[John21 (OP)]

Demo, thanks it feels good to know that I helped in this way. But my respect is much higher for you (and the others as well) for your dedication and enthusiastic quest for answers. 

I can't imagine how many people actually suffer from POIS, but as long as we have a place to discuss it freely like this I expect the list will grow continually.

Dean93, I understand the awkward problem of discussing such matters with your parents... I can't imagine ever doing such a thing! Hopefully you can manage the situation with chastity and possibly herbal supplement experiments as a back up plan.

[demografx]

Thanks again, John!

[Dean93]

Yes, John21, I'm glad that you understand. It would be great if I could beat it that way, as I just can;t figure out a way to say whats wrong without getting into details. If I have to, I will, but I think I'll start with supplements. I plan to try the garlic first. John21, did you say that you had the garlic both before and after your NE? Having no symptoms sounds wonderful! I am sort of in the downswing of my cycle at the moment, tonight at rehearsal for my high school's Jazz Band I really had a lot of trouble keeping focused and alert, which is obviously bad. Today I also felt like I was manufacturing words/actions rather than having them come naturally. Can anyone relate?

Thank you again to everyone here at the forum who has offered their advice, wisdom and knowledge. Dealing with this is a lot easier knowing that your not the only one and that it can be treated/cured! Thank you!

[Counterpoints]

I've been getting questions about the questionnaire!  I am not officially responsible for the form, Marnia is. User 'reuniting' on this site.  Thanks. 

[Counterpoints]

Thank you, Counterpoints, I will try my best to focus on my school work.

Are you saying that allowing your cycle of NEs to continue, your symptoms effected you less? To what degree?

Since then I've broken the cycle, and my symptoms have fluctuated quite a lot over recent years.  But I would say that at my best, during high school, symptoms affected me maybe 15% of the time, in a month.  e.g. every week or so, I would feel off for a day. And the symptoms wouldn't be horrible that day, I would still be functional.

[John21 (OP)]

Dean93,

I plan to try the garlic first. John21, did you say that you had the garlic both before and after your NE?

Ideally I think it is better to have it beforehand but unless you are eating it everyday that probably won't work, as NEs are unpredictable. I have had success consuming if for a couple of days after an NE. I eat about two cloves: I crush them in a garlic press and let the sit for 5 - 10 minutes then lightly microwave them. Add some ketchup and it becomes eatable. Of course the downside is the breath thing, teeth brushing may not quite get rid of it. You may wish to stock up on chewing gum. I don't really know but maybe coating your mouth with milk or olive oil or something beforehand might reduce the scent afterwards. And also some people can smell "garlicy" the next day when it comes out of the skin's pores. You could make up some story on why you are trying garlic in case you are questioned. Tell them you've read that garlic gets rid of zits or something. []

[Counterpoints]

Today I also felt like I was manufacturing words/actions rather than having them come naturally. Can anyone relate?

Yes.  I think this has shown up as 'word finding difficulty', and 'difficulty communicating', with 'lack of spontaneity/creativity'.  These symptoms are fairly common in POIS descriptions.  I experience this too.

[John21 (OP)]

Quote from: Dean93 on 27/04/2009 23:47:15
Today I also felt like I was manufacturing words/actions rather than having them come naturally. Can anyone relate?


Yes.  I think this has shown up as 'word finding difficulty', and 'difficulty communicating', with 'lack of spontaneity/creativity'.  These symptoms are fairly common in POIS descriptions.  I experience this too.

Yes, when I was in my POIS state I would experience this. In conversation I would often rely on memory for what to say vs thinking anything new. Mentally limited.

[zaaria]

Hi, Deniseamonalisa, you are not the only woman suffering pois, sure; i would like to contact other women with the same symptoms: for one or two days after sex, flu-like symptoms like a light fever, brain fog, unable to think clearly or concentrate (brain fog) Hope to hear from you soon

[demografx]

zaaria, welcome to the POIS thread of The Naked Science Forum!



zaaria, you can contact Deniseamonalisa by Private Message. Please see PM instructions below at "POIS Research Study". I have also alerted her by Private Message to look at your post.

The consensus at this forum to heal your POIS, is to start with hormonal bloodtesting, preferably with an endocrinologist.
 
Here are some POIS forum resources which may be helpful to you:

Please see "B_Jim"'s POIS Forum Summary of All Cases, here as well as others on the Web. This includes remedies that we have tested, and results.
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=6576.msg149009#msg149009

"Girlwind" has created an excellent POIS Video:

And filling out the POIS survey created by "Counterpoints" will enable you to share POIS information and details with others here. This will also enable us to work more easily with outside researchers by having more organized data available about us:
http://pois.olympe-network.com/

POIS Research Study

We have a copy of the first and only study on POIS by Dr. Marcel Waldinger,MD and Dr. David Schweitzer, MD.

If you want a copy (PDF), send "Pyropeach" a Private Message with your regular email address and he'll send you back the PDF.

To send a Private Message, click on "Messages" at the top of this page. At the Messages page, click on "New Message". From that point on, it works just like posting a message here, except that it only goes to the person(s) you designate.

Remember to put a quote around the recipient's name, e.g., "pyropeach".

New York Times article,

January 20, 2009
Mind
Sex and Depression: In the Brain, if Not the Mind
By RICHARD A. FRIEDMAN, M.D.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/health/views/20mind.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=friedman%20sexual%20January%2020&st=cse


In addition to serving our own informational interests, the resources listed above can be useful for you to show the medical world - which often shows little understanding and is sometimes skeptical of our condition - that POIS has scientific underpinnings and that POIS is not "just another psychological problem" related to sex - to be treated by the psychiatric/psychotherapist community.

Also, it can be helpful when dealing with medical professionals to point out the successful existence of our rapidly growing forum for over 2 years, which has attracted over 100 POIS sufferers worldwide who have posted here, plus more than 250,000 page visits. Not bad for a rare malady!

[demografx]

Do I have Hypogonadism or POIS?

My endocrinologist writes "hypogonadism" in his labwork orders for my bloodtests. (If he wrote "POIS" - an unrecognized malady - I'm sure that would create undesirable questions in the lab).

Hypogonadism means that the body produces insufficient levels of testosterone. Which is exactly what they found in my blood testing: low testosterone (along with very high prolactin).

I was prescribed testosterone relacement therapy (TRT), which, most happily, cures my POIS 90%+.

What is confusing to me is that TRT is also the treatment for hypogonadism. But my symptoms are clearly POIS, and I don't see a symptom-similarity between POIS and hypogonadism.

Does this make sense?

ps - About 2 hours after writing the above, I found John's old post below. Now my question is "Do hypogonadism symptoms sometimes last for DAYS or weeks after orgasm?" If they do, maybe this is a new discovery! Do I (and others "with POIS" who are primarily affected by low testosterone) simply have a form of hypogonadism and not POIS?

[demografx]

Aren't the symptoms for hypogonadism similar to ours?

Symptoms
In Men
Effects of low testosterone in men may include: (not all are present in any single individual)

Word Finding difficulty
Dry Skin
Cracking nails
Fatigue
Muscle loss/atrophy
Frequent urination without infection
Getting up at night to urinate
Dementia-like memory loss
Poor sleep secondary to achy muscles
Poor libido
Erectile Dysfunction
Increasing weight
Glucose intolerance (early diabetes)
Cholesterol/Lipid abnormalities
Slight increase size of breasts
Depression
Anxiety
Hot flashes
Decrease in beard and body hair growth
Loss of bone mass (osteoporosis )
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Psychological and relationship problems
Anaemia
Infertility
Decrease in firmness of testicles
Impaired growth of the penis and testicles

John, interesting that I just ran across this, which answers some of my question! Is wikipedia the source info for these symptoms?

[John21 (OP)]

Demo,
Sorry if I didn't source that, it may have been Wikipedia.

[demografx]

John, you did source it via the hypogonadism link, but when I had a quick look at the wiki symptoms list, it looked just a little different from your posted symptoms list. Did I look in the wrong place?

[John21 (OP)]

Demo, I'm guessing that the page was updated then.

[demografx]

Thanks, John, mystery's solved!

[demografx]

tonight at rehearsal for my high school's Jazz Band I really had a lot of trouble keeping focused and alert

Dean, a few of us here are also musicians (I play blues piano). Keep up the playing!

[Dean93]

Hello everyone.

My last NE was 10 days ago. Today, I feel worse than I think I ever have. I've had two other orgasms since then through masturbation just because I was hopeless and really dull minded. I tried the garlic for two days, but then stopped because I thought it might be better to wait. My Mom is skeptical about taking me to the doctor. She says that I just "sleep so much that I think its a disease" and that I can just wait for two months to go for a physical. I don't know what else to tell her. One of the worst parts about talking to others about this is that there is really no way to substantiate it like you might be able to with a disease like chicken pox.

I feel like life is passing me by and like I'm wasting the days that should be a great experience. At times its like my life is falling apart before me and I can't do a thing about it. I got a note from two friends saying how much they loved me, a very close friend of mine is frustrated with me because I can't hold a conversation with her anymore, one of my teachers told me that I looked like I was "just barely here". No emotional response. I feel like I'm just throwing my body around. I don't know what to do, everything I do or say is based on either what someone else does or says or what I think I'm expected to do, it doesn't work out.

I'm sorry that I have no real progress or useful information to share.

[John21 (OP)]

Dean93, considering the nature of the problem at hand (assuming it is like mine was) it is quite easy to become discouraged. Just try to be patient. Remember that you are quite young and might have opportunities to get around this that us older guys wish we had at your age. Perhaps revealing it to a close friend would help you deal with it, if you think he/she would be supportive. And remember, if garlic doesn't help it is just one idea and it's success is claimed only by myself. There are other herbal ideas that have resulted in better feedback amongst us, namely fenugreek and relora. If you try either of these I would advise that you start out with small amounts. Although I personally think these are safe one should use caution and go slow when trying any new supplement. Remember that even though something is "natural" doesn't mean it is necessarily good for you.

[CertainlyPOIS]

Dean 93,
If you are having problem with NE. I will suggest going to bed in a very loose jeans and also to sleep on side and also to avoid masturbation because i believe it weakens pc muscle(control ejaculation.)