Atrophy (female)

[Wantmyclitorisback]

So I first want to say that I think it's likely everyone is actually experiencing a syndrome with a multitude of different causes - I.e. many roads lead to PSSD. So I'm not suggesting this theory fits everyone.

After discovering tonight that I can achieve normal sensation so long as I try to masturbate in such an uncomfortable position that the cramping in the rest of my body turns me off, this is my theory for **me**.

I think my clitoris has atrophied. I was able to get normal sensation by finding the exact place to apply pressure. For me, this rules out neuropathy - the nerves still work - or anything blocking dopamine channels or whatever. It literally seems to be a functional issue of actually being able to access the damn thing. My clitoris was already on the small side naturally - this limited my options for orgasm during sex, but never stopped me achieving intense sensations and orgasms before i took the pills. I think the almost total lack of physiological arousal over the five years I took sertraline meant a significantly decreased bloodflow to the clitoris and that's led to some shrinkage that given my already small size has tipped me over into total sexual dysfunction. This would explain why my sexual function came back brilliantly after I initially discontinued after nine months of sertraline- I was in a relationship and having sex every day so there was lots of blood going down there. But then I went back on the meds due to horrible discontinuation and stayed on them for four years - this time single and struggling to masturbate = low blood flow.

My age also might not help. I'm almost definitely too young for menopause (fingers crossed!) but there are hormonal changes in your 30s and I discontinued at 36. It's not impossible for women to start experiencing vulval issues due to lower oestrogen after 35, and oestrogen helps prevent (and works to restore) atrophy.

Also, when I was able to get aroused recently after a long period of no sex drive, the swelling hurt like the tissue hadn't been used for a while. A sensation kind of like breaking through scar tissue.

And now I think I'm in a kind of feedback loop where the lack of sensation leads to lack of arousal which leads to lack of sensation. And this problem has massively affected my self image (i don't feel sexy anymore) which I think could limit my sex drive through psychological means.

I could be wrong of course and very open to being, but I thought a functional, anatomical issue could be a factor for some women who were on the pills for a long time and were sexually inactive.

Important to note, of course, that I only have sexual symptoms of PSSD. No emotional or cognitive issues.