Re: Yo-Yo-ing...anyone experience something similar?

[Guest guest]

Almost exactly the same problems here on Lexapro. I've been taking Sertraline (Zoloft) for about a month now and have noticed some improvement. The problem with only feeling good at the climax is that you tend to climax very quickly - that can be bad for relationships. My libido isn't quite back to where it used to be but it seems to be improving on Zoloft. It takes longer to climax and I get aroused easier. ChrisJoe wrote: I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar experience. (for background, I was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off them for 1.5 years)I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections. Not long ago, I was interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking at an erotic cell phone picture of her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone conversations. Things were great. I would think about her in the car and get an erection. Once I even masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But after it didn't work out, things went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency went down. When I look at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual stimulation, I can still get an erection and climax pretty quickly.Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While

the orgasm is very enjoyable, the lead up to the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation isn't as enjoyable as it used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that is when it really feels good.The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated me. And so has the fact that I seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the rest of it is just ho-hum.Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.Joe

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

[Guest guest]

That is interesting that you have seen improvement with Zoloft, it seems like a

lot of

people here see just the opposite.

I have a tough time understanding how I can go back and forth so dramatically

and

quickly, from feeling like I was 90% " cured " to feeling like I was back at

square one again.

I'm also frustrated that I am 1.5 years off these things and am not farther

along than I am.

I think I was almost better, in that I got more enjoyment from sex, was aroused

easier and

had a higher libido when I was on the medication.

Joe

> I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar

experience. (for

background, I

> was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off them for 1.5 years)

>

> I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections. Not long ago, I

was

> interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking at an erotic cell

phone picture

of

> her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone conversations.

Things

> were great. I would think about her in the car and get an erection. Once I

even

> masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.

>

> Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But after it didn't

work out,

things

> went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency went down. When

I

look

> at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual stimulation, I can still

get an

erection

> and climax pretty quickly.

>

> Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While the orgasm is very enjoyable,

the lead up

to

> the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation isn't as

enjoyable as it

> used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that is when it really

feels

good.

>

> The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated me. And so has

the fact that

I

> seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the rest of it is

just ho-hum.

>

> Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

>

> Joe

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

>

[Guest guest]

Joe,

It could be possible that you are suffering from the same problems

as me. I too have normal erections and orgasm; even a descent

libido. Do you suffer from genital numbness??? That could be the

reason why the arousal to the orgasm part doesnt feel as good.

Please let me know.

>

> I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar

experience. (for background, I

> was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off them

for 1.5 years)

>

> I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections. Not

long ago, I was

> interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking at an

erotic cell phone picture of

> her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone

conversations. Things

> were great. I would think about her in the car and get an

erection. Once I even

> masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.

>

> Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But

after it didn't work out, things

> went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency

went down. When I look

> at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual stimulation, I

can still get an erection

> and climax pretty quickly.

>

> Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While the orgasm is

very enjoyable, the lead up to

> the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation

isn't as enjoyable as it

> used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that is

when it really feels good.

>

> The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated me.

And so has the fact that I

> seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the rest

of it is just ho-hum.

>

> Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

>

> Joe

>

[Guest guest]

What exactly do you mean by genital numbness?

I can definitely say that I am not nearly as sensitive down there as I used to

be. But I am

not sure if I would go so far as to say that I am totally numb.

Tonight I had sex once, and then she wanted to do it again about 15 mins later.

And

despite our best efforts, I just wasn't able to get it up at all. No erection

whatsoever. This

is the first time this has happened, and it's really frustrating. It's almost

like things are

getting worse.

Joe

> >

> > I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar

> experience. (for background, I

> > was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off them

> for 1.5 years)

> >

> > I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections. Not

> long ago, I was

> > interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking at an

> erotic cell phone picture of

> > her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone

> conversations. Things

> > were great. I would think about her in the car and get an

> erection. Once I even

> > masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.

> >

> > Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But

> after it didn't work out, things

> > went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency

> went down. When I look

> > at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual stimulation, I

> can still get an erection

> > and climax pretty quickly.

> >

> > Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While the orgasm is

> very enjoyable, the lead up to

> > the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation

> isn't as enjoyable as it

> > used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that is

> when it really feels good.

> >

> > The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated me.

> And so has the fact that I

> > seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the rest

> of it is just ho-hum.

> >

> > Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

> >

> > Joe

> >

>

[Guest guest]

The yo-yo -effect is all too familiar to me. Currently I'm

experiencing short moments with weak libido return, and then I go back

numb again.

I'm on a strict diet, trying to lose as much fat as possible. I don't

know if it causes the on-going fluctuations but I guess I'll see it in

about ten weeks.

Mornings are the worst for me. PSSD in all it's glory. No genital

sensitivity at all, no libido, my feet are soaked with cold sweat and

emotionally I feel terrible. Being close to my wife sends cold shivers

down my back. During the day things usually get a little bit better,

but I haven't had a feeling of actually recovering in about three

months.

I plan to go on with my diet until I've reached approx. 5-8 % bodyfat.

I'll go to the sauna three times a week, trying to sweat PSSD out of

my system. =) And then I'll start doing cycles with Adderall and / or

Concerta.

Biker

> I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections. Not

long ago

> Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

>

> Joe

>

[Guest guest]

hello joe

i am fairly new to this forum, have been suffering from pssd the last

8 months or so. i too get very little stimulation from visual sources

now (porn) and require some manual stimulation to get aroused,

sometimes even this is not possible. however, be positive, at least

you are experiencing pleasure through orgasm. i seem to have lost all

feelings of pleasure when i orgasm. in fact i seem to have the

opposite symptoms to you in this respect. for me the leading up to it

is the best bit, but i am ultimately unfulfilled and increasingly

petrified by the fact that i feel next to nothing when i climax. it

is getting me down so much. and i feel like my anxiety levels and

depression are far worse now than before i started taking medication.

my symptoms are definitely yo-yo-ing too. my girlfriend came to stay

at the weekend and for the first time in 8 months i had no erection

problems and actually enjoyed the sex quite a lot apart from the

climax. i got so down about it that i have actually fallen into a

deep depression since she left. i get so scared that this might be a

permanent problem! i guess i am writing this to you to let you know

that you are far from alone and although everyone's symptoms seem to

differ in some ways we are all ultimately suffering from the same

thing. i most definitely need all the support that i can get right

now. i am so scared. do you have negative thoughts and anxiety about

this problem like me? how do you deal with it and cope?

frank

> > >

> > > I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar

> > experience. (for background, I

> > > was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off them

> > for 1.5 years)

> > >

> > > I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections.

Not

> > long ago, I was

> > > interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking at

an

> > erotic cell phone picture of

> > > her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone

> > conversations. Things

> > > were great. I would think about her in the car and get an

> > erection. Once I even

> > > masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.

> > >

> > > Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But

> > after it didn't work out, things

> > > went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency

> > went down. When I look

> > > at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual stimulation,

I

> > can still get an erection

> > > and climax pretty quickly.

> > >

> > > Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While the orgasm is

> > very enjoyable, the lead up to

> > > the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation

> > isn't as enjoyable as it

> > > used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that is

> > when it really feels good.

> > >

> > > The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated

me.

> > And so has the fact that I

> > > seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the

rest

> > of it is just ho-hum.

> > >

> > > Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

> > >

> > > Joe

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

hi joe

frank again, one further thing to add about the Yo-Yo-ing thing. it

is definitely very evident in me, whether alone or with my

girlfriend. for example, the last time she came to stay for a weekend

i remember i felt extremely sensitive down there, had to try hard not

to climax too quickly. yet i must add the resulting climaxes as i

stated before were absolutely devoid of any pleasure. this weekend a

different story, a distinct lack of feeling or sensation down below,

almost like when i was taking paxil, ie taking ages to reach an

orgasm, nearly giving up on the idea and of course a dissapointing

climax again. i also notice this Yo-Yo-ing (great term by the way)

when going solo, if you know what i mean!?!

> > >

> > > I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar

> > experience. (for background, I

> > > was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off them

> > for 1.5 years)

> > >

> > > I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections.

Not

> > long ago, I was

> > > interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking at

an

> > erotic cell phone picture of

> > > her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone

> > conversations. Things

> > > were great. I would think about her in the car and get an

> > erection. Once I even

> > > masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.

> > >

> > > Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But

> > after it didn't work out, things

> > > went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency

> > went down. When I look

> > > at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual stimulation,

I

> > can still get an erection

> > > and climax pretty quickly.

> > >

> > > Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While the orgasm is

> > very enjoyable, the lead up to

> > > the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation

> > isn't as enjoyable as it

> > > used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that is

> > when it really feels good.

> > >

> > > The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated

me.

> > And so has the fact that I

> > > seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the

rest

> > of it is just ho-hum.

> > >

> > > Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

> > >

> > > Joe

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

and others,

Sometimes I think this whole thing is in our heads. Don't get me wrong, there

are people

out there who have been on SSRIs for quite awhile and have pretty much zero

sexual

functioning. I think for them this is a real, physical, structural/chemical

issue in their

brain. But there are people on here like me where I go back and forth between

feeling

almost normal again, or least to the point where I don't worry about it, and now

when I

feel like there is definitely a problem because my drive and erection quality is

so low.

But if this were really a structural/chemical problem in the brain brought on by

the SSRI,

why would I have periods of feeling almost normal again? Wouldn't those times

necessarily exclude a structural/chemical problem? IE, the problem wouldn't just

go away

and then come back again. But maybe I don't under stand brain chemistry and

functioning

enough to really know. It just seems like, if there was a problem brought on by

SSRIs,

Sex for me just doesn't feel like it used to. It used to be SO important to me,

and make me

feel SO good. Now, it's nice, but I could take it or leave it. Is this just me

getting older (I

am 28 now), not having the raging hormones of my late-teens, early 20s?

Sometimes, it

can be difficult to get an erection as of late. But then I read on the internet,

and guys have

difficultly with erections all the time. Would all of this go away if I found a

girl I was really

attracted to? But then again, I don't feel all that attracted to women these

days. The low

drive thing.

My doctor thinks I have performance anxiety and my counselor thinks I have some

form of

PTSD. I don't think either one is right, but then again I don't know what is

right.

As for how I get through the low times, I try to think about the positives. I

think about all

the other conditions I could have, cancer, diabetes, birth defects, etc. I have

all my arms

and legs. I can see and hear and talk. All my physical abilities are there.

These are things

to be thankful for, and I try to keep those in mind when I am lying in bed at

night feeling

so frustrated because sex isn't what it used to be.

I've been off an SSRI for 18 months now, and it feels like this is the worse

it's been for me

since then. I wish I was getting better, and not worse.

Thanks for listening,

Joe

> > > >

> > > > I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar

> > > experience. (for background, I

> > > > was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off them

> > > for 1.5 years)

> > > >

> > > > I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections.

> Not

> > > long ago, I was

> > > > interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking at

> an

> > > erotic cell phone picture of

> > > > her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone

> > > conversations. Things

> > > > were great. I would think about her in the car and get an

> > > erection. Once I even

> > > > masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.

> > > >

> > > > Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But

> > > after it didn't work out, things

> > > > went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency

> > > went down. When I look

> > > > at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual stimulation,

> I

> > > can still get an erection

> > > > and climax pretty quickly.

> > > >

> > > > Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While the orgasm is

> > > very enjoyable, the lead up to

> > > > the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation

> > > isn't as enjoyable as it

> > > > used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that is

> > > when it really feels good.

> > > >

> > > > The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated

> me.

> > > And so has the fact that I

> > > > seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the

> rest

> > > of it is just ho-hum.

> > > >

> > > > Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

> > > >

> > > > Joe

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hello,

For those who are doubting themselves:

There is no doubt in my mind that a physical/chemical process is

responsible even though there was no consistency in my symptoms.

This may not be the cause of sexual symptoms for everyone, but trust

your gut instinct. Young, otherwise healthy people just don't have a

prevalence of these types of problems. We did not discover this

yahoo group then decide we were having physical issues, we had the

problem before we knew of SSRI effects. Of course, maybe the

analysis portion of my mind has been affected as well. Just kidding.

I have been on 50 mg zoloft since 1994. I tried to go off 4-5 times

over the years, no tapering. During those withdrawals I had

absolutely no withdrawal symptoms and no sexual issues-quite the

opposite. But the depression/anxiety etc came back quickly and I

could not handle it so I went back on. I have now been off for a

month, cold turkey, and had trouble focusing my eyes, restless legs,

itchy crawlies from the waist to my toes, and the inability to feel

my orgasms. They all resolved except for the orgasms. But the

depression has not come back yet.

I'm incredibly angry that we were not provided informed consent by

the drug companies, they clearly were irresponsible in their due

diligence. That being said, I believe quality of life can be

recreated in other ways. Umm... like gardening.

[Guest guest]

If there is a correlation in time between mental problems and sexual

problems that seems to indicate to a (partly) mental cause of the

sexual problems. Unless these mental problems feel like being caused

by these sexual problems. So that is the question of the direction of

causality.

It is also possible that there are both mental causes for sexual

problems as well as real biological PSSD.

Bye the way, I think PSSD in general has probably neurological and/or

endocrinal causes as a result of the prior use of psychiatric medication.

>

> and others,

>

> Sometimes I think this whole thing is in our heads. Don't get me

wrong, there are people

> out there who have been on SSRIs for quite awhile and have pretty

much zero sexual

> functioning. I think for them this is a real, physical,

structural/chemical issue in their

> brain. But there are people on here like me where I go back and

forth between feeling

> almost normal again, or least to the point where I don't worry about

it, and now when I

> feel like there is definitely a problem because my drive and

erection quality is so low.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for clarifying. Yes, you are right, I definitely have a lack of genital

sensitivity. My

penis glans are not as sensitive as they used to be, that is definitely true. I

wouldn't say it

feels like touching the tip of my finger exactly, but it isn't that far off.

I've also had all the blood tests, testosterone tests, etc. All came back

normal.

I suppose my saving grace is this: When looking at porn and using manual

stimulation, I

can still achieve a pretty strong erection, and I can orgasm, and it feels

pretty good. I

guess that's something to hang my hat on, for now.

But the other night of not being able to get an erection for round 2 with a girl

really sent

me into a worry.

Joe

> > > >

> > > > I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar

> > > experience. (for background, I

> > > > was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off

> them

> > > for 1.5 years)

> > > >

> > > > I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections.

> Not

> > > long ago, I was

> > > > interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking

> at an

> > > erotic cell phone picture of

> > > > her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone

> > > conversations. Things

> > > > were great. I would think about her in the car and get an

> > > erection. Once I even

> > > > masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.

> > > >

> > > > Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But

> > > after it didn't work out, things

> > > > went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency

> > > went down. When I look

> > > > at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual

> stimulation, I

> > > can still get an erection

> > > > and climax pretty quickly.

> > > >

> > > > Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While the orgasm is

> > > very enjoyable, the lead up to

> > > > the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation

> > > isn't as enjoyable as it

> > > > used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that

> is

> > > when it really feels good.

> > > >

> > > > The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated

> me.

> > > And so has the fact that I

> > > > seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the

> rest

> > > of it is just ho-hum.

> > > >

> > > > Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

> > > >

> > > > Joe

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

i have had a similar experience, was with a girl when i came off the

paxil and like you for some time afterwards could get very aroused

just speaking with her on the phone and looking at pictures of her.

more recently, however i am finding it increasingly difficult to get

turned on by visual paraphernalia and most definitely need some

manual stimulation. i have also noticed that i can be very turned on

one minute, with a full erection, and the next it is totally gone and

i am unable to achieve the state that i was in just moments before. i

have noticed that things seem to be worse in the mornings for me, my

depression was like that too, i wonder if there is any correlation

there. as for yo-yo-ing i can have big problems getting turned on,

maintaining an erection one day and not so bad the next. my main

problem is one of a lack of pleasure or any feeling at all when i

climax. does anyone else suffer from this? it is very worrying. i

hope these drugs have not destroyed the part of my brain that

provides pleasure in that respect.

frank

>

> I thought I would post this in case anyone has had a similar

experience. (for background, I

> was on Cymbalta and Straterra for 10 months, have been off them for

1.5 years)

>

> I seem to be yo-yoing back and forth with my libido/erections. Not

long ago, I was

> interested in this girl. I would get aroused just by looking at an

erotic cell phone picture of

> her, I would get aroused by suggestive text messages and phone

conversations. Things

> were great. I would think about her in the car and get an erection.

Once I even

> masturbated in the car. Having sex with her was not a problem.

>

> Long story short, it didn't work out. That's how it goes. But after

it didn't work out, things

> went downhill FAST. My libido went down. My erection frequency went

down. When I look

> at porn now, I am just barely aroused. With manual stimulation, I

can still get an erection

> and climax pretty quickly.

>

> Also, another thing I have noticed lately. While the orgasm is very

enjoyable, the lead up to

> the orgasm isn't that enjoyable. The actually sex/masturbation

isn't as enjoyable as it

> used to be, and I seem more motivated to climax because that is

when it really feels good.

>

> The lack of arousal recently from porn has really frustrated me.

And so has the fact that I

> seem to only want to get to the climax part of it because the rest

of it is just ho-hum.

>

> Anyone experiencing something similar? Thanks for reading.

>

> Joe

>

[Guest guest]

i seem to be getting periods where erections and reaction to visual stimuli are

kicking in a bit. i will go a few days with zero libido and an almost

impossibility to get an erection and then a few days where libido is up and i

respond to visual stimuli - manual stimulation is still required but not as

intense as in the past and once the erection is up i am requiring much less

stimulation to keep it and visual stimulation is strong-ish. numbing seems to be

to-ing and fro-ing too. orgasms are still almost pleasureless all the time.

occasionally i feel a but of a rush in my head as i am about to climax and feel

something on the first spurt (not pleasure as such, but some feeling as opposed

to nothing).

anyone else have something like this?

i am 20 months off paxil and the thought of never feeling pleasure on orgasm is

devestating for me.

do you guys think that if the erections and numbing are improving then it means

that this part might eventually get better too?

i have read posts that people have written to say that orgasms have returned

spontaneously for them and others saying that it has gradually got better. i can

quite honestly say that i have seen little improvement in this aspect and it is

destroying me psychologically.

[Guest guest]

i forgot to say in my previous post that i have recently started taking fish

oils and ginkgo biloba. don't know if these have had an effect, but there

definitely seems to be more blood flow to my penis even if the other symptoms

are not improving.