19 year old, took 7 pills, it's been almost a year

Member Stories
#1

These are the exact facts of my story from first taking propecia till now:

When I started propeica, was 19 years old (turning 20 a couple months from then)
I took one Propecia pills by Merck on August 24th 2008 , but stopped after that one day; then on September 1st-6th 2008, I took one pill a day. This is a total of 7 pills.

During September 4th-14th 2008, I suffered from 0 libido and 10% erection strength for a week. But by September 14 or 15, I was able to obtain a 90% strong erection, VERY low libido, and small amount of ejaculate. I was this way, and happy because it was close to normal; closer than having nothing.

After three months passed, I was not yet “100% normal” so I began taking Macca from whole foods market for about 10 days (1 capsule a day) by the end of December 2008 to speed the “healing process up”; 5 days (capsules) into taking it until a 7 days after stopping, I felt discomforting testicular pain and I went right back to 0 again (no libido, 10% erection strength).

After a week went by with 10% erection and 0 libido, by the 1st week of January 2009, my erection strength came back to 70% (eventually getting as high as 75-80% as more months went by) and had even lower libido, as well as low ejaculate (which I have ALWAYS HAD). I have been this way since December 2008 till present day of July 22nd, 2009.

A little over two weeks ago, June 27th 2009 – July 2nd 2009, I took a new supplement capsule called steel libido (had macca, horny goat wheat, tribulus testeris, ginseng, etc) for 6 days. Six days into it, my erection strength was back down to 30% and 0 libido. A week later, my erection strength is back to 60% and hardly any libido.

I have lived with ED, low libido, water semen, and less ejaculate for over 10 months. I’d like to know if you guys have heard similar stories like mine that it is actually possible to live with these symptoms for this long with the small amount of propecia I have taken? Do you guys have any advice or opinion to help me back to normal? What are your thoughts of the possibility of me being back to normal?

FYI, I have been an avid power lifter for 3 years (30 pull ups, squat 350lbs, intense interval sprints, etc), I do not eat fast food, I have never smoked or drank in my life. I’m a hard working university student (do have A TON OF ANXIETY AND STRESS FROM SCHOOL WORK, PULL MANY ALL NIGHTERS AND DO NATURALLY HAVE A TON OF ANXIETY AND STRESS, HAVE TO ADMITT THAT!).

Down below are my hormone test results. Do you guys have any opinion on my results? you see any abnormalities? PLEASE HELP ME!

Component Your Value Standard Range
TESTOSTERONE FREE 119.4 35.0-155.0 pg/mL
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL 588 250-1100 ng/dL

My Dr believes it is just almost impossible that such small amount of propecia can do this to me. He believes my case is entirely psychological and he believes that I will get back to normal. He thinks that after some sessions with a sex therapist, I’ll be back to normal.

One thing to point out though is this, ED and low libido can be psychological, as my Dr said; however, one thing he said that can NOT be psychological is watery semen and less semen. what do you guys make of this?

PLEASE HELP ME, IT’S BEEN TOO LONG. I’m turning 21 years old November (2009)! I truly feel as though I’m missing a part of myself when I wake up every morning, this needs to stop NOW!

#2

You’re clearly new to the site… sorry to hear about your experience and welcome. Sounds just like mine (when I took first pill etc). It’s a bit of reading, but please peruse the FAQ at the top of the forum, and please subsequently fill out the question template in this thread, so that we can better understand your situation. Also, it is advised that you file an FDA Adverse Effects report and inform Merck directly of your (common) experience with their miserable, life-destroying product.

Simple answers… No, this is not a psychological problem, it is a physical complication from finasteride use. Your symptoms are consistent with everyone in this group dealing with long term Propecia side effects. And regarding your amount of finasteride used, yes a small amount can induce that kind of toll on your body; I myself only took about 4 days’ worth of Propecia, and dealt with the same issues.

To be frank, your doctor is clueless, and is blissfully ignorant of these serious cases. I can’t really stress this enough: avoid the psychiatric community at all costs, because they will prey on you and hop you up on drugs which will not address your root problem. SSRIs are their favorite class of drugs to soup people up on, and they have their own serious complications and side effects (among which being sexual dysfunction, so why compound your problem).

I completely comprehend your level of sudden inexplicable nerves and anxiety; it is entirely common in men afflicted by Propecia. My personal advice is to try some simple Valerian root, easily found at a local vitamin store. They work on the GABAergic system and will help you relax under stressful situations.

Unfortunately, this syndrome is not a resolved issue, but through this website and many studies we have unearthed, we are coming close to determining the source of this condition. Hormones are a vital element, and appear in low ranges in most post-finasteride victims. However, a low-functioning endocrine system does not appear to be the sole issue, as neurochemical (particularly dopamine) seems deficient as well - potentially causing “brain fog” symptoms.

I believe your best bet is to present this information to your doubting Thomas doctor, and examine your hormonal output from there. These videos, particularly Dr. Crisler’s testament, will be of assistance in explaining to your Doctor your issue. Continue an exercise regimen, including weightlifting and cardio, as this will enhance your overall health. Seriously - that helps.

I don’t have much else to offer… You will benefit from looking around the boards for more info. This problem befell me at your age (19…am now 22…) and it is difficult, but perseverance is your friend.

#3

Hey I’ll check out the FAQ and forum when I get a chance (got a final and paper to do).

Thank you so much for your advice and help, it’s much appreciated.

has your errections and libido gotten better at all since you started? or has it been the same?

I already filed a report to FDA 2 months ago.

I also won’t let any psychatrist administer me any drugs at all. I won’t take one think, but, like most men I though just taking a small drug for my hair loss would be OKay (obviousouly that was the dumbest choice of my life).

Got a question for you,

do you think that we’ll get better again through a cure or through time?

I saw a good amount of recovery stories of men after as many months close to a year or over a year…

#4

Basically the same since this began. I could have sex if I wanted to, but it’s not the same. I saw changes in this in my brief recovery.

Time assists. It’s not a cure, but the farther away from your last brush with Propecia, the better you’ll feel. A specific cure is required though. In rare cases some men have retained a normal sense of functions with time, but it is very rare.

Our condition requires more study and attention. We intend to achieve this through scientific and legal means, and breakthroughs will come through this. If you read my recovery episode and ithappens’, GHB and drugs like it have the capacity to revitalize us - so in the least, this can be reversed somehow.

#5

No mental or physical side effects?

#6

Hey 3PM

I know I should really be reading the forum and FAQ before asking you these questions, but I’m occupied with writing a paper and preparing for a final this friday and I just wanted to get these questions off my chest because it’s been bugging me. I’m only asking you because it seems like you have been in this game for a long time.

Are you a biology or psychology major? or have you just been invested in doing your own research?

(I’m history major, but I’m taking a class on “Drugs and the Mind” right now, so words like dopamine and Glutamate are no stragers to me)

do you personaly or just know of any Dr.'s or scientists who are currently, actively, and specifically studying and working to find a cure right now??

can you say how far or near we are on finding a cure??

#7

Before there can be a cure, there needs to be in-depth scientific study of us, a subset of Finasteride using men who’s side effects did not reverse/got worse after stopping the drug, compared to normal men who never took the drug, to try and identify what changed in us compared to them to cause these long term problems. Only then, once the problem(s) have been identified, can work begin on a “cure”.

Short answer to your question: there is certainly a major hormonal component to this problem, and if you take 5 minutes to read the FAQ, you’ll understand why. There is also a neurological component that could be at play as well. Beyond that, there are physical changes that occur (prostate, penile tissues, breast) that can also cause long lasting problems. The issue is multifactorial.

After FAQ, read sticky posts at top of THEORIES and MENTAL SIDE EFFECTS section to get a grasp about where we’re at… the thread on Androgen Insensitivity in particular is of interest.

#8

helpmeback why did you stop finastaride after 1 pill? (the first time)

#9

Man

because I really felt like taking the drug was not a good idea. It was just a feeling in me. Right after taking that one drug, I took all my 3 bottles of propecia that my Dr. perscribed to me and went right back to the Kaiser pharmacy the next day to try and sell them back. (after much time and talk with them), they decided to take two of the bottles back because they weren’t opened (although, they really couldn’t becuase once I walked out with them, they were not allowed; they basically just bought them back to throw them away which was nice).

However, they left me with the one bottle which I just took that one pill from. I had it in my hand, and was going to throw it away right here in the pharmacy. But I decided to keep it to place it in my cabniet as home wtih all my other medical stuff. After placing it there and a coupel days went by, my hair loss really bothered me and I just decided what the hell, I have nothing to loose. I’ll just take a little bit of it, see how it goes, and quit if it was casuing any effects.

Sure enough it did 4-5 pills in, but I gave it one more day to try it to see if the effects would go away; I left me with nothing for a week. And now I am where I am now…

#10

Hey 3PM

about those guys that did recover after months or a little over a year, you said these were RARE cases. could you estimate in % how many guys this was found in?

Do you know for those guys if it gradually came back over weeks, or they just woke up and BAM, it was like they were almost back to normal?

I guess I really can’t be banking on a recovery like them then, huh?

I was thinking the ball was in MY court because it was only months that passed by and I could wait some years for it to be back to normal.

#11

That’s just impossible to say. We really have no idea of the numbers involved here. We just know that many men improve over time, and that some of them get better to the point where they consider themselves recovered.

There have actually been reports of both, but generally the guys who recover have things come back very slowly over an extended period of time (not even weeks, but months and years). It also tends to be a roller coaster. You should really read through the recovery section to get a better idea of this.

#12

hey man

yeah, I’ve been reading through some of the recovery sections, (the first week I had side effects; over 10 months ago).

however, I really didn’t see TOO many stories. What I expect is, once someone gets recovered over time, they wouldn’t even bother writing their story because they want nothing to do with it or remember all of it by.

however, you said that there are “many” cases, while I heard that it is “rare.”

would you say that it is common then?

I really want to know if I have a shot and I should feel optimistic, you know??

(I know I shoudl always be optimistic, but I’d like to be realistic. I’m pretty sure the answer is, “we all can’t say”…

:frowning:

#13

helpme, I agree with you. I have been reading the recovery section for quite some time and there aren’t too many posts of full recoveries. I did notice some treatments people use to help them get better, but still not complete recoveries and most often temporary. Lots of people tended to relapse.

#14

What you’re doing is asking someone to tell you “it’s gonna be okay”. The facts are all we have to give to you. Both sudden and long-term recoveries are pretty rare; what we need is an answer in order to cure.

#15

When you think about the millions of people who have taken the Finasteride and been totally fine, you realize what a small number of people we really are. This forum doesn’t really have that many people on it when you take into account how many people there are in the world who use Finasteride without problems.

I think this is probably how cases like ours slipped past the FDA’s testing.

#16

Being a lower age is definitely not a true fact that it makes a person more susceptible to the side effects, but I wonder/feel as though that it played a role for me.

Hey 3PM and everyone else, is there MANY MANY people on this site who have taken the drug in single digit numbers (under 10 pills), but are still facing the same side effects as us for MANY years? (like for the past 5-8 years without ANY PROGRESS IN GETTING BETTER)

I’ll be starting 11 months by the start of August.

Like, I’m not sucidical from thinking about it or OVERLY FRUSTRATED about it, but I can say a little bit less confident in getting too close with a girl which at times in a week makes me a bit frustrated. I also have to admitt everyday there are a few times a day that I think about it and it gets me kind of down or makes me sad.

(i know propecia is somewhat of a new drug too)

#17

About Dr. John Crisler and Dr. Irwin Goldstein:

Has anyone seen these guys in the flesh and worked with them?

Do you think both are good Dr.'s to visit and work with, or one maybe MUCH better to see than the other? (they both have good profiles, but I was just wondering of others experiences/opinions)

#18
  1. How did you find this forum?
    I found this forum online BEFORE I started taking Propecia.
  2. What is your current age, height, weight?
    20 (21 in a couple months), 5’11, 165
  3. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
    For over 3 years I have been a serious weight lifter: Squats, Dead lifts, Dumbbells, cleans, interval sprints, etc
  4. What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
    I only eat organic food and I shop at Whole Foods Market.
  5. Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
    SLIGHT receding hairline
  6. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
    1 pill August 24th, 2008, and 6 pills September 1st-6th, 2008 (7 pills total)
  7. How old were you when you started Finasteride?
    19 years old
  8. How old were you when you quit?
    19 years old
  9. How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
    Cold turkey
  10. What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
    Propecia by Merck
  11. What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
    1mg/day
  12. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
    3/4 days (3/4 pills into it)
  13. What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
    ED, LOW libido, water/less semen
    Put an X beside all that apply:

Sexual
[X] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[X] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[X] Watery Ejaculate
[X] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[X] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ ] Depression / Melancholy

Physical
[x] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[x] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature

[ ] Other (please explain)

  1. What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
    Nothing extraordinary. I tried Macca for close to 2 weeks and a supplement called Steel Libido (Macca, ginseng, horny goat wheat, etc)

  2. If you have pre or post-Finasteride bloodtests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (pls post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
    Component Your Value Standard Range
    TESTOSTERONE FREE 119.4 35.0-155.0 pg/mL
    TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL 588 250-1100 ng/dL

  3. Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
    NONE

  4. Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.

These are the exact facts of my story from first taking propecia till now:

When I started propeica, was 19 years old (turning 20 a couple months from then)
I took one Propecia pills by Merck on August 24th 2008 , but stopped after that one day; then on September 1st-6th 2008, I took one pill a day. This is a total of 7 pills.

During September 4th-14th 2008, I suffered from 0 libido and 10% erection strength for a week. But by September 14 or 15, I was able to obtain a 90% strong erection, VERY low libido, and small amount of ejaculate. I was this way, and happy because it was close to normal; closer than having nothing.

After three months passed, I was not yet “100% normal” so I began taking Macca from whole foods market for about 10 days (1 capsule a day) by the end of December 2008 to speed the “healing process up”; 5 days (capsules) into taking it until a 7 days after stopping, I felt discomforting testicular pain and I went right back to 0 again (no libido, 10% erection strength).

After a week went by with 10% erection and 0 libido, by the 1st week of January 2009, my erection strength came back to 70% (eventually getting as high as 75-80% as more months went by) and had even lower libido, as well as low ejaculate (which I have ALWAYS HAD). I have been this way since December 2008 till present day of July 22nd, 2009.

A little over two weeks ago, June 27th 2009 – July 2nd 2009, I took a new supplement capsule called steel libido (had macca, horny goat wheat, tribulus testeris, ginseng, etc) for 6 days. Six days into it, my erection strength was back down to 30% and 0 libido. A week later, my erection strength is back to 60% and hardly any libido.

I have lived with ED, low libido, water semen, and less ejaculate for over 10 months. I’d like to know if you guys have heard similar stories like mine that it is actually possible to live with these symptoms for this long with the small amount of propecia I have taken? Do you guys have any advice or opinion to help me back to normal? What are your thoughts of the possibility of me being back to normal?

FYI, I have been an avid power lifter for 3 years (30 pull ups, squat 350lbs, intense interval sprints, etc), I do not eat fast food, I have never smoked or drank in my life. I’m a hard working university student (do have A TON OF ANXIETY AND STRESS FROM SCHOOL WORK, PULL MANY ALL NIGHTERS AND DO NATURALLY HAVE A TON OF ANXIETY AND STRESS, HAVE TO ADMITT THAT!).

Down below are my hormone test results. Do you guys have any opinion on my results? you see any abnormalities? PLEASE HELP ME!

Component Your Value Standard Range
TESTOSTERONE FREE 119.4 35.0-155.0 pg/mL
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL 588 250-1100 ng/dL

My Dr believes it is just almost impossible that such small amount of propecia can do this to me. He believes my case is entirely psychological and he believes that I will get back to normal. He thinks that after some sessions with a sex therapist, I’ll be back to normal.

One thing to point out though is this, ED and low libido can be psychological, as my Dr said; however, one thing he said that can NOT be psychological is watery semen and less semen. what do you guys make of this?

PLEASE HELP ME, IT’S BEEN TOO LONG. I’m turning 21 years old November (2009)! I truly feel as though I’m missing a part of myself when I wake up every morning, this needs to stop NOW!

#19

I’m seeing Dr. Crisler. You can follow my thread on how my treatment is progressing here:
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2279

I’m going to do an update tomorrow.

#20

I totally went through what you were goin through when I took the pill at 20(I actually just turned 20 around that time)…>Same exact side effects as you…no libidio, watery semen, and lack of erections(MACA, Tribilus, arginine helped somewhat with that…Anyways…

I don’t want to scare you here…but I’m 27 now and am not recovered. I plan on seeing Dr. Crisler now as this is affecting my life. Stay strong, see a doctor who will listen…

I’ve seen quite a few specialists and doctors and they are arrogant and said samething to me" it’s in my head"…Well we know this…we don’t have morning erections anymore…That’s not “in our head” is it?