Re: Two and half years on and still persistent sexual side effects

[Guest guest]

"I had some bloodwork done and discovered that my testosterone level was low andprolactin high.."

Elevated Estradiol can cause high prolactin. Did you have a sensitive Estradiol (E2) blood test, say done by LabCorp? Or a 24 Hour Urine Hormone Test to test for Estradiol and other hormones?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7172459

Have you tried the prescription medication Cabergoline/Dostinex which reduces prolactin?

A high dose of Vitamin B6 also reduces prolactin, such as 200mg B6, 2 or 3 times per day. NOW Foods has 100mg capsules of Vitamin B6.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/562688

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/501547

If decreasing Prolactin (or Estradiol if it's high) doesn't return Testosterone to normal, then to increase Testosterone you can take Zinc Picolinate 50mg daily, Vitamin D3 5000IU daily, Magnesium Citrate 200mg twice daily, Mucuna Pruriens, take all of these for 6 - 12 months.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8875519

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20050857

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18973898

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7127197/Sunbathing-boosts-mens-sex-drive.html

http://www.ergo-log.com/magnesiumtest.html

A saliva Estradiol test is not the most accurate test but it can give an idea if you have low, mid-range or high Estradiol (E2).

Amazon USA:

http://www.amazon.com/Estradiol-E2-Hormone-Imbalance-Testing/dp/B004BTAM7M/

Amazon UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Estradiol-E2-Hormone-Imbalance-Testing/dp/B004BTAM7M/

>> My journey started almost 3 and a half years ago. I was diagnosed with mild depression with anxiety and prescribed 20mg generic fluoxetine for 6 months only. Prior to this my libido, erections and orgasms were just fine, even when I felt depressed. I had not been on any medication at all prior to this and am have been on no medication subsequent to the fluoxetine cessation. > > During the six month treatment I experienced all sorts of extra pyramidal-like side effects. Including involuntary motor movements, severe limb twitching, bruxism, involuntary twisting of by back muscles, benign myoclonic jerks, severe inner restlessness and the need to pace and inability to sit still. Well that should have been the warning sign. Classic symptoms of either serotonin syndrome or Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome ie the severe antagonism of the dopamine system. > > My GP said don't worry about it. Wish I knew then what I know now.> > The side effects described above remained for some two years post fluoxetine cessation. My libido has not returned to baseline levels.> > I had some bloodwork done and discovered that my testosterone level was low and prolactin high. This was some 6 months post cessation. I think the SSRI induced increase in prolactin has permanenetly damaged my testicles as they shrunk during treatment and have never returned to baseline.> > I have tried TRT but with minimal benefit. Have also tried DHEA with again modest benefit. Also tried LDOPA, but this just makes me sleepy.> > I want to try some of the new 5HT2C antagonists to see if that might be of benefit. One possibility is that Fluoxetine permanently upregulated 5HT2C receptor expression, amongst other things I'm sure.> > I'm shocked that these permanent effects are not disclosed more clearing on the labeling or highlighted as a risk by the Dr.> > Thanks, Garch>

[Guest guest]

Interesting article on how agomelatine might improve libido...

.... " Finally, 5-HT2C receptor antagonists promote slow-wave sleep and

libido. " ....

http://www.nature.com/nrd/journal/v9/n8/box/nrd3140_BX2.html

[Guest guest]

Cant speak on behalf of fluoxetine but I was on 40mg citalopram for 6 months, but my testicles are a lot fuller now, than when i first was on citalopram, there is sensation a bit as well. My symptoms are more mental tho, sometimes i feel i am not myself and have to have peple to touch me to reliase i still exist. Also my spatial awareness is off. These things really mess you up. To: SSRIsex Sent: Sunday, 1 January 2012, 20:56 Subject: Two and half years on and still persistent sexual side effects

My journey started almost 3 and a half years ago. I was diagnosed with mild depression with anxiety and prescribed 20mg generic fluoxetine for 6 months only. Prior to this my libido, erections and orgasms were just fine, even when I felt depressed. I had not been on any medication at all prior to this and am have been on no medication subsequent to the fluoxetine cessation.

During the six month treatment I experienced all sorts of extra pyramidal-like side effects. Including involuntary motor movements, severe limb twitching, bruxism, involuntary twisting of by back muscles, benign myoclonic jerks, severe inner restlessness and the need to pace and inability to sit still. Well that should have been the warning sign. Classic symptoms of either serotonin syndrome or Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome ie the severe antagonism of the dopamine system.

My GP said don't worry about it. Wish I knew then what I know now.

The side effects described above remained for some two years post fluoxetine cessation. My libido has not returned to baseline levels.

I had some bloodwork done and discovered that my testosterone level was low and prolactin high. This was some 6 months post cessation. I think the SSRI induced increase in prolactin has permanenetly damaged my testicles as they shrunk during treatment and have never returned to baseline.

I have tried TRT but with minimal benefit. Have also tried DHEA with again modest benefit. Also tried LDOPA, but this just makes me sleepy.

I want to try some of the new 5HT2C antagonists to see if that might be of benefit. One possibility is that Fluoxetine permanently upregulated 5HT2C receptor expression, amongst other things I'm sure.

I'm shocked that these permanent effects are not disclosed more clearing on the labeling or highlighted as a risk by the Dr.

Thanks, Garch

[Guest guest]

I want to add to this older post that when taking 50mg daily of Zinc Picolinate to say increase testosterone, you must also take a minimum of 2mg daily of copper to prevent copper deficiency so as to prevent developing an over-active thyroid (high dose of zinc speeds up the thyroid, while a high dose of copper slows down the thyroid), as well as maybe develop other health problems due to a copper deficiency. Zinc and copper go together. Whenever supplementing with one, you must supplement with the other (unless attempting to correct hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism when zinc or copper is taken for a while without the other but after a certain period of time both are taken together).

In men, the Zinc to Copper ratio is 10:1. In women the Zinc to Copper ratio is 5:1.

http://www.ithyroid.com/zinc.htm

http://ithyroid.com/copper.htm (scroll down in this link to see main article)

Why taking Zinc Picolinate is preferable to other types of zinc:

Comparative absorption of zinc picolinate, zinc citrate and zinc gluconate in humans.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3630857

> >> > My journey started almost 3 and a half years ago. I was diagnosed with> mild depression with anxiety and prescribed 20mg generic fluoxetine for> 6 months only. Prior to this my libido, erections and orgasms were just> fine, even when I felt depressed. I had not been on any medication at> all prior to this and am have been on no medication subsequent to the> fluoxetine cessation.> >> > During the six month treatment I experienced all sorts of extra> pyramidal-like side effects. Including involuntary motor movements,> severe limb twitching, bruxism, involuntary twisting of by back muscles,> benign myoclonic jerks, severe inner restlessness and the need to pace> and inability to sit still. Well that should have been the warning sign.> Classic symptoms of either serotonin syndrome or Neuroleptic Malignant> Syndrome ie the severe antagonism of the dopamine system.> >> > My GP said don't worry about it. Wish I knew then what I know now.> >> > The side effects described above remained for some two years post> fluoxetine cessation. My libido has not returned to baseline levels.> >> > I had some bloodwork done and discovered that my testosterone level> was low and prolactin high. This was some 6 months post cessation. I> think the SSRI induced increase in prolactin has permanenetly damaged my> testicles as they shrunk during treatment and have never returned to> baseline.> >> > I have tried TRT but with minimal benefit. Have also tried DHEA with> again modest benefit. Also tried LDOPA, but this just makes me sleepy.> >> > I want to try some of the new 5HT2C antagonists to see if that might> be of benefit. One possibility is that Fluoxetine permanently> upregulated 5HT2C receptor expression, amongst other things I'm sure.> >> > I'm shocked that these permanent effects are not disclosed more> clearing on the labeling or highlighted as a risk by the Dr.> >> > Thanks, Garch> >>