Penis nerve damage from drugs? Permanent?

[Revilo79]

Hi there,



I have a serious question regarding the likely permanence of what I believe is nerve damage caused by an ADD drug.



Here is some background:



-          I started taking it at age 26, basically for the final year and a bit of university.

-          Over the next 15 months, I was taking one of the common ADD drugs (It’s a dopamine reuptake inhibitor – the reason I won’t name it is you may well not want to be seen as giving a certain view on it in your answer)

-          I took the drug on roughly 350 of the following 450 days, then discontinued it

-          On the days i took it, i was taking between 15mg – 45mg, but typically 30mg

- I’ve always been a highly sexual person, and while on it, I noticed significantly increased pleasure during sexual experience - for example, I'd usually masturbate twice daily or so, and noticed this very much. It increased sensitivity even more (I was already very sensitive), allowed me to 'go again' quicker, and I noticed that when i reached orgasm, semen would come out in one continuous (highly pleasurable) flow, rather than 'in spurts', so to speak.

- It was after giving the drug up in 2007 (I didn't want to rely on drugs after I finished university), that I noticed drastic reduction in the sensitivity of my glans and the surrounding skin.

- I would especially notice it in the shower - I know for a fact that before taking it, it was extremely pleasurable to direct the shower water into that region, but not anymore - my glans seemed to have lost  least 3/4 of its sensitivity.

Other definite signs of damage were as follows:

- whereas before I could get an erection simply by 'thinking' sexual thoughts, now I needed to touch the area, and even then it was not very pleasurable.

- i used to be able to bring myself to orgasm in about 45 seconds - now it took 10+ minutes

- i even put an ice cube on the glans, and couldn't feel it

- the only area still sensitive is the skin beneath the head, but even that is probably only half its sensitivity

- i then started researching more heavily into the role of dopamine, and was disappointed to learn that it plays such an inportant role in arousal and sexual function in general

- i began to realise that what had probably happened was that i'd done gradual damage each and every time i masturbated or had sex on the drug, and that it 'crept up' on me without me noticing until too late

It's now 26 months since I gave up the drug, and if anything it has become even worse, it seems to be getting even less sensitive with time. I can get an erection with effort, but it's probably about 1/4 as pleasurable to have sex. This is further offset by the fact having sex actually makes me depressed because it's permanently on my mind that these drugs have most likely ruined my sex life, and hence the thing I think is most important in life - sex.

What I'm really looking to learn is the neurological likelihood that this is indeed nerve damage, and that such nerve damage could indeed be caused by hyper-activation of the neurotransmitters through the combination of intense sexual activity combined with dopamine reuptake inhibition.

I've also heard on other forums that nerve damage of this kind is permanent - is this true? I have read that nerve regeneration is very much something on the cusp of being developed at the moment via various techniques.

What I'm really looking to learn is a likely explanation of what has happened from a neurological expert.

I'm particularly annoyed as I received no warning not to engage in sexual activity while on the drug. I feel that if the sensitivity reduces any further, life is not worth living to be honest, as sex-drive and enjoyment ramifies right through one's entire ambitions in life at large, so without it, one is a 'muted' cat', so to speak, apathetic and dosile.

Finally, my orgasms are also less powerful, and the orgasm itself is considerably less pleasurable. Is it possible that I might even have damaged my fertility?

For example, before, i 'just knew' how much semen would come out of the orgasm, whereas now, I have no clue, and there is so little sensitivity, all i feel is the drops of semen landing on me, even though i'm unaware of the sensation that should accompany such spurts.

I'm also produing far less sperm - significantly less than would be expected by 'mere aging' - the loss is too dramatic for that within what was a mere 14 monmths of usage.

Many thanks for your help and any possible neurological explanation.

I'd be especially grateful for a view on the chances of a return of my sensation - there is zero sensation on the entire glans, only the skin below it retains any sensation.
en if
Finally, I should point out that it is possible for me to achieve a normal erection - it's just that the head remains without sensation, even if I am as hard as possible.

Best,

Revilo

[babybowser]

You may have permanently altered your neurotransmitter levels.  IMO this isn't nerve damage, its just that your brain is dependent on the drug now for dopamine.  You will probably need to go back on it.

I have a similar problem after taking an antidepressant drug.  However my emotions are also blunted.  THat is much worse and if you can still enjoy a day the beach, music, amusement parks, feel love etc.. you have a reason to be alive other than enjoying sex.

You may find that a Dopamine agonist like requip or mirapex helps with this.  It is a drug that acts as dopamine in the body.

[hjays]

Hi Revilo,

I too suffer from a very insensitive penis and was looking on the internet to see if anyone had similar symptoms.

I haven't taken any medication that I'm aware of that would make my sensitivity less than that of the average male and I am otherwise healthy 30 year old.

My problem also is that I can't bring myself to orgasm very quickly and I never have been able to, the fastest I'm normally able to do so is 2-5 minutes by masturbation but this is rare.  Masturbation usually lasts between 10 minutes upwards or until I give up, usually due to soreness or the loss of my erection.  I also masturbate regularly, I'd say at least once per day and take great pleasure in orgasm and have a high sex drive.  In fact when I know I'm about to orgasm and ejaculate, this is about the only real time I have any sensitivity.  This may not be in the penis though and maybe some internal happenings as the sperm makes its way out.  I usually have to masturbate quite vigorously and very quickly to reach orgasm.  I began masturbating when I was fairly young, around 10 and have wondered if the lack of sensitivity has been a result of over-doing things.  I can’t imagine this is the case however and never remember being overly sensitive.  I too usually require physical touch to achieve an erection unless I’m very visually aroused.  I often wake with an erection so there is no mechanical dysfunction in obtaining one.  When I ejaculate there is usually a good amount, a few millilitres which I believe to be average or about three ‘squirts’.

I appear to have a little more sensitivity than you on the glands and would be able to feel an ice cube.  I get little pleasure from anyone else handling me though or from receiving oral sex.  I only have a feeling which is like I’m about to wet myself when the other person ***** on my penis and this isn’t at all pleasurable.

To orgasm during sex is very rare for me, as most womens' vaginas aren't as tight as you can form with your fist it is difficult to obtain real pleasure.  This is often quite psychologically damaging too and the knowledge that you're not likely to reach your final objective can compound the problem.  I rely on mental thought to allow me to orgasm in this way but it is only about 1-5% successful.  Most women then also feel inadequate and the situation spirals.  I normally have to think unsavoury or more depraved thoughts for me to achieve my goal but to act like this during sex makes me feel unfaithful to my girlfriend.

Girlfriends have found it very difficult to have sex with me for such long periods and tell me it can become unpleasurable for them to have sex for such long periods at a time.  What would normally give you bragging rights is actually a real nightmare and what should be a great act of love making can become a futile process with further adverse effects on the relationship.

It is also quite difficult for me to maintain an erection for such long periods of time. This has often resulted in the loss of my erection and the same outcome results.  

I have approached my GP for help in maintaining an erection although this probably isn’t the root cause of my situation and I should really seek advice from my GP with the sensitivity issue.

More recent thoughts about the origins of my problem lie with some surgery I had as an infant.  I had two strangulated hernias and have two, approximately 3 inch scars on my groin in a V formation pointing towards my penis.  I have only just begun to wonder if during surgery, some nerve damage was sustained and is the source of the insensitivity.  Searching under "penis nerve damage" led me here.

If this is the case could such nerves be repaired?

I know this isn’t the answer to your post but it is along a very similar theme and hopefully we may both get answers.

hjays