Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction - Interview with Carlton Ellison

[@sarahbrowne5712]

What a great interview. I congratulate Carlton on his candour and bravery. I am a woman who got PSSD from a prescription given for PMS. When I reported my sexual dysfunction to my GP, they did some blood tests to check for endocrine problems or diabetes, but ultimately waved their hands and said that women's libido comes and goes... Young men complaining of erectile dysfunction might be taken seriously by their Dr, but sexual dysfunction in women is 'normal'. Nobody is looking for iatrogenic causes of sexual dysfunction.

[@squirtlesquirtle830]

So sorry to hear youre dealing with this too. Sadly, when a man comes in its not any better. They dont care to investigate at all. They simply prescribe viagra and its end of story,

[@simonwright6163]

Carlton's an absolute legend, one of the strongest people I've ever met. Here's to the future and hoping that we find the source of the problem, a treatment and also those culpable should be brought to justice.

[@bryngilwern5766]

Great job to both. You have drawn the issue out in the unflinching detail that it necessitates. When Dr Witt-Doerring talked about having hope I immediately started crying. It's the first time I've heard PSSD mentioned with the word 'hope'. Thanks both of you for taking your time to record this.

[@ivye.3699]

Thank you so much for speaking to this rather pervasive problem. As a therapist, I often see how confusing SSRI use is for young people regarding their sexuality. It deeply affects couples obviously as well.

[@bryngilwern5766]

I feel sorry for children and adolescents. They risk their sexual development by taking SSRIs.

[@ivye.3699]

@@bryngilwern5766 agreed.

[@Kalks95]

Thank you to both of you for raising awareness and speaking out on such a dire issue many of us are facing. This condition is absolute torture, I have read up on many conditions and none come close to it, not even cancer. I pray for the day some treatment is found that will allow us to return to our former selves and live like normal human beings, not lifeless clumps of flesh. Like Carlton, I was given Citalopram for non depressive reasons and it has completely destroyed my life. You tell your GP and they shrug their shoulders. I'm tired, we all are. Thank you for the work you are doing to raise awareness

[@goldfinger-ub3fl]

How long have you been off citalapram and having pssd? I'd been on citalapram for years and having tapered off I'm now suffering with pssd it's horrific

[@Kalks95]

@@goldfinger-ub3fl Been off Citalopram for a couple years, been suffering PSSD for 1.3 years now. No improvements on my side.

[@SuperCody888]

Going forward we need to spread awareness, and to raise funds for research.

[@luisabremke5344]

Thank you so much Carlton for speaking up about PSSD!! It's long overdue that people learn about this sureal condition. I am a PSSD sufferer myself. And next to the sexual symptoms, I suffer from severe emotional blunting. I have taken the medication for PMDS and I can't put into words how my life got ruined since then. There was no informed consent and a lot of gaslighting by health care providers when I ended up in this situatio. We deserve better and I hope that we will get a treatmeant in the future. We have to keep pushing. Big thanks to Dr. Witt Doerring for helping the PSSD community!

[@ajax700]

_Big thanks to Dr. Witt Doerring for helping the PSSD community!_ From what I observe he is profiting from this too. He states PSSD is very rare (1 in 100.000 ocurrence), which is not. He strongly defends non working drugs in spite of PSSD / post drug damage. He never mentions non drug therapies which are the only way out of this "health" mess. Far from pioneer Peter Breggin which always was against drugs, psychiatry abuses and pro non drug therapies. Or medic, biologist and researcher Peter Gotzsche who fiercely denounces that big pharma are scammers selling drugs that don't work and falsify all research. Expecting a "cure" from big pharma is like expecting a totalitarian dictator to renounce power peacefully. It would be admission of guilt, as it would mean drugs do damage that needs a treatment. That these drugs cause damage and more health problems is a feature, not a problem for pharma. More damage, more drugs they can sell. Best wishes.

[@Kalley_Kavia]

​@@ajax700No, he's not "just profiting" off of the PSSD community. He's actually one of the few doctors that are trying to help.

[@ajax700]

@@Kalley_Kavia Look, I have PSSD too. Each is entitled to have an opinion. In a sane world these drugs would be banned decades ago, like thalidomide, if ever accidentally approved for mass use. Psychiatry would not exist or would be the opposite of what is now. I already provided why I think that way, it's not a whim. Hope you are one of the few who recover. Best wishes.

[@Kalley_Kavia]

​@@ajax700Yes, I agree, these poisons should have been banned many years ago. I hope you recover as well man.

[@L37777]

Thanks to Carlton for his interview ! I have PSSD since may 2016 from paroxetine and I can relate all he was saying

[@opeyemiyusuf8965]

Do u get better now🙏

[@nicolelambic]

Thank you for being brave enough to speak publicly about this very important topic, Carlton. So very sorry this happened to you. Wishing you complete healing soon. My questions: (1) Did Carlton have any other antidepressant withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication so quickly? (2) Did Carlton go back and tell the doctor what happened, and if so, what was the response? (3) Are there people in the PSSD community who do report the condition has fully resolved? And, if so, what is the % of folks it seems to happen for? (4) Bc the sex function was intact while on the drug, does anyone who came off quickly ever go back on and regain sex function and then taper off? (5) Can Carlton/others w/ PSSD reach orgasm at all, even if sporadic, and if so, is it less intense than prior?

[@Kalks95]

I can't answer for the first 2 questions since those are Carlton specific questions but for the remaining questions, I'll give my take, for what it's worth. People have reported full recoveries but partial recoveries are much more common in comparison. From what I have gathered, the genital numbing and ahnedonia/libido is rarely reported to have resolved. That's just an observation, as for the %, you'll only find speculative numbers because no study has been done therefore only ballpark figures can be given. For question 4, there doesn't seem to be much correlation between coming of cold turkey or tapering. On the PSSD forum people were tapering to the point of crushing up a 5th of a tablet and drinking it in water and have still ended up with PSSD. Some peoples PSSD happen on the drug and persist afterwards, for others they are fine on the drug and once they stop the symptoms begin. Sometimes there's a delay between onset of symptoms there's been cases of 6 months up to a year. I'll answer 5 from a personal take, I can orgasm through manual stimulation but the orgasm is pleasure-less. I assume you don't have PSSD so I'll give you an analogy, if YOU sneeze, you feel more pleasure than I do when I climax. My muscles will contract during the moment but there's no pleasure, there's no "ah fuck that felt good", it just comes out and done. I don't even get tired afterwards whereas before, after climaxing I'd feel tired but good. I get more pleasure from pissing than ejaculating which is absurd. Anyway, I hope this helps.

[@nicolelambic]

@@Kalks95 Thank you for taking the time to respond. Super helpful. answers. Wishing you healing.

[@sarahbrowne5712]

@@Kalks95 Thanks. I couldn't have put it better myself.

[@Cheesygarlicccc]

@@nicolelambic also as for people going back on, from the stories I’ve heard they completely lose the feeling of sex while on the SSRI, so it’s not like benzos where it’s a withdrawal syndrome and take a dose might get rid of the the symptoms, more so that the ssri shuts it off entirely while they are on it.

[@Cheesygarlicccc]

@@nicolelambic it’s a side effect related to the drug. For example benzos can cause dry mouth while taking them, but when you stop or even in withdrawal that symptom would go away. So this would be the equivalent of the dry mouth just never going away when you get off.

[@SuperCody888]

Amazing interview. Thank you

[@Kalley_Kavia]

Thank you Carlton and Dr. Witt-Doerring. My life has been ruined by PSSD as well. It's uplifting to see a doctor like Josef talking about this issue. I can tell that you're a good person who actually cares.

[@youdontfoolmebro]

Thank you for your bravery, Carlton. Huge respect! 🙏 There are many of us out there. Research is much needed.

[@minkworks6143]

Great interview! Thanks for doing this Carlton and Dr. Witt-Doerring.

[@ajax700]

A couple months ago PSSD rate was 1 in 100.000, now you say is 1 in 5.000? How many months till it reaches the 1 in 20 / 1 in 5 the studies cited in Rxisk and pssdnetwork ? Most sufferers don't know about PSSD, as they are told / gaslighted with the narrative that their previous condition (ie: depression or anxiety) causes dysfunction, and not the drug. PSSD / PAS / PFS are very under reported. I have read many comments on videos like this one where a person finally found what was happening to them, after 15 years of suffering. Best wishes.

[@Johnconno]

GP, 'Depressed? Here's something to stop you feeling. Everything.'

[@joshnelson3188]

Alas, the optimism in recovery chances might be misplaced. About 17 years and I’m hearing about many others now I’ve discovered what the cause is (from twitter - not from the medical community)

[@sandywhat2429]

Can we do a video on permanent nerve damage from med withdrawal? I'm almost ready to give up. Shed some awareness on this

[@taperclinic]

Yes! I'll do my best to record this soon!

[@vanmajk1940]

Pssd is the worst thing in the world

[@ChromCrown]

well Definitely Not max level

[@austinthompson583]

I lost my sexual arousal when I took antidepressants. Sex drive has not come back for years. my penis is numb

[@markyost9600]

It feels like im shooting pool with a rope🤸

[@bwryuun]

I thought the doctor would immediately switch you to different meds until you find one that works & maintains your sexual functioning. I’ll finish listening later

[@Vgeyshbsvshshbvvss]

What if you don’t have genital numbness?

[@MOAB-UT]

Not good.

[@annidee]

The fact that there are still people being started on these meds every day with still very poor informing of dangers, and no legal ramifications of these practices by those selling and prescribing them wllly nilly….. is not good. People must take self agency back & be your own advocate #1.

[@NatureFreak1127]

I had genital numbness from Risperdal and Abilify, that were both used as add-on for severe anxiety and depression. It largely stopped after i successfully weaned off of them. But i stipl take 60mg quetiapine and 100mg of fluvoxamine. I am not there yet. What helps me is usually my body being excited in general (like ftom stress from work or exercise) and turning that energy into relaxation with qigong or other techniques First step seems to be to regain excitation. But yeah, as i say, it's not post-SSRI syndrome exactly.

[@Darth001]

Risperdone kills the heads of my p sensitivety where I can be enjoying it then lose all feelings , can't climax and go limp. It's effected my relationship multiple times. Luckily I was with someone who understands it was my medication. Other woman would think it was them why you go soft

[@VEN0Maffs888]

Pssd ruined my life.

[@100Denario]

I call it sexual anhedonia.

[@melkerner]

prescription induced.

[@dazome]

Pssd ruined my life

[@MOAB-UT]

Sorry man. What caused it? R u any better now- nearly a year later?