PGAD - persistent genital arousal disorder

[Katrina]

Hi Violet,
You mentioned an ssri you took that helped you tremendously with your pgad symptoms. Can I ask which one and how exactly did it help?
Katrina

[Violet M]

I took lexapro after first trying zoloft. Lexapro didn't have as many gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea.

Basically it dampened the clitoral and vaginal symptoms of feeling swollen and feeling of constantly being on the verge of orgasm. It also lessened the urinary frequency/bladder symptoms. I was reluctant to try it because some women say they got PGAD from SSRI's. I had never taken SSRI's before but I decided to try it for PGAD because one of the side effects of SSRI's is that they dampen sexual arousal so I thought it might help the symptoms of PGAD which it did. This article describes the possible mechanism for sexual side effects. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181155/

Violet

[Aple2017]

Hi Everyone! I have not been on this site for a while. Here is an update: I am still experiencing the symptoms. I have been going to an ostheopath but it is not getting better. I went to another neurologist and he ordered MRI tests.. . So far no merve entrapment amd no abnormalities. The only thing I have is a 6 cm right ovarian cyst. The radiologist said that it can cause the symptoms that I am experiencing, however the neurologist does not think that it would impact clitoral hypersensitivity. He thinks that this is a psychological issue and he precribed some antidepressant. I am starting to believe that this has something to do with my psyche indeed. I will treat it as it is from now on.Thank you all for the support and being so nice and patient. Good luck!

[Violet M]

An MRI isn't 100% accurate in determining whether you have an physical cause to your pain. Some of the PN surgeons don't put a lot of stock in them so I wouldn't let a physician talk me into PGAD being all in my head just cause something doesn't show up on the MRI. According to an orthopedic surgeon in know, some people have nasty looking MRI results who don't have much pain while others who have severe pain have normal MRI's. If you feel like your symptoms are the result of something psychological then it makes sense to treat it that way but if you aren't really sure and you aren't comfortable with that assessment, maybe you could get a second opinion from another physician.

Violet

[Linds_1989]

I took lexapro after first trying zoloft. Lexapro didn't have as many gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea.

Basically it dampened the clitoral and vaginal symptoms of feeling swollen and feeling of constantly being on the verge of orgasm. It also lessened the urinary frequency/bladder symptoms. I was reluctant to try it because some women say they got PGAD from SSRI's. I had never taken SSRI's before but I decided to try it for PGAD because one of the side effects of SSRI's is that they dampen sexual arousal so I thought it might help the symptoms of PGAD which it did. This article describes the possible mechanism for sexual side effects. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181155/

Violet

Lexapro is known to help pgad symptoms? Even if the PN nerve is damaged? I know you ingured yours right? I think mine was injured in a cyatoscopy procedure.

[sadie]

Aple 2017

Antidepressant are given to women to reduce or lift PGAD symptoms . So if your pgad symptoms do disappear after taking the antidepressants, then the doctor that is giving you the antidepressants because he believes that the symptoms are "in your head" , will come to the wrong deduction ,.... he will believe he was correct and that it was in fact all "in your head" .

So do not think that if the symptoms disappear after taking the antidepressants that it was psychological, because it may not be.
I hope you find the answers you are look for and a specialist that understands PGAD.
Sadie

[Violet M]

Lexapro is known to help pgad symptoms? Even if the PN nerve is damaged? I know you ingured yours right? I think mine was injured in a cyatoscopy procedure.

Yes, even if you injured your PN. At least it worked for me. Now that the PN has healed, I don't need the lexapro anymore.

I agree with Sadie -- don't let anyone convince you it's "in your head" when you know it isn't.

Violet

[Mandy]

Hi, I am new to this site....and new to pgad....well I'm not entirely sure that i am suffering this or not! I have been online trying to find out since Friday but there isn't a whole lot of info. So basically I was unusually aroused last Friday and the feeling just didn't go away. After 2 orgasms and 3 sexual experiences on Friday I tried to ignore it for the rest of the wk end until this morning. I don't feel that i am on the verge of orgasm but more a heavy feeling in my vagina and can feel my pulse down thwre....if that makes sense. I guess I'm trying to figure out 1 if pgad is what I'm experiencing or is there some sort of time limit, like do ppl experience this sometimes for a few days and it goes away never to return? And 2 if it is pgad has anyone ever been cured or been able to significantly reduce the frequency of symptoms? Any advice would b greatly appreciated!

[sadie]

mandy
welcome to the forum.
i am pitch hitting for violet who usually replys to the members this time of night . i will try to be breif n hope this helps. First, i would go see an obgyn that is familiar with pgad and the pudendal nerve . There is a list of doctors, available on this site . You can find it if you go to the home page, there are options in a column on the left. . i am very sorry you are feeling any discomfort and hope if you read a few pages of feed , prior to this page you will have answers to a few questions you have asked. ..as they are frequently asked questions.

If you go to the bottom right corner there are pg numbers in boxes and just click on the box to the left of this one, that is i believe number 72 and that will give you access to prior pages about pgad. If you still have questions after you have read some of the pages prior to this , please post again. There is also a news letter that discusses in detail more info about pgad that violet wrote. I have even printed these out on occasion to give to various doctors.

i will try to send you a link to that newsletter , after i get on my computer as i am not sure how to do it from my phone . Best of luck finding answers and i hope you get some sleep tonight . Sadie

[Mandy]

Thanks so much, I am in Australia actually. I went to the Drs this morning as I've been having pain in my ovaries and other problems that i thought were hormonal for some time. I mentioned pgad and from the look on her face she had never heard of it so i didn't really go into detail i figured I'll just keep going through the list of tests I'm already going through and see where i am after that. Thanks so much for your kind words and prompt response!