Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction

Therapeutic Efforts Pharmaceutical
#1

Currently in the process of getting more into the SSRI story.
A lot of symptoms are comparable to our state:
One or more of the following sexual symptoms persist or begin after the discontinuation of SSRIs.

* Decreased or absent libido
* Impotence or reduced vaginal lubrication
* Difficulty initiating or maintaining an erection or becoming aroused
* Persistent sexual arousal syndrome despite absence of desire
* Muted, delayed or absent orgasm (anorgasmia)
* Reduced or no experience of pleasure during orgasm (ejaculatory    
  anhedonia)
* Premature ejaculation
* Weakened penile, vaginal or clitoral sensitivity
* Genital anesthesia
* Loss or decreased response to sexual stimuli
* Reduced semen volume
* Priapism

These symptoms can last months, years or indefinitely.
Though hormones might well be affected by fin, I have more and more the impression that our brain is not reacting to sexual stimulation which might be caused by similar mechanisms.

Further, we all know that in these days to get aroused is exceptionally difficult (at least for me) and in previous times just the visual stimulation started the chain reaction. I have read about people taking SSRI and reporting the same stuff, visual stimulation is doing nothing to them.

Also, I think the effect of testo on overall libido and sexual function is absolutley overrated. I spoke to my doc about it and he gave himself some treatments recently but beside side effects like water retention and getting moody he did not have any benefit regarding the sexual side.
Hormones are important, no doubt but sex still starts in the brain and most of us here lack an appropriate response. So for people here with hormone values ‘in range’ I would start to care more about the neurological issues and give this a shot.

However, there is an recent article I found interesting in this regard.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19435548

In the meantime I will use yohimbine for the next weeks and see if I can improve. My hormones so far are ‘in range’, so I more and more believe our brain is off.

Best wishes to all of you!

#2

This is why I keep an eye on the SSRI forums as well. I figure since PSSD people have identical symptoms, if they find a cure, it will probably work for us too.

#3

This has festered in my mind lately, too. I just finished 10 days on Wellbutrin and saw no change at all, but despite that, if this theory were correct, the answer lies in neurochemical levels and receptor activity. Considering I had a recovery experience using a neuroactive treatment rather than endocrine, it may hold truth. Its hard to say where a deficiency starts since each system works closely. I think the major difference between us and SSRI victims is androgenic-based symptoms, like testes size and muscle atrophy. It really is hard to say if the problem is endocrine or neurochemical at the root, hence why we need detailed testing and to monitor our symptoms ourselves.

#4

Some really interesting stuff goes on in those SSRI newsgroups. I know because I joined one of them. I joined because I was interested in seeing if they found any solutions to the low libido and maybe some of those could help us. They have identical symptoms…you look at the list of side effects and it’s like one of us talking. No libido, erectile dysfunction, no morning wood, numb orgasms, emotional blunting, memory and cognitive issues, etc.

But that’s not what made me jump out of my seat. This is:
MANY SSRI PEOPLE WITH PERMANANT SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION HAVE SCREWY BLOODWORK

I am seeing a lot of people with very low testosterone. If the SSRI affected the pituitary gland, that controls a lot of other things and maybe that could explain low T? There is a side of me that sometimes thinks the cure could be the same for all of us…if anyone ever does find a cure.

#5

There are some published theories regarding the cause of Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, and Finasteride was mentioned in the paper:

propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1457

#6

3pm,

What was your dosage of wellbutrin?

#7

Erm I think each tablet was 200mg.

#8

I have read that Wellbutrin will not work if you dont have enough Dopamine to begin with. Since its a re-uptake inhibitor, if there is nothing being re-uptaked (is that a word?) then the effects of the drug will not be noticable.

A good place to read up on dopamine are websites dedicated to the recovery of amphetamine abuse. They say it takes months and months of taking dopamine precusors before people in recovery get their sexual drive back. They say in the meantime it basically goes to zero and this is one of the reasons why there are a lot of suicides from guys who are recovering from amphetamines. They think they will never recover, but they generally do - over time.

#9

So…taking Tyrosine, Choline Bitartate, and L-Phenalyiline(all of these are precusors) is your best bet…along with taking Wellbutrin?

Make sense…