Welcome to our community. Please fill in the following template as a way of introducing yourself, and helping others to understand your background and situation.
Where are you from (country)? India
How did you find this forum (Google search – if so, what search terms? Via link from a forum or website – if so, what page? Other?) Google search
What is your current age, height, weight? 26 years, 5’11’’, 70 KGs
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)? Finasteride
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? 1 mg/day
What condition was being treated with the drug? Hairloss
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)? 2.5 years
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug? August, 2017
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? January, 2019
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? Cold Turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects? 1 month
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Check the boxes that apply. You can save your post first, then interactively check/uncheck the boxes by clicking on them. If your symptoms change, please update your list.
Sexual
[X] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[X] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[X] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[X] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[X] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[X] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[X] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[X] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[X] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[X] 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
[ ] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ ] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug? None
If you have pre or post-drug blood tests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (please post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience?
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
I noticed a bald spot in August 2017 in my crown area. I consulted a dermatologist who prescribed Finasteride 1mg. I used the drug for 2.5 years. The effect it had on my hair was incredible. While on the drug, the noticed reduced libido. I was no longer attracted to girls. I couldn’t even get it up by watching porn. I thought this would resolve after quitting the drug and foolishly continued taking the drug as I didnt want to lose my hair. I quit the drug in January, 2019 bcoz the side effects worsened. After quitting the drug, my libido further went downhill. My overall condition deteriorated. My penis and testicles shrunk and they are no longer sensitive. Now I’m 15 months off Finasteride, I started having nocturnal erections and morning erections. My size has also improved a little. But I have not yet regained my libido. I couldn’t maintain an erection during sex. My libido is just 20-30% pre-fin. Is this condition persistent or permanent? Is there anyone who recovered?