Weed withdrawal - erectile dysfunction

[Head in loud]

The problem with weed is moderation is out of question... the most you smoke the more you would need to get high. Like one of my friend used to say...with weed we get High only once and rest time we smoke just to get that first high. Each time I would quit I would fools myself that I will smoke moderately and then back to where I started. First step of a recovery is to admitting we are addicts, unless and until it will be same stuff different day.
I totally get the rat race of society but still I don’t want to burn my lips on smoke and forget it all together. The older I get the more I realize I have to live to my full potential...I have to be productive member of world...so when I’m 70 or 80 I would look back and say I have done this. It has been 18 months since I quit and even with this nightmare that is PAW I’m so glad. I hated how numb and lazy weed made me feel and I’m never going back to that.
Just my experience and opinion about smoking weed.
So totally after a week and half of no flap...I give in...even when my mind was so into it I was completely soft and worst had organism while being soft. Worst part is a few hours after I feel so down and depressed. Can’t wait to get back to normal...it been 17 and half months. I honestly don’t know what would I do if it will last 3 years.

Ps. Someone mention online pharmacy to get medication...if you can share the link it would be nice.

[SparkleFly12]

Sent you a PM @HeadInLoud.

I do disagree though, about the moderation thing. There are a lot of people who do use weed in moderation; they arent on this forum for obvious reasons. I know a lot of them. I dont think Ill be one of them once Im done with PAWS; I have gotten used to life without weed now, and now that my symptoms have improved a lot I dont feel any urges to smoke and I want to keep it that way. I certainly dont want my libido to fluctuate the way it did when I was smoking.

But I do know a lot of people who use weed in moderation and never go through withdrawal or paws. They smoke to relax or celebrate one night, then are done for a while.

[biohack9]

Agree with you Sparkle. The problem isn't the weed, it's US. And yeah, it's interesting when you get used to life without it, it's almost as if I forget what it was like, but realize that i'm much better without. My main motivation though is the title of this thread, ED... and zero libido. I like a healthy sex life MUCH more than weed. So if anything messes with that it's gotta go.

With that said, I had my first 8 hours straight of sleep last night, without even needing to get up for the bathroom! Not sure what happened, other than I ate plant based for the first time in my life after discovering the Okinawan Diet (or a bastardized version of it). The only animal products I had was a tin of sardines with my sweet potato breakfast. I also crushed it in the gym with great strength and energy, and ran over 2 miles at a sprint pace (7:30min mile pace). Went to bed early at 9pm and woke up at 5am after some crazy donkey vivid dreams.

The only downside is all the flatuence from the beans! Going to try it again today and see how it goes. This is coming from a very near Carnivore Diet.

[SparkleFly12]

Just over 10 months, and when I thought things were getting better they get a grip worse. Feeling low libido again; and ED. In a month or two, if/once my other symptoms clear up, I am definitely going to see a doctor about this. I know my libido was killed by paws but not sure if this is just normal for me. I have experienced things that tell me it is normal; and some things that tell me it is not normal and my brain is just healing. It just seems strange that so few people get libido/erection problems from PAWS; and Im still having them at 10 months. Maybe the problem is with me.

I need too much stimulus to get an erection; basically i need to watch porn and cant be turned on by intimacy (well, I can but it only lasts a couple minutes). There have only been a hand full of days where I could get an erection normally the past few weeks/months.

[biohack9]

Sparkle I so empathize with you, but why would you think that so few people get libido/ED issues? It's actually a very common symptom of PAWS. I've been researching this extensively, and it can take over a year. There is even a post in this very thread that said 14 months, and the OP said he wasn't really comfortable until a year and then it still wasn't perfect.

The other thing that it could be is porn induced ED, which means you need to stop fapping and/or sex and go "hard/monk mode" for several months to reset your brain. It can also take months and up to a year+. Just another thing i'm doing at the moment to help heal the brain and reward pathways as I did have a major sex addiction in addition to weed addiction earlier in the year. Look up "semen retention" as it has some profound benefits.

Otherwise damn, perhaps we've really messed up our brains permanently and mucked up our sex drives and ED is the new default state. I really hope not, and since you've seen improvements that gives a lot of hope. Are you getting morning woods? Mine seem to be coming back again after 2 weeks of semen retention, but not 100%.

No choice but to keep abstaining and retaining, and see what's up down the road. It could also be related to SLEEP. My sleep has really improved over the past 2 weeks and i'm now getting about 8 hours, sometimes 9, but still getting crazy dreams in the second half of the night. The first half i'm dead asleep. But even with the better sleep, i'm still depressed, unmotivated, and have zero zest for life whatsoever. And I still feel tired in the day even with the good sleep. It's like I just don't want to do anything at all and my brain keeps running on overdrive. More and more i'm thinking I was using weed to self medicate and mask underlying mental health issues that i've been living with my entire life....ptsd, depression, and anxiety. Or it's just getting my REM cycles back and part of this painful PAWS process.

I think i'm now going to implement some longer fasting as an attempt to cleanse.... full day or maybe even multiple day water fasts and see how it helps. I think i'm starting to put a dent in my 15lbs weight gain by making dietary adjustments but this will fast track the process so I can get back to my ideal body composition.

It's not easy man, but at least you have the 10 months behind you.... i'm pretty sure the doctor won't be able to help you much, but it wouldn't hurt to get some blood labs and get your testosterone level checked, not that it means all that much because mine is always high and still I have zero libido. I personally think this is all in our brains with the dopaminergic system and damage from all the thc bombardment over the years. What goes up must come down.

I'm definitely thinking of relapsing if I don't noticed substantial improvements in my mental health in about 6 months or so. This is no way to live, and there is no way i'm going to abstain for 2-3 years like some here have.

[SparkleFly12]

Yeah, I will give it some more time. Just frustrating because it seems all my other symptoms are getting a lot better; although I guess I could say the low libido has gotten better with time its just not at a place where I can live with it. My other symptoms are all at places I can live with now, but maybe this one just takes more time to recover, I dont know.

I would agree on sleep being a factor, but there is more to it than that. I have seen a big improvement in my sleep the past week. I dont wake up 5 times a night anymore, and falling asleep is easier...I get 7 or so hours which isnt bad but not what I know I need given my exercise schedule now. But I still have days where I have ED/low libido. I do get morning wood again most days now; for many months I did not. Some days it is strong (the days I seem to have a more normal libido) but on most days it is not 100%. On a few days - like today - I dont get it at all. It just seems to fluctuate so much; which is normal I know but the lows shouldnt be this low.

I never really had a porn "problem" - its been a few years but back form 7-3 years ago I used to get high and watch porn; only two or three times a week though; Ive read of people who have been desensitized from it and my history doesnt really fit theirs. I dont think porn is the issue with me; just paws or possibly an underlying problem. I have tried abstaining from orgasm for a week or so at a time, it does seem to help my other symptoms but not the low libido issue.

I am going to give it a bit more time before seeing a doctor; 2 or 3 more months at least. Its just frustrating that all my other symptoms are at places that I can tolerate now without thinking about it all the time; except the libido issue.

[biohack9]

This lack of libido is complete horse sh**! Over 3 months now and still in flatline. Cialis works great, but without the libido it's just so pointless and boring. I wonder if I had some THC if the dopamine would return my drive. I get insane nocturnal erections and morning wood with cialis in my system.

I'm dating and sexual opportunities are presenting themselves but i'm completely messed without a healthy functioning libido. Waiting this out for many more months seems like a risky not guaranteed waste of time.

Thinking about trying some Wellbutrin/Bupropion to increase libido which is apparently extremely effective, and also might boost my depressive moods. The unmotivation/anhedonia is crippling.

I just don't see the point of abstaining from THC forever if it was just a form of medicine for underlying issues for my complex ptsd/anxiety/depression. Just because I abused and overdid it doesn't mean it should be completely eliminated.

I dunno, the early morning awakening are causing issues too... week 13 around the corner. Not sure how much more of this bs I can take.

[Thracian]

Honestly man I'm the same. Like I said its been 16 months and Im still having the same issues you are having. I don't know how much longer I can wait. Some say it takes 2-3 years.. Im just going to wait it out a little longer. I might try extremely low dose edibles for sexual encounters. I dont really see the point of smoking all the time anymore. Im also scared to use any form of cananbis because of anxiety or panic attacks. Ive never been afraid to use weed before.

[biohack9]

Honestly man I'm the same. Like I said its been 16 months and Im still having the same issues you are having. I don't know how much longer I can wait. Some say it takes 2-3 years.. Im just going to wait it out a little longer. I might try extremely low dose edibles for sexual encounters. I dont really see the point of smoking all the time anymore. Im also scared to use any form of cananbis because of anxiety or panic attacks. Ive never been afraid to use weed before.

Thanks for that man, I can't wait out 2-3 years as i'm recently single again and i'm having a really cute girl over tonight for new years so I picked up some wine and hit the dispensary to pick up some green to vape with her. I won't do it all the time either, but I realize that I have underlying issues with my ptsd/anxiety/depression and I need meds for it. Last night I went to bed at 9:30pm and was up at 12:30 with the worst intrusive thoughts ever. Life is short, and i'm not going to torture myself anymore when I need medication for my mental health issues. Life is just better with things that I enjoy in moderation, and that even includes different types of food, even if they aren't all good for me. Respect for you to keep pushing forward though.

[SparkleFly12]

libido has crept up a bit from its sudden down turn last month. At 10.5 months.
Honestly though, as long as it is slightly there, then sex is at lest enjoyable (with ed pills). Its only when the libido is flatlined that it isnt any fun.

@Biohack, I seemed to observe that it took a week or so of smoking a lot for my paws symptoms to go away...it may not be as simple as just smoking once. thats why I ended up giving it up for good; there really was no way out for me to just smoke "a little" unless I get completely clean for a year or more; and am through PAWS.

[Thracian]

Honestly man I'm the same. Like I said its been 16 months and Im still having the same issues you are having. I don't know how much longer I can wait. Some say it takes 2-3 years.. Im just going to wait it out a little longer. I might try extremely low dose edibles for sexual encounters. I dont really see the point of smoking all the time anymore. Im also scared to use any form of cananbis because of anxiety or panic attacks. Ive never been afraid to use weed before.

Thanks for that man, I can't wait out 2-3 years as i'm recently single again and i'm having a really cute girl over tonight for new years so I picked up some wine and hit the dispensary to pick up some green to vape with her. I won't do it all the time either, but I realize that I have underlying issues with my ptsd/anxiety/depression and I need meds for it. Last night I went to bed at 9:30pm and was up at 12:30 with the worst intrusive thoughts ever. Life is short, and i'm not going to torture myself anymore when I need medication for my mental health issues. Life is just better with things that I enjoy in moderation, and that even includes different types of food, even if they aren't all good for me. Respect for you to keep pushing forward though.

Let me know how it goes and if it makes a difference in your desire and sex. I have a girl inviting me out right now to a club and I dont even want to go,I have 0 desire. If i it was in my smoking days i wouldve been out the door by now.

[Eroica]

Im almost eight months into my quit and i dont have problems getting an erection like I did for the first few months. My libido is almost normal now. I have sex about once a week now.

I have noticed Im not hypersexual like I was on weed. When I smoked regularly for almost twenty years I wanted sex all the time. I thought I was a sex addict but it was just the weed.

[Thracian]

Im almost eight months into my quit and i dont have problems getting an erection like I did for the first few months. My libido is almost normal now. I have sex about once a week now.

I have noticed Im not hypersexual like I was on weed. When I smoked regularly for almost twenty years I wanted sex all the time. I thought I was a sex addict but it was just the weed.

Id rather be a happy hornball who can get an erection and want sex all the time versus being depressed and not being able to get hard or want have sex.

[Eroica]

Id rather be soft for the rest of my life than be addicted to weed again. Be careful. Think about why you quit again. Is it worth using again to cure your ED? You didnt use it all the time just for sex. You were dependent on it. Your PAWS is finding excuses to use again.

[Thracian]

Honestly man I'm the same. Like I said its been 16 months and Im still having the same issues you are having. I don't know how much longer I can wait. Some say it takes 2-3 years.. Im just going to wait it out a little longer. I might try extremely low dose edibles for sexual encounters. I dont really see the point of smoking all the time anymore. Im also scared to use any form of cananbis because of anxiety or panic attacks. Ive never been afraid to use weed before.

Thanks for that man, I can't wait out 2-3 years as i'm recently single again and i'm having a really cute girl over tonight for new years so I picked up some wine and hit the dispensary to pick up some green to vape with her. I won't do it all the time either, but I realize that I have underlying issues with my ptsd/anxiety/depression and I need meds for it. Last night I went to bed at 9:30pm and was up at 12:30 with the worst intrusive thoughts ever. Life is short, and i'm not going to torture myself anymore when I need medication for my mental health issues. Life is just better with things that I enjoy in moderation, and that even includes different types of food, even if they aren't all good for me. Respect for you to keep pushing forward though.

Homie started blazing and getting it in.. I hope you arent blazing all the time again man. Let us know how you are doing. How much have you been smoking and hows the impact of it on the sex life? Ive gotten some CBD and its been working well for my anxiety and sex life. Plus my libido seems to be coming back. Im using ED meds while having sex but its almost like back when how it used to be. Im still really tempted to try a really low dose edible for a special occasion,like 5mg or something.. But Im gonna keep figthing it through.