I have been looking for anything about men with this disorder. It started only 1 month ago and is increasing in frequency and intensity. I’ve read that the male version is called priapism, but I am having the symptoms that women report. I am having over 50 orgasm a day, and they all feel very, very, very, good—at least for now. My testicles may ache for a while but that does ease. I am in my 50’s. It started after a separation from my wife. Because of spiritual reasons, one night, I refused to masturbate and fell asleep in great tension. I was awakened having one orgasm after another. I fell asleep and was awakened 3 more times that night in the same way. Now I am having spontaneous orgasms day and night. I am desperately seeking answer because I don’t know what’s happening. If not for the stories women tell about PGAD I would be lost. But I need to know about MEN.PLEASE HELP!!!! P.S. there is never much fluid secreted, but from the way the orgasms feel, the bed should be soaked.
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Just when I think I’ve heard it all, someone comes along with a new sexual issue. I’m very sorry you’re having this problem. The small number of women who have reported persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) have found it very disconcerting, and that certainly seems to be the case with you. I assume you’ve been to the Internet, so you know that this condition was identified only recently (2001), and that very little is known about it. The number of reported cases is very small, and until your report, I’d never heard of a man with the problem, only women.
I can offer you no quick fix. In fact, I know of no self-help approach at all. You need professional treatment. Here’s what I suggest. Your presenting symptom is sexual and you say the problem started shortly after you separated from your wife, so I’d urge you to consult a sex therapist. Sex therapists are psychologists with special training in sexuality. But you want one who has a good working relationship with a urologist and perhaps a neurologist. While there is no sure cure for PGAD, the condition has been ameliorated with medication (antidepressants and other drugs), so you’d need a physician who can prescribe medication. Your sex therapist should work closely with your doctor(s). They should talk to each other and perhaps meet jointly with you. But because your presenting symptom is sexual and because it began when it did, I’d urge you to start with a sex therapist. To find one near you, visit the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, or the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, or the American Board of Sexology.
Good luck, and please let me know what the professionals say and the treatment they recommend.
To the man with the symptoms of PGAD, I run the online support groups for PGAD and as of now have 13 men as members and several hundred women. Please send me an email at pgadsupport@gmail.com for more info to help you–
Best-
Jeannie
Thank you, Ms. Allen. I’m glad there’s a support group.
Also this is muscle and nerve related—so since both sexes have nerves and muscles it absolutely can happen to men—similar to priapism however there is medication for priapism and there nothing that helps PGAD—stress (since you mentioned his recent divorce) can exasperate the feelings–fear, worry, and anger….this has been well documented by members networking—the pudendal nerve may be involved (as well as a couple of others) The adrenal gland may be affected. Many who have had a requested specific MRI (of the lower lumbar and sacral region) in a recent PGAD study at Rutgers U found out they have tarlov cysts–could that be pressing on a nerve causing tinging sensations? Quite possible–but not everyone had the cysts. As you can see it is a very complex disorder. Some women started feeling PGAD right after giving birth to a child while many others didn’t get PGAD until post menopause.
Until everyone stops making jokes about PGAD it will be difficult to get research funding because all the sensationalism in the media as we all know is only about ratings. That being said I was able to get good coverage for us in the past on 20/20 (twice), on The Doctors, on DHC, on TLC and a big documentary in the UK back in 2004 that is still being aired around the world including here in the states called Extraordinary Illness—these that I’ve mentioned did very good coverage on PGAD.
It is our plan to change the jokes and disbelief in it’s existence. Well it’s MY plan—on Capitol Hill if I must—this also has ruined marriages, caused severe depression and suicidal feelings rather than live with it. It absolutely qualifies for disability as well, as many have been unable to work due to the unbelievable distraction, and severe discomfort. Students have dropped out of school–the list goes on and on.
I would also recommend counseling if one can find one open to the reality this exists to help cope with the emotional side of PGAD. Most have been to urologists and neurologists, gynecologists, endocrinologists and about any specialty doc you can think of and they all pretty much turn their backs or scratch their heads and want to shove them off to see a shrink because it wasn’t in their textbook in school so it must not exist!! A few lucky ones have docs concerned enough and take it serious enough to try thinking outside the box and try new things—Lyric, Neurontin, Tramodal, hormone therapy of different types and many other things–to very little or no avail–but they keep working with their patients. I applaud them.
So far the only thing I would suggest is yoga, or restorative health stretching, and deep breath meditation–there are some great CD’s that I have used that have helped me personally immensely on http://www.imadulation.com/meetellen.htm And perhaps otc from GNC for anti inflammatory. If muscle is rubbing on nerve quite possible there is inflammation going on as well.
And the support groups. I run my own private one plus private ones on Yahoo and Facebook. Talking to fellow sufferers gives a lot of comfort. To be able to talk openly about it with those who relate and are not ridiculed has been a very important tool.
Best Regards-
Jeannie
Hi Jeannie, I too am a man with PGAD. So I could be 14 th man in the support group but am not in distress and it was agreat comfort when my mom and my employee found my problem on the internet and I learned I was not crazy , that this is something that is out there and has a name. Specialist doctors all through me out , at least once very rudely when I tried to tell them except one endocrinologist who tried testings though he never heard of it.
Tramadol, vicodin, and oxycontin all help me keep from insanity. I have been on them for 2.5 years or so. Mostly tramadol and I am down to one in the morning five days a week. It is not a cure, nothing stops the attack I wake up with 7 days a week. But it stops another attack later most of the time. Two days a week I take nothing, every 3rd day is bad no matter what so I just do not take drugs those 2 days. That means 2 attacks though i have had as many as 4 but only a very few times. I do live sexually exhausted and usually sore but can make it through.. I got married to an awesome Philipino woman who married me knowing I had this problem. (at 50) Fortunately, she doesn’t care about sex.. That is good since I am impotent in bed anyway.(troubling to me) I have a fetish , it troubles me , but at least I do not use anything pornagraphic for stimution to get through an attack. I am 52, all this started at 22 but did not get bad, real bad ,until 2008. If you ever find the cause (or a possible cure) of this mess please email me.
Craig
Recently I realized that many people suffer from this problem. In 2005, it happened to me during the night. I went to the Doctor in Kenya and since then I don’t experience this problem anymore.
I’m glad your doctor could help. But what exactly did he or she recommend? What helped?
I am a researcher working on a documentary series for prime time television. We are looking to feature a story on someone with PGAD. I would welcome the opportunity to speak with anyone who was willing to share their story with me and hear a little more about our program. You may contact me via email johanna_gibson@beyond.com.au. Please feel free to reach out to me even if you see this post at a later date.
Best wishes,
Johanna
My doctor gave me sertraline HCL 50 MG. On about the third day, the symptoms decreased. You sleep better and have fewer episodes. But if you masturbate, it makes the problem worse. This is what I learned from Jeannie Allen’s support group.
I was reading about restless leg syndrome because I was suffering from it again and read about PGAD/PSAS or ReGS or RGS.
I don’t have the tons of orgasms you have, just long lasting persistent genital arousal. And I also don’t like to masturbate for spiritual reasons, but sometimes I do, though it doesn’t really seem to help. I’ve been this way since puberty, and during puberty I trained myself to reach orgasm quicker because I was constantly getting blisters on my penis. I didn’t know it was a good thing, and now have premature ejaculation. it was easier when I was married, though the premature ejaculation caused problems. When I tried to avoid masturbation I had priapism, though I didn’t know it was a condition. Also in my 50’s it’s bothersome to have seemingly innocuous stimuli or a restlessness break brief periods of calm to have restless genital syndrome.
It was while reading about restless leg syndrome that I discovered that while rare there are others who have this condition. I always felt like a freak.
I’m taking 2 mg of diazepam for the restless leg syndrome and it helps that, and I have a back condition that I’ve been prescribed various morphine or other pain medicines that seems to calm down the RGS, but when I quit, since I hate taking pain medicines, it comes back with a major surge. Just constant arousal. Perhaps we might start a yahoo group for support?
It’s a constant restlessness, makes me feel weird –
Hi Fedcop4376. You don’t mention therapy. Have you considered it? Tried it? I’m not saying your behavior is pathological, just that a sex therapist might be able to help you feel more in control of your life, whatever you choose about your solo sex activities. Check out the article on sex therapy. If you’re interested, you can find a sex therapist near you by visiting the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, or the American Board of Sexology.
I am a man and also feel like I suffer from PSAS. Since the age of about 9, I have been experiencing uncontrollable sexual arousal. I first started masturbating then. No one understood me and since I was a child I’ve been called a pervert by family because I was caught masturbating so many times. I don’t know what triggers it. I could be walking, or just sitting around watching TV and feel aroused. I don’t even have to see or think of a woman and it just happens. I have no choice but to relieve myself before it starts throbbing. I masturbate almost 20 times a day. I spoke to a doctor about it and he thinks it’s all in my head. It affects me at work because I’m constantly trying to hide my erections. I have to wear tight fitting briefs to hold it in place so that any erection I get does not show, because I work in the public eye. (I’m a Police Officer) I wake several times in the middle of the night and have to relieve myself. Even taking a shower brings arousal. The first thing I do when I get off work is relieve myself. I stay depressed because I have no control over when I feel sexually aroused, and relationships never last because women think I am just a sex addict. I’m always told I want it too much. And when they are not in the mood I have to relieve myself. I’ve been called all kinds things by women who don’t understand what I’m going through. My life is a mess. I’m 49 now, so I have been shamefully dealing with this in silence for 40 years. I guess the difference with me is that it is not physically painful for me. Maybe I have been dealing with it for so long that I just learned to deal with my problem before it gets painful.
I’ve had it for a year. I’m 45 years old, a woman, and I’ve tried to make this problem better known in Europe, especially in my country, France, where it’s called “excitation sexuelle permanente involontaire(PGAD, PSAS, and where no one understands my suffering. I’d like to help all the others who still hide their lives thinking they’re alone or judged. They are afraid and need help. THANKS very much to Jeannie, She helped me a lot. And thanks to this site. Thanks for your understanding. Magdarosa@hotmail.fr and magdarosa rosa on fb.
Hi, I am a 46 year old woman. I believe I have PGAD. I have no control over when I become sexually aroused. It is as if my clitoris has a mind of its own. I am more like Fedcop4376. It is not painful for me. I want sex. I want orgasms. I masturbate and a few hours later I feel aroused again. Sometimes, I masturbate in the morning and before I go to sleep. Then I will wake up the next morning and feel aroused again. My real question: Has anyone with this condition engaged in risky behaviors? Sexting? Affairs? Behaviors you normally would not if you hadn’t lost control?
Many people WITHOUT PGAD engage in risky sexual behavior, so yes, I’m sure many of those with this condition have, too.
Now that PGAD has received publicity, more women have come out about it. While it still appears to be rare, it’s more common than sexologists thought a few years ago. Which is good because there’s more research into it, and in time researchers may get to the bottom of what causes it and how those with persistent arousal can control it.
From what I described do you think it is PGAD?
I’m not a clinician. I’m a journalist who has covered sexology and sex therapy for 30+ years. From your description, I wouldn’t be surprised if a sex therapist would call your situation PGAD. But you’d have to visit a clinician for a real diagnosis. To find a sex therapist near you, visit the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, or the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, or the American Board of Sexology.