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)? United States
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 via searching ‘Finasteride Depression’
What is your current age, height, weight? 24 years old, 6’1", 190 lbs
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
1 pill of finasteride 1 mg, minoxidil 5% for 6 weeks, and DHT blocking biotin shampoo/conditioner ([link to amazon page of the shampoo/conditioner](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Flink to amazon page of the shampooSMRY3S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1))
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1 mg of finasteride. Shampoo usage maybe 1/2-1/4 oz (quarter size), and minoxidil 2 ml per day went up to 4 ml per day before taking finasteride.
What condition was being treated with the drug? Hair loss
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
Finasteride 1 time. Shampoo/conditioner used for 7 weeks, and minoxidil 2 ml per day for ~ 3 weeks to 4 ml per day about 1 week before taking the finasteride.
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug?
24 years old, began shampoo on ~ May 20, 2019, minoxidil June 19, 2019 and Finasteride on July 9th, 2019
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
Quit all three on July 10th, 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?
Had tinnitus after about 3 weeks on the shampoo (notice tinnitus on June 17, 2019) and increased anxiety but I thought it was unrelated. Got immediate side effects from 1 pill of finasteride
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Tinnitus in both ears, fatigue, loss of libido, emotional flatness, anxiety, memory issues, cognitive impairment (inability to focus/form complete thoughts). No idea about ejaculate/erections since I have not orgasmed since since taking the Fin. Orgasmed ~4 weeks ago and felt fine.
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
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[x] Confusion
[x] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[x] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[x] Slurring of Speech
[x] 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
[x ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ x] 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
[x] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[x] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[x ] 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)?
Have not taken any hormone tests. Have general blood work tests from visiting the hospital for tinnitus.
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience?
I also have been taking 5000 mcg of biotin as a supplement since ~ May 30, '19. Before using the finasteride I increased my minoxidil dosage (approx. 2 weeks before taking finasteride) because I am balding on my vertex as well as my scalp.
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
Started using DHT blocking shampoo/conditioner 6 weeks ago and felt fine, started using minoxidil ~ 3 weeks ago (June 14, 2019) and noticed tinnitus the same day but I’m not sure if it was due to either of those products. Although the onset of tinnitus corresponds with the shampoo/conditioner usage three weeks previous. However I was also a daily marijuana smoker which could have caused inner ear damage.
I took my first finasteride 1 mg tablet this past Tuesday (July 9th, '19) and immediately began feeling emotionally blunted. I could not sleep the night I took it but that was also the night I discovered this forum which could have increased my anxiety and kept me up. The next day (Wednesday) I felt very depressed and emotionally flat, I could not concentrate at work and my testicles kept tingling. Went for a jog and could not run for more than a few minutes. Tried to do some pushups/crunches but had no energy at all. I should note I did not sleep Tuesday night so I don’t quite know what affected what. Wednesday night I slept ok but woke up a few times during the night.
On Thursday I felt my throat tingling and my adam’s apple felt smaller, not sure how to describe it. Voice also got a bit higher on Thursday and I definitely noticed a decreased attraction to women/desire for sex. Very intense mental fog came in and out Thursday and I could not concentrate very well at all. Different muscles in my body twitched/felt tingly including chest, buttox, arms, shoulders and face muscles. Also felt attraction towards men which is strange. Thursday night had mild insomnia and woke up in a hot sweat.
It’s now Friday night and I have been in and out today. Was able to perform at work alright but was battling depression all day and trouble being motivated. Felt mentally distant but not as bad as I felt on Thursday (which was very bad). Currently typing at 8:40 pm Friday night and feeling pretty good. 74.5 hours since initial finasteride dosage. My voice is actually a good deal deeper.
I would like to stop using all three (biotin shampoo/conditioner, minoxidil, and finasteride) not too worried about going bald considering the health risks of these things. I am wondering if it would be best to just go cold turkey or keep using the shampoo/conditioner for a while. It’s only been a couple weeks of using those things but I have heard it is wiser to taper off. Looking for opinions on that stuff. Thanks everyone!