life after pssd

General discussions. Feel free to use this like a support group also.
silverstar
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life after pssd

Unread post by silverstar »

Hi this is more of a post about your personal life and how you handled getting pssd. I am wondering how long you have had pssd . Did you take time off of work or school when you got it did you ever return to work or school? Did this ever become an accepted part of your reality or life or do you still think about it every day and don't feel whole or normal? Did your parents, partner or other family members support you while you had or have pssd financially? What do you do with your time how do you spend your days if you don't work or go to school? Do you have a plan to get back on track with your life if you are not doing anything? Do you think you will ever truly adapt to having this disorder can you ever lead a semi-normal life do you have hope for the future?

Personally I went from having a very full life and then in January when I got pssd I completely quit my job all of my social activities any type of exercise and even going outside to stores. I sometimes am forced to walk my dog because she has to go outside and maybe I will go to the park a few times a week with her but that is basically the extent of my social activities. My family is supporting me right now financially but they are giving me very little money and I'm actually living at home again. I don't really have a plan to get back on track with my life fully I know that I want to start doing yoga again but I have no motivation or desire to do so.

This post is to just understand how pssd has changed your life in a social financial and any other way you want to discuss openly because I feel very isolated right now and like I am the only one who got hit this hard after being Afflicted with it.

Thanks
infinityzer00000
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by infinityzer00000 »

Hey silverstar,

I don't post here frequently because I've been trying to improve myself and that's the first thing I've noticed about your post. You have completely isolated yourself and given up on things you used to do. These are like the core symptoms of depression which I believe you need to address. I used to be like you and because Ive changed my lifestyle some of my sexual functioning has returned although my libido is still extremely low. You have to address your lifestyle if you ever hope to see some improvement.
silverstar
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Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2016 5:43 pm
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by silverstar »

infinityzer00000 wrote:Hey silverstar,

I don't post here frequently because I've been trying to improve myself and that's the first thing I've noticed about your post. You have completely isolated yourself and given up on things you used to do. These are like the core symptoms of depression which I believe you need to address. I used to be like you and because Ive changed my lifestyle some of my sexual functioning has returned although my libido is still extremely low. You have to address your lifestyle if you ever hope to see some improvement.
Thanks for your reply. How long did it take you to get over the initial shock. Do you have complete numbness? Do you take anything or any supplements to help you with your depression so you can continue to live a semi-normal life? Are you working and do you make your own money or do you have support? I really don't want to have to post on this forum much but I feel like I don't have any other options right now but to connect with other people who are going through this. My whole life really got turned upside down by this and I'm trying to get back on track so I'm trying to get a understanding on how other people got back on track with their lives and how long it took. Again thanks for answering maybe you can give me a little bit more details on how you are actually recovering and taking your life back.
infinityzer00000
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by infinityzer00000 »

My whole life got turned upside down by this as well. I was on an SSRI called fluvoxamine for 6 years (Luvox) and when I withdrew from it at a pretty rapid pace I came out the other end a different person. The shock was quite surreal and it took me a long time to accept what had happened. I no longer had morning erections or response to visual stimuli, zero libido, my OCD came back my anxiety was bad but the one thing I never actually realized was how severely depressed I was which you seem to be as well. I had never had depression before ever.

The symptoms you have of your PSSD I believe vary from drug to drug as I didn't have any numbness at all, but I understand it as I had tried paxil in the past. You need to accept that yes you have these symptoms and they are indeed very real and very troubling. You have to make a choice about all this and that is to either make changes and move forward and do anything you can or accept your misery and continue spiraling downwards into severe chronic depression.

Your post mentions how your life has changed and these are the areas where I would start to work on. How can you be positive at all or start to put this behind you when you isolate yourself and don't do anything that used to make you happy? I use to feel absolutely nothing at all. No joy no real happiness or anything. These are slowly changing and my sexual response is starting to inch its way back. As for the numbness you're experiencing? It may go away or it may not and it is definitely troubling. Your options are give in or work hard to make a new life for yourself.

I gave up on everything and almost lost my job. After a failed relationship I put my effort into overdrive. I sought out therapy and made sure I was doing everything I can to get a good nights sleep and that alone has made a significant difference. Get outside and bike ride or walk. I forced myself. It was so incredibly difficult. I had zero motivation, but somehow I just did it. I didn't sleep for months and I would go outside and just walk. I wanted to kill myself everyday for years.

This is about you right now. I have zero libido and for a man that is extremely devastating. I have come to grips with it, but the more I accept it and the more I push myself to improve little changes in my sexual functioning seem to get better.

As for supplements. I take Omega 3 every single day. Nothing else. Its all pretty much crap. The reason Omega 3s have credible science behind them is because our food sources lack this essential fatty acid. Western diets are severely lacking in this and our brain needs fat.

So where should I suggest everyone start on this? A good place is with this book which has helped me tremendously. "The Depression Cure" by Stephen Illardi. I followed this book religiously with a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy. I'm doing much better. The way I see it is this. Have depression with sexual dysfunction or don't be depressed with sexual dysfunction with the possibility of improvement. Just my opinion.
silverstar
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by silverstar »

Thank you for your detailedr response. I have every pssd symptom pretty bad. I take vitamin d and k, multi, msm, fish oil, probiotics aand a few other things.

I was very healthy before this nightmare and yes I now trulyk now depression. Or more like utter devastation and hopelessness

I'm going to try wellbutrin Sr 200 mg for depression I've been house bound for almost a year now. Enough is Enough. I agree there is really only one way through this...and it's not easy.

I don't tolerate meds well aand it was a combination of pharmaceuticals , 5htp, curcumin, cough medicine and tramadol that got me into this mess. Along with my previous brain injury which resulted in pgad.

I healed from pgad ....So maybe I'll heal from this

But you're right this depression has got to go!
DoIt
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by DoIt »

How do you know the difference between PSSD, prolonged withdrawal and SSRI induced depression? Maybe we call it PSSD but it's depression from SSRIs....

I'm not sure any more what this is... All I know my brain is damaged and i want to repair it...

Maybe jaiho is right, but I'm not sure that getting back on SSRIs even with TCAs is a smart move longterm...
infinityzer00000
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by infinityzer00000 »

Heres my opinion on the matter. What difference does it really make? The truth of the matter is that whatever symptoms you do have there is obviously an overlap. If you make the assumption you have permanent PSSD, which could be likely, how does that benefit you in any way? You can accept the worst case scenario and you will spiral further down into despair and your symptoms will get worse, or you can do everything in your power to treat the depression. There are proven things you can do to help your depression even if it is SSRI induced or whatever the case may be.

There is no doubt most of our lives have changed negatively because of this situation. We have given up on our social lives, our mental and physical health, our careers and our hobbies and interests. If you have anxiety, depression, OCD work hard to treat it. I went from full blown OCD every minute of the day to 98% symptom free. I had tremendous anxiety and I am about 90% symptom free. I am working on my depression and I would say I am about 80% symptom free. I am trying to improve myself every day. You should too.

We need hope. It is all we have. Good luck.
DoIt
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by DoIt »

infinityzer00000 wrote:There are proven things you can do to help your depression even if it is SSRI induced or whatever the case may be.
Like what? Excersise? I'm really athletic guy, didn't help... Eating right? I went 100% paleo for half a year and nothing... Therapy? Nothing.... Supplements? Tried Inositol, Creatine, Ashwa etc. Only slight benefits.

You know, all I really want are my emotions, I would cut my dick of for that....

The only thing I didn't try are drugs.... Hmm I tried Stablon and it made it worse... Any recommendations here?

I have a really supportive family, a great girl, nice friends but I'm strugling... And I'm looking for a way out like all of you... It's hard but I'm really giving my best
infinityzer00000
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by infinityzer00000 »

"Since then, I'm crying a lot, I want my old life back, I'm hiding all this from my girlfriend and I'm acting happy in front of her... When I really think about it, the only time that I'm happy is when I'm with her... At times, when It's hard I don't even feel anything for her but at other times I feel so much love to that girl..... She's the only thing keeping me going."

According to your post awhile back you do have emotions especially when you're around your girlfriend.

How well do you sleep? How much anxiety do you have?
DoIt
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Re: life after pssd

Unread post by DoIt »

It's complicated. Like, at periods I can feel love for her, I can feel something, but at times it gets so bad that I can't even make my self to laugh.
My libido fluctuates between 0-4 (on 1-10 scale) and I can't enjoy music at any time...

Maybe low dose SSRI might cure this and flip the switch back? But I'm afraid to fuck it up further, but again it might cure me... We'll see how it goes with pete...
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