This is my first ever post here, so excuse me for choosing this particular thread to post in. I have basically all of the symptoms of POIS. I also took Propecia for 11 years, which has basically led me to have a very sub par and sad life when I was a happy go lucky guy growing up. Anyway, ive constantly suffered brain fog, anxiety, fatigue, hot flushes, depression, low libido, blurry vision etc etc. Ive read heaps on Propeciahelp, ive also known about POIS for quite some time, Ive done no fap and experienced definite benefits with social relations and more energy/motivation. Normally after no fap I find I can fap maybe 2-3 times without any symptoms, then it hits me. If I masturbate more than 3x in 3 days every one thereafter will make me feel like crap.
However ive also lately started truly tackling my anxiety in the right way, and its actually surprising how when my anxiety and worry goes away and I sleep better, how much better I feel. I have started to realise that there is a huge psychological component to a lot more than I thought. One of the posters here had some good logic. Often on here and Propecia help there seems to be a huge variety of ways people have recovered. It makes it an absolute crap shoot to figure any solution out. Some are helped my Test, some by estrogen blockers, some by dopamine agonists, some by exercises.. ad infinitum. There however is one common thread between everyone, and that is they are worried about their symptoms. I totally agree that I am not psychologically averse to sex. I don't think sex is dirty or anything. However I'm primed to be watching for symptoms the second I fap, and i'll tell you one thing, watching for symptoms is the worst thing you can do. You will create what you watch for, and feed into it. When doing NoFap I do wonder how much of my success is because i'm proud of myself and Ive let my worries go.. It is plausible to me that those who truly believe they have "figured it out" and "found the cure" simply stop worrying and watching themselves so much and poof - cured.
All this being said, I like most people have for YEARS operated on the premise that there is a biological explanation for these problems. I certainly think it likely is a component too. Many people who took propecia believe their gene expression has been altered. Much of this crap does seem to be related to testosterone, dopamine and prolactin, but that's not news to anyone.