Re: New and in deep dispair

[Guest guest]

I am so sorry to hear your story. I hope you recover completely, and soon. Some have.

Several years ago, after I'd learned to use a computer in 2006, I searched for other people who, like me, suffered from genital anesthesia after being given neuroleptics. I noticed that someone on a site called "Mombu the Medicine Forum" had posted a question about numbness from Zyprexa, one of the newer, so-called atypical antipsychotics. I had to join and find a user name to reply to him, so on this site I am known as "Medicine Woman". Unfortunately, I never heard back from him, so I don't know if he got better.

Here's the thread. (You can see mabpray's question down at the bottom and read the responses moving upward.):

MedicineWoman

No, I haven't taken Zyprexa, but Haldol did this to me over 25 years ago. The first time was before I was married or had any children. Feeling came back in about 2 yrs., although it was never as strong.I was a nursing mom the second and third time and the feeling never came back even though I've been off neuroleptics for over a quarter of a century.I remember asking the same question. For me it is something I've had to learn to live with. For you, I hope it comes back in a little while.I think this is a topic that has largely been ignored. No one would listen to me until I found a doctor who did some testing in the 90's. He confirmed my loss and I reported it, but not with any success.

22nd November 22:08

MedicineWoman

You are the first person I've found to report genital anesthesia after being given an antipsychotic, though I HAVE found some others who've reported experiencing this after taking anti-depressants. I was forced to take Haldol many years ago. I wish I had better news for you, but, even though I've been off neuroleptics for over 25 yrs. and have no other major medical problems, I'm still numb in this way.You can see my video on YouTube by searching for "Permanent Sexual Dysfunction from Psychiatric Drugs". My user name is Kay1948. You can go to my channel, read more of my story, and find some videos by two others who have suffered in this way.I think many of us have been silent too long and should report this to the FDA, or anyone who will listen.

31st March 21:14

You had the "prolonged and painful erction" side effect?Always wanted that side effect. Never got it.

31st March 09:53

cymbal man freq.

Wait another 6 weeks and your penis may return to normal: if not, considerViagra. Clearly, Zyprexa is NOT for you!You mention prolonged painful erections (priapism), that is usually an earlyside-effect of anti-depressants; and later, your penis will become unresponsiveand unerectionable (because of the onset of the medication effect, not as aresult of damage caused by priapism). Priapism is a dangerous medical conditonthat may cause damage to your penis, and if that is still the case, see yourdoctor (should have seen the doc a long time ago already). You should also checkyourself for constipation because your digestive tract has been slowed to acrawl by medication, this can be a suddenly life-threatening condition that cantake your life overnight or within days. Hopefully, beiong off medication willhelp improve the situation. I don't take Zyprexa, but you describe symptoms Ihad on meds back in the 80's. I went 3 years with no feeling in my penis andthought it would never end. It is called "chemical castration".

31st March 01:15

mabpray

Is there anyone who experieced the same side-effect with Zyprexa?During the first few month of taking Zyprexa, I've noticed that thefirst organs to go numb were my sexual organs. I've always thoughtthat it would go away if I discontinued it.After ten months of too many unbearable side-effects (includingnumbness to my head and prolong/painful erections), I discontinued thedrug.Two weeks have past and the head numbness + other side effectsdiminished. However, the numbness to my sexual organs remained.Will this be permanent? Or is this some other medical condition that Imay have?Please help me. Thnks.PhoBoy

>> I started taking zyprexa and celexa about 10 months ago for a diagnosis of Bipolar 2. I was not warned about the possible side effects other that the pharmacist literature. I was more concerned about the zyprexa making me drugged out tired every morning. I thought celexa to be a somewhat generic anti-depressant. I noticed no real big changes through last summer in the sexual department. I performed. I had one incident of not reaching orgasm. I knew that this was a possible side effect and it didn't occur again. By the end of the summer I was feeling fine, but by the beginning of the fall I recognized that I was sort of impotent. My libido was a bit lower,visual stimuli didn't do much but the touch of my wife did. In earlier October we had our last sexual encounter during with I began to lose my erection part way through copulation, but I was able to orgasm. I began to quickly taper off of the zyprexa and cut my celexa dosage in half. About three weeks into October I had a big time anxiety attack and admitted to both spouse and psychiatrist that I was non-compliant and why. The pdoc said he had the cure and prescribed 150mg of Wellbutrin. I noticed nothing for two weeks -same low libido and no spontaneous erections. Then, after two weeks, it all came back - libido and erections. Two weeks later, it went away. I notified my doctor and he upped the dossage to 300mg of Wellbutrin. It didn't help much, and I tapered off my celexa. My libido remained low, but not too low and I began noticing that I had nocturnal and morning erections. I could bring myself to orgasm without an erection, and they were somewhat powerful. Then, it the past week my libido crashed. I feel nothing even when I touch my wife. I am not visually aroused. I don't think that I can get an erection. I feel sexually numb. I have not experienced any genital anesthesia, but my libido is so low that I'm scared. I feel like someone died. This seems so hopeless. I went off zyprexa awhile ago too and the anxiety returned three weeks later in full force. I went back on it last night and the anxiety left, but I have this awful depression. I've been writing down on a pad of paper of list of things to live for. My wife doesn't really understand. She thinks its just an erection problem and most of the sexual numbness is in my head. How right she is. Fortunately, she is a low libido person herself and does not demand a certain sexual life. She can take it or leave it. I was always the initiator.> > What do I do now?> Is there any hope?> How do I get on with my life?> I can live without sex, but how do I maintain a marriage relationship when I don't feel a thing when I touch my spouse?> > ex.>

[Guest guest]

How long did u have PSSD for, did skin around you're body also feel dull. Peace, Adam To: "SSRIsex " <SSRIsex > Sent: Tuesday, January

31, 2012 4:53:31 AM Subject: Re: New and in deep dispair

here is my humble opinion:

From what I have experienced and read wellbutrin works in a short time and then looses the effect.

i am not sure if you have waited enough for the drug to be out of your system. you should at least 7-9 weeks for the drug to be fully out of your system to make a judegement.

if axienty is the problem you can take Buspar. It is a very mild axienty drug. With some people it helps with libido.

Most important not to panic and put yourself under stress that would only make things worse.

Check your vit D and make sure it is at normal level

Omega-3 2 g/d Split

multivitamin

good eating habbits

Aggressive cardio exercise for 20-30 minutes that gets your heart pumping at 80-90% max.

Do this for 3 months and observe results.

Regards

Adil

To: SSRIsex Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2012 2:04 AMSubject: New and in deep dispair

I started taking zyprexa and celexa about 10 months ago for a diagnosis of Bipolar 2. I was not warned about the possible side effects other that the pharmacist literature. I was more concerned about the zyprexa making me drugged out tired every morning. I thought celexa to be a somewhat generic anti-depressant. I noticed no real big changes through last summer in the sexual department. I performed. I had one incident of not reaching orgasm. I knew that this was a possible side effect and it didn't occur again. By the end of the summer I was feeling fine, but by the beginning of the fall I recognized that I was sort of impotent. My libido was a bit lower,visual stimuli didn't do much but the touch of my wife did. In earlier October we had our last sexual encounter during with I began to lose my erection part way through copulation, but I was able to orgasm. I began to quickly taper off of the zyprexa and cut my celexa dosage in half. About three

weeks into October I had a big time anxiety attack and admitted to both spouse and psychiatrist that I was non-compliant and why. The pdoc said he had the cure and prescribed 150mg of Wellbutrin. I noticed nothing for two weeks -same low libido and no spontaneous erections. Then, after two weeks, it all came back - libido and erections. Two weeks later, it went away. I notified my doctor and he upped the dossage to 300mg of Wellbutrin. It didn't help much, and I tapered off my celexa. My libido remained low, but not too low and I began noticing that I had nocturnal and morning erections. I could bring myself to orgasm without an erection, and they were somewhat powerful. Then, it the past week my libido crashed. I feel nothing even when I touch my wife. I am not visually aroused. I don't think that I can get an erection. I feel sexually numb. I have not experienced any genital anesthesia, but my libido is so low that I'm scared. I feel like someone

died. This seems so hopeless. I went off zyprexa awhile ago too and the anxiety returned three weeks later in full force. I went back on it last night and the anxiety left, but I have this awful depression. I've been writing down on a pad of paper of list of things to live for. My wife doesn't really understand. She thinks its just an erection problem and most of the sexual numbness is in my head. How right she is. Fortunately, she is a low libido person herself and does not demand a certain sexual life. She can take it or leave it. I was always the initiator.What do I do now?Is there any hope?How do I get on with my life?I can live without sex, but how do I maintain a marriage relationship when I don't feel a thing when I touch my spouse?ex.