[hamster-bamster]

What could have gone wrong with me? What I can think of:

1) Started on Topamax
2) Very, very high, unyielding level of stress
3) biking numbs my ladyparts
4) for the first time in my life, I have high blood pressure, apparently from stress - 128/92 which for me is VERY high, I have never had such a high blood pressure, I used to have 92 as my TOP reading, not bottom reading, so I wonder if my body cannot adapt to this change. I hear that high BP leads to ED in men - can it screw up women?
5) high anxiety related to stress
6) specific anxiety related to sex - I cannot relax and enjoy because I am anxious, sort of like ... performance anxiety. But, I think if it were performance anxiety, I could have at least enjoyed solo sex - nope, masturbation is not even on my mind these days.

What else can do it? A combination of factors?

[hamster-bamster]

So people say it might be Topamax
http://forums.psychcentral.com/showt...37#post2758237

Why am I SO damn unlucky in THIS particular department????? If it is Topamax, that would be my THIRD med to give me sexual side effects. Why do I always draw this card???

[Inedible]

If you think about something as you drift to sleep, you will tend to influence the dreams you have that night. Choosing to dream about sex is usually a challenge because thinking about sex tends to lead to a level of arousal which makes it a challenge to actually get to sleep. It sounds like when you now think about sex it does not lead to that kind of obstacle. It wouldn't keep you awake. Maybe you would find that a dream about sex is better because it will tend to involve stronger emotions than during waking hours. Also the body will be more relaxed in sleep. This could improve your chances. If you do manage to have an orgasm during your dream the pleasure tends to carry over to waking hours. If there is just something temporary going on it could be a way around whatever the obstacle is and then it will be easier to enjoy sex while awake.

[Big Mama]

I have had no luck w/ phy meds that don't affect libido. I am under the impression that they all do. But I don't know that for sure I'm not a dr.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Big Mama

I have had no luck w/ phy meds that don't affect libido. I am under the impression that they all do. But I don't know that for sure I'm not a dr.

I think it is that, the drug. Because otherwise why all of a sudden and it is all completely gone? I have been stressed out but sexual before, and I have not been on Topamax before. What a pernicious pernicious little thing, and my dose is TINY! At least Geodon only did it to me when the dose was high, but this one and Risperdal - at any dose.

[Big Mama]

W/ my meds if I know in advance we are going to have a weekend alone I skip my meds just one day and delay as long as possible taking them the day of the big event. A day and a half is about all I can go w/ out starting to feel weird from lack of meds. But sexually it is usually enough to get the big "O" and satisify my H and I both with a little extra work. Would that help you I don't know?

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Big Mama

A day and a half is about all I can go w/ out starting to feel weird from lack of meds.

This med is to prevent migraines so I will not feel weird from lack of it anyway, and yes sure I will try your approach.

[Big Mama]

Oh geez migraines to. That is horrible. Migraines are awlful. My H and I both get them. We have wooden blinds at our house to block all light. We also have all our lights on a dimmer so we can still function inside the house only if the migraine is to bad. It really stinks when you are in public and the sun hits you the wrong way or car headlights. No fun.

So you maybe really could safely go for a day or 2 max w/ out that med for t he sake of sex.

[hamster-bamster]

I also use Topamax to suppress appetite. It is an overkill - I did not want to suppress appetite to THAT extent. I basically stopped being hedonistic in regards to food. I do not like it. But, Topamax is a finicky med in that if you stop and resume, you would no longer get weight loss from it. You would get migraine prevention still but not weight loss. That makes me reluctant to stop. That said, I think stopping for a day and a half that you are recommending would not count as a full "break".

[hamster-bamster]

Another idea. Perhaps it is dose-dependent. I take one pill in the AM and one pill in the PM. Maybe I should try eliminating one of them to see what happens. After all, halving the dose of Geodon brought back the orgasms. Maybe the same trick would work with Topamax? It would not hurt to try.

Nasty medicine.

[hamster-bamster]

So Hankster, who suggested that it might be from biking, can very well be right. I did a web search for "biking sex" and sure enough, biking is a proven, well documented cause of ED and it is supposed though not researched enough that women are equally affected.

Damn it!

I started biking just slightly earlier than Topamax. So now I do not know what is the culprit.

I will have a two week break from biking when I go to Europe and we will see if I get better.

Biking is such a great cardiovascular activity, and commuting by bike weaves exercise into my day absolutely painlessly, it would be such a shame if I have to stop because of this damn thing!

[hamster-bamster]

Yeah, and sorry for the title - I cannot correct it once the thread has posted.

[Big Mama]

Sounds like a good reason to give up biking to me.

[hamster-bamster]

Oh, biking does good things to my figure, muscalature, heart, lungs, mood... but I agree, if it is biking that is the culprit, then I will need to give it up (after trying cushioned ladies saddles).

If I give it up, how will I explain the reason at work?

[hamster-bamster]

Big Mama, I tried masturbating after being off Topamax for a day. No orgasm, but some improvement as far as lubrication goes. I was very glad because I would rather go off Topamax than stop biking. It seems from this little experiment that it has to do with Topamax. For now, I have resumed the drug. We will see about bigger breaks later.

[hamster-bamster]

Biking also alleviates anxiety... biking does a ton of good things. It would be a shame to stop.

[Big Mama]

Glad you found out at least part of the issue. Biking has so many good health benefits. A healthy happy sex life does to though. Raise in heart rate level, A good sweat, plus it's fun to have sex. (so I've heard) Keep experimenting. Hopefully you'll find the right mix of meds and time off to get the great sex life you deserve.

[Inedible]

A joke I heard.

A Rabbi and a priest were sitting together on a plane when the priest suddenly asked the Rabbi if it was still true that in the Jewish faith one can't eat ham. The Rabbi confirmed that it was. The priest asked the Rabbi if he had ever given in to temptation. The Rabbi confirmed that one time he ate a ham sandwich and it had tasted good. The Rabbi asked the priest if it was still true that priests had to abstain from sex. The priest confirmed that it is true. The Rabbi asked the priest, have you ever given in to temptation, and the priest answered that yes, one time he had had sex. The Rabbi was quiet for a few moments and then said, it sure beats the heck out of a ham sandwich, doesn't it.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Inedible

A joke I heard.

A Rabbi and a priest were sitting together on a plane when the priest suddenly asked the Rabbi if it was still true that in the Jewish faith one can't eat ham. The Rabbi confirmed that it was. The priest asked the Rabbi if he had ever given in to temptation. The Rabbi confirmed that one time he ate a ham sandwich and it had tasted good. The Rabbi asked the priest if it was still true that priests had to abstain from sex. The priest confirmed that it is true. The Rabbi asked the priest, have you ever given in to temptation, and the priest answered that yes, one time he had had sex. The Rabbi was quiet for a few moments and then said, it sure beats the heck out of a ham sandwich, doesn't it.

Inedible, that is truly funny. Come to think of it, yes.

[hamster-bamster]

I have stopped Topamax because I was too sick on it, too dizzy, unable to enjoy food AND (more importantly) tea, and just too unwell even on a tiny dose. Those were my reasons - non-sexual ones. But I also hope to regain orgasms. In the next two weeks, no biking + no Topamax = I hope to have them back.

[hamster-bamster]

I have tried masturbating and I can orgasm again, but I have discontinued BOTH biking and Topamax so I do not know what the true culprit was. I hope it is Topamax which did not work for me anyway for other reasons. I will resume biking in January and will be keeping my fingers crossed.