Welcome to our community. Please fill in the following template as a way of introducing yourself, and helping others to understand your background and situation.
Where are you from (country)?
USA
How did you find this forum (Google search – if so, what search terms? Via link from a forum or website – if so, what page? Other?)
Link was posted on pssdforum.org
What is your current age, height, weight?
34, 5’7" 190 lbs
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
Sertraline
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
50 mg per day
What condition was being treated with the drug?
Social Anxiety Disorder and Depression
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
7 years
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug?
24 years old, 2011
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
I was 31 when I quit in August of 2018
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
tapered
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
3 years
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Sexual dysfunction, bowel problems
Check the boxes that apply. You can save your post first, then interactively check/uncheck the boxes by clicking on them. If your symptoms change, please update your list.
Sexual
[ x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[x ] Complete Impotence
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[x ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[x ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[x ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[x ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[x ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ x] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ x] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ x] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ ] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
I tried testosterone replacement therapy, Cabergoline for anorgasmia and tadalafil for erectile dysfunction
If you have pre or post-drug blood tests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (please post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
Testosterone levels got lower when I was on Sertraline but were still within normal range. It fell to a very low level a year after I stopped the medication. My Luteinizing Hormone values are incredibly high (39.3 mlU/mL), as are my FSH Serum levels (68.3 mlU/mL)
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience?
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
I suffer from Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction after stopping Sertraline. It has ruined my life. I have an incredibly high IQ and a lot of potential when I was younger, but now I don’t have the motivation to accomplish anything in life. I went to a bunch of gastroenterologist and urologists in New York, while I was still on Sertraline and none of them, except the last urologist I saw suggested that I might be suffering from side effects of Sertraline. These drugs need stronger warnings, because even most doctors aren’t aware of the side effects.