust psychiatrist anymore to ask for some help with depre and anxiety due to my PSSD condition or who knows... maybe I have a tendency to depre and anxiety in addition to my worries about PSSD, maybe is withdrawal... but the fact that anxiety came back 1 year and a month after quiting escitalopram and the starting of PSSD is very rare... Can it be withdrawal? It was very shocking for me to live without any anxiety for so long...

I had no anxiety during escitalopram nor after quitting... then finally it came back so strong and with a major depression I cannot live with.

When I wake up it is the worst... I pray to die. I fight everyday and wake up from the bed:mornings and my thoughts in the morning are somethingI don´t wish to my worst enemies... nights are better... the anxiety and depre are milder and I feel there are two people in me...: in the mornings the one hopeless--- thinking PSSD will lead me to death and out of control. The one at night (not all the nights are milder) but the ones that I can enjoy TV program, a good book, a phone call... make me think that maybe I have some chance to recover for PSSD and get my life back again.

This is the most absolute nightmare I´ve ever been; I´m starting to become obssesed with my parents getting old and me: with my PSSD being alone and mserable. I just can´t continue talking of this...

The thinking of being unable to go back to SSRI´S to help my depre, cos if go back.. my chances of recovery from PSSD will just vanished.... what the hell can I do? :( :(

I have been deeply reading in David Healy´s page and documents looking for responses. I have found out in his writtings:

"Persisting sexual dysfunction after the medication has been stopped can also be caused by: (apart from SSRI´s)

Some tricyclic antidepressants
Serotonin reuptake inhibiting antihistamines
Ziprasidone – an antipsychotic which is also a serotonin reuptake inhibitor
Some antibiotics (that may be serotonin reuptake inhibiting) such as tetracycline and doxycycline
Finasteride (Propecia) which is used to treat male pattern baldness and benign prostatic hyperplasia. This drug can cause Post-Finasteride Syndrome (PFS) [29-32]
Isotretinoin (Accutane) which is used as a treatment for acne [4], and is also serotonin reuptake inhibiting"
in this page:http://withdrawal.rxisk.org/topics/post-ssri-sexual-dysfunction-pssd/

I finally took the decision of having the minimal dosage of a benzodiazepine. 0´5 mg (half a pill of lorzepam) to at least be able to sleep. PSSD, depre, anxiety and no sleep is a cocktail too big to swallow...

I feel down for that decision: I wonder if this will worsen my chances of recovery from PSSD. Hopefully it won´t!!! I tried magnesium but this only helped veeeeery slighly

I feel alone cos nobody can answers this questions: David Healy fares are too much for me to ask for a private consultation... the local psychiatrist I know here don´t believe in the existence of PSSD condition...mI can´t find answers in this forum to this specific question...

Finally I had to try something. Today, after two days using lorazepam at night I feel at least rested and not as angished....

Next day I´ll visit a psychiatrist: I don´t expect him to believe about PSSD but I will ask him for help about using benzos with minimal effects on me.

If someone has the same difficulties as I´m having and can ad some info, thank you very much

Alto: I apologize for talking about medications: you always say this is a forum to taper and quit, not to add more pills in our ruined brains and bodies... but I think I can life a little better with PSSD if I get some help... sorry

December 8, 2015

I think you just need time to overcome that anxiety/depression without antidepressants, and when it gets better, your pssd will probably be solved. That's my guess.

The best would be not to take anything of course, but I think (sorry for benzo sufferers out there) that benzos are less harmful than antidepressants, so better to take lorazepam every now and then than going back on lexapro.

December 9, 2015

Thanks dear Theon for taking my topic into consideration :excl: . I don´t like taking decisions blindly. I did it in the past... trusting the psychiatrists and the leaflets the big pharma wrap the pills with and here I am.

I wonder if there is another way that I haven´t contemplated yet. I have been suffering from anxiety in the past. maybe from depression too... nothing compared with this suffering, nothinh like this nightmare.

I remember after quiting escitalopram and started feeling PSSD I was extremly sad...it lasted 1 year more or less. I was feeling very bad but i could do the normal tasks daily and didn´t affect so deeply my life and my soul.

Suddenly the anxiety came back to my life in a destructive way and uncontrollable. It was all of a sudden after a period of extrem anger, There is only a little step from anxiety to depression. I crossed it quickly. And obssesive thoughts about PSSD and loneliness started to be in my mind all day long.

What it is sure is that I´m only gonna use the benzo when the situation turns unbearable or the lack of sleep don´t allow me to work or eat. Last week I couldnt eat in 2 days except from little peaces of tiny food.

I have a friend who says I can go out from the depre with a better attitude. I wish I could! All my life I have been a person with anxiety problems but never was overcome by it!

I passed exams with great anxiety... broke up relationships with great anxiety... travel alone with anxiety... and when I was put into escitalopram I felt a power: the power of being myself , with all my capacities but without anxiety. I really envy people who live a life without this emotional illnesses, fears or special personalities, without these weak points, whatever you want to call them.

After all these experiences I don´t think I´m weak. The fact is this time, PSSD and the consequences has overwhelmed me.

I AM SCARED.

December 9, 2015

I have PSSD for 3 years now. I also experience a total lack of anxiety. And I'm 100% sure the two are related.

December 9, 2015

Have you tried a quarter tablet of lorazepam rather than a half tablet?

If you use it regularly, you will become physiologically dependent on it. You will have to taper it later. (A lot of psychiatrists don't believe this.)

What is the relationship between your feelings of anxiety and depression and PSSD?

December 9, 2015

I have PSSD for 3 years now. I also experience a total lack of anxiety. And I'm 100% sure the two are related.

I completely agree with AppleOfSodom. All that EscitalopramSucks is telling about her natural anxiety could be applied to me. (I had my first bouts of health anxiety when I was 15 years old, thankfully I was not given any drug at that young age)

And after the prozac I am a different person, with no anxiety but with pssd and emotional blunting. So I am quite sure that those two are related, at least for some people.

Therefore, now that you are experiencing anxiety and depression, it probably means that the emotional blunting caused by the drug has finally vanished. So if I were you, I would try to take it as another step in your recovery, and I think that with some time your brain will learn to manage the anxiety/depression.

December 9, 2015

What is the relationship between your feelings of anxiety and depression and PSSD?

Every time in my life when I had to cope with a problem I had the guts to face differents situation even being a person with tendency to anxiety.

This situation is different: PSSD has a HUGE impact in my life. I cannot adapt to this reality. I don´t accept being unable to feel butterflies, love, fall in love or romantic feelings. The physiological part of PSSD: weak orgasms... etc, don´t hit me that much. I could live without them possibly. The part I miss, I don´t tolerate is the affective side: the idea of not being able to like men, feel attraction, etc makes me feel insolated, far away from the reality and society and different and this has overstressed me until the point of depression and anxiety. When friends or TV programms talk about liking people, infatuation I can´t bear it.

I never have been chasing men... I have been single most of my life... had boyfriends but if I was single I felt complete and happy as well. But feeling unable to connect with men drives me crazy. I go out into the streets and remember my old self feeling interested in details, conversations, voices, beards, eyes...smiles, gesture... it is so natural in humans.

All this world has dissapeared and I feel the same attraction for a stone than for a boy. it is no human.

In some way I feel I am passing through a mourning. This is a big loss. A mourning I don´t get through because I don´t want to accept I´ll be like that forever, I just want to recover my life. The old girl I was. I feel uncomplete and disabled for one of the main reasons to live that life.

Since I don´t know if it is gonna be temporary or not it worses my feelings and my thoughs are too dark and hopeless. I don´t want to continue like that for the rest of my life: this thought is unbearable and I work in this with my psychologist but the things she tries to tell me don´t convince me very much. My friends tell me situations change and things are not forever. When you are into that is not as easy believing this,

Have you tried a quarter tablet of lorazepam rather than a half tablet?

If you use it regularly, you will become physiologically dependent on it. You will have to taper it later. (A lot of psychiatrists don't believe this.)

Dear Alto. I only have had lorazepam for 2 nights. It´s a good idea to try only a quarter. Thank you. All advice in this is needed and appreciative.

The first night I was having such a lot of lack of sleep that it was really effective and I slept for 10 hours.

The second night I gave a chance to my natural sleep but at 5.00 I woke up totally on edge with obsessive thoughts and nausea (this is my day to day basis since a couple of months ago) and I had another half. I woke up 4 hours later and my anxiety wasn´t better. Actually I felt drowsy until the afternoon what it was good to have a nap. Evenings and nights are milder in terms of depression and anxiety. Mornings are hell. Today I haventñ had any benzo... I just want them in case I can´t bear it or have been sleeping so bad for a long time like I did two days ago. The lack of sleep didn´t help my depre and I got stuck at home. (I force myselg to go out and walk everyday)

THANKS

I have PSSD for 3 years now. I also experience a total lack of anxiety. And I'm 100% sure the two are related.

I completely agree with AppleOfSodom. All that EscitalopramSucks is telling about her natural anxiety could be applied to me. (I had my first bouts of health anxiety when I was 15 years old, thankfully I was not given any drug at that young age)

And after the prozac I am a different person, with no anxiety but with pssd and emotional blunting. So I am quite sure that those two are related, at least for some people.

Therefore, now that you are experiencing anxiety and depression, it probably means that the emotional blunting caused by the drug has finally vanished. So if I were you, I would try to take it as another step in your recovery, and I think that with some time your brain will learn to manage the anxiety/depression.

Guys, thank you so much. I can´t say my emotional bluntil has dissapeard for what I have explained above.

It is true that due to depre I´m extremly sensitive and everything affects me. TV news make me feel emathetic with people suffering... horror movies make me feel mre anxious... but my natural attraction for men has vanished. I just LOVE people in terms of value, like... enjoy companion.... what is differents from the other.

Will this change some day?

December 11, 2015

Today. What a day... I went to.my part time josb at 7, waken up at 6... but I woke up at 3.30 and I went to bed at 12.00. Started the day with severe anxiety.

Not able to eat anything for breakfast... a glass of milk cocoa.

I have passed a 6 hours of horror with extreme anxiety. I could barely talk or smile to customers or job mates. I feel i cant quit the jib. It would be more harmful but the more day passes the harder normal tasks are to me.

My.mind was plenty of obssesive thoughts that I certainly they are too dramatic but anyway I can't stop them. This depression anxiey is hell.

I believe not all the brains are same strong and some have a tendency to anx-depre.. i know people who has passed though tragedies and they feel.it in another way. I know PSSD can be beaten but my brain... my.mind work on their own. I can't control them anymore.

I pray not to have to be back on antidepressant. If my PSSD worses I wont be able to bear it.

Now im in bed. Trying to relax from all the hard work but specially from the suffering since 3.30.

This is certainly much worse than a physiological pain.

I have read Shanti ( member forum) purposes homeopathy for anxiety with good results. I need to mail him.

I'm sorry for writing too often. I need some relief. Thank you

December 11, 2015

Looking to the glass half-full: if your anxiety has returned to pre-SSRI levels maybe that means your brain has the ability to bounce back and one day you'll have your sexuality returning to a pre-SSRI state. I've heard some guys reporting that their "windows" of improved sexuality also brought with them increased anxiety.

About relationships... I think PSSD necessarily makes us reevaluate how our relationships should be. Maybe you can't feel "I-love-you-so-much-I-think-I'll-die" type of love right now, but maybe you would still enjoy a companion to do the whole "netflix and chill thing" (without the sex). Maybe you still enjoy hugging and kissing? Believe me, I know how hard it is, I have a "mental block" and I can't date for the time being, but we have to adapt somehow.

December 23, 2015

Hi again. A bit embarrassed and I shouldn't. I feel I'm weaker than the other people of the foserum with PSSD as I had to ask for help. Psychiatric help and I'm using some benzos(lorazepam) to be able to LiVe.

I visited a private psychiatrist I.met before and knew he was right. He actually beliveves in PSSD but only in the physical part. He denies it can affect the capacity to fall in.love... to feel butterflies or illusion... for me... the main part of the disease actually.

We were considering together how to.manage with my obsessive thoughts and anxiety...

I explained him I can't cope on my own or with psychology help only...

he wanted to put me back on escitalopram and I asked him have you listened to.my story? i just cannot worse the possibility of recovering...

Then he wanted me to take 3 grams per day of lorazepam(3 pills) and again I asked him why don't starting in a minimal.dose to see what happen and if I can't manage be able to increase it.

Talking with him.I realise they just can't imagine how dark you see your life when you lose feelings and elemental human capacities... he dare to ask me... do you prefer having a good shag and being investable and can't live a life or do you prefer feel OK and not having sex?

I told him... it is not a question of a d*ck and a ******... this is a question of feelings emotions and being able to make Connections with others in a romantic way.

Anyway... I got my prescription of lorazepam and I'm having them.in a different way than he advised.

I just pray not to regret this decision. Anyway I didn't have another choice.

Thanks friends

December 25, 2015

Thanks for updating es,

I'm sorry you feel you have got to the point of having to take benzos. These ongoing symptoms and how they effect our inability to have a life make living so hard, I feel the same, and would probably take some kind of psyche drug, if it worked and didn't come with side effects, but for me they no longer work, and just make me sicker than I already am.

I never really considered myself as having PSSD, because I'm no longer in a relationship and it just didn't seem to be an issue, just keeping myself alive seemed to be more important. But when I think about it and read what its like for others, its obvious I do have it, especially the inability to connect or even have sexual desires any more. It must be so much harder for younger people who are at the start of life.

I'm not going to lecture you about the risks of benzos, I'm sure you know they can be addictive, you can develop tolerance and may have to increase dose etc etc, not to mention that withdrawal is worse than SSRI withdrawal, or it can be.

I'm sure you have taken all this into consideration. How are you planning on taking it? What dose?

Before I knew I was in withdrawal from lexapro, I was using xanax for symptom relief, at first I was taking it every few days, just a small amount, sometimes it helped and sometimes it didn't. My symptoms got worse and I needed it more often, I stopped being able to sleep, so I tried using it for that too. I built up a tolerance fast and before I knew it I was taking it every day just to survive. But it stopped working and I didn't want to increase my dose so I stopped taking it, but I had already developed a dependence so I added benzo withdrawal to my lexapro withdrawal and got sicker. I still didn't understand what was going on though, its only now that its too late that I know. So all I can say to you is be careful, benzos are nasty drugs and they get their evil claws into you before you know it, then you are in for a world of hurt.

I'm wondering, have you tried any natural supplements for reducing anxiety? I've been taking L-Theanine lately, and it does lower my anxiety. I also started reading some information today about inositiol. Apparently there have been some very good results for anxiety and OCD with doses ranging from 12g - 18g (that's grams not mg)

☼ escitalopramsucks: PSSD by courtesy of escilatopram

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