convinced that my POIS is hormonal (..first and autoimmune second)

[adamw]

and that these factors aren't mutually exclusive

Short bio:

I have been experiencing POIS for many years without ever knowing there was a term for it, how many other guys suffered and how different the symptoms could be. For me, problems probably started around mid to late puberty as I was doing a lot of PMO (porn, masturbation, orgasm). Aside from general symptoms of brain fog and tiredness which almost all guys in the Nofap (i.e. abstaining from PMO) communities report on without necessarily having POIS, my primary symptoms are and always have been varying levels of itching/urticaria and bad skin with acne and what I can only describe as dandruff with an oily scalp.

I'm 25 now, and as stupid as it sounds never seen a doctor for these issues. I also haven't cured myself, but found periods of complete relief through Nofap, only to fall back into what can sometimes feel like a literal fire depending on how much and how often I give in to the desire of sexual release and my vices. Since it dawned on me that POIS (still without knowing the term) was the culprit I have sort of managed my symptoms for years by not going overboard with PMO, and trying but most often failing to do Nofap. The most I've managed has been around 20 days to a month only a handful of times, but anytime I go longer than a week or two it's almost as though I never even had this shit to begin with. Skin clears up with no excess oil and the itchy urticaria which when active is also onset by physical stress and sun exposure gradually fades away


Now, things to note that led me to believe this is true:

- acne is most definitely primarily hormonal in nature. there's a reason why teens and women who are pregnant are most affected and not prepubescents or other adults to the same degree

- my own symptoms can be onset just by sexual arousal alone (orgasm is a stronger and longer lasting trigger but still)


sidenotes:

diet especially can improve and worsen acne, but it probably happens through changing our hormones. see https://goo.gl/qrw96h

the only medicine that made my itch tolerable at its worst was antihistamines, which means there is an autoimmune reaction but again, because of the first two points this is probably also directly due to hormones. see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18485675 for the most relevant possible evidence I could find in 20 seconds

see also https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19087438 for a possible explanation that ties in to the other references as to why a generally healthier diet seems to be the cure for some




Couldn't find much in the way of identical symptoms on the forum, but I hope that it can resonate with someone on everyone's journey to being free and finding a more clear cut cure

[Vandemolen]

Adult POIS-patients don’t have acne. You have Pityrosporum folliculitis. See here:

https://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=2612.msg22850#msg22850

POIS is not the right term. There are many POIS-patients who have symptoms without orgasm or ejeculation. When I am sexually active and don’t finish my symptoms are even worse.

There is a topic with succesfull treatments (see below). You can look what you want to try. Maybe something helps to get you some relief. Maybe niacine or taurine. But you should see a doctor. Let him do some bloodtests. Check your vitamin D, B12, iron, testosterone and some other things. There is a topic with all bloodtest we did. When you have this knowledge you can do something about your health in general. Maybe it will only help your POIS for 10%, but you have to be happy with all progress.

https://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=2338.0