My damned Concussion and diminished libido
 

Hey.. guys i know this is a really touchy subject out there.

Ill just jump into it. I dinged my head real good on the ground about 2 months ago -- needless to say i was diagnosed with a concussion and here i am. None of my health care providers really know what to say and I'm *still* waiting on a concussion clinic appointment, but the longer i wait on this subject the more depressed i become.

Sometimes it works, but most times, coupled with this vice like headache, i can barely sustain my erection if i can even have the mentality to get it up all the way. I asked my doctor to start me (9 days ago) on welbutrin (buPROpion) SNRI because i was already depressed as ****, can't sleep well, anxious and unable to concentrate. And i specifically asked for welbutrin knowing that is has the potential for the least sexual side effects.

But now what can i do? I was with my lady friend and... well it seems like every time i think about it, it doesn't work. I just don't know what to do and i needed to reach out.

is my lack of libido permanent? is it stress related? headache? I really appreciate anyone who has the time to touch on these issues, as I'm becoming desperate for an answer.. thanks all

Hi and welcome to NT.

Although it probably seems like forever, two months is a relatively recent injury in the TBI world. My guess is the reduced libido is related to the stress, anxiety and irregular sleep.

The Wellbutrin can also cause lowered libido and ED, and while it's unlikely assuming you had a normal libido prior to the injury, just to cover all bases I'd suggest getting your testosterone levels checked.

While all brain injuries are different, my guess is that the low libido and performance is not permanent and will improve. In the interim I'd ask the MD about a prescription for ED medications. I had ED following my injury and found the ED medications to be very effective (I've used Levitra, Stendra, and Cialis, all of which work well). Only caution here is they can cause dizziness so be careful if that is one of your symptoms from the concussion.

Best to you in your continued recovery.

Welcome to our world. I have the same issues. Doc gave me Levitra. Half a pill does the job but I can plan for a head ache the whole next day. Levitra and the others have some negative impacts on the brain so I stopped using it. I was also low on T and with a bit of T cream, WOW. But, the T cream caused my face to break out like a teen age boy, even at a minimal dose.

YOUR mileage may vary. Talk to your doc.

I would not get too hopeful about the concussion clinic. There is very little they can do for you. Recovery takes time and rest. If you are still living a full and active life, your recovery will be slower. Stay away from alcohol and keep caffeine to one serving per day or less. Good brain nutrition helps. Read the vitamins sticky at the top.

Thanks guys, I'm not quoting either post because I'm actually responding basically to both.
First of all, thank you very much for welcoming me to the boards in this candid manner. I realize that my post concussive symptoms are also exasperated because of my relative young age (24m, 25 in a few days) in concurrence with my brain development. obviously my facilities with words have come back to me, but math and physics... thats a different story. Essentially Im an engineering student with two jobs, so i know this is going to be a long recovery process. I've cut back on hours so much that i only work two shifts a week ,the bare minimum. I bit the bullet and took out a loan, it was the only logical thing to do at the time. Health>School>Work, as i've finally grown to learn. (please excuse my laziness in regards to capitalizing i's)

I realize my thoughts ruminate about the subject, and that the ego of my brain has caused this distortion of the truth, even to myself. As i sat here typing all of this, i realize how exhausted i am. Sat and sunday were my work days, and i filled in for someone on monday. The welbutrin keeps my sleep very shallow, and i wake up on a drop of a dime (very little REM sleep).

I guess it just helps to sort out my thoughts on the subject. its funny. I had ED problems before on medication, but i cured that with a lot of exercise. Well, i can't do that now. However, I realize that it could be a combination of my medication, exhaustion and the pure stress and anxiety i have about my performance. And i guess today is one of my bad days. I realize two months isn't that long, but some of my symptoms *seem* so severe to me that I really wanted to reach out now.

Also, before i was on my welbutrin but after my concussion, i was too anxious or stressed to even achieve a morning erection. Welbutrin let me have those again, but its hit or miss depending on my relative stress levels. I dunno. I just like your thoughts. Thanks for the calming and warm welcome. I suppose I am simply apprehensive to be a young man on ED meds.

with all the problems i have you'd think this problem would come at the bottom of the list of issues, but it doesn't. No morning or nocturnal. Have had the tests. It is neurological in nature.
I didn't want to take more meds than i was already on so i just live with it, as with everythig else

always....

I think you have put too much importance on this part of your life. Give yourself time to heal. Take care of the issues that create the need for the Wellbrutin. Get your diet healthy and your brain properly nourished and see where that takes you. And, Don't worry about the wive's tale of Use it or lose it. It's bogus.

For many of us, ED is the easy symptom to tolerate. It only effects a few minutes every so often. Cognitive struggles can be 24/7. Head aches can last hours and days.