The woman’s partner, speaking anonymously to BuzzFeed News, said the past few weeks have been “physically and emotionally draining” for both of them. “It’s not sexual anymore, it’s just trauma,” he said. “She cries through most of them. It’s agony disguised as pleasure.”
PGAD is one of the most misunderstood and underfunded conditions in sexual health research. This Portland case might finally push it into the spotlight. #PGAD— Sexual Health Watch (@SexHealthWatch) August 9, 2025
Her medical team has begun a battery of tests, including advanced MRI scans, hormonal assays, and nerve conduction studies. According to a recent journal review, potential causes can range from pelvic nerve compression to brain lesions affecting arousal pathways. However, no definitive answers have emerged so far in her case.
Specialists from Oregon Health & Science University have joined the effort, collaborating with sexual medicine experts from Stanford and UCLA to explore experimental treatments. Options under discussion include nerve blocks, anti-seizure medications, and even targeted brain stimulation.
Meanwhile, the psychological toll has been severe. The woman says she experiences constant anxiety about when the next episode will strike. “I can’t be around people without worrying it will happen in front of them,” she told Insider. “I’ve stopped answering calls from friends. I’ve stopped going outside except for doctor’s appointments.”
Support groups online have provided some relief. Members of a private Facebook community for PGAD sufferers have been sending messages of encouragement and sharing stories of how they’ve managed their own symptoms. One woman from Australia, who dealt with the condition for five years, shared with ABC News Australia that “having someone believe you is half the battle.”
This is NOT a punchline. PGAD is debilitating, painful, and deserving of serious medical research funding. Stop laughing, start listening. 💔— Health Advocate (@HealthAdvocateNow) August 9, 2025
The case has also sparked debate in the broader medical community about the lack of awareness and research funding for sexual health disorders — particularly those affecting women. According to NIH data, sexual dysfunction research receives only a fraction of the funding allocated to other quality-of-life conditions, despite its profound impact on mental health and relationships.
For now, her days are carefully structured around managing symptoms. She wears loose clothing, avoids caffeine and alcohol, and spends hours in meditation in an effort to calm her nervous system. “Nothing works for long,” she admitted to HuffPost. “It’s like my body’s stuck in a loop that I can’t turn off.”
One experimental therapy being considered involves transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a technique more commonly used for depression. Early trials at McGill University have shown promising results in modulating brain activity linked to sexual arousal. However, it remains untested in cases as extreme as hers.
Despite the physical toll, she says the emotional side — the stigma, the disbelief, the jokes — is worse. “People hear the word ‘orgasm’ and think it’s funny or that I’m lucky,” she told The Guardian. “They don’t see me curled up on the floor at 3 a.m., exhausted and crying because my body won’t stop.”
Doctors are urging patience as they work through her case, but time is taking its toll. She has been forced to take a leave of absence from college and is now living with her parents while awaiting test results. A crowdfunding page on GoFundMe has already raised over $42,000 to help cover the cost of out-of-network specialists and alternative therapies.
Her story, which has now gone viral on platforms like TikTok and Reddit, is inspiring other sufferers to come forward. Medical experts hope this surge of attention will finally bring PGAD into the mainstream conversation, reducing stigma and increasing research efforts.
