Weed withdrawal - erectile dysfunction

[SparkleFly12]

No burning sensation in the eyes, only when I was getting a fever/flu. But lots of eye pressure and headaches around the eyes.

I'm at 8 months now. Libido/ED (and all my symptoms) still fluctuates every 7 or so days; going from low to almost normal. This is better than before but really still slow progress. The good news is that most my other symptoms are mild now. I am hoping the next month will see fewer fluctuations and a more stable equilibrium.

[zzzz]

Day 106 of being clean all my other symptoms have disappeared still having erections problems but have i.proved from before anxiety is still an issue for me but not as much as before.

Having no problem falling asleep. Been using lions mane mushroom which has made a major difference in my health.

Ive been alirght up till now for the past 1 hour or so it been rough.

Let see how the next 3 months

[SparkleFly12]

Good to hear @zzzz.

Im at 8 1/2 months now am doing better on the low libido issue as well. I still see fluctuations in my libido; but have not had severe ED as I did a couple months ago. On the best days, I feel pretty normal; on the worse days it seems like I am borderline.

[Thedford]

Hey guys. I just wanted to say I'm really relieved that I found this thread. I began this journey myself back in March. I decided I wanted to see what life would be like if I quit cannabis.
I'm currently 33 years old. I had previously smoked pot for about 14 years. When I first quit I didn't notice the sex drive & ED issues. I mainly fought with insomnia and mild mental and physical discomfort. It wasn't until I was about 2 weeks to a month in that I started having the libido and ED issues.
At first I wasn't sure if had anything to do with weed, but I remembered back when I was smoking regularly that I would get super hard erections at night and morning wood every morning. And when I was about a month into quitting I noticed the lack of erections at night. I also noticed my desire for sex and even desire to do fun enjoyable things had all but vanished.
It's been rough over the past 8 months but things have VERY SLOWLY been getting better.
I had found a guy on another website that said it took him over a year for his brain to rewire. He mentioned libido as one of his issues but didn't go into much detail. So tonight I was feeling the need to get more confirmation on the subject and I found this thread.
I'm very thankful you guys got on here and opened up about this issue. It's helped me tremendously reading your posts. Now I know that there is hope and I will eventually reach a point where I can be satisfied with my sex life once again. Y'all already know how frustrating this is. Especially for men who are too young to be having trouble with this issue. Thanks for sharing. And here's to everyone getting better

[Ineedhelpp]

This forum has saved me from fully freaking out but still not feeling great. I've smoked weed heavily for 13 years or so, I normally wake up with a erection every morning. Masterbate everyday with no problem. Then I thought I'd quit weed to be healthier and so my new girlfriend doesn't think I'm a waste of space smoking all day everyday. Then boom soon as I quit I can't get hard. Literally feels like my dick is dead now. Doctors telling me it's just stress and anxiety but it just doesn't feel like I have any blood flow downstairs now... Has anyone fully recovered from this? I haven't been able to get a proper erection for over two weeks which is freaking me out. I'm only 30 and pretty healthy.
Even with a sexy girl naked next to me my erection was still pathetic. Is this just a case of my brain needing to adjust to life without weed or am I going to be like this forever? I really don't want to smoke weed again but I don't no how much more I can take of this. Im trying my hardest to be positive about it like it will come back but I really need some advice from people who have stayed off weed for months not just weeks like me

[SparkleFly12]

@thedford, yeah I too was really thankful when I first found this thread. Im surprised more places dont talk about this. Im almost at 9 months now; and I am spotty; some days libido is perfect and others it is 50% (and I have mild ED). From months 1-6, it was at 0; and I couldnt get hard at all when with my gf.

@Ineedhelpp it sounds exactly like weed withdrawal / PAWS. Started a couple weeks after quitting for me too.
I was in the same boat as you - couldnt stand it - and I went a step ahead and got meds for it. There are a ton of cheaper options now since Viagra doesnt have a monopoly anymore. I bought from an overseas online pharmacy. the meds worked - they get you hard - but its not the same. Because the problem isnt just getting hard, its having a sex drive. So I would get hard and be bored while having sex; waiting for it to be over. Orgasming is not that great, or really any good at all. Basically you are not really into it, even though you *want* to be

Now, at almost 9 months my drive is never 0, so meds do give me that little boost i need to have decent sex. But it hasnt been till recently (on days where my libido isnt low) that I really feel like sex is what it used to be; and something I actually look forward to like I used to.

Now the strange/frustrating thing is that I have been able to get hard even on my lowest days; but only with porn. Masturbating still wasnt that great, and I wasnt that "into" it but it was possible. That made the problem a lot harder to attribute to weed withdrawal. I just wasnt able to be turned on from body contact; being touched just doesnt make you imagine and desire like it normally does. Its really weird but yes, when you say "Even with a sexy girl naked next to me my erection was still pathetic" that rings very true to me.

The only solution is time, unfortunately.

[Ineedhelpp]

@SparkleFly12 Thanks for the reply what meds did you try because at this point I'll take any sex over no sex. I can't take not smoking atm I need some sort of release. I always relapse and today is a bad day I really don't want to smoke weed but I'm so close to doing it. Literally have weed next to me and not skinning up is the hardest thing right now

[SparkleFly12]

I used sildenafil, depending on what country you are in it may or may not need a doctor's prescription. In the US there are cheaper options than viagra now, or there are online pharmacies that sell it too.

I would strongly advise against smoking again, from personal experience. If I smoke while my brain is still recovering, my symptoms get a lot worse. Its like undoing some time that you have been sober. PAWS symltoms includung ED all get worse. So unless you are just planning on going back to smoking all the time, I would strongly advise against smoking at all while going through PAWS. Ive smoked as little as <1/3 gram and ED, headaches, depression all came back.

[Ineedhelpp]

@SparkleFly12 I didn't smoke I managed to stay strong. I don't want to set myself back even though it's only been a week. For me this is good I normally last a couple days then have to smoke, I'm in England so medication for ed can be ordered online but I'm still unsure. If I can't Masterbate or have sex in a month or two then I will be getting some pills. I'm just hoping this passes and I will look back and realise I made the right decision stopping. How long have you been off cannabis for? Do you still struggle with ed?

[SparkleFly12]

Its been almost 9 months now for me since I smoked regularly. I only smoked twice since then, very little. I do struggle with ED still but it is a LOT better than it was a few months ago. I had severe ed (lack of a sex drive) for 6 or so months; and it started slowly coming back in months 7. Now about half the time I have ED; and the other half I am fine.

[Thedford]

@SparkleFly12 If you don't mind me asking, how old are you and how long did you smoke before you quit?
And I would like to know the same for everyone else if possible.
I don't feel like being in your early 30s is old enough for this issue and I'm almost fully convinced (at least for myself) that this was caused by the withdrawal of my dependency on cannabis. It's shocking to me that the symptoms have lasted this long. But I have read about the possible effects that cannabis can have on your hormones and endocrine system so maybe it shouldn't be such a shock. And after seeing others who are having the same problems after quitting cannabis and similar time frames it really seems like there is something to it.
I would like to see the difference and similarities in age and the length of usage and length of the recovery after quitting.
I am 33 years old. I smoked regularly for 14 years. I am still recovering after 8 months.

[biohack9]

This is just my opinion, but since heavy daily long term cannabis use lowers dopamine levels/sensitivity in the brain i'm starting to think that it can either take 1-2 years to somewhat recover, or perhaps the damage is permanent. Scary thought, but definitely a possibility. Almost like you need a dopamine booster like medication or THC in some form to make things work again. Weed and sex went hand in hand for me, and I was heavily addicted to both. There is only one way to find out, just need to go the distance and accept that it takes time. 8 months is a bit, but i've heard frequently that things improve around 9 months, so give it at least up to a year before worrying too much.

[Thedford]

I think you could be right Biohack9. I hope it's not permanent. I'm going to continue until I reach the full year mark at least. The guy who originally posted said it took him a full year to become comfortable with sex again. So I'm going to wait it out.

[biohack9]

I think you could be right Biohack9. I hope it's not permanent. I'm going to continue until I reach the full year mark at least. The guy who originally posted said it took him a full year to become comfortable with sex again. So I'm going to wait it out.

I'm with you, but you're a full 6 months ahead of me! I'm already seeing some progress, but i'm also doing semen retention and abstaining from all forms of sex, in addition to no alcohol, caffeine, junk food, etc. Even too much computer or tv use affects dopamine, as does music! Basically if it feels good, and you don't work for it, it's a no go IMHO.

Keep moving forward!

[SparkleFly12]

@thedford I am in my early 30s as well. Otherwise healthy. 9 months without weed. It was around 7 months that I started to feel any sexual desires at all; and now it comes and goes, every week or two. When it comes, I feel fine and dont have ED. When it goes, I have no drive and ED.

Now that Ive had some days where I feel normal libido, Im more confident I will be normal in time. It just takes time.