"Abnormal orgasm"??

[eudaemonia]

What the hell is an "abnormal orgasm"?

So, I was just put on Strattera for adult ADD and was reading the package insert (like I really understand it - pffft), and noticed this uncommon side effect.

How in the world would I know what an abnormal O feels like? I've experienced so many different physical and emotional sensations when having an O, how would I know an abnormal one from a normal one? I assume that, indeed, the potential side effect mentioned means you really are having an O, just that it's abnormal. Huh?

Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but I'm really having a hard time wrapping my head around it.

Hopefully, I won't be in the 2% of the population with that problem. I'm not sure I'm willing to forgo the ability to have nice Os for mental focus just yet.

Then again, I suppose I could conduct some, erm, independent clinical trials on my own ... hmmm.

 

[bobsgirl]

What the hell is an "abnormal orgasm"?

So, I was just put on Strattera for adult ADD and was reading the package insert (like I really understand it - pffft), and noticed this uncommon side effect.

How in the world would I know what an abnormal O feels like? I've experienced so many different physical and emotional sensations when having an O, how would I know an abnormal one from a normal one? I assume that, indeed, the potential side effect mentioned means you really are having an O, just that it's abnormal. Huh?

Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but I'm really having a hard time wrapping my head around it.

Hopefully, I won't be in the 2% of the population with that problem. I'm not sure I'm willing to forgo the ability to have nice Os for mental focus just yet.

Then again, I suppose I could conduct some, erm, independent clinical trials on my own ... hmmm.

Wanna have some fun? Go ask the pharmacist. The mental picture of that makes me giggle.

Maybe abnormal orgasm means extra long ones that go on and on and on... If that's the case, what was the name of that drug again?

 

[EJFan]

maybe by "abnormal" they mean the method by which the orgasm is reached? perhaps you'll just be walking down the street and BANG!

 

[bobsgirl]

maybe by "abnormal" they mean the method by which the orgasm is reached? perhaps you'll just be walking down the street and BANG!

That might be a bit of a problem for men!

 

[LadyJeanne]

They prolly mean a side effect that changes your normal orgasmic pattern. Like, if you suddenly stop being able to have them or something.

 

[EJFan]

That might be a bit of a problem for men!

if it happened to me i'd be spending the whole day trying to replicate that particular step that made it happen!

 

[sailboatracer]

I'm taking Strattera too, and yes there were some interesting "abnormal orgasms". Things are mostly back to pre-Strattera "normal", whatever normal is.

OK, the first thing I noticed about 2 weeks into it, first week 1/2 dose, then 1 week higher dose 75mg taken all at once in A.M., was an interestingly full feeling
in ans around my prostate and some resistance while voiding( passing) urine, and then during or immediately after "peeing" I would get almost a normal volume of, I'm guessing, the "accessory" secretions from my prostate and related plumbing, like an ejaculation but very clear (transparent) little or no sperm. It felt good but not as good as with an orgasm. I have never produced much "pre-cum" so I thought hey maybe this is an improvement if it keeps up when I aroused. This could happen 2-3-4 times a day, but strangely not in the evening
when I'd like to "show up" naturally "lubed up" before bed, no such luck.
The second was the actual "abnormal orgasm", 99% of the time, I could feel myself approaching the point of no return, and when I "let myself go" it felt sort of weak and not much volume. But immediately after, I felt like I could cum again, and kept going but it just didn't happen, and later had the "blue balls" feeling for a while.

After adjusting the dose down to 25mg twice a day, things returned to "normal" after maybe ~6-7 weeks. Just for scientific and research purposes, I tried 50mg ni the morning and even 75mg in A.M. for 6-7 days and these abnormalities never returned.

Another undocumented side effect I had/have, is after drinking a moderate amount of alcohol, Yeah, I know you are not supposed to on this med, 2-3 beers or equal and not everyday, I had a strange, for lack of a better term "distortion" of my sense of smell. I became more sensitive to the musty smells
and certain home cleaners containing chlorine, and they had way different almost sickeningly sweet smells. It was during the summer and I really noticed it in the cabin of the sailboat I race on, where lines and wet gear cause a slight musty smell. This was very proportional to the alcohol, 1 drink slightly, 2 more so, 3 almost unbearably sickeningly smells. This was also the time when I adjusted the dose to re: the sex effects, and the smell effect was related to the alcohol and or Strattere dose. Both the M.D. and I researched the literature, and it was not previously reported.


OK, That's it, since I work in scientific research, that's sort of how I live my life too, an experiment and a learning experience.

 

[eudaemonia]

They prolly mean a side effect that changes your normal orgasmic pattern. Like, if you suddenly stop being able to have them or something.

I guess that's what confuses me: I don't have a pattern. My Os are all pretty different, from day to day or even within a particular session.

Now if I suddenly stop having them ... That. Just. Won't. Do.

 

[eudaemonia]

If that's the case, what was the name of that drug again?

See?!? You do have ADD! Absolutely no short-term attention span. Mmmm ... orgasms that go on and on and ... ohhhh, pretty clouds.

 

[bobsgirl]

I'm taking Strattera too, and yes there were some interesting "abnormal orgasms". Things are mostly back to pre-Strattera "normal", whatever normal is.

OK, the first thing I noticed about 2 weeks into it, first week 1/2 dose, then 1 week higher dose 75mg taken all at once in A.M., was an interestingly full feeling
in ans around my prostate and some resistance while voiding( passing) urine, and then during or immediately after "peeing" I would get almost a normal volume of, I'm guessing, the "accessory" secretions from my prostate and related plumbing, like an ejaculation but very clear (transparent) little or no sperm. It felt good but not as good as with an orgasm. I have never produced much "pre-cum" so I thought hey maybe this is an improvement if it keeps up when I aroused. This could happen 2-3-4 times a day, but strangely not in the evening
when I'd like to "show up" naturally "lubed up" before bed, no such luck.
The second was the actual "abnormal orgasm", 99% of the time, I could feel myself approaching the point of no return, and when I "let myself go" it felt sort of weak and not much volume. But immediately after, I felt like I could cum again, and kept going but it just didn't happen, and later had the "blue balls" feeling for a while.

After adjusting the dose down to 25mg twice a day, things returned to "normal" after maybe ~6-7 weeks. Just for scientific and research purposes, I tried 50mg ni the morning and even 75mg in A.M. for 6-7 days and these abnormalities never returned.

Another undocumented side effect I had/have, is after drinking a moderate amount of alcohol, Yeah, I know you are not supposed to on this med, 2-3 beers or equal and not everyday, I had a strange, for lack of a better term "distortion" of my sense of smell. I became more sensitive to the musty smells
and certain home cleaners containing chlorine, and they had way different almost sickeningly sweet smells. It was during the summer and I really noticed it in the cabin of the sailboat I race on, where lines and wet gear cause a slight musty smell. This was very proportional to the alcohol, 1 drink slightly, 2 more so, 3 almost unbearably sickeningly smells. This was also the time when I adjusted the dose to re: the sex effects, and the smell effect was related to the alcohol and or Strattere dose. Both the M.D. and I researched the literature, and it was not previously reported.


OK, That's it, since I work in scientific research, that's sort of how I live my life too, an experiment and a learning experience.

So I wonder if that means there would be a corresponding increase in vaginal lubrication in females?

 

[TBKahuna123]

So I wonder if that means there would be a corresponding increase in vaginal lubrication in females?

Maybe she'll start squirting with every orgasm? I'm serious, if that's the reaction for men, maybe?

Either that or orgasming everytime you pee? I never thought of drinking a ton of water as maturbation, but hey, you never know.

 

[Straight-8]

I'm puzzled by this adult ADD diagnosis and the willingness to take a drug (presumably forever) with potentially significant side effects. Is this an American thing? I often hear that a huge proportion of Americans are on more or less permanent drugs. Why?

Eudomania is well along in an academic career (from what I gather on this and other posts) which probably takes a much better ability to 'focus' than most of us possess. If it isn't too personal, why are you willing to take a drug in these circumstances? I don't get it!

 

[sailboatracer]

I was thinking more about my last post, and wondered if some of the side effects were probably related to the "soup" of meds I'm taking, not just the one.

Each of them have a long list of side effects, and who knows what happens with combinations. The "pertainent" ones are: Strattera and Provigil for ADD and focus and Wellbutrin for depression. They have "noradrenergic and/or dopaminergic effects" (wellbutrin), "Modafinil inhibits the reuptake of noradrenaline by the noradrenergic terminals"( Provigil) and "selective inhibition of the pre-synaptic norepinephrine transporter" (Strattera), and they all say their "mechanisms" are not well understood. Kind of makes you wonder. But overall, it does seem to be helping, and without any lasting bad side effects, so far anyway.

 

[eudaemonia]

I'm puzzled by this adult ADD diagnosis and the willingness to take a drug (presumably forever) with potentially significant side effects. Is this an American thing? I often hear that a huge proportion of Americans are on more or less permanent drugs. Why?

Eudomania is well along in an academic career (from what I gather on this and other posts) which probably takes a much better ability to 'focus' than most of us possess. If it isn't too personal, why are you willing to take a drug in these circumstances? I don't get it!

Three things.

1) Strattera is the first non-stimulant (NRI) medication for ADD with few side effects for those who can tolerate it. Not everyone does, of course.

2) As far as academia goes, I've been faking it for decades. I skate by on being able to integrate loads of info very quickly as long as that learning is through listening, presuming the lectures are interesting enough. When it comes to sitting still for 10 minutes and having to read dense material, I'm hosed. I'm pretty much out of favors from profs for tutoring me during office hours and by email, turning in everything late or taking oral exams. That's coming to a screeching halt as I ramp up to grad school. Also, I have almost no internal traffic cop to direction my attention, refrain from mouthing off inappropriately to profs and fellow students, and actually organize myself so that I can study. I'm a horrible student. Highly functional -- yes, but with absolutely no ability to settle down and sit still.

3) I never said anything about being on meds for the rest of my life. I just wanna get my Ph.D and get off the pharmacueticals as fast as possible.

Why am I willing to do this? Quality of life. I want to become the best philosopher I can be, and that's going to depend on my ability to conduct intense research and write ... and write and write and write. Why shouldn't I give myself every chance to fulfill my fondest desire?

 

[Randy_Random]

I've really enjoyed talking to you as well.

 

[Eilan]

^^^^^^^^^^^

The trolls/alts are really unoriginal these days. I'm disappointed.

 

[Straight-8]

Why am I willing to do this? Quality of life. I want to become the best philosopher I can be, and that's going to depend on my ability to conduct intense research and write ... and write and write and write. Why shouldn't I give myself every chance to fulfill my fondest desire?

This reflects a very interesting philosophy itself. You say you won't be on this for life but I can't see the end point with "and write and write and write". I assume that you take the logic to the next step and agree that cosmetic surgery and steroid use are also legitmate means for an individual to give themselves "every chance to fulfill [their] fondest desire"?

Doesn't it seem that, at some point it isn't 'real' anymore? When I hear of a steroid enhanced athlete I certainly don't treat their performance in the same way as I do a 'clean' athlete (if there is such a thing anymore). It seems like a lot of people have opted for (usually false) results at any cost.

I'm not sure I would want to think that my Dr. or other professional that I am relying on used a performance enhancing drug to get through school...oh, but by the way, stopped afterwards so now they have the same 'disability' that caused them to rely on the drug. "I'm sure your brain surgery will go fine - now where the hell did I put that Ritalin?"

 

[sailboatracer]

Why not use a "performance enhancing" drug if there are no significant side effects. Life isn't that kind of competition, if you can do better, why not.
People in the past didn't often live past 20-30-40 years. I'm happy to be older than that by modern medicine.

About the ADD, I was able to "skate" through most of my education without too much work until college, when I finally couldn't handle it, and having never needed much of the attention skills, to as I call it "skate through" without doing all the work or studying much. I damn near killed me, self-esteem wise. "Ain't been the same since", and still working on it, it still is a BIG problem for me.

 

[eudaemonia]

I damn near killed me, self-esteem wise. "Ain't been the same since", and still working on it, it still is a BIG problem for me.

Yup. I've seen that movie, too, sailboatracer. My LSAT score, three years ago, was attrocious, and absolutely didn't comport with my IQ, EQ or any other objective measure of my intellectual efficacy. It's only been in the last year or so that I've realized I have the chops to handle grad school *if* I can get a handle on this not terribly uncommon cognitive problem. So, likewise, my self-confidence, intellectually speaking, was always in the toilet.

To the devil's advocate here, it should be prima facie obvious that there's a distinction between taking steroids/having cosmetic surgery, and treating a faulty biochemical mechanism in the brain, much like your would treat any other faulty regulatory system in the body, such as insulin level, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. The quality of life component is at a far more fundemental level.

Additionally, it's really not anybody else's business how I choose to live my life provided I don't infringe on anyone's rights. I have to wonder at the motivation to question on a public IBB what others do in the name of improving the quality of one's life, even if it's for vanity's sake.

 

[Straight-8]

Additionally, it's really not anybody else's business how I choose to live my life provided I don't infringe on anyone's rights. I have to wonder at the motivation to question on a public IBB what others do in the name of improving the quality of one's life, even if it's for vanity's sake.

That was why I initially prefaced my questions with the phrase: "If it isn't too personal". If it became too personal or tread on difficult areas I apologise. I think I came across as more confrontational than I intended.

I spent eight years in university and I know the pressures. My real point was that there is something wrong with a system that requires this from an individual. If I can use an analogy: truckers often take stimulants to stay awake for extreme periods. We all recognise that the problem is not with the trucker's need to sleep. It is with the system that compels them to drive in a fashion beyond what people are designed to do.

I realize that ADD is a more complex matter but psycho-tropic drugs are very poorly understood and tested (most cannot be scientifically shown to have more than a placebo effect). From my perspective (admittedly limited), life-style changes (including decent vacations) are a far more positive way to deal with these issues. Most of the philosophers you study did not use these kinds of drugs - but most did not live with the same artificial pressures and timelines we have. I do not mean to criticize you for making the choice you did. I guess it's the obvious one and I appreciate that your clinical history leading up to this decision is not (and should not be) 'on the table'. It just seems unfortunate to me that someone who is obviously bright and able (based on the posts I have seen from you on this board) feels compelled to do that.

 

[eudaemonia]

Realize that ADD is a more complex matter but psycho-tropic drugs are very poorly understood and tested (most cannot be scientifically shown to have more than a placebo effect).

With all due respect, I'm not sure how you can validly make such a claim. Based on what? Belief?? I don't think your proposition is at supported by fact, because there's plenty of literature available in the public domain to counter your assertion.

You know that Kerouac wrote "On The Road" in 3 weeks under the influence of benzedrine? The Russian-American writer Ayn Rand was on it for ~25 years. JFK was also an inveterate amphetamine user, as were loads and loads of other famous and infamous people -- writers, scientists and (OMG yes!) philosophers, too, until it became by Rx only in 1959. Its derivatives, Adderall and dexedrine, are very effective for treating AD/HD in both children and adults, and in fact have replaced Ritalin as the go-to drug for this disorder.

So it's really nothing to do with any system per se.

What exactly do you mean by "compelled?" Compelled by what? Ambition, maybe? Hell yes!!! It's that *I* want to do this and I'm disgusted that I have to jump through so many ridiculous hoops for a drug that used to be OTC. I really don't give a flying **** what the FDA has to say about it. I'm perfectly capable of employing my better judgment to reach conclusions about whether I should take some kind of stimulant to help my processing speed come to par with all the thoughts and ideas zinging around in my brain. I really resent governmental intrusion into my medicine cabinet.

Thanks for explaining, Straight-8 that you weren't trying to be confrontational. I did misunderstand you and indeed you said right up front, "if it's not too personal." I apologize for getting snippy with you.

I guess my only real curiosity at this point is whether you're advocating a Scientologist position here? You are, of course, entitled to hold whatever opinions, feelings or beliefs you please. But I would not be a very good philosopher if I failed to recognize the distinction between those notions and facts. Huge conceptual gulf there.

Now can we please get back to the topic of orgasms, fercryingoutloud?!?