Re: Re: My Bizarre Post SSRI Sexual Problem

[Guest guest]

So if this obviously has to do with Brain Chemicals, is there any pills that can be taken to change things around again. Is this like some kind of trial and error process.........is it too much / less Serotonin.......Norepinephrine.........Dopamine? This stuff bugs me out and I'm amazed that doctors and science havn't been able to draw clearer conclusion based on so many testimonies. I personally feel that they just want to keep making money off their meds and silence out as many problems as possible. That it very apparent considering I've never heard of Post SSRI Sexual problems until very recently through a response to my questions on Psychobabble. Well thanks for the reply buddy............ Tommy Jerseyteephos wrote: Hi Tommy,what you wrote makes sense. Antidepressants taken over a certainperiod of time cause your brain to adapt. I believe this is called"altered gene expression". In many cases, at some time, the patientcan stop taking them and doesn't get depressed anymore therefore.Unfortuntately, the same mechanism might also lead to permanent sexualdysfunction.On a sidenote, my brain "screwed up" even worse. My libido's gone, myorgasms are very weak, yet I still get depressed like before. >> Hello my name is

Tommy and I'm 29 years old. I don't want to write a > book here so I'll sum it up on top and give you my complete story > afterwards. > > 1st time after Discontinuation of Effexor XR at 150 MG over 5 years: > Severe Depression Relapse almost immediately after "Brain Zaps" > subsided but total pleasure when having an orgasm.> > 2nd time after Discontinuation of Effexor XR at 150 MG for 3 months > then 75 MG for 6 months: No Depression Relapse of "Brain Zaps" > subsided but now total lack of orgasmic pleasure. The feeling at > climax can be compared to scratching an itch on your arm for a > second. I literally feel nothing and it's completely pointless to > engage in sex due to not having anything to look forward to. > > > > > You've prob heard this same scenario before but if not hopefully I > can contribute something and somebody else may be

able to contribute > to me. I took Effexor XR from 1997 - 2002 at a dose level of 150 > MG. I did the "Drug Holidays" in order to experience sexual orgasm > as oppossed to not being able to climax without severe concentration > over a long long time and then when finally climaxing feeling nothing > but a slight irritant burning feeling. I went of Effexor XR in late > 2002 around December and remember crashing severely a few days after > the zaps subsided. I had such severe depression I immediately needed > to get back on something. Even though sex was the farthest thing > from my mind, I was back in control with being able to climax and > experience a worthy orgasm. The bottom line was that I was severely > depressed but the chemicals responsible for allowing orgasm were back > in action. After trying a host of drugs including Lexapro when it > first came out, I had struck out with

no luck on any of them and by > default I went back on the only drug that had ever alleviated > symptoms of depression and that of coarse was Effexor XR. I went > back on my dose of 150 MG and it lifted my depression and I started > doing the "Drug Holidays" again in order to expreience any kind of > sexual pleasure. Long and behold once again, I was getting to the > point where I was still moderately depressed even while taking the > Effexor XR and I was sick of dealing with all the side effects of sex > amongst a host of other things. I began to tinker with the dose and > at one point I was told by the doctor to go up to 225 MG. I did this > for literally a week and almost went out of my mind. My mind > immediately began racing and I couldn't concentrate on anything for > even a second. My mind was literally going 1000 miles an hour. I > guess this was due to the fact that Dopamine

properties only kick in > while taking Effexor XR at doses of 225 MG and higher. I obviously > had sensitive Dopamine receptors and I immediately went back down to > 150 MG. Over the following year I went even lower to 75 MG and > experienced the same things I felt at 150 MG. As of the summer of > 2005, I began experiencing severe depression and knew my time with > Effexor XR was coming to an end. I was prescribed Anti Convulsants > for my Obsessive Thoughts and that did nothing except put me into > hallucigenic states of mind. I then was put on Lithium which did > absolutely nothing except urinate constantly and then I was put on > Luvox which also did nothing. I again went on Effexor XR and stayed > on the dose of 75 MG for six or so months until the middle of April > of 2006 when I decided to kick it completely for too many reasons to > list but most of all due to the long long

battle of side effects and > inconsistency. It has now been almost 2 months and I havn't > had "Brain Zaps" for about 3 weeks but I'm experiencing something > completely opposite from when I discontinued taking Effexor XR in the > past. Instead of crashing into a deep depression like I have in the > past and having the ability to orgasm and enjoy sex, this time it's > the opposite spectrum whereas I am not crashing into depression and > feel pretty good actually but now I have no use for sex due to a > complete lack of orgasmic pleasure. I can achieve an erection find > and maintain it and I can also climax but during the climax I feel > nothing at all. To tell you the truth I don't even feel the > slightest sensation of an orgasm or even what I felt in the past. My > pathetic orgasms I concentrated on so hard to have while taking the > Effexor XR even though they were pathetic they

were 100 times better > than this because now they consist of absolutely no feeling at all.> __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Yes, every now and then we compare notes. Doctors

usually don't acknowledge the problem, because that

makes it their problem and they'll feel bad (and

guilty about prescribing so many SSRIs - nightmares,

the whole trip).

The general feeling is that Dopamine and/or

nor-epinephrine (I think) are either low, or nor

properly processed in the " receptors " (like the

Dopamine D4 receptor), because these have been " reset "

by the SSRI. The fact that they can be set, and are

not rigid, clearly means that they can be re-set

somehow. That is what we are trying to find out trial

and error.

Some are trying Wellbutrin at the moment, which is a

dopamine re-uptake inhibitor (increasing dopamine

levels) - just like SSRIs are serotonin re-uptake

inhibitors. (The re-uptake is a process whereby excess

neurotransmitters - as they are called - after they

have taken care of the chemical signal transfer from

neuron to neuron across the " synapse " . Yohimbine does

about the same for nor-adrenaline, but no one reported

trying it (my urologist said some of his patients

benefited from it. Some people have had some success

with stimulants, such as Dexedrine (nay kind of speed

basically).

I haven’t tried any of that yet, but just use Levitra

that, just like Viagra, increases nitric oxide

secretion that leads to erections. But Libido and

climaxing are two other problems, besides difficulty

to get/keep an erection that many of us have. It seems

to be the communication of the genital area with the

pleasure centres in the brain that is disabled. I also

use Ginkgo biloba (for blood circulation) and " Horny

goat weed " that may, or may not have natural

components similar to Wellbutrin and Yohimbine.

I probably forgot some important thing, but perhaps

other people can fill the gap.

Jan

> So if this obviously has to do with Brain Chemicals,

> is there any pills that can be taken to change

> things around again. Is this like some kind of

> trial and error process.........is it too much /

> less

> Serotonin.......Norepinephrine.........Dopamine?

> This stuff bugs me out and I'm amazed that doctors

> and science havn't been able to draw clearer

> conclusion based on so many testimonies. I

> personally feel that they just want to keep making

> money off their meds and silence out as many

> problems as possible. That it very apparent

> considering I've never heard of Post SSRI Sexual

> problems until very recently through a response to

> my questions on Psychobabble. Well thanks for the

> reply buddy............

>

> Tommy

> Jersey

>

> teephos wrote:

> Hi Tommy,

>

> what you wrote makes sense. Antidepressants taken

> over a certain

> period of time cause your brain to adapt. I believe

> this is called

> " altered gene expression " . In many cases, at some

> time, the patient

> can stop taking them and doesn't get depressed

> anymore therefore.

> Unfortuntately, the same mechanism might also lead

> to permanent sexual

> dysfunction.

>

> On a sidenote, my brain " screwed up " even worse. My

> libido's gone, my

> orgasms are very weak, yet I still get depressed

> like before.

>

>

> >

> > Hello my name is Tommy and I'm 29 years old. I

> don't want to write a

> > book here so I'll sum it up on top and give you my

> complete story

> > afterwards.

> >

> > 1st time after Discontinuation of Effexor XR at

> 150 MG over 5 years:

> > Severe Depression Relapse almost immediately after

> " Brain Zaps "

> > subsided but total pleasure when having an orgasm.

> >

> > 2nd time after Discontinuation of Effexor XR at

> 150 MG for 3 months

> > then 75 MG for 6 months: No Depression Relapse of

> " Brain Zaps "

> > subsided but now total lack of orgasmic pleasure.

> The feeling at

> > climax can be compared to scratching an itch on

> your arm for a

> > second. I literally feel nothing and it's

> completely pointless to

> > engage in sex due to not having anything to look

> forward to.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > You've prob heard this same scenario before but if

> not hopefully I

> > can contribute something and somebody else may be

> able to contribute

> > to me. I took Effexor XR from 1997 - 2002 at a

> dose level of 150

> > MG. I did the " Drug Holidays " in order to

> experience sexual orgasm

> > as oppossed to not being able to climax without

> severe concentration

> > over a long long time and then when finally

> climaxing feeling nothing

> > but a slight irritant burning feeling. I went of

> Effexor XR in late

> > 2002 around December and remember crashing

> severely a few days after

> > the zaps subsided. I had such severe depression I

> immediately needed

> > to get back on something. Even though sex was the

> farthest thing

> > from my mind, I was back in control with being

> able to climax and

> > experience a worthy orgasm. The bottom line was

> that I was severely

> > depressed but the chemicals responsible for

> allowing orgasm were back

> > in action. After trying a host of drugs including

> Lexapro when it

> > first came out, I had struck out with no luck on

> any of them and by

> > default I went back on the only drug that had ever

> alleviated

> > symptoms of depression and that of coarse was

> Effexor XR. I went

> > back on my dose of 150 MG and it lifted my

> depression and I started

> > doing the " Drug Holidays " again in order to

> expreience any kind of

> > sexual pleasure. Long and behold once again, I was

> getting to the

> > point where I was still moderately depressed even

> while taking the

> > Effexor XR and I was sick of dealing with all the

> side effects of sex

> > amongst a host of other things. I began to tinker

> with the dose and

> > at one point I was told by the doctor to go up to

> 225 MG. I did this

> > for literally a week and almost went out of my

> mind. My mind

> > immediately began racing and I couldn't

> concentrate on anything for

> > even a second. My mind was literally going 1000

> miles an hour. I

> > guess this was due to the fact that Dopamine

> properties only kick in

> > while taking Effexor XR at doses of 225 MG and

> higher. I obviously

> > had sensitive Dopamine receptors and I immediately

> went back down to

> > 150 MG. Over the following year I went even lower

> to 75 MG and

> > experienced the same things I felt at 150 MG. As

> of the summer of

> > 2005, I began experiencing severe depression and

> knew my time with

> > Effexor XR was coming to an end. I was prescribed

> Anti Convulsants

> > for my Obsessive Thoughts and that did nothing

> except put me into

> > hallucigenic states of mind. I then was put on

> Lithium which did

> > absolutely nothing except urinate constantly and

> then I was put on

> > Luvox which also did nothing. I again went on

> Effexor XR and stayed

> > on the dose of 75 MG for six or so months until

> the middle of April

> > of 2006 when I decided to kick it completely for

> too many reasons to

> > list but most of all due to the long long battle

> of side effects and

> > inconsistency. It has now been almost 2 months and

> I havn't

> > had " Brain Zaps " for about 3 weeks but I'm

> experiencing something

> > completely opposite from when I discontinued

> taking Effexor XR in the

> > past. Instead of crashing into a deep depression

> like I have in the

> > past and having the ability to orgasm and enjoy

> sex, this time it's

> > the opposite spectrum whereas I am not crashing

> into depression and

> > feel pretty good actually but now I have no use

> for sex due to a

> > complete lack of orgasmic pleasure. I can achieve

> an erection find

> > and maintain it and I can also climax but during

> the climax I feel

> > nothing at all. To tell you the truth I don't even

> feel the

> > slightest sensation of an orgasm or even what I

> felt in the past. My

> > pathetic orgasms I concentrated on so hard to have

> while taking the

> > Effexor XR even though they were pathetic they

> were 100 times better

> > than this because now they consist of absolutely

> no feeling at all.

> >

>

>

>

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

I'm at a point that I've never come to and that is that I'm not going to touch Anti Depressants for the time being. Thankfully I'm not in a blown out Depression right now. I'm afraid that if I get into another Anti Depressant then my chemical inbalance will become inbalanced even more so for the worse and if the wrong chemicals shift around I'll end up back at square one in deep depression. As for the bada bing bada boom libido I agree that it must have something to do with the pleasure centers of the brain and a cloud of communication. The erection is there fine and the climax occurs after stimulation but the "Pleasure" of the climax aka orgasm is nonexistent making it a complete let down and waste of time over and over again and it's getting annoying to say the least. I've been reading about Prolactin levels and how coincide opposite of Dopamine meaning if Dopamine is low, Prolactin is high and high Prolactin tends to diminish libido and

possible sensory feelings related to orgasm. Also I want to get my testosterone levels checked because they too may be low. Ironically I've been going to the gym and my muscle strength is higher now than ever so I think the Testosterone is probably working fine. This is so bizarre with so many hundreds or endless amounts of possibilities. My Dopamine might even be at a perfect level but perhaps one ingrediant is missing in the orgasm cocktail. Who knows.........any comments or suggestions or feedback from people with similar situations will of coarse be appreciated. Thanks Jan......... Tommy JerseyJR wrote: Yes, every now and then we compare notes. Doctorsusually don't acknowledge the problem, because thatmakes it their problem and they'll feel bad (andguilty about prescribing so many SSRIs - nightmares,the whole trip).The general feeling is that Dopamine and/ornor-epinephrine (I think) are either low, or norproperly processed in the "receptors" (like theDopamine D4 receptor), because these have been "reset"by the SSRI. The fact that they can be set, and arenot rigid, clearly means that they can be re-setsomehow. That is what we are trying to find out trialand error.Some are trying Wellbutrin at the moment, which is adopamine re-uptake inhibitor (increasing dopaminelevels) - just like SSRIs are serotonin re-uptakeinhibitors. (The re-uptake is a process whereby

excessneurotransmitters - as they are called - after theyhave taken care of the chemical signal transfer fromneuron to neuron across the "synapse". Yohimbine doesabout the same for nor-adrenaline, but no one reportedtrying it (my urologist said some of his patientsbenefited from it. Some people have had some successwith stimulants, such as Dexedrine (nay kind of speedbasically).I haven’t tried any of that yet, but just use Levitrathat, just like Viagra, increases nitric oxidesecretion that leads to erections. But Libido andclimaxing are two other problems, besides difficultyto get/keep an erection that many of us have. It seemsto be the communication of the genital area with thepleasure centres in the brain that is disabled. I alsouse Ginkgo biloba (for blood circulation) and "Hornygoat weed" that may, or may not have naturalcomponents similar to Wellbutrin and Yohimbine.I probably forgot

some important thing, but perhapsother people can fill the gap.Jan> So if this obviously has to do with Brain Chemicals,> is there any pills that can be taken to change> things around again. Is this like some kind of> trial and error process.........is it too much /> less> Serotonin.......Norepinephrine.........Dopamine? > This stuff bugs me out and I'm amazed that doctors> and science havn't been able to draw clearer> conclusion based on so many testimonies. I> personally feel that they just want to keep making> money off their meds and silence out as many> problems as possible. That it very apparent> considering I've never heard of Post SSRI Sexual> problems until very recently through a response to> my questions on Psychobabble. Well thanks for the> reply buddy............> > Tommy> Jersey>

> teephos <teephos> wrote:> Hi Tommy,> > what you wrote makes sense. Antidepressants taken> over a certain> period of time cause your brain to adapt. I believe> this is called> "altered gene expression". In many cases, at some> time, the patient> can stop taking them and doesn't get depressed> anymore therefore.> Unfortuntately, the same mechanism might also lead> to permanent sexual> dysfunction.> > On a sidenote, my brain "screwed up" even worse. My> libido's gone, my> orgasms are very weak, yet I still get depressed> like before. > > > >> > Hello my name is Tommy and I'm 29 years old. I> don't want

to write a > > book here so I'll sum it up on top and give you my> complete story > > afterwards. > > > > 1st time after Discontinuation of Effexor XR at> 150 MG over 5 years: > > Severe Depression Relapse almost immediately after> "Brain Zaps" > > subsided but total pleasure when having an orgasm.> > > > 2nd time after Discontinuation of Effexor XR at> 150 MG for 3 months > > then 75 MG for 6 months: No Depression Relapse of> "Brain Zaps" > > subsided but now total lack of orgasmic pleasure.> The feeling at > > climax can be compared to scratching an itch on> your arm for a > > second. I literally feel nothing and it's> completely pointless to > > engage in sex due to not having anything to look> forward to. > > > > > > > > > >

You've prob heard this same scenario before but if> not hopefully I > > can contribute something and somebody else may be> able to contribute > > to me. I took Effexor XR from 1997 - 2002 at a> dose level of 150 > > MG. I did the "Drug Holidays" in order to> experience sexual orgasm > > as oppossed to not being able to climax without> severe concentration > > over a long long time and then when finally> climaxing feeling nothing > > but a slight irritant burning feeling. I went of> Effexor XR in late > > 2002 around December and remember crashing> severely a few days after > > the zaps subsided. I had such severe depression I> immediately needed > > to get back on something. Even though sex was the> farthest thing > > from my mind, I was back in control with being> able to climax and > >

experience a worthy orgasm. The bottom line was> that I was severely > > depressed but the chemicals responsible for> allowing orgasm were back > > in action. After trying a host of drugs including> Lexapro when it > > first came out, I had struck out with no luck on> any of them and by > > default I went back on the only drug that had ever> alleviated > > symptoms of depression and that of coarse was> Effexor XR. I went > > back on my dose of 150 MG and it lifted my> depression and I started > > doing the "Drug Holidays" again in order to> expreience any kind of > > sexual pleasure. Long and behold once again, I was> getting to the > > point where I was still moderately depressed even> while taking the > > Effexor XR and I was sick of dealing with all the> side effects of sex > > amongst

a host of other things. I began to tinker> with the dose and > > at one point I was told by the doctor to go up to> 225 MG. I did this > > for literally a week and almost went out of my> mind. My mind > > immediately began racing and I couldn't> concentrate on anything for > > even a second. My mind was literally going 1000> miles an hour. I > > guess this was due to the fact that Dopamine> properties only kick in > > while taking Effexor XR at doses of 225 MG and> higher. I obviously > > had sensitive Dopamine receptors and I immediately> went back down to > > 150 MG. Over the following year I went even lower> to 75 MG and > > experienced the same things I felt at 150 MG. As> of the summer of > > 2005, I began experiencing severe depression and> knew my time with > > Effexor XR was coming

to an end. I was prescribed> Anti Convulsants > > for my Obsessive Thoughts and that did nothing> except put me into > > hallucigenic states of mind. I then was put on> Lithium which did > > absolutely nothing except urinate constantly and> then I was put on > > Luvox which also did nothing. I again went on> Effexor XR and stayed > > on the dose of 75 MG for six or so months until> the middle of April > > of 2006 when I decided to kick it completely for> too many reasons to > > list but most of all due to the long long battle> of side effects and > > inconsistency. It has now been almost 2 months and> I havn't > > had "Brain Zaps" for about 3 weeks but I'm> experiencing something > > completely opposite from when I discontinued> taking Effexor XR in the > > past. Instead of crashing into a

deep depression> like I have in the > > past and having the ability to orgasm and enjoy> sex, this time it's > > the opposite spectrum whereas I am not crashing> into depression and > > feel pretty good actually but now I have no use> for sex due to a > > complete lack of orgasmic pleasure. I can achieve> an erection find > > and maintain it and I can also climax but during> the climax I feel > > nothing at all. To tell you the truth I don't even> feel the > > slightest sensation of an orgasm or even what I> felt in the past. My > > pathetic orgasms I concentrated on so hard to have> while taking the > > Effexor XR even though they were pathetic they> were 100 times better > > than this because now they consist of absolutely> no feeling at all.> >> > > >

> > __________________________________________________>

[Guest guest]

"This is so bizarre with so many hundreds or endless amounts of possibilities. My Dopamine might even be at a perfect level but perhaps one ingrediant is missing in the orgasm cocktail."

Yea that pretty much sums up the problem. There are so many things going on that a malfunction of one tiny biochemical reaction could screw the whole thing up. But I still think dopamine is the key player here. A while back I took neurontin for some nerve pain I have and I found that it made me horny. It also gave me some explosive orgasms, the likes of which I hadn't had since I was a teenager. In fact, I had forgotten how powerful orgasms were when I was young. It turns out that neurontin mimics the effects of dopamine in vivo and may effect it's metabolism. I've never taken a stimulant, but I've heard that their propensity to produce incredible orgasms is one of the reasons people get hooked on them.

,

also in Jersey