Trazodone gave me PSSD

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Trazohell
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Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:46 am

Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by Trazohell »

Hello everybody,

first I would like to say that I am new here and hope to be able to contribute well in this forum.
I apologize for any grammatical mistakes, I myself come from Germany and translate most via google.

Now my story:
I have had pronounced depression and anxiety since around 2012.
My first antidepressant was Fluoxetine, which I let me perscripe in the summer of 2015.
I loved it: it did not make me feel negative things so strong but I was not a "zombie" or anhedonic.
I combination with alcohol it gave me wonderfull buzzes.
It also gave me no significant side effects, only a long time to orgasm sometimes.
In the spring of 2016, after a failed suicide attempt, I switched to Fluvoxamine, as Fluoxetine don't helped me against anxiety, and the effect seemed to diminish.
It brightened my mood again enormously until it also abated, so I stop it about a year later after fast tapering in the spring of 2017.
A few days later, I felt genital numbness, but at the time I had a girl and still a strong libido.
I google it and came across PSSD and was shocked.
The numbness improved between 2-3 months, at the end of the year my libido and feeling was fully back, maybe even better before SSRI.

Now comes the misery:
After the girl hurt (that b*tch) me I became problems with the sleeping and worse depression, so I let me perscripe Trazodone.
Because of PSSD I didn't want to take SSRI anymore.
I took 100 mg for one week, I got restless legs syndrome and could hardly sleep.
My libido was in the basement on second or third day, as I've never known in my life. (I masturbated 3-5 times per day since my puperty)
I still could get an erection, but orgasm was not so intense like before and my sperm was watery.
I thought I let the drug adjust something to my nervous system, maybe it will improve with time.
From the second week on was dosed to 200 mg, I was finally able to sleep.
But I became so dizzy and generally uncomfortable with sedating effects of Trazodone, that I get off after 9 days cold turkey (7 x 100mg, 2 x 200mg = 11 pills).

Within the next days and weeks I got genital numbness (most in scrotum), testicular/prostate/pelvic pain and my libido didn't return until now.
I also notice an emotional blunting. I was always a very emotional person, a powerful thought or song was enough to rub tears into my eyes.

The withdraw is now 5 weeks ago without any improvements.
Only the testicular pain seem to improve, I also have brain zaps from time to time, Is that a good sign?
I started to take some St. Johns Wort with Ginkgo since I read it helped some people here, I also take Maca that gave me always a huge boost in sex drive before.

Editet on 22.09.20 for shorter text and better spelling.

regards
Last edited by Trazohell on Mon Sep 21, 2020 7:17 pm, edited 4 times in total.
June 2015 - April 2016 Fluoxetine
April 2016 - March 2017 Fluvoxamine
December 2017 9 days Trazodone
After Trazodone PSSD: loss of libido & spontaneous/night/morning erections, prostate/pelvic pain, genital numbness, lower sperm count, Anhedonia
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JayR
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Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by JayR »

Trazohell wrote:Hello everybody,

First I would like to say that I am new here and hope to be able to contribute well in this forum.
I apologize for any grammatical mistakes, I myself come from Germany and translate most via google.

Now my story: (please read it, I'll try to be brief)

I've been dealing with genital numbness long before I've ever taken a psychotropic drug.
I have had pronounced depression and anxiety since around 2012.
My first antidepressant was fluoxetine, which I gave myself in the summer of 2015.
I loved it at first: it did not make me feel negative things so strong but I was not a "zombie".
It also seemed to improve my genital numbness, all worked fine.
In conjunction with alcohol, it gave me a wonderful, light feeling that I will never forget.
In the spring of 2016, I switched to fluvoxamine, as fluoxetine barely helped me against anxiety, and the effect seemed to be abating in general.
I call it about a year until the spring of 2017.
Since this also only weakly helped against fears, and also hardly any effect, I put it off.
A few days later, I got genital feeling numbness, but at the time I still had a girl and a strong libido.
I first came across PSSD but thought maybe my depression just came back and PSSD is a scientific hyphenation.
The numbness improved fortunately within 2-3 months, at the end of the year my libido and feeling was more intense than ever.
All I had to do was look at a woman's back and she was upset.
My experience with drugs was rather positive until then.

Now comes the misery:
In a clinic (where my libido was so good) I had Trazodone prescribed.
I had constant sleep disturbances and fears, depression was well under control.
I took 100 mg for one week, I got restless legs syndrome and could hardly sleep. My libido was fast in the basement, as I've never known it in my life. I did not know sexual discomfort until then.
I still could get an erection, but orgasm was not so intense and my sperm was waterier than usual.
I thought (unfortunately) I let the drug adjust something to my system.
From the second week on was dosed to 200 mg, I was finally able to sleep.
But I became so dizzy and generally uncomfortable with Trazodone.
I really felt like a zombie, almost remotely controlled.
It felt like acid was eating through my spine, as soon as I took the pills on my tongue she became numb.
I also got spontaneous erections, but when I tried to do it on purpose, it barely worked.
So I set off Trazodone after 9 days (7 * 100mg, 2 * 200mg).

My worst nightmare came true.
I got genital numbness, my libido just did not return.
I also noticed an emotional numbness.
Since I knew PSSD really exists.
I never thought that my life would be so changed by 11 stupid pills.
I insisted on Trazodone because I wanted to prevent PSSD, and now I seem to have it.
All I wanted to do was sleep again and not have any constant anxiety attacks anymore.

The withdraw is now 5 weeks ago.
I still have almost no libido, and genital numbness. Also sometimes testicular pain.
I feel cold and warmth, and pain, but hardly any normal touch.
My theory is that it might have something to do with 5HT2 receptors.
I have tolerated SSRI well until then and Trazodone very weakly inhibits serotonin, and only from higher doses. I was just 200, it can be dosed to 400.
But it is a 5HT2 antagonist.
I am currently trying St. John's Wort to upregulate 5HT2. Also Ginko, Maca, Omega3 and Vitamin D.
It seems to help a little, but sports seem to help me the most.
Sometimes I feel something like arousal again, but it's hardly fun because it feels so numb.
I sometimes have brain zaps too, is that a good sign?


regards
That's very odd, typically we associate Trazodone with improving sexual function; especially in males.
There isn't any data to support any different - but I can imagine that the sedation it creates may impact libido that way.
Still - its odd you would get a "PSSD" like syndrome from a non-SSRI...but we SHOULDN'T call it PSSD - and Ghost will Agree with me here.
Trazodone is NOT causing you PSSD - its causing a "like-syndrome" of sexual dysfunction.
Something that should be remedied with something more clean...Prazosin and maybe Ritanserin or Metergoline versus the concept of "upregulating 5-HT2A"...
Something that doesn't work for everyone.
I would say you should go that route, and check your hormone and thyroid levels ESPECIALLY.
Thanks for joining this forum, though...we will try to be as supportive as possible!
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Ghost
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Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by Ghost »

Hey man, welcome to the forum.

Like Jay said, it's not "PSSD" exactly, but I did take Traz at the same time as Lexapro, so I guess I can't REALLY be sure what caused me problems (though statistically very likely to be the SSRI). I'd keep waiting it out a few more months. I've seen cases of Traz side effects lasting for up to 6-12 months, but they usually go away eventually. Just STAY CALM. No need to stress too much, and it will actually be counter-productive here.

Also work on the pelvic floor. A good number of people with PSSD hold tension there. IDK if it's from the drug, or the anxiety, or maybe a combo. Regardless, I think it plays a bigger role in symptoms than we give it credit for here most of the time.
- Medical Student & Friendly poltergeist - Lexapro Sept '14. [Hx] [PSSD Lab] [r/PSSD] [Treatment Plan] - Add "Ghost" in replies so I see it :)
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Ghost
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Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by Ghost »

So you think it's not a real PSSD? I masturbated a bit earlier, I can get really hard, but it takes a long time until I "come", but that's because of St. John's wort.
So everything works, but I have hardly libido and the numbness bothers me a lot, especially in the testicles it is bad.
Maybe trazodone has interacted with the pelvic floor or just lowered testosterone?
Do you think pelvic floor training will help and I should wait and see?
Well, I think it's probably a very similar case to PSSD, I'm just saying that it wasn't caused by an SSRI, so it technically wouldn't be called that.

The fact that you have numbness that is stronger in one area than another screaming nerve/muscle problems to me. I think you should see a pelvic floor specialist as soon as possible.
- Medical Student & Friendly poltergeist - Lexapro Sept '14. [Hx] [PSSD Lab] [r/PSSD] [Treatment Plan] - Add "Ghost" in replies so I see it :)
Trazohell
Posts: 215
Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:46 am

Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by Trazohell »

I have found something interesting here:

https://www.depression-heute.de/blog/an ... exualitaet

"Die Beeinträchtigung ist auch keinesfalls auf SSRI eingeschränkt. Grundsätzlich können alle Mittel, die auf 5-HT2C und 5-HT3 Rezeptoren wirken, die sexuelle Funktion beeinträchtigen, aber das gilt auch für alle Medikamente, die auf ACh-Rezeptoren, Dopamin-D2-Rezeptoren wirken oder die Stickstoff-Synthese blockieren."

Translated: "The impairment is by no means limited to SSRIs. In principle, all agents that act on 5-HT2C and 5-HT3 receptors may affect sexual function, but so does all drugs that act on ACh receptors, dopamine D2 receptors, or block nitrogen synthesis."

I think my (sex)life is destroyed :(
June 2015 - April 2016 Fluoxetine
April 2016 - March 2017 Fluvoxamine
December 2017 9 days Trazodone
After Trazodone PSSD: loss of libido & spontaneous/night/morning erections, prostate/pelvic pain, genital numbness, lower sperm count, Anhedonia
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magnilo
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Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by magnilo »

ive been left by my GF this week and it had been lingering in the air for a while
as a result i cant sleep for more than a couple of hour straight without waking up and ive lost appetite, although not extreme
ive decided to take trazodone to help me sleep as i had some leftover pills

interestingly this time around its causing me retrograde orgasm
ive tried masturbating a couple of time and the orgasm was half muted and nothing came out but a bit of weird water
i had other disturbing similar stories with reboxetine, where i would "first ejaculate, then feel the orgasm"
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Ghost
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Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by Ghost »

I've been in the same position with girls. It's really hard and PSSD makes getting dumped even harder. It does get better though. I remember not being able to do anything for a few weeks. I never thought that a "broken heart" was legit until it happened to me.

Stick in there and it will get better.
- Medical Student & Friendly poltergeist - Lexapro Sept '14. [Hx] [PSSD Lab] [r/PSSD] [Treatment Plan] - Add "Ghost" in replies so I see it :)
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magnilo
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Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by magnilo »

thanks for the kind words ghost
it does get better with time, yes, but i am god damn sure that my erection/anorgasmia problem played a role into this
also the fact that in winter i usually get a bit gloomy made me look like a sloppy partner as compared to summer where i "shine"
i am fucking tired of this, same thing happened last year, always in january, the worst time of the year.
i am fairly decided now to crush my dysthimia and or depression as i believe it might be the root of all causes. probably ill try lowdose fluoxetine with mirtazapine to offset the sexual problems...
gingko, maca and zinc are good and are definitely staying in my stack, but are not doing miracles

anyway, sorry to hijack the trazodone topic with my ramblings.
ive discontinued trazodone 36 hours ago and ejaculation is back to normal
my tip would be discontinue anything noradrenergic, i am fairly sure that its mostly noradrenaline at fault for orgasmis issues
Trazohell
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Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:46 am

Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by Trazohell »

But trazodone does not work on norepinephrine, or do you mean to stop St. John's wort?

I also take Ginko and Maca.
June 2015 - April 2016 Fluoxetine
April 2016 - March 2017 Fluvoxamine
December 2017 9 days Trazodone
After Trazodone PSSD: loss of libido & spontaneous/night/morning erections, prostate/pelvic pain, genital numbness, lower sperm count, Anhedonia
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magnilo
Posts: 421
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2017 6:37 am
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Re: Trazodone gave me PSSD

Unread post by magnilo »

Trazohell wrote:But trazodone does not work on norepinephrine, or do you mean to stop St. John's wort?

I also take Ginko and Maca.
cit wikipedia:
Trazodone is generally described as acting as a potent serotonin 5-HT2A and α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist,
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