Need support

Hi,

first thanks to area1255 for doing great research on these complex condition.

Now to my story. Because of social anxiety seven month ago i started taking 5 days à 5 mg Citalopram (Celexa). After taking the first pill i immediately started to feel amazing, my anxiety was gone. Also i immediatly started to feel my genitals were much less sensitive. After quit medication after ~10 days sensitiveness came back 100 %.

2 month ago i took citalopram for another 2 days each 5 mg, side effects were same, but unfortunately my genital sensivity did not return. About 48 hours after the last dose i drank alcohol (two beers 500 ml). Could alcohol be the reason, due to the fact it rises serotonin-level?

Since then i started to take zink, magnesium, gingo biloba and vitamin-b-complex. Nothing worked so far.

Besides that im in a good vital position, work out intensily since years (body fat: ~12%), so i dont think its a testosterone or prolactin issue, libido is still same as before. Although im going to make a blood work soon.

Area 1255, do you have any advice for me, what might be the next step?

Thanks very much and sorry for my bad english.

Greetings from Europe,
Health77

Health77 wrote:Hi,

first thanks to area1255 for doing great research on these complex condition.

Now to my story. Because of social anxiety seven month ago i started taking 5 days à 5 mg Citalopram (Celexa). After taking the first pill i immediately started to feel amazing, my anxiety was gone. Also i immediatly started to feel my genitals were much less sensitive. After quit medication after ~10 days sensitiveness came back 100 %.

2 month ago i took citalopram for another 2 days each 5 mg, side effects were same, but unfortunately my genital sensivity did not return. About 48 hours after the last dose i drank alcohol (two beers 500 ml). Could alcohol be the reason, due to the fact it rises serotonin-level?

Since then i started to take zink, magnesium, gingo biloba and vitamin-b-complex. Nothing worked so far.

Besides that im in a good vital position, work out intensily since years (body fat: ~12%), so i dont think its a testosterone or prolactin issue, libido is still same as before. Although im going to make a blood work soon.

Area 1255, do you have any advice for me, what might be the next step?

Thanks very much and sorry for my bad english.

Greetings from Europe,
Health77

You should still get blood work done.

Nowadays social anxiety is tied to elevated serotonin levels, SSRI's only help by neurosteroid-activation such as Pregnenolone release etc. So you could...

Supplement with Pregnenolone sulfate.
Phosphatidylserine.
Aniracetam.

Additionally.

Avoid Stress.
Eat lots of protein and fruits over the next few days.
Relax when possible, but do cardio and focus on exercise that improve blood flow such as strength training and moving weight training.

I'll look into more when I get back from a meeting.

Hello Area1255,

many thanks for your answer. Strangly its seems to me that social anxiety improved since 2 x 5mg Citalopram. I don't know if this could be possible of a pharmacological point of view or is it just that i am more outside in the sun and get more Vitamin K.

Because of that is my prior goal is to improve genital sensitiveness.


Thanks very much and greetings from Europe
Health77

Another thing that may be worth to mention is that i smoked 7 to 8 cigarettes the second day of medication.

Health77 wrote:Hello Area1255,
Strangly its seems to me that social anxiety improved since 2 x 5mg Citalopram.

Well SSRI's can reduce Anxiety initially due to autoreceptor agonism and the initial DECREASE in Serotonin, followed by the post-synaptic enhancement at the 5-HT1A receptors. The neurosteroid pathways, as some SSRI's activate GABA receptors as well. So those mechanisms are likely more responsible for anxiety reduction than serotoninergic activation - which would typically increase anxiety.

Some find that long-term SSRI's rid their anxiety, but the idea is they suppress emotions and that, in combination with epigenetic changes and desensitization of multiple receptor subtypes, is likely the reason behind the benefit that some find in regard to anxiety. Unfortunately, the same changes also create problems in other departments, like positive emotions and emotional experiences, and both hedonic motivations.