r/POIS

Something really awkward happened to me tonight cause of pois. I was walking into the store and this hot blonde girl from my gym was walking out and I smiled and she said hey and my dumbass fucking froze up and it took me forever just to say hey and then I just kept walking into the store 😂💀. Its over for me lmao ever since my last girlfriend I haven’t really had the confidence or anything to talk to new girls and I think its cause my brain is like stuck in flight or fight mode all the time from gooning. I need to get my shit together. Im in really good shape too, and im not ugly, yet I dont have the balls or confidence to talk to a pretty girl anymore like I used too. Can anyone please help me lmao.

As said in the title, vitamin B2 in R-5-P form completely stops my POIS symptoms when taken before or immediately after O. I have tested this 5 times, and it has worked every time. This will be a short post about this clue and next time I will post my full theory.

Dose: 25-50mg

P.S. I think everyone should know that AI came up with this suggestion after I wrote a most detailed 6-page data case that included my POIS history, symptoms, treatment options, trials and errors. So, I encourage you to experiment with AI until you succeed. I can't remember 100% but either Gemini or ChatGPT recommended this treatment option.

Disclaimer; I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice.

High dose testosterone or other anabolics? I know DHT has anti inflammatory effects, I wonder if raising it above the normal range could help.

Hey everyone, I’m (M27 Indian) dealing with a really strange issue that’s been going on for a while and I can’t figure it out. Hoping someone here has experienced something similar or has ideas

symptoms:- Within a day or two after ejaculating (or having a wet dream), my facial skin visibly loses elasticity.

\- Dark circles under eyes get noticeably worse.

\- My face looks sunken/hollow, especially around the cheeks and temples like I’ve lost volume.

\- Overall glow/dullness sets in and it looks tired/aged.

\- This gradually worsens over a few days, then slowly returns to completely normal after about 10-15 days. It’s very noticeable to me (and I think others). It’s not subtle.

I’ve ruled out the obvious stuff:

\- It’s not hydration. I drink plenty of water and it doesn’t change anything.

\- It’s not nutrition/sleep my diet and sleep are consistent and good.

\- Not seasonal allergies or skincare changes.

It specifically seems tied to ejaculation/wet dreams. If I go longer periods without, my skin stays normal. As soon as it happens, the cycle starts again.

Has anyone else noticed something like this?

Could this be related to hormones (testosterone, cortisol, prolactin, etc.), mineral depletion (zinc, etc.), inflammation, or something autonomic/nervous system related?

Any doctors or people with similar post-nut skin changes? I’m considering getting bloodwork done (hormones, nutrients, etc.) but want to see if this is a known thing first.

Thanks in advance. Really appreciate any input.

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Hi everyone, Im posting this from my burner account as my main account is being followed by my friends

I wanted to share my story because POIS was honestly one of the worst things I have ever experienced and I still don’t fully understand how I recovered everything tbh feels like a dream

I first developed POIS around 2021. At that time I was in university and my life became extremely difficult. Whenever I masturbated, I would get intense brain fog, fatigue, and sickness that lasted around 15 days straight along with eye blurriness

It was not just normal tiredness. It felt like my brain and body completely shut down. I could not concentrate on studies, work, or even basic daily life. It genuinely felt like my life was over because I could not function properly, there were days where I used to cry a lot and have no understanding parents either as I’m from a third world country and doctors around me had no idea about this

The strangest part was that it was not only after masturbation. Even slightly thinking about girls or getting mentally aroused would sometimes trigger brain fog for 3–4 days. [yes exactly you heard it right, just mere thinking would get me sick brain fog] That confused me a lot because it felt like even my thoughts could make me sick

I tried many things that people mentioned in this subreddit. I tried the garlic remedy. I tried vagus nerve exercises. I tried different lifestyle changes. Nothing really helped. I was so active In this sub back then, used to chat and call with some members here asking for help

At one point, I decided to completely stop masturbating. After around 100 days, I remember masturbating once and surprisingly, nothing happened. I thought maybe I was cured. But then I masturbated again the next day, and the same 15 day brain fog and sickness came back. That made me scared again because I realized the problem was still there.

This was especially difficult for me because I had high testosterone and high libido, so completely avoiding masturbation felt almost impossible long term. I felt trapped and did not know what to do, so I eventually decided to give up

Around the same time, I also had a fungal infection on my hands. I took fluconazole for that fungal infection. To my complete shock, my POIS symptoms disappeared after that. Yes I was shocked

At first, I was confused. I thought, “Is this really because the fungal infection was treated? Or is this just a coincidence?” But from that point onward, my POIS was gone.

It has now been around 4 years. I masturbate regularly, and I am completely fine. No 15-day brain fog. No sickness. No extreme crash. It honestly feels like I escaped from hell.

I also focused on improving my gut health, and I feel that may have helped a lot too. I still do not know the exact reason, but based on my experience, I feel POIS may be connected to one or more of these things:

1. Gut problems

2. Fungal or bacterial infections

3. Anxiety or nervous system issues

I am not saying this is the cause for everyone and I am not giving medical advice. I am just sharing my experience because it was very real for me and the recovery was also very real and just wanted to share with this community

I would really like to hear your opinions because even after all these years, I still don’t fully understand what happened to me , how did I get this in first place or how I suddenly recovered.

I found a post from a long time ago where someone described having a POIS-like reaction to nicotine. He described it as unusually dysphoric and anxiety-inducing, and definitely not the usual focus enhancing effect nicotine has. He said even after one regular use of nicotine (I think he was talking about vaping) his head-space would be slightly altered for the rest of the day. This is true for myself as well.

I’m wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences. If it turns out to be the case that POIS-ers generally don’t react to nicotine normally, this could be a clue as to what neurological differences, such as altered receptor behavior, could have a part in POIS. (If not, of course, then this is a dead end. But my own reaction to nicotine is so strange that after seeing a post on here detailing a similar experience I thought there’s at least a decent chance this line of thought will yield something interesting.)

Rough year. I’m only 18 years old, and already I have a curved spine, gyno, ED, PE, moderate back pain, spontaneous sensation of wet legs or bugs crawling on them and burning pain on my back if I pinch certain areas of my face, and stiff joints. I’ve been tumbling through a circuit of doctors, including an endocrinologist who tested my T levels, which came back very high. My primary told me he can no longer help me with this so I was forced to find a new doctor at a new office. I have an appt in a couple of days with a new one now, he’s an internist.

I’ve repeatedly told docs that this seems nervous system related based on some of my symptoms: muscle weakness, ocd-like tendencies, inability to comprehend, aggression, irritability, catastrophizing, anti-social behavior, severe memory loss, inability to remember new things, extreme fatigue, non refreshing sleep, etc. for some reason though, they never seem to want to explore that route(or any) and just end up sending me off to someone new so they don’t have to deal with me. I am very disheartened and bitter, but still I’m trying to stay hopeful.

What sort of doctor would be most helpful in my case, and what tests do you think could yield some clues?

Hi both these work great totally reduced symptoms when a 100% success rate. Melanotan 1 nasal being the best overall it’s extremely anti-inflammatory.

Hey everyone, I wanted to share my 7+ year journey with POIS. I’m 32 years old now.

First off, I just want to say how grateful I am for this community. A few years ago, when I was searching online for answers, I genuinely thought this was an extremely rare condition that only I was dealing with. Seeing more people come forward with similar experiences has given me a lot more clarity and reassurance.

Honestly, POIS has been a living nightmare for me. It has affected a lot of my professional and social interactions over the years. I started masturbating around the age of 15 and didn’t notice anything unusual back then. In fact, the so-called “post-nut clarity” actually felt real when I was younger. It helped me focus better and even made me feel more confident socially.

But around the age of 24, I started developing what I now recognize as classic POIS symptoms. These affected me cognitively (slower thinking and reduced work performance), emotionally, and physically. My main symptoms include headaches, heavy brain fog, fatigue, muscle pain at times, irritability, depression, concentration and memory issues, and sensitivity to bright light. In extreme cases in the past, I’ve even struggled with word recall, general coherence and speech.

The headache and brain fog is by far the worst symptoms. It affects my ability to work, communicate professionally, and interact socially. Sometimes people think I’m high when in reality I’m just deep in this fog.

I’ve also noticed that the more frequently I masturbate - especially to porn - the worse the symptoms become. As I’ve gotten older, the recovery period has become much harder too. It has reached a point where I genuinely overthink and feel anxious about when to ejaculate because I know the consequences afterward. I still have urges, of course, and the longest I’ve managed semen retention was around 30 days, although that was a long time ago now.

Recently, I decided to completely quit porn. If I do ejaculate, I want it to happen as naturally as possible. It’s honestly frustrating that something considered completely normal for most people can produce such intense negative effects for me.

After reading a lot about POIS, my personal conclusion is that it may involve nervous system dysregulation caused by years of repeated overstimulation from a young age. Of course, I’m not claiming this as scientific fact - just my current understanding based on experience and research.

Despite all this, I’ve still managed to do fairly well professionally over the years, although I’ve switched jobs quite often and now feel like I’ve hit a major roadblock while transitioning careers. At my current age, I'm unemployed, the symptoms feel more severe and harder to manage than before. I did get my testosterone levels checked a few years ago and they were completely normal.

What works for me now: Regular Exercise (used to help a lot when I was younger) - Running or gym workouts post-ejaculation, clean diet (I am vegetarian), Ashwagandha (helps recover quicker somewhat), Timing ejaculation at night instead of daytime. I’ve also noticed dairy products like milk, milk tea, eggs, cheese, almonds and nuts tend to make me feel better and more energized afterward. That makes me wonder whether there’s some form of nutrient depletion happening. Lastly, I've also incorporated meditation and breathing daily to help alleviate stress.

When I was younger, an intense workout could almost reset me within 24–48 hours. Now recovery can take anywhere from 3–5 days depending on my diet, sleep, and exercise. For someone who is no longer in school or university, losing almost half a week of productivity regularly is extremely difficult to live with.

I should also mention that I’ve dealt with anxiety, overthinking, and periods of depression (and I feel POIS amplifies this issue significantly). Sometimes I even overthink the ethicality of ejaculation itself, which I know probably sounds irrational, but this condition can really distort your mental state over time.

I’m writing this mainly to ask:

• Does anyone else here experience similar symptoms, especially the cognitive issues and heavy brain fog?
• How do you manage it on a weekly basis?
• Have any supplements or vitamin stacks genuinely helped you?

So far, I haven’t found a cure, and I am still experimenting with ways to reduce the severity of the symptoms. (And no, I’m personally not interested in trying SSRIs or similar medications)

If anyone relates to this or just wants to connect and talk about it, feel free to reply or message me. Thanks for reading this far.

For those of you who've had POIS for while - whats actually the hardest part to live with?

Not just the worst symptom, but the thing that genuinely affects your life the most.

Curious what others say. For me, it's extreme fatigue and flu-like symptoms. The symptons are so worse that I have to skip gym for a week.

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Have seen increasing frequency of people believing the nervous system is the underlying mechanism. I thought that any sort off treatment of the nervous system would not be mutually exclusive with other treatment (I think) so it is worth doing. I have heard about brain retraining and neuroplasticity, but how have people actually been carrying out these principles to improve symptoms ? The one thing that helps me is reading challenging, academic books, which feels as if it is building my brain. I was unsure why it worked, but perhaps I was unknowingly using neuroplasticity ?

I want to get a survey of symptoms so I can map the receptor biology of various Pois phenotypes.

please include the timeline of symptoms post event along with a precise description.

Anyone who responds with their symptoms I will give my best guess as to what is driving it.

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First ever reddit post...

I’ve had this issue for almost a year, and it’s getting worse.

When I’m alone and I get horny (knowing I’m about to masturbate), my heart starts beating insanely fast. Gemini (AI) said it’s adrenaline.

And I get this urgent need to take a shit. I get lowkey anxious. Might be fight or flight.

My penis gets really firm at first and my whole body gets tense. After just 1 or 2 minutes, it just goes soft like 50-60%. The stimulation just dies.

Lately, my body has even started finishing on its own while I’m edging, and it’s not stimulating/ orgasmic at all.

Post-Orgasm Crash
About 5 to 10 min later, the anxiety hit.

After 30 min, I get insanely gassy and I can't stop burping.

I’m super tired, but every time I’m in that phase between being sleepy and actually falling asleep, my body jolts me awake.

My brain starts racing with random thoughts (probably cortisol), making me super anxious and I just stay awake for hours or just don't sleep at all.

My Hypothesis:
I used to edge for hours as a teen with no issues.

But then I got into a "self-improvement" phase and did 7 months of semen retention. I started basing my self-worth on my "no masturbation streak."

Now, every time I scroll through X, see something suggestive, and end up on a porn site.

I always thought "I shouldn't be doing this”and I believe that guilt slowly build turned into a "fight or flight" response.

I’ve read Daoist bedchamber arts books that say you have to "warm up" your energy through foreplay. When I’m with a girl, I do that. But when I’m alone, I just whip it out and start jacking it.

I think I’m shocking my nervous system while have the mindset that like I’m doing something detrimental to myself, which causes POIS? (My humble opinion)

Personal Information:
It doesn't happen when I have sex, No symptoms during sex or after sex. Erection is hard. I can go for 45 min avg. I can control when I ejaculate. And I feel absolutely wonderful.

Currently, I only masturbate once or twice a month to check if my penis still stays at 60% hardness and to see if I still experience that fight or flight response.

I’m fairly healthy, I hit the gym 4 times a week, eat healthy food most of the time, and maintain a high-protein diet (about 70%). My supplement stack includes (off for 1 month to see if supplement is the issue)  Vitamin D3 + K2, Zinc Glycinate, Magnesium Glycinate, B-Complex, Thiamine (B1), L-Theanine, Gamma E Complex, Selenium, Taurine.

I’ve been an entrepreneur for 2-3 years now, which comes with its fair share of stress and cortisol spikes. I suspect I might have a thyroid issue (self-diagnosed). I’ve also suspected my hormones are off because I’ve been dealing with jawline acne for the past six months. Despite my healthy lifestyle, I’m not sure where things are going wrong.

ANY ADVICE? Appreciate for reading!

Has anyone tried Vinpocetine for brain fog?

It’s a supplement/medication that is said to improve glucose uptake in the brain and also dilate cerebral blood vessels, which may increase oxygen delivery to the brain.

I previously tried Ginkgo Biloba, and it actually helped — my concentration improved and the brain fog got better. However, it caused a skin rash, so I had to stop taking it.

Now I’m considering trying Vinpocetine because it seems to have similar effects, but supposedly stronger.

Does anyone have experience with Vinpocetine? What results and side effects did you notice?

Please answer fast I might have a surgery this friday. Has anyone been put under general anasthesia and how did it go? Im not in a POIS flare because I have been abstaining, not even had a wet dream and I have been controlling myself very well but Im still terrified because I dont know if I should tell the anasthesiologist since my family will be with me and I still havent told them about my POIS. Im actually so terrified please answer to my question I promise I'll do lots of research for POIS I just want to make sure there will be no complications dont let me die

For those who have cognitive impairment like logic, memory, social awareness etc, what medications have helped treat or fix those symptoms?

Currently I'm facing chronic and severe cognitive impairment and other symptoms that all came from POIS, so I'm wondering what could possibly treat this.