Hi all,

Probably like the rest of you guys I surf the net periodically looking for info about POIS from which I suffer. Well done for being brave enough to post about it. I too was in touch with Dr Waldinger, including filling out a questionaire for his research but have long since lost contact with him as he doesn't reply to emails anymore. My POIS started after I had treatment for an overactive thyroid which then went underactive following radioiodine treatment - I now take thyroxine to correct my underactive thyroid. A therapist I saw managed to actualy speak to Dr Waldinger and he apparently thought the thyroid treatment could possibly have set the condition off. Does that make sense to anyone else? Dr Waldinger said my symptoms do match POIS symptoms. However, I see there seem to be quite a variety of POIS symptoms and I don't have all of them. The most frustrating aspect is the mental fog, extreme tiredness and reduced capacity to think clearly. In the beginning (10+yrs ago) this could last as much as a month after orgasm! I also had a pressure in my head that made it feel like my eyes were bulging out. Over the years it has become less severe (or at least doesn't last as long) and now it takes around a week to recover. Needless to say this has had a detrimental effect on my social life and my work. I don't get the muscle pain some people describe but I can get loose stools (used to be diarhoea but usually not that bad now) and severe sore throat though generally I don't get that so bad either now. It's mostly the tiredness and diminished mental abiity which decreases confidence when I'm affected. I haven't yet found anything that I can say reduces symptoms but have read all your commments and ideas on this with interest. Two things have helped me. The first was when I learned about Dr Waldinger's research and that there was actually a name for the condition and it was recognised (all be it by few doctors). That makes it easier to talk about and of course there's the knowledge you're not alone. One of the biggest things though has been just remembering that its not my fault I suffer from this and to recognise that I do a pretty amazing job of coping with it, incredibly frustrating as it is. I was used to being a high achiever in life, or at least academically, until POIS hit me. Naturally I get down about it as anyone would. But I also know its not my fault that I have POIS and recognising that has, for me, been an important thing. I'm not sure of the best way to make this condition of ours more widely recognised and researched but I think that is what it needs. Lets try and club together and work towards that.

I'll check back here regularly and post other relevant stuff as I think of it or come across it. Thanks again for starting and contributing to this thread. I hope others who suffer POIS will find it.

all the best to you guys,

stay in touch