[demografx]

I have recently started consuming raw garlic as a treatment for POIS. User John21 originally reported success with this method (pages 42-47 of the forum), and I know others have tried it as well.

I am happy to report that it seems to be helping with my symptoms quite a bit.

mmac06, many thanks for expanding on John21's original finding and experiments!!

[CertainlyPOIS]

For the record, my POIS used to last about a week, but then it grew to 2 weeks for a while, and then gradually went to 4 weeks. Now, it's been a little over one month since my last O, and I'm just now starting to feel better.

Wow, it grew for you?  Mine went from about 2 weeks to 2 days (the worst part at least).

TEMPORARY SOLUTION FOR POIS
Guys, I am glad I found this site today and also discovered the term POIS today as well.  I have been trying to resolve my POIS for the last 5 years. I am 26 and athletic. I suffer ED and PE as well. Here's what ELIMINATES the POIS symptomps. Do intense sports and sweat heavily. Either a 50 plus laps of nonstop swim, or a 8 km run at least will eliminate the symptomps completely and get me to normal IMMEDIATELY as though I had no pois at all. But this only undoes the sympotomps and of course does not resolve the root of the problem permantently.

I am sure it works for you as well. Try it. Cardiac Exercise gets the blood going through the brain. Resistance exercise or walking or cycling does not work here. Lemme know if it works for you as well. This way you can avoid having to wait for many days to recover.

I've been exercising a lot and do notice a positive change in mood, as long as I don't over-exert myself.  I plan to run in a 5K race this Saturday.  In short, I've been trying all that I can to stay on a positive track.  It does help POIS immensely.

I find it also weird that I don't share symptoms with anybody (1) my terrible mood, 2) than the physical brain fog in front of head symptom), it just seems so evident and might explain that their are differences with our POIS, and what helps POIS in one, may be totally different for what helps POIS in another.

I have two notes on this pertaining to these post.
I have notice when i execrcise during pois i get good recovery.
I think everyone gets the feeling bad symptoms and getting irritated very easiily at retarted things.
I just feel like all head is blocked like my brain is not commmunicating with it self.

[CertainlyPOIS]

I took some Claritin Clear, antihistamine yesterday, and man, I am never doing that again.  My POIS, as I've said before, comes in 2 stages, 1st is emotional (terrible mood, I want to kill somebody) , 2nd is mental (brain fog).  I haven't O'd in 15 days and took it on the 14th day.  Always as I "O", my brain fog stage turns into the emotional stage.  As I took the antihistamine, this had happened, very weird.  Thinking was crystal clear, but mood was the worst ever.
Testosterone, or should I say demografx  [)], I would try it, but I am a teenager with acne, and I think testosterone would probably be worse for me to take... right?  I believe I am full of it now.
Somebody else try claritin clear or an antihistamine (preferrably c.c. though) and see how they feel.

Hey GC,

Yeah, my trials with antihistamine (which compound is in Calritin Clear?) have been mixed at best. My emotional state is little effected by POIS, althugh I do get brain fog, so I haven't noticed any "depressive" effects. But I'd have to say that anti/histamines make it more worse than better.

On the other hand, I have found that noscapine ( in hot lemon cold/flu remedies ), especially on day 1 does wonders! I'd say that it does more than just help local symptoms, I'd have to say that it seems to reduce the length of the POIS session. Might be just a coincidence, but I 'O'd the night before last, took the cold remedy yesterday and today feel only about 5% POIS symptoms!! Go figure!

where do you get noscapine from i cant find it in stores and is it a cough suppresant.

[CertainlyPOIS]

For the record, my POIS used to last about a week, but then it grew to 2 weeks for a while, and then gradually went to 4 weeks. Now, it's been a little over one month since my last O, and I'm just now starting to feel better.

It might be your dreams do you have dreams about sex but without nocturnal emission, if you do that might be why your recovery is so long.

[Counterpoints]

Guthrie:

Very interesting news about the olive leaf extract!  About a month ago I developed shingles, and also, I suddenly started having NEs every 2 days or so.  I normally have an NE once every couple months, so this was very unusual.  The first NE happened 2 days before the shingles was obvious.  Another very interesting fact: the NEs had little or NO accompanying POIS symptoms!!!!  I had about 5 NEs with no symptoms, or almost no symptoms.

Do you think this suggests an immune connection?  And if so, I wonder in which direction?  (Is a weakened or strengthened immune system beneficial).  (I would almost certainly think strengthened).

When I was reading about olive leaf extract, I noticed it is used to treat shingles.

[horizon]

post-orgasm related studies
Stuart Brody of the University of Paisley, UK, and Tillmann Krüger of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18925405.900

also Aliisa K. Humphries¹ and Jan Cioe¹
¹ Psychology Department, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC
are doing/have done post-orgasm studies
http://www.sieccan.org/abstracts/vol18no3.html
http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/psyo/faculty/cioe.html
(not exactly what we are looking for but there you go)

Teriffic, Horizon! Any email addresses available?

yes, the one on women's refractory period:

Jan Don Domenico Cioe, Ph.D., R.Psych.
Associate Professor - Psychology Department
University of British Columbia - Okanagan
3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC
Canada V1V 1V7
250-807-8732
jan.cioe@ubc.ca


The 2nd one (article copied below)
contact details
Room L109 (Paisley Campus)
Tel: 0141 849 4020   
E-mail: stuart.brody@uws.ac.uk     


ETH-Zentrum
Dr. Tillmann Krüger
Institut f. Verhaltenswissenschaften
CAB H 84.2
Universitätstrasse 6
8092 Zürich
SWITZERLAND
Telefon: +41 44 632 35 70
Fax: +41 44 632 13 55
E-Mail: tillmann.krueger@ifv.gess.ethz.ch

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18925405.900
LOVERS know only too well that men usually need a "recovery period" after orgasm, and that sexual intercourse with orgasm is more satisfying than an orgasm from masturbation alone. Now scientists think the two phenomena might be linked.

Following orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released into the bloodstream in both men and women. The hormone makes us feel satiated by countering the effect of dopamine, which is released during sexual arousal.

Stuart Brody of the University of Paisley, UK, and Tillmann Krüger of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, measured blood prolactin levels in male and female volunteers who watched erotic films before engaging in masturbation or sexual intercourse to orgasm in the laboratory.

Surprisingly, after orgasm from sexual intercourse, the increase in blood prolactin levels is 400 per cent higher in both sexes compared with after orgasm from masturbation (Biological Psychology, vol 71, p 312).

This explains why orgasm from intercourse is more satisfying than masturbation, says Brody. Since elevated levels of prolactin have been linked to erectile dysfunction, this may also explain why most men need a recovery period after sex.

[demografx]

Thanks, horizon!

BTW, I wonder how the body "knows" the difference between the 2 forms of release?

[demografx]

I'm traveling for a few more days, it's clumsy to send/file correspondence on iPhone. Anyone care to send an email to horizon's contacts? (2nd post above). Thanks!!

[RhythmSpring]

For the record, my POIS used to last about a week, but then it grew to 2 weeks for a while, and then gradually went to 4 weeks. Now, it's been a little over one month since my last O, and I'm just now starting to feel better.

It might be your dreams do you have dreams about sex but without nocturnal emission, if you do that might be why your recovery is so long.

Nope.

[Green]

For the record, my POIS used to last about a week, but then it grew to 2 weeks for a while, and then gradually went to 4 weeks. Now, it's been a little over one month since my last O, and I'm just now starting to feel better.

Yes that absolutely resembles my case, the severity has increased I think it might be due to underlying poor health, when my health was good it used to last for just over a week, now in poor health – High cholesterol, IBS, anxiety and generally no exercise the POIS has worsened also.
Currently for me POIS symptoms last for a month and then gradually health improves, but I still feel groggy and tired all the time, I don’t watch porn, have an excellent diet and live a celibate life.

[/quote]

I suddenly started having NEs every 2 days or so.  I normally have an NE once every couple months, so this was very unusual.  The first NE happened 2 days before the shingles was obvious.  Another very interesting fact: the NEs had little or NO accompanying POIS symptoms!!!!  I had about 5 NEs with no symptoms, or almost no symptoms.
Do you think this suggests an immune connection?  And if so, I wonder in which direction?  (Is a weakened or strengthened immune system beneficial).  (I would almost certainly think strengthened).

Just this week alone I’ve had 5 NE’s! I’ve never had a real issue with NE’s I usually feel tired and groggy afterwards, nothing I can’t cope with and the symptoms are not in the same league as voluntary ejaculation induced POIS.
NE’s for me do more good than harm and always have done, I’m less likely to masturbate and also the following days my stress tolerance and pain tolerance seem to increase somewhat.

[Animus]

For the record, my POIS used to last about a week, but then it grew to 2 weeks for a while, and then gradually went to 4 weeks. Now, it's been a little over one month since my last O, and I'm just now starting to feel better.

Wow, it grew for you?  Mine went from about 2 weeks to 2 days (the worst part at least).

TEMPORARY SOLUTION FOR POIS
Guys, I am glad I found this site today and also discovered the term POIS today as well.  I have been trying to resolve my POIS for the last 5 years. I am 26 and athletic. I suffer ED and PE as well. Here's what ELIMINATES the POIS symptomps. Do intense sports and sweat heavily. Either a 50 plus laps of nonstop swim, or a 8 km run at least will eliminate the symptomps completely and get me to normal IMMEDIATELY as though I had no pois at all. But this only undoes the sympotomps and of course does not resolve the root of the problem permantently.

I am sure it works for you as well. Try it. Cardiac Exercise gets the blood going through the brain. Resistance exercise or walking or cycling does not work here. Lemme know if it works for you as well. This way you can avoid having to wait for many days to recover.

I've been exercising a lot and do notice a positive change in mood, as long as I don't over-exert myself.  I plan to run in a 5K race this Saturday.  In short, I've been trying all that I can to stay on a positive track.  It does help POIS immensely.

I find it also weird that I don't share symptoms with anybody (1) my terrible mood, 2) than the physical brain fog in front of head symptom), it just seems so evident and might explain that their are differences with our POIS, and what helps POIS in one, may be totally different for what helps POIS in another.

I have two notes on this pertaining to these post.
I have notice when i execrcise during pois i get good recovery.
I think everyone gets the feeling bad symptoms and getting irritated very easiily at retarted things.
I just feel like all head is blocked like my brain is not commmunicating with it self.

It's great that exercise works for you guys and it reduces the days of the pois.
When I was having pois it was so severe that there was no energy for exercise, and if I tried I would risk cardiac attack or complete shutdown. I once tried going out for a run, and nearly collapsed. For me the best thing was just to sleep and recover gently.
Now that I'm strong enough and don't get pois anymore, I can exercise again, and love a good workout. The key, like you said is not to over-exert yourself.

[Animus]

GC, I think a lot of us have the same symptoms of Brain fog, and terrible mood. But it's true that our symptoms and cures vary, and it points to the complexity of this illness.

[Puscar]

demografx, Thanks for all the info and encouragement. I am going to be regular on this site from now on. This site seems to be such an invaluable tool for all of us desperate souls, each doing their little Resarch and Application to get over POIS. LETS JOIN FORCES. AS A COMMUNITY I AM SURE WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER OUT IMMENSELY.

[Counterpoints]

Just this week alone I’ve had 5 NE’s! I’ve never had a real issue with NE’s I usually feel tired and groggy afterwards, nothing I can’t cope with and the symptoms are not in the same league as voluntary ejaculation induced POIS.
NE’s for me do more good than harm and always have done, I’m less likely to masturbate and also the following days my stress tolerance and pain tolerance seem to increase somewhat.

Interesting.  NEs have usually been somewhat less intense than conscious ejaculation, but not dramatically different, until now.  If NEs didnt cause POIS, or only had minor symptoms, I would never have voluntary ejaculation, except perhaps extremely occasional sex.

[demografx]

demografx, Thanks for all the info and encouragement. I am going to be regular on this site from now on. This site seems to be such an invaluable tool for all of us desperate souls, each doing their little Resarch and Application to get over POIS. LETS JOIN FORCES. AS A COMMUNITY I AM SURE WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER OUT IMMENSELY.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Puscar! We have already done a tremendous amount of good with mutual support and this will certainly continue to snowball.

[horizon]

My OUT-OF-POIS test results. (Feeling well, 10 days after an N.E)

Serum Testosterone              27.6 nmol/L (8.0 - 30.0)
Serum Sex Hormone Binding Glob  52 nmol/L (13-71)
Serum TSH level                 1.2 miu/L (0.20-6.00)
Serum free T4 level            17.5 pmol/L (10.0-25.0)
Prostate Specific Antigen      1.00 ug/L (<3.00)
Serum FSH level                4.3 iu/L (1.0-9.0)
Serum prolactin level          149 mu/L (<550)

I have a question about TSH levels.
Is it better for it to be lower or higher?
In other words, does it go up with age or down?
Thanks everyone!

[horizon]

demographx, do you have a letter which you send to potential POIS researchers? I once sent out about 50 letters to urologists in New York, and I got one response referring me to a specialist. I am going to start up this process again.
Also, has someone compiled the survey data into a short form? Like a summary?
In a way we've done a lot of our own research and testing, and it would be good to document it. I am interested in doing that, will get started right away.

Martin88 makes an excellent point: we get the best results from Directors, Managers, i.e., generalists, rather than researchers. Of course, in some cases, we have no choice when it's an independent researcher.

Feel free to use/modify:

Dear Dr./Mr./Ms. X,

We would like to know if you would be interested in helping to research a serious new medical condition (described below). The smallest suggestion, idea, opinion or ideally a proposition from you to initiate some research, would be very welcome and appreciated. We already have a group of sufferers who would be willing to participate in a study.
 
The first cases were officially described in 2002, by Dr. Marcel Waldinger (MD PhD) and endocrinologist Dr. Dave Schweitzer, MD.(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11995603).  He referred to the condition as "Postorgasmic Illness Syndrome" (POIS). His study results are attached.
 
Essentially, those with POIS usually suffer debilitating symptoms that follow within minutes of orgasm, and last for days. The symptoms include severe fatigue, anxiety, and cognitive impairment.
 
About 300 cases can be found directly (or are linked) on a UK Science forum, "The Naked Scientists", which is administered by a Cambridge medic.  Other cases are being increasingly described by the ISSM (International Society for Sexual Medicine).
 
Please consider this carefully.  A helpful response could save lives.  If you have any questions, or need more information, please ask.
 
Best regards,
 
[Your username]
[or first name, surname initial - -
or full name if you're comfortable]
POIS Forum
h t t p : / / t i n y u r l . c o m / d 3 u v 8 8 [without spaces]


And please don't forget to add to Martin88's database:
http://pois.vndv.com/email_list.php

Thanks for posting this useful letter, demo.

In regards to
Please consider this carefully.  A helpful response could save lives.

I was wondering if that statement might scare them off from even giving us a reply.
How about something like "would you be interested in working with us in the future or hearing more about this condition? etc etc"

[Defsync]

why does it take around 7 days to recover from POIS?

My theory - but far from fact - is that very slow sperm regeneration time (SRT) causes the long recovery.

Since TRT, my SRT is now very quick, and POIS is vastly reduced. When I'm "full" (again), I'm fine.

Anyone agree/disagree?

I agree... I think it has to do with sperm and semen regeneration too. I was looking up the time it takes to make sperm, and found that it takes about 74 days, and is being done all the time, but it takes 2-6 days for the sperm to make their final journey and mature fully... the article is here:  http://www.ehow.com/about_5503589_long-sperm-mature.html

So I found that interesting because it seems to match the time it takes to recover...

i disagree... i can get POIS symptoms without ejaculating sperm, simply from the "feel good" contraction one gets during orgasm. A person familiar with kama sutra and tantric sex practices knows how to do this. I just learned it when I was a kid "experimenting".

This is why i believe POIS (at least mine) has to do with the histamine released from the mast cells in the genitalia. my theory is that for w/e reason my brain is unable to break it down properly and in a timely manner, and it causes my POIS (which is mainly mental dysfunction 3-5 days.)

[Defsync]

post-orgasm related studies
Stuart Brody of the University of Paisley, UK, and Tillmann Krüger of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18925405.900

also Aliisa K. Humphries¹ and Jan Cioe¹
¹ Psychology Department, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC
are doing/have done post-orgasm studies
http://www.sieccan.org/abstracts/vol18no3.html
http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/psyo/faculty/cioe.html
(not exactly what we are looking for but there you go)

See we should be courting Canadian researchers! =D Canadians are very open minded people (in my experiences).

[Counterpoints]

In regards to
Please consider this carefully.  A helpful response could save lives.

I was wondering if that statement might scare them off from even giving us a reply.
How about something like "would you be interested in working with us in the future or hearing more about this condition? etc etc"

Why would it scare someone off from replying?  If anything it would compel someone to reply, because there is a sense of urgency.  Mostly everyone is busy and no one particularly has time to spare if it doesn't seem urgent or especially fascinating. The honest answer (from most people) to the question you suggest would most likely be 'no'.  People need to realise this is both 1) urgent, 2) an opportunity to better understand fascinating connections between many areas of medicine (endocrinology, neurology, andrology, etc).