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)?
UK
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?)
What is your current age, height, weight?
25, 5’10, 80kg
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.)?
1mg for a week, 4 day break, another week.
What condition was being treated with the drug?
MPH
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
14 days
Date when you started the drug?
Date when you quit the drug?
Age when you quit?
24
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold Turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
4 days
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 (reduced)
[X] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[X] 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
[X] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[X] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[X] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[ ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[X] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[X] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[X] Joint Pain (resolved)
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[X] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[X] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[X] 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)
Insomnia (reduced)
No precum
No pumps in gym
Muscle twitching (reduced)
Pins and needles (resolved)
DPDR (resolved)
Change in body odour
Prominent veins on penis
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
N/A
If you have pre or post-drug blood tests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since KO discontinuing the drug (please post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
Bloods are normal
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.
Started with ball ache, and then ED, couldn’t get hard at all, literally about 60% so assumed it was in my head. Noticed reduced ejaculate. Came off for a week and went back on, ED was fine but was hit with severe insomnia, didn’t sleep for 4 days. In and out of A&E begging for help. Stopped fin the day this started. A week after this, muscle twitching started in both calves and has spread all over my body, though seems to be less frequent now. Found this site and obviously have been in a huge panic as things are not resolving and seem to be quite stagnant. Mentally I feel completely broken, horrific anxiety and depression. Of all my sides, the most concerning for me is the lack of blood flow/pumps, cognitive decline and general anxiety. 6 weeks off fin and I’m unsure about improvements and what to make of them.
Had some dry skin on my dick which has resolved, cold penis for like 2 days but that has also resolved.
I can sleep for 4-5 hours and then wake up, can get back to sleep for a total of 8/9 hours, but don’t feel like I’m in a totally deep sleep like I used to be. This obviously is better than the 0 hours I was getting prior.
Have had sex since the ED issue and no complaints, worked fine but just reduced semen still. Still feels good and is enjoyable though my anxiety probably takes the edge off. Refractory period seems reduced.
I can’t help but feel I’m absolutely fucked long term and reading these forums doesn’t tend to help me I don’t think.
Any ideas on what to do, has been 6 weeks since cessation and I would’ve hoped to have been further along than I am. Thanks all.