[Bizzy]

I recently stopped testosterone injections, 1) it didn't help POIS and 2) it's a pain in the neck running to nurses every 2 weeks and 3) it's controversial - some say it's dangerous, can lead to prostate cancer, so constant monitoring is not fun.

I agree testosterone injections do not work for either POIS or major depression. In my experience the very first injection of testosterone does relieve POIS and major depression. But only for about a week before tolerance settles in. I think this happens because the hypothalamus wants to restore the higher stress hormone balance. This act to compensate for the increased testosterone takes about a week.
Testosterone therapy for mild to medium depression is controversial and variable. Some people will gain great benefit and some people only some. Some people will worsen and become more poorly. Also the long term adverse effects are variable too. Some people will become more healthy and some people not. Some people will loose health they already have.
It appears that the benefits of supplementary testosterone with regards to mental health depend greatly on your genetic preposition.

[demografx]

Bizzy, it does wonders for my libido, but it's just too much effort/risk.

Besides, more libido = more POIS!!!!!

(even with my 50% cure, "who needs it?" is my current attitude)

[demografx]

NOBODY007, I hope you're feeling less depressed by now! If less amount of sperm released helps your POIS, there is a technique that I tried. A  book written by Mantak Chia, "Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy" has the technique. But lowering sperm release didn't work for me. A doctor told me it's not the sperm but what the ejaculation effect has on the nervous system. Amazon link to the book (you can buy it used for $6.74)
http://www.amazon.com/Taoist-Secrets-Love-Cultivating-Sexual/dp/0943358191/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202431233&sr=1-2

ps - for several years I believed Mantak Chia was describing POIS and it's cure! (5,000 year old Asian Taoist philosophy: Loss of sperm (chi) = energy depletion. Cure = no sperm loss) But it just didn't work for me.

[interested]

hi nobody

sorry to hear you are feeling so miserable right now, i have no answers: indeed i only have questions, in the hope of understanding this horrible thing.

what do you mean by "if i don't ejaculate everything"? can you / do you have any influence over this? if i remember correctly, you talked about nocturnal emissions only. could you explain this to me please? thank you! interested.

Another thing I have notice is that after ejaculation and few hours later my testicles sweats and cold. My mouth dries so fast and the heat keeps coming up. then, the next day, feeling cold and hot. so weird.  By the way, If I don't ejaculate everything, then i will be fine. So, I guess I the recovery time is too slow ? In addition, all my body joints are making sounds, its like theirs no fluid. Is there a way to increase the recovery time? it seems maybe there's not enough sperm or whatever that thing is in the testicles. I'm just so freaking depressed right now.

[Bizzy]

Bizzy, it does wonders for my libido, but it's just too much effort/risk.

Testosterone does have the effect of boosting libido soon after injection. But continued use of testosterone makes your testicles shrink and destroys your libido. You may think this is strange as testosterone is a sex hormone but you have to bare in my mind that it is supplementary. Supplementary injected testosterone has the affect of suppressing the bodys own testosterone production.
There are drugs that raise your bodies own testosterone production but they carry a risk of depression.
Testosterone withdrawl carries a risk of depression.

Are you sure the testosterone did wonders for your libido over the long-term ?

[demografx]

Bizzy, very interesting! I didn't stick around for the longterm, maybe 3-4 months at most before I quit. But now I feel better that I quit. And maybe that explains why my libido is even lower than before...the suppression effect. You sound like you are in the medical field, are you?

[Bizzy]

Bizzy, very interesting! I didn't stick around for the longterm, maybe 3-4 months at most before I quit. But now I feel better that I quit. And maybe that explains why my libido is even lower than before...the suppression effect. You sound like you are in the medical field, are you?

I would say that 3-4 months is quite a long time. It will take some while before your body fully restores its own testosterone production
My posts may make it seem that I am in the medical field but I am not. I have been reading about depression and steroids for over 15 years. My posts will hopefully bring about more posts leading to an even more understanding in this area.

[El Stonio]

Hi Everyone,
I have good news.  I have been masturbating for at least 20 mins everyday without ejaculating and my symptoms have almost disappeared.  Now I"m just naturally tired like anyone after orgasming.  I am also using Remeron (7.5 mgs) for sleep and tapering down to less than 5 mgs of paxil.  Very good decision.  Sleep much improved.  Happy glad handing everyone.  I hope it works for you.  Oh, I'm also eating high protein either before or after, which helps me too.
El Stonio

[John21 (OP)]

If your problem is post ejaculation how could refraining from ejaculating possibly help?

Glad to hear you are lowering your Paxil, I hope you get off it like I did. If you do stop taking it DO IT GRADUALLY!! I still have pulsatile tinnitus and the occasional "zaps" many years later because I withdrew too quickly from this drug. There are many personal accounts on the web about adverse Paxil withdrawl.

[demografx]

Hi Everyone,
I have good news.  I have been masturbating for at least 20 mins everyday without ejaculating and my symptoms have almost disappeared.  Now I"m just naturally tired like anyone after orgasming.  I am also using Remeron (7.5 mgs) for sleep and tapering down to less than 5 mgs of paxil.  Very good decision.  Sleep much improved.  Happy glad handing everyone.  I hope it works for you.  Oh, I'm also eating high protein either before or after, which helps me too.
El Stonio

Do you prevent ejaculating with your fingers pressing the area below?

[demografx]

Bizzy, very interesting! I didn't stick around for the longterm, maybe 3-4 months at most before I quit. But now I feel better that I quit. And maybe that explains why my libido is even lower than before...the suppression effect. You sound like you are in the medical field, are you?

I would say that 3-4 months is quite a long time. It will take some while before your body fully restores its own testosterone production
My posts may make it seem that I am in the medical field but I am not. I have been reading about depression and steroids for over 15 years. My posts will hopefully bring about more posts leading to an even more understanding in this area.

Bizzy, thank you very much, your posts are very helpful! I hope my testosterone production comes back ok. My urologist says it could take 6-12 months.

[demografx]

Well, I just took Levitra and had a release. Even though Levitra works with at least 50% improvement for my POIS, I'm dreading the other 50%. I'm going to take my psychiatrist's advice and expect very little of myself over the next few days.

POIS is a scourge! A cruel malady! Let's all keep working together and wipe it off the planet!

[demografx]

Testosterone withdrawl carries a risk of depression.

BIZZY, would it make sense for me to go back to injections and taper off? I think I am feeling the withdrawal depression as you described.

[Bizzy]

BIZZY, would it make sense for me to go back to injections and taper off? I think I am feeling the withdrawal depression as you described.

I think you were taking clinical doses of testosterone rather than bodybuilding doses so tapering is not that important. I recommend an antidepressant to counter-act the depression.

[demografx]

Thank you very much []

[hk1979]

Hello my fellow POIS patients. I live in South Africa and masturbated a lot since age 9, and by age 12 it really became a problem. I had a lot of acne, and after ejaculation will have an almost oily skin texture. I was an athlete and found that orgasms also made me tired and short of breath. I became sexually active with partners at age 19.

I could not keep up with the demands of my girlfriends, and could never understand when I read in magazines that some couples do it a few times a day and a few days a week, plus they are feeling great.

I also did a lot of research, and found it has to do with hormonal imbalances.

Specifically the deficiency of DHEA is causing the problems. I found that by taking 50mg of DHEA after sex, and also a protein supplement called L-Tyrosine in the mornings, significantly reduces the symptoms.

Please consult your doctors about this, try it for yourselves and get back to me.

You will find that DHEA production is at its peak during puberty (when we start to masturbate), and decline rapidly after age 20 (when we really feel the effects of POIS).

I assume ejaculation / orgasm has something to do with blocking DHEA.

Cheers and good luck!

[demografx]

It's been 2 days since release and POIS is gone. Completely. Before Levitra, it was 3-4 days agony. And the symptoms are also not as severe. Besides the Levitra, I also rested heavily, alternating with caffeine and stimulants. All in all, not terrible at all as I feared in my last post. I can't say I'm happy/thrilled, but it's a  _great_ improvement over my lifetime history of POIS suffering.

[demografx]

ORGASM RESEARCH

Interesting article in the news yesterday

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/scimedemail/la-he-orgasm11feb11,0,7196643.story

about nervous system/brain research on orgasm. They said it's just now starting to be understood. Some names in the article: Barry Komisaruk, Prof/author, Rutgers; Dr. Gert Holstege, Univ. of Groningen, Netherlands; Beverly Whipple, retired Rutgers, author of "Science of Orgasm".

[neilep]

ORGASM RESEARCH

Interesting article in the news yesterday

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/scimedemail/la-he-orgasm11feb11,0,7196643.story

about nervous system/brain research on orgasm. They said it's just now starting to be understood. Some names in the article: Barry Komisaruk, Prof/author, Rutgers; Dr. Gert Holstege, Univ. of Groningen, Netherlands; Beverly Whipple, retired Rutgers, author of "Science of Orgasm".

That's a fascinating article.

THANK YOU for posting the link.

I might actually incorporate it into a Science News Of the Day post in another thread here on the site.

THANKS for your ongoing support here.

Great Link


Neil

[Bizzy]

Hi Demografx

I have a few questions regarding your Levitra therapy.
What dose are you using and when do you take it ?
Also are you getting any side-effects ?
Would you say it lessens depression ?

Also you mentioned that you take caffiene and stimulants to help you through POIS.
Caffiene has a very nasty neurosis type effect on me if I take it during POIS. I also avoid any stimulants as they have a similarly negative effect on my  mind.
I use an antidepressant to help me through the POIS period. It also lessens the duration of POIS for me.
The antidepressant I use is nortriptyline.