auntiejessi-
I didn't know that the question was that old. Maybe there's a date on the question that I can't see, due to a technical problem.
The original poster asked this in 2010. I think by now, he's figured out if his sex drive and erection problems are permanent or not.
Cool discussion, though. :)
BonzoDog-
Estradiol has demonstrated efficacy against PSSD. I've seen accounts of men who have used it for that purpose and benefitted from it, though I don't know the dosage that they used. In theory, it does that by binding to nuclear estrogen receptors in neurons in the mesolimbic system, which induce the production of 5-ht2a and 5-ht2c receptors. If one is afraid of lowered testosterone and the negative effects thereof, then one can additionally take testosterone to compensate. One can also use estradiol at a relatively low dose.
Due to some technical problem, I can't use the comment function, so I refute GuitarRox's comment here:
SRI drugs are not real mental health treatments, except at a very low dosage; otherwise they cause more harm than benefit to mental health. Depression can and should be treated with over-the-counter soluble magnesium (which blocks the NMDA receptors that create the sensation of depression) and/or bupropion (a dopamine reuptake inhibitor), whereas OCD can and should be treated with the glutamate release inhibitor riluzole. Everything that is currently treated with SRI drugs has an alternative that has superior efficacy.
In theory, anyone can get PSSD if the dose of SRI is high enough, but different people have different threshholds of affliction, in large part due to different levels of baseline serotonin, such that people with high baseline serotonin require a much lower dose of SRI to get PSSD than people with low baseline serotonin. PSSD includes both central and peripheral nervous system effects. The cause of the peripheral effects is probably unknown, but the effects in the brain are relatively well-understood: They are caused by the epigenetic desensitization of three serotonin receptors- the serotonin-release-inhibiting presynaptic 5-ht1a receptors in the raphe nucleus, and postsynaptic 5-ht1a receptors elsewhere in the brain; the dopamine-production-inducing 5-ht2a receptors in the ventral tegmental area; and the dopamine-release-inhibiting 5-ht2c receptors in the nucleus accumbens, which store-up dopamine.
Hey Zennedout- If you don't want to tell anyone that you used illegal MDMA, then you can tell them that you used an SRI, such as escitalopram (which is the most effective drug for causing PSSD), because they cause the same permanent effects.
If you want to get treatment for this condition, then the things that work in many cases for PSSD will work for this as well, though some people respond much better to treatments than others, depending upon the severity of the case. Drugs and supplements which are known to oftentimes counteract PSSD include: estradiol, licorice root powder (which contains chemicals that mimic estradiol), super-high-dose inositol (12-to-18 grams per day), N-acetyl cysteine, high-dose niacin (do not eat it all at once, to avoid the sensation of burning skin), saint john's wort (aka SJW), bupropion (welbutrin), cyproheptadine, and anti-RLS drugs (including, but not limited to, ropinerole).
I’m not 100% sure about this, but I think serotonin levels can sometimes return to normal, but long-term use of a drug that affects it could possibly cause permanent damage. You may want to consult a specialist in this area who has experience with treating what would be considered ‘abuse’ of that type of drug. I think there IS some hope for you - possibly there are Rx drugs or natural (herbal) supplements that might support a return to normal serotonin function. Try to find some psycho-sexual counseling along w/ a medical Dr. for treatment of this condition.
SRI drugs (SSRIs and SNRIs) often cause permanent or otherwise long-lasting sexual anhedonia, called PSSD. MDMA works by increasing serotonin in the synapses, just like SRIs do, so you apparently essentially have PSSD.