Guys, just yesterday I went to laboratory to deliver sample for stool candida (and other fungi) test. I'll update the results here as soon as I receive them.
Often, I have huge craving for carboidrates. Don't know if it is caused by cortisol or something else, like possible candida, for instance.
I know I had candida bad, as my symptoms were many and the yeast infections popping up on my skin really scared me. I had bad oral thrush, palpitations, my anus itched all the time, headache, and even momentary vision loss. I went on a cleanse, changed my diet, and starting taking natural antifungals as well as tons of probiotic and prebiotic supplements. I had a very nasty Herxheimer reaction with the die off. Open sores in my mouth, high fever, no energy, rashes, diarrhea. It tooks me three weeks to get to where I could eat solid food due to the sores in my mouth and throat. I ate only proteins and veggies- no sugar, no starches, no yeast. I lost 25 pounds (and I was thin to begin with). After being really careful for about a year with diet I was slowly able to start adding things back into my diet. I still avoid all processed foods and much sugar (though an occasional splurge is fine). I attribute my candida imbalance to taking way too many antibiotics as a kid (destroyed my gut biome), not taking great care of myself (PMO), and high stress levels due to the PMO and emotional trauma.
Research candida cleanse/ diet and see what you think. Too much to go into here. Like PMO recovery, it takes time and diligence.
Can you tell me if almost constant muscle stiffness is a sign of withdrawal? What happen to me is that as soon as I go to bed, neck start to tighten and so also forearm. I can consciously relax them, but when I shift the attention they tighen again and start an intern vibration. I have also huge anxiety and vision problem when this happen.
When you have PMO'd do you lie on your back with a device in front of you and your neck craned forward? I know that messed up my neck. And of course, the forearm would get tight from masturbating. It is possible your body has muscle memory and when you lie down it gets triggered. The same goes with the vision issue- if you were looking a screen a lot (especially a small one) maybe your brain is getting confused and messing with your eyes as if you had been PMOing.
No, I suppose this is a consequence of adrenaline that I can't bear anymore. It comes in waves with anxiety, tinnitus (sometimes) and visual problems. My visual snow "light up" at night also in waves but not everyday, sometimes I think someone has switched on the light, but it is my eyes (and brain). So, extra adrenaline during the day and bad anxiety when resting, especially in the moment one wants to sleep. Neck tenses also during the day when I try to relax, when I focus my attention on the neck, when I'm driving the car and I feel forces on the neck, during digestion or as soon as I experiment anger. Neck stiffness "waves" are by far my most debilitating problem, along with tachycardia.
I also have this growing suspicion that my problems don't only correlate to Dopamine but to Epinephrine (Adrenaline) as well. I think there is a very intimate link there, especially for those who have a history of edging. I think this also plays a significant role in why some of us have such a diminished ability to cope with stress.
That is certainly possible. I also suspect I had adrenaline spikes associated with anxiety. The "fight/flight" response certainly is involved in stress and how we respond to it. I felt it as electricty in my legs and nervous twitching in my right eye and right quad muscle. It is not fun and seemed to be uncontrollable. I absolutely could not get any decent sleep in that state. All I can say is it got better when I finally got a long streak going (about a month). Not wanting to feel those sensations is a strong motivator for me to avoid acting out. If I find myself in an anxiety inducing situation I try to maintain my calm and thing pragmatically about solutions instead of feeling helpless and letting a negative mindset take over. It's not always easy, but it becomes more so with practice. I recognize my feelings and allow them to happen, but I don't let them take over and cause me to act in negative ways.
Yes, all in the body is connected. For example, depression is not only a matter of serotonin, in the last scientific research the use of some strains of lactobacillus has been shown an efficacy equivalent to SSRI, so also microbiome and immune system are implicated in mental well being. So, Dopamine is only a pezzo del puzzle in explaining the symptoms of porn withdrawal.
So, let me understand your situation. You have long streaks in which anxiety gradually disappears, then it resurfaces every time you MO or have sex, right? Have you ever read about POIS, post orgasmic illness? This is also what happen to me, but not always. In the last two years, PMO soothe my problems till day 3 or 4 of abstinence, when anxiety reappears. For me anxiety is more physical, but after one month of nofap (day 30) it has become unbearable. I also have static feeling in the body, shakiness but also muscle weakness in the last period (this is only a sensation, because I actually have muscle strength but little stamina).
Personally I've noticed my anxiety is worse depending on what I actually relapse to. If I only masturbate then my tolerance seems to be much higher. If I masturbate to vanilla porn then I still feel it but not as bad. If I masturbate to fetish porn then I feel like shit even BEFORE I actually orgasm. Like the physical act of masturbation is triggering some sort of panic attack. I've had instances where I'm browsing porn and my heart has started racing like I'm going to die, and it's been enough to make me stop and put the laptop away.
Correct. The dopamine high is followed by the negative feelings and whiplash effect in which my dopamine bottoms out, inducing anxiety. Once some time passes and I return to homeostasis I feel better again. I believe that orgasm in the correct setting of sex that is part of a healthy relationship has no negative effects- if anything positive ones. Feeling loved, safe, close to someone, etc has to be part of the equation. MO, PMO, or empty purely physical sex with no true connection is where the bad feelings come into place. Scientific studies support this. Your brain does not produce the same chemical cocktail for every orgasm. Who you are with (or if you are alone) and the relationship you have with them have a huge influence.
Have you some of these symptoms below? They are from poiscenter site. According to that site, POIS symptoms start immediately or hours after an orgasm and last till one week. Dopamine is involved, but if I've understood well what you are saying, low dopamine for you causes more existential anxiety than physical, like anhedonia and apathy. If that is the case, POIS is not the problem. My case is somewhat diffent, since I had the symptoms below 5-6 years ago, after orgasm, but once I removed gluten from diet I haven't that anymore. Actually, in recent years, I used orgasm to ease anxiety. On the contrary, since I've started nofap, anxiety is my main symptoms and if I orgasm the next day I feel terrible anxiety. That's why I don't if this is POIS or only withdrawal The symptoms of POIS: General: Extreme fatigue, exhaustion, palpitations, problems finding words, incoherent speech, dysarthria, concentration difficulties, quickly irritated, cannot stand noise, photophobia, depressed mood Flu-like: Feverish, extreme warmth, perspiration, shivery, ill with flu, feeling sick, feeling cold Head: Headache, foggy feeling in the head, heavy feeling in the head Eyes: Burning, red injected eyes, blurred vision, watery, irritating, itching eyes, painful eyes Nose: Congested nose, watery/runny nose, sneezing Throat: Dirty taste in mouth, dry mouth, sore throat, tickling cough, hoarse voice Muscle: Muscle tension behind neck, muscle weakness, pain in muscles, heavy legs, stiff muscles
Let's all keep in mind that a syndrome is defined as "a group of symptoms which consistently occur together." Nearly everyone on this forum could say they have a syndrome they're dealing with regardless of the fact that particular ones aren't named. For those of us in this thread, POIS (Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome) may apply but so might POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and quite a few others. If you want to convince yourself of something, you will. The lists of symptoms associated with some of these syndromes can be exhaustive. If you suffer with 10/30 of them, does that mean you have it? How about 20/30? The most important consideration, to me, is that there are already a handful of us here who are suffering in ways that are extremely similar and the common denominator is that we all attribute the way we feel to p/m/o. This is important. This may, in fact, be more important to and for us than scientific research. This is especially true in this day and age when it could be argued that science is broken. With that, I'll answer your question by stating I doubt I have personally have POIS.
I agree 100% with you. This statement must be carved in stone, because the mind has a great power and, as hypochondriac person, self-labeling is the worst thing we can do for recover. I second the idea that we haven't POIS, in fact nofap should improve symptoms, not worsen them. Moreover, I've ready many solved that problem using probiotics, so POIS is only a label to describe another problem, like SIBO or intolerances.
I can relate to many symptoms you listed here, especially the anxiety. I get anxiety attacks in the mornings, usually few minutes after waking up. They are accompanied with intense sweating and weakness (sometimes I need to lay down, if I don't I might faint). After these attacks I feel cold and very sleepy. Also can't tolerate ANY, even the mildest, stress, I feel weakness instantly, also various flu like symptoms. Sometimes I feel muscle stiffness, like my body is frozen or slightly paralysed. At nights I sweat a lot, especially the neck area. Increased heart beat in the mornings, even after minor physical activity. Also strong depression in the first half of the day (in the evenings it gets better). I don't know if these are PAWS or it's something else, my guess these symptoms are caused by neurotransmitters imbalance. I was a heavy edger for many years, I believe edging destroyed my nervous system. When I get these anxiety attacks I take anti-psychotic drug called sulpiride, it works well to reduce the anxiety attacks and hot flashes I get. Usually I take it for few weeks until the symptoms will subside, then I stop. I started to get these anxiety attacks 6 months after I abstained from PMO, I never had them before.
