Yes it is definitely important and should be a sense of relief and not torture. I can still O without symptoms thanks to my diet and I thank God that I have found something. I believe there is literally something for all sufferers, and everybody has to go their own route. Glad you found something happy, however, it is possible that the treatment is just masking the root cause of your symptoms. Again, I wouldn't suggest not taking antihistamines anymore, but it is possible that maybe you should go deeper into the issue and see if you could find a healthier solution. Though I have a biased opinion now because I manage everything with diet.
Goinglesscrazy,
I will try to find the root cause of all this madness. I did see my psych. doc on Monday. She said if it's working continue to take the benadryl and zyrtec. She did say it would be better to not take it, but if it's working, that's all that counts. She said the side-effects might be impaired coordination, blurry vision, and that was about it. She said if you can still do things it's not a problem. And I can. I can still work-out, work, mow, study, etc.
Here's an interesting fact. She told me approximately 1 year ago that when there is a reaction like this, it's usually caused by a separation in the tubes in the nut-sack, she didn't say nut-sack, but that's what she was describing. And then when the semen shoots through the tubes, and the hair-line fracture within those tubes, it picks up allergens. Then, when all that semen is released after orgasm, it erupts into the body and causes all kinds of allergic reactions. She said if it wasn't an allergic reaction (that I was experiencing) the anti-histamines wouldn't work. And they DO work! .
happy I do believe POIS is allergy related but I seriously doubt it has anything to do with an allergy to semen, like 99%, 100% sure in my case because orgasm doesn't effect me anymore. From reading this and your other post today... I believe the skin prick test with semen was not even being looked at anymore because most men will have a skin reaction to semen injected just under the skin...if someone can correct me if I'm wrong... I'm thinking antihistamines work for you because they block or at least help block some inflammatory thing, but if you feel good than you feel good. That would've been hilarious if she said nutsack btw.
GoinglessCrazy,
You said you’re almost 99 to 100% sure the Benadryl I’m taking works to stop inflammation and not histamine reaction. Well I went to my doctor and he said Benadryl does not work to stop inflammation hardly at all. But, however, it is known to be extremely effective at stopping histamine reaction. So it makes sense that the anti-histamines work to stop the histamine reactions. My doctor is a good one and so is my urologist and psych doc. They all gave extremely good information about this. I think more people with this disorder should seek out doctors more. He can't tell me exactly why I'm having the reaction I am to the orgasms, but he said if the medicine works keep taking it. So I will. Gladly and happily.
I slowly and carefully brought up POIS to my new doctor over the past 3 visits to pique his investigative interest. He is a voracious researcher and has invented a new successful treatment for vagus nerve dysfunction. At first POIS struck him as psychosomatic, but after looking into it he theorized a histamine dump like your doc, and suggested Benadryl which I need to try but I'm afraid to for some reason. The way he put it though, was that many people have high histamine levels, some even to the point of unwitting addiction. It's caused by high histamine foods, leftover foods, relationship drama, tension, and other things but most of all - sex and arousal. Histamine is what triggers orgasms. A cascade of primary and secondary effects can be set off. The symptoms of histadelia are frighteningly similar to POIS in some respects. Or maybe more accurately I should say an overdose: "Headaches/migraines,Difficulty falling asleep, easily arousal,Hypertension,Vertigo or dizziness,Arrhythmia, or accelerated heart rate,Difficulty regulating body temperature,Anxiety,Nausea, vomiting,Abdominal cramps,Flushing,Nasal congestion, sneezing, difficulty breathing,Abnormal menstrual cycle,Hives,Fatigue,Tissue swelling".
The message was to try getting the overall histamine down and use antihistamines for acute spikes.
My favorite poster here, trusttheprocess, enlightened me to the fact that histamine opens up the blood brain barrier which itself opens you up to a host of potential new problems. My doctor had inadvertently diagnosed my bbb as being massively thinned out/open in previous visits based on symptoms I described (without naming POIS or relating them to sex), so I find this entire angle fascinating.