u/RevolutionarySecret7

Took only 5g of lithium orotate for the first time- and man it gave me some stomach upset. On the toilet for 45 mins, had to just lay down and go fetal position.

I have a very strong gut- I never get stomach pains from anything I ever eat, any medication or supplement I ever take, so this was a shock.

Could it possibly be that my body is reacting this harsh BECAUSE of my Accutane Syndrome? Maybe it’s a sign that it could be effective?

I’m a Christian college senior and could really use some guidance from other Christians.
I’ve been in a “situationship” with one of my closest friends for about 9 months. We have incredible chemistry, genuinely enjoy being around each other, communicate well, share similar values around family and life, and I care about her very deeply. At this point, ending the romantic side of our relationship has been heartbreaking for both of us.

The biggest thing holding me back from dating her is faith. I was raised Christian, and my relationship with God is a major part of how I want to live, eventually raise kids, and build a marriage. She wasn’t raised religious. She isn’t atheist or opposed to Christianity-she simply hasn’t really been exposed to it- and she has strong morals thatr are actually VERY similar to mine.

For most of this year I’ve told myself that the logical decision was not to date her. But now I’m wondering whether I’ve been so focused on avoiding future problems that I’m walking away from a relationship that is genuinely rare and meaningful.

For Christians who have dealt with something similar: How would you discern whether this is a relationship worth pursuing? How seriously would you weigh the difference in faith when the other person is respectful and open to Christianity? And how do you distinguish between God leading you somewhere and simply wanting something badly?

Does anyone have experience with Lithium Orotate? If so, how much did you take?

It’s much easier to get your hands on than Lithium Carbonate, so I wanted to give it a go

I’ve been on Wellbutrin (bupropion) 150mgXL for 3 weeks and haven’t noticed any relief in my persistent brain fog (post accutane syndrome damage) . I’m thinking about stopping and trying to microdose psilocybin for a few weeks.

The other option is to titrate my Wellbutrin dose to 300mg, but I really don’t want to be reliant on an antidepressant for the rest of my life… (or can I use it as a one-time thing to fix my symptoms?)

I’m interested on your thoughts or experiences.

I’ve been on Wellbutrin (bupropion) 150mgXL for 3 weeks and haven’t noticed any relief in brain fog. I’m thinking about stopping and trying to microdose psilocybin for a few weeks.

The other option is to titrate my Wellbutrin dose to 300mg, but I really don’t want to be reliant on an antidepressant for the rest of my life… (or can I use it as a one-time thing to fix my symptoms?)

I’m interested on your thoughts or experiences.

I want to try 200mg (0.2mg) per day to treat my brain fog/dpdr that I believe was caused by accutane.

Mechanistically it makes sense, but I see lots of mixed reviews. Would it hurt to try for a little?

I want to try 200mg (0.2mg) per day to treat my brain fog/dpdr that I believe was caused by accutane.

Mechanistically it makes sense, but I see lots of mixed reviews. Would it hurt to try for a little?

If so, what should I say to the doctor? Obviously they won’t prescribe it to me if I only say “I have post accutane syndrome)

I’m looking into starting lithium, as my brain fog is becoming unmanageable.

How did you guys manage to get a lithium prescription? Telehealth? General practitioner? What do I tell them?

Most doctors don’t even know about PAS, so how do I justify them giving me a prescription?

**TL;DR:** 21M, took Accutane for 7 months, developed brain fog + ED/low libido that never went away (1.5 years post-course). Pre-Accutane total T was ~700, post-Accutane it dropped to ~550. Started enclomiphene 6 weeks ago, T is back up (800+ total, 200+ free) but symptoms have only mildly improved. Tried a huge amount of nootropics/peptides already. Looking for people who've been through this - what actually worked for you?

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## The "before" me

I've always been the sharp, quick-thinking one. Then I did a 7-month course of Accutane and somewhere around month 2-3, the fog rolled in. Doctors said "don't worry, it's temporary." Cool, except it's been a year and a half and I'm still standing in the fog waiting for it to lift.

## The elimination round

Before I even knew "Post Accutane Syndrome" was a thing, I tried to pin the blame on literally everything else:

- Dehydration → drank more water → nothing
- Bad sleep → started tracking it → sleep's actually fine
- Vitamin deficiency → full bloodwork → all perfect
- Too much screen time → cut it down → no change
- Long COVID → chased this theory hard → dead end
- DPDR → still not 100% ruled out, but unlikely
- Late-onset ADHD → doesn't fit, I can still focus fine

Basically a whole detective board with red string and nothing connecting.

## The plot twist

Got with a partner for the first time since before Accutane and... nothing worked right. Low sex drive, trouble getting and keeping it up. I'm 21. I ended up needing a tadalafil script just to function. That's when I finally went back and looked hard at Accutane as the cause, and found the PAS community talking about the exact same brain fog + sexual dysfunction combo.

The timeline lines up perfectly. The only variable that changed in my life when this all started was Accutane.

## The receipts

- Total T before Accutane: ~700
- Total T after Accutane: ~550
- Started 12.5mg enclomiphene
- One week later: total T 800+, free T 200+

Huge jump on paper. In practice though, only mild improvements so far:

- Slight libido increase
- Easier (but not effortless) erections - still using tadalafil
- A little more irritable, nothing crazy

6 weeks in now, waiting on new labs.

## The "things I've thrown at the wall" list

Semax (nasal + subQ), Selank, NAD+, BPC-157, CJC-1295/Ipamorelin, retatrutide, methylene blue, nicotine patches (back in my Long COVID era), and now enclomiphene.

## What's next on the list (maybe)

- Lithium carbonate (short cycle) - keeps coming up as THE go-to for PAS in this community, just not sure how to get a doctor on board with prescribing it for something most of them have never heard of
- Bromantane
- Modafinil - fully aware this is a band-aid, not a fix, but at this point I'll take a band-aid

## The current working theory

From what I've read, the leading suspects for what Accutane actually did are:

- Androgen receptor changes
- Dopamine receptor changes
- GSK3B
- Beta-catenin

## So, Reddit... has anyone actually beaten this?

Not looking for "just give it more time" - I've given it a year and a half. I want to know:

1. Did anything actually move the needle for your brain fog?
2. Anyone have real success (or horror stories) with lithium for PAS?
3. Bromantane vs Semax - worth stacking or redundant?
4. Anyone recover fully, or is this just "manage it forever" territory?

Appreciate anyone who's made it this far. This community is honestly the only place that's made me feel less insane about all this.

21N Finished course of accutane a little over a year ago. Main side effects that I STILL have are extreme brain fog and sexual dysfunction. What can I try next?

Ive tried enclomiphene, semax, CJC-1295, GLP-1s, and I’m really grasping at ANYTHING to try and help. Thinking about Lithium next.

Please give me suggestions.

I have a pending transaction that won’t show up in my copilot transactions. However, the same transaction DOES show up in my Monarch app… how do I fix this? (Discover card)

I’m 21 and have been having lower libido, drive, and a slightly harder time maintaining a full erection. A couple years ago I was around 700-800 total test, now I hover between 500-600.

What’s the best route to go for enclomiphene, how much should I take, and how expensive is it? Been looking into telehealth platforms.