6 year recovery: Lifestyle, Mindset and Diet

Therapeutic Efforts Supplements & Lifestyle
, ,
#1

Hello lads,

I’ve always wanted to compile a list of things that have helped me on my journey, but also mention the things that have set me back. My problems came from taking Accutane/Roaccutane, so this compilation might be more appropriate for isotretinoin sufferers. Nevertheless, this is purely anecdotal and shows what I have experienced on my path to recovery.

Lifestyle:

Postive:

  • Heavy Lifting and staying in decent shape
  • Keep moving! Long walks and minimal high intensity cardio
  • Maintaining an active social life (your friends are very important, especially close ones)
  • Setting goals and achieving them (not everything is about sex, re-focus!)
  • Helping other people with their issues has helped me find purpose in my life
  • Doing things that I wanted to do before PAS (hobby, travel etc.)

Negative:

  • Staying inside all day and coming on this forum way too much
  • Avoiding social life and being cold towards people has left me more depressed
  • Avoiding nature and the sun is always a bad idea
  • Excessive masturbation and porn, yes these are the devil
  • Being around negative people sucks the energy out of me, leave them!
  • Trying to find “the cure”, this might be the worst thing I have done…spending hours on end trying to research this syndrome and never getting anywhere (don’t totally ignore your condition but accept it and move ahead!)

MINDSET

  • Believing in yourself and knowing that you are the best (might seem a bit egotistical but it has helped get through the toughest times)
  • Realise that what we have been through and the fact that we are still fighting, shows that we are way stronger than we believe…own it!
  • DO NOT compare yourself to others, ever…you are on your own path my friend
  • Take any “cure” with a grain of salt and think carefully before you start any regimen
  • ACCEPTANCE: This has helped me the most. I have accepted myself fully and transparently, this condition has caused so much hurt in my life but it’s real. Once you are able to accept yourself for who you are…nothing will stand in your way.
    +HUMOR: I used to be a happy and charismatic guy…that faded away for a few years, but I forced myself to try and have a laugh in a while, enjoy the moment and stop obsessing over your condition, make fun of yourself again!
  • MINDFULNESS: Live in the moment and be aware of your surroundings…has helped calm my anxiety and over-thinking
  • LOVE: yes yes very cheesy, but love is the most powerful thing in my experience…love your friends, love your family, love your GF…love whoever you want and make sure you receive it back.
  • DEEP STOMACH BREATHING: One of my staples, calms the mind and brings oxygen into your blood (research this)

Diet:

Positive:

  • Lean Organic Meats (cooked and raw)
  • Eggs and raw egg yolks (great for brain fog)
  • Minimal veggies and fruits ( a hand full every day)
  • SORGHUM PORRIDGE (Mix one cup with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil and then stir for 5 minutes on medium heat, add honey and milk on top) (DHT activation)
  • High carbs such as Pasta and Potatoes (bread and wraps not so much)
  • Maintain electrolyte balance (Mix salt/lemon in warm water in the morning)
  • Sugar Free Red Bull (sometimes) - incredible mental and libido boost for me
  • Nicotine (sometimes) - when I smoke or take a snus (swedish oral tobacco) I have a clear mind and libido boost (not advised because of obvious reasons)
  • Alcohol (in moderation) - it’s weird but everytime I drink on a night out (student)…I have morning erections and good libido the next day?
  • Jojoba Oil (not diet) Great as a body moisturiser for those struggling with dry skin

Negative:

  • any plant oils in excess (always crashed me in the past)
  • Coconut Oil (crashed me hard for 2 weeks)
  • DHT inhibiting foods - stay away!
  • Soy based products (Tofu and Soy Sauce)
  • Oily fish - Tuna crashed me / Salmon is ok (in moderation)
  • Junk Food (Fast Foods are mostly cooked in plant oils!)
  • Processed Starches and meats
  • Plant Milks (Oat, Soy and Almond Milk are overly processed)
  • High Vitamin A foods are not optimal for PAS victims

Supplements

Postive:

  • Vitamin K1 (still great for erections and clearing arteries of calcification)
  • L-citrulline and L-arginine are still my staples for erections (in combination with Viagra)
  • Tongkat Ali good for mental sharpness and alertness (no libido boost)
  • Low Dose Vitamin D (1000iu) great for mental and hormones
  • Magnesium (sleeping aid)
  • Niacin (B3) helped me out of a lot of crashes (fights over-methylation) (500mg)

*DO NOT BOMBARD YOUR SYSTEM WITH SUPPS, KEEP IT MINIMAL

Negative:

  • Methyl B12 (terrible crash and dead penis)
  • Vitamin A (lost sensitivity in penis for a few weeks)
  • High B Vitamins (will throw others of balance) (Niacin is an exception)
  • High dose Zinc (5AR inhibitor)
  • Ginko, Tribulus, Butea Superba did nothing for me personally
  • L-Dopa did nothing
  • High Dose Vitamin E
  • Red Ginseng crashed me temporarily
  • P5P (Vitamin B6) crashed me hard
  • High Dose Vitamin D (crashed when I took 150,000 iu at once, very stupid)
  • Any Methyl-Donors
  • 5HTP (spikes Seretonin)
  • High Dose Fish Oil (eliminated my morning erections)

I have reached a point where I am happy and content with my life. Mentally I’m at 100% and arguably better than before starting Accutane. I have learnt so much throughout this journey and carry these lessons with me. I am confident, calm and collected and just finished my first year at university. My social life has never been more active and I spend time with people who love me for me. Woman show interest in me and I’ve realised that when you’re in a natural environment, libido does return. I’m having very satisfying sex again - with the help of learning how to please a woman without my dick for once. Sometimes my erections are weak - but it goes away - sometimes my libido is lower - but who gives a fuck. I have learnt that this condition fluctuates a lot, you will feel better and then worse (just like life to be honest). I’ve learnt to be comfortable with the man I am today and with that have never felt better. My supplement regimen and diet help a lot and keep me in balance. My dick works again, not like pre PAS, but I’m happy with that big fellas performance.

Get off this platform for once, take a break, take care of yourself and pursue something bigger! My goal is to be successful within my career and reach a level where I can potentially fund research for this condition…that would honestly fulfil me in the most profound way possible.

Mental Health IMO is the MOST IMPORTANT thing to have in this fight and I have reached a level where I can honestly say that I’m healing.

Regards,

Daytona

9 Likes
#2

Another Methyl B12 negative experience.

Could you please describe this particular crash? How fast did you recover?

#3

Hi TFD,

I originally got Methyl B12 because it was “natural” and helps with nerve function. I took 1000mcg for 2 days. Then I stumbled across the experience of @Dubya_B and panicked a bit…what followed is a loss of sensation in my genitals and it felt like the blood flow down there was gone. I read a few studies on over-methylation and decided to supplement with Nicotinamide (B3), which took me back to my baseline after a week. Apparently B3 reduces methylation and it worked out for me. I stopped the B12 right away fyi.

#4

Got it.

Thank you.

Glad you recovered.

1 Like
#5

How was your T all the way to your recovery?

#6

So you have learned to cope with the disease…Good for you.

2 Likes
#7

My T has always been high… last time I got it checked it was at 27.5 nmol in the range of 9.2 to 31.8 nmol. So above average;)

1 Like
#8

Indeed, and it took me a long time to do so! Anybody struggling must realise that it takes time to heal…don’t pressure yourself.

1 Like
#9

so you believe it is in fact uncurable? I mean, uncurable but acceptable.

#10

Funny how you started to snus. I recently did the same and feel it helps my mind a lot.

Started it due to some research I did which stated that it actually be beneficial, esp in PFS patients. Tried to find the study rn but couldn’t find it.

Also I’d suggest to opt for a K2 supplement, rather than a K1. The body is not great at taking advantage of K1.

#11

Hi gomesemog,

I never said that it is incurable, in fact I strongly believe that one is able to recover over time. I’m at a good place in my life and once I have the finances in check I will be able to take further calculated steps towards my treatment. Obviously the most important factor is the advancement in technology and medicine. I believe the future will bring treatments that will be able to manipulate our genes in such a way that we can recover. Not only PFS and PAS, but many other life-altering conditions.

1 Like
#12

Hi Cbrandel,

I’ve read that nicotine actually boosts DHT, when I snus or smoke I get a noticeable libido and mental boost. Plus, I don’t do any other forms of drugs, not even coffee, so the nicotine is my guilty pleasure.

I’ve tried K2, did nothing for me personally, K1 however helped me a lot in terms of erection quality and duration. Just my 2 cents.

1 Like
#13

Interesting, maybe I’ll try out some K1. Thanks!

1 Like
#14

very interesting story, i have had accutane 4 years ago, first month 60 mg half and half of the month 20 mg, then 2 months of 20 mg a day, last month and half 20 mg every 3 days something like that, had recovered quite good after PAS then got hit by Saw Palmetto wich fucked me up worse than accutane wich is funny and crazy a herbal supp ., would like to know your whole diet macros, how much carbs, olive oil ? butter ? dairy ? how much protein can you create a cronometer diet its very easy and i could see everything you eat in a day, also do you work out etc ? very inspiring recovery thanks alot in advance

#15

Hi Avenger2222,

Sorry to hear that saw palmetto hit you hard.

My diet varies a lot, but I’ll create an average compilation of the foods I eat every day currently:

Breakfast:
Sorghum Flour Porridge (as described above) 100g every day
Fruit: Manderines and Kiwi (2 Kiwis for breakfast, mild DHT booster)
Occasionally fried eggs and raw egg yolks (2-4 eggs)

Lunch:
150-250g of plain pasta (spaghetti)
Mixed with store bought tomato sauce and basil pesto
Add lean beef and chicken/turkey breast occasionally (100-200g)
Always use organic butter in the pan (add minimal olive oil to pasta)
Sprinkle parmigiano cheese on top (about 20-40g)

Dinner:

Same as lunch most of the time (I’m a student so I keep it simple)

Snacks:

Baked Chips (aka Crisps in the UK)
Manderines
Pomegranate fruit
Cucumber slices
Some chocolate and candy if I feel like it

Otherwise I avoid dairy for the most part and stay away from plant oils/fried food

Hope that helps

-Daytona

1 Like
#16

aha thanks bro for the reply, last 4-5 months i have been recovered alot sexually wise much much better than for example november 2019 is not that i had crazy libido before diet is very important at least for me, do you use olive oil because seems like not, also about kiwi it raises or lower dht ar cause i think i have heard it can lower but not sure ,also another question do you use bread white, wholewheat, white rice ? thanks !

1 Like
#17

Yes, I use olive oil sparingly (only a few dribbles over my pasta).

Kiwi is definitely known to raise DHT, but I’m no biologist so take that with a grain of salt…works for me though. Plus, it contains high amounts of Vitamin C, which cannot be bad.

No, I avoid any processed white bread and pastries…just bread in general. I do eat white rice sometimes but my staple is plain old italian pasta. (Durum wheat)

1 Like
#18

plant oils are strange, in composition they are basically dht castrating effects wich many ignore ofc in large doses, in the beginning after PAS i would eat like 10 tbsp of olive oil my body would crave it till this day dont know why that craving, and it did wonders first months then started getting bloated, dizzi and foggy like crazy now i limit it 1-2 tbsp a day max sometimes use tea spoon or even 1teaspoon cause if i take 3 tbsp in a meal i crash feel like a strange feeling foggy,

remember i tried these vegetable sunflower supermarket oil holy shit i crashed for hours vomitting just after taking 3tbsp at once my body was in pain, oleic,linoleic,lauric,beta sitoreol fatty acids, the only difference is maybe the concetration is SP is higher and the mechanism but the oil of SP itself very similar to a coconut or a plant oil, also people ditching carbs unless you are fat or a type 2 diabetic seems to me no brainer at least for me,

if i dont have carbs i dont have libido at all ofc it all is individual i dont believe a diet is superior to a diet all is individual for me elemination diet finding wich crashes you is better but is individual, calories is super important too in libido and sex drive very important no matter the quality quantity is important.

1 Like
#19

@Daytona - congratulations on your improvements!

I was wondering about sorghum - do you have a reference that can explain why it is good for testosterone or 5AR? I could only find a study that linked it to shrinking rats’ prostates.

The last time I took a supplement that also works for BPH (maca root) it really messed me up.

1 Like
#20

How long did it take to recover from PAS?