My last GP visit, a few weeks ago, I asked for some help with pain relief. He has said I can take up to 8 paracetamol (aka Tylenol) a day with no problems, but I worry about liver damage. So I've been limiting it to 6, and there are days when I need something more. So he prescribed Tramadol, a mild opioid.
On the one hand, I feel noticeably better when I take it. In addition to pain relief, it also acts on serotonin and norepinephrine, so there's probably several things going into the 'feeling better' result I'm getting.
On the other hand, it depresses the libido and inhibits orgasm.
Since I've been ill, I've found it difficult to make decisions. My mind just keeps going round and round and whatever part of it used to jump in and actually choose seems to be no longer working. I don't want my sex life broken, but on days when I was in a lot of pain, I probably wasn't in the mood for sex anyway. But if it makes me feel better, I might want to take it regularly. But sex makes me feel better too. Round and round and round my brain goes.
Not sure where this one will stop. I see my GP again on Sep 1, but I think I'll wait till the visit after that to raise the issue, having given the drug more time in case it's one of those things where the side effect goes away when you're used to it.
"You know this is the way it is. You were born, and so are subject to change, disease, and ultimately death. It happens differently for each person. This is one of the ways it's happening to you." - Toni Bernhard
"Our life is always all right. There's nothing wrong with it. Even if we have horrendous problems, it's just our life." - Charlotte Joko Beck
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