Hi friends,
I took accutane a while back and had a lot of the same problems as you guys.
I just made an account to comment on cdnuts posts, which are highly inspirational.
I got kicked off crisler’s forum, as did a fair number of us, most of us had psychological issues like OCD or bipolar. Not all of our symptoms matched up.
Anyway these websites created great fear in me, and I think the worst part was the group think. I think a lot of the people on these boards are very intelligent, but they get so focused on one issue. Another thing that concerns me is the heavy focus on pills. Ultimately recovering comes down to real sacrifices, like the paleo-ish diet that I do, as well as rigorous exercise and spending money on blood tests.
The website that really has saved my life has been wellnessfx.com
It is Tim Ferriss’s project, and he is a role model to me. I realized that my cholesterol was very fucked up, and high hdl is vital to good sex. I just recently got the Omega FFA test done, and my arachidonic acid levels were low, which is a problem vegetarians usually have. I have sinced upped my animal fat. I also had fairly low EPA levels. I have started taking a Jarrow Fish oil.
I plan to get more tests done when I have the money-- and I plan to continue for as long as I live.
Another aspect people on these boards miss is insulin sensitivity. If you can’t explain it, you don’t know shit about your health.
After being on a drug that gets you out of shape, you will be fairly insulin resistant. Insulin resistance is associated with loss of libido.
Paleo diet will play a huge role in this. Eliminating sugar is important. Carb backloading is not a necessity but it is a good idea.
Tim Ferriss has a very good PAGG stack. He markets it for losing fat, but it is great for mood and sex as well.
I personally take garlic extract and drink lots of green tea.
Minimizing oxidative stress is important as well. Check examine.com for supplements/super foods that reduce oxidative stress or lipid peroxidation. If you do not know these terms, research them and familiarize yourself.
Spirulina has been a godsend for my sleep, and is very effective at reducing lipid peroxidation.
Anyway what I am saying is that it is important to expand your mind. Mostly people around here focus on hormones-- and the irony is that taking hormones will lower hdl, which is very important for nitric oxide production (and subsequently sex) peaktestosterone.com/How_To_ … evels.aspx
My apo B levels were very fucked up as well. This is a more specific part of LDL cholesterol, and more deleterious.
I realize that accepting some of this is difficult. It requires believing in the science and a long-term focus.
The attitude on these forums has been “I just took this supplement, now how hard is my dick or is it erect in the morning?”
This short term and close-mindedness harms more than it helps.
I firmly believe that everyone should have the wellnessfx baseline test done, as well as the omega panel, and others if you have the cash. I am not saying I have all the answers, I am just saying look in the other places and gain a good understanding. There is no shortage of Americans with a poor libido–it is a fast food nation. Mental health is well on the decline too. They are intertwined.
Ultimately it will require doing the things that cdnuts says, but it will put your mind at ease knowing that you are on the right course.
And to be honest, you have nothing to loose. At a minimum correcting a Fatty acid deficiency or excess will put you in a better mental state.
Anyway, I wish the best for all of you and cdnuts-- you are the man, keep up the good work.
“Once the mind has been stretched by a new idea, it will never again return to its original size.”
― Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.