I take 20mg escitalopram daily and my prostate has pretty much disappeared. Help!
I have to take this damn drug for panic attacks. I resent it, but it's the only thing that's made them go away. I used to be able to attain a super-o, but since I've been on it, no matter what I do, nothing happens.
I can masturbate, fuck, and orgasm pretty much normally. It's not as good, but I'm hardly dysfunctional. My prostate on the other hand...before I was on this, I could get a Super O, and since, no matter what I've tried, nothing has worked. Mediation, relaxation, the do-nothing method, semen retention, porn, vigorous contractions, nothing I've tried has given me any pleasure. I've tried hypnosis, binaural beats, you name it. I can feel the contact on my prostate, but it just doesn't feel good like it used to.
Anyone have any suggestions? It's getting to be pretty frustrating.
I wish I knew what would help the situation, my heart is with you my friend. SSRI meds are cruel things. My wife is on them and it has been one major contributing factor to 10 years of miserable, sexless marriage.
You still have the drive and desire to experience pleasure though, so frustrating as it may be, I'd say that's a good thing. I've heard a lot of talk lately about your gut being your second brain though, I even heard something on NPR about it, but Sex With Emily and Shameless Sex podcasts have both touched on the issue. I don't know if it would help your situation, but you may want to try to seek out a holistic doctor who may be able to help you in other ways. Best of luck to you.
If the medication is working then it's affecting your brain chemistry (that med is an uptake inhibitor, right?), this may even have a slight knock-on effect on other super-O associated important brainy liquids (Monoamine neurotransmitters).
So diagnosing exactly what this new problem is understandably difficult.
That being said...
I can masturbate, fuck, and orgasm pretty much normally.
I agree with Regal, this bodes well for you. It could have had a more severe effect on your libido.
Anyone have any suggestions? It's getting to be pretty frustrating.
Firstly, take a metaphorical step back to breathe.
Yes, it's infuriating to have your progress so rudely sidetracked by a medication that you NEED.
That frustration won't be helping mentally, and you know it!
You've had super-o's in the past and it certainly seems like you have the determination to get there, again. Congratulations btw, that's half the battle.
Let your next super-o be a 'future event' which is set in stone, something that will come to you so assuredly that it should cause no amount of worry over certainty.
Hopefully this will make 'dud' sessions easier to cope with. If all you get from it at the moment is some personal time to relax, that's ok. Spending time in meditation is healthy, especially for anyone who suffers from stress.
As for things to try... (YMMV, etc)
Firstly, give each new technique you decide on a decent few tries before moving on. Hard as it might be, approach each with optimism intrigue. Each will change something, if only subtly. Your job is to notice that change, whatever it may be, wherever it may be in the body. If you are aroused then hopefully the altered heart rate, feeling in your abs, tightness of muscles, anything, will have a pleasurable twinge.
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Personally, I would be trying to incorporate the rest of my body even more given your unruly prostate. So nipple twiddling, sensual massage, even something as simple as slowly rubbing your feet together.
Instead of relying solely on your prostate to build sensations, then have those spread to the rest of your body. We're doing the reverse, building smaller yet still pleasurable sensations in the rest of the body, willing that prostate (which you can still feel the toy touching) to join in again.
"Cmon in Prostate, the water is great."
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When you feel a response from the prostate again, fantastic. From then on, every day you don't have time for or don't feel like having an Aneros session, spend some time doing kegels instead.
They can take as much/little time, concentration, and present arousal as you have to spare.
Encouraging those refound sensations to stay alive.
Having been on a similar medication in the past, I have theories about what might be happening to you. But they are just that. I'd rather not risk doing more harm than good by going into it.
Meant to ask. How long have you been on this medication?
As far as medication goes, I can't be sure of your exact diagnosis of course, but there are some alternate medications that will have less of an effect on your sexual energy. I took escitalopram as well for a few years and had a complete drop in libido. I later switched to Wellbutrin, which has been nothing but beneficial and returned me to normal. For anxiety, I use Lamictal, which has zero sexual side effects. I can have my libido and a healthy brain at the same time now.
Talk with your doctor, see what other options you may have available.
I'm no expert, but I think that prostate massage, or a simple butt plug, by itself, might help with your panic attacks.
I also had a high level of stress, and panic attacks in social situations. I noticed that using an Aneros was very therapeutic. I felt so good and relaxed during sessions, but you can't use a prostate massager all the time. But you can wear the right butt plug 24/7. I found the right plug for me and now all stress is manageable. Even withdrawal from not drinking for a month, is easily tolerable with a plug giving me constant stimulation.
If you want to get your balls back and functional again after you quit the SSRI poison (like I did), buy some MK-677 (Ibutamoren). As for the dose, I take such a small amount that it's not measurable on my scale (a fraction of the amount the body builders use). So I use the "O" on the lid of an old (vintage) Carmex jar to measure my dose. ...Powder, of course.
NOBODY "needs" medications like SSRIs (etc etc). Change your diet and get your body functioning properly (organic, and cook every meal from scratch, yourself). That will end your panic attacks naturally. ..But use the MK to help your hormones recover faster.
[EDIT]
I think you will also have to practice "ruined orgasms"...religiously. You want to increase your dopamine level as much as possible, but traditional orgasm has a "negative feedback loop". The only way to counter that successfully, without triggering a shutdown of the good hormones, is to cum without any stimulation, every time you get horny. Abstinence triggers shutdown. ...It's not easy to cum like that at first because you 'want to cum so bad' even after you just came buckets full. Just resist it and that need will go away.
I was on some sleep medication years ago for a short while, and it totally removed my ability to have Super-Os and my libido was reduced a lot. I tried a lot of things and nothing worked. At some point I decided that I preferred insomnia and orgasms to the alternative. I had some other side effects, too, so this was not all about my pleasure. I understand that if you really need your medication to function normally, and no other medication works, you don't really have that choice.
So I feel pretty sh*tty saying this, but you might be stuck until you can go off this med. Talk with your doctor about reducing dosage if possible.
DISCLAIMER : I'm not a doctor just a weird know-it- all stranger on the net who reads drug reports for fun. Don't mind me.
I'm not qualified to give any advice but maybe a particular individual only needs 17mg or 18mg or 19mg, those drugs are manufactured to be "one size fits all" and I never heard of a doctor taking the time to really fine tune dosage. There might be ways to do this fine tuning yourself, talk to your doctor, he probably won't care as long as it's not more work for him and he'll give you his benediction. Take care.
Edit : was a little too close to actual medical advice, switched stuff around a little. Don't want to screw with people's health...
One thing you might also look into for the panic attacks is CBD. I had good success with CBD and social anxiety. Regular Aneros sessions have also seemed to work wonders with relaxation and overall feeling of well being.