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)?
USA
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
What is your current age, height, weight?
37, 6’0”, 180
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. Switched to topical a couple times attempting to reduce sides and now find myself in this situation.
What condition was being treated with the drug?
MPB
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
Probably 6 years in total, on and off
Date when you started the drug?
2016
Date when you quit the drug?
September, 2024
Age when you quit?
37
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
I had reduced sex drive while on oral Finasteride. Went off it but then tried topical since I heard it had less sides. Every time I tried topical (different compounds), I felt pretty bad the next day but then it would pass. Did one finally attempt of a small amount in Sept 2024 and crashed two months later.
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Sides resolved every time I went off until the crash.
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
[x ] Complete Impotence
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections
[x ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[x ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[x ] Watery Ejaculate
[x ] Reduced Ejaculate
[x ] 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
[x ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[x ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[x ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[x ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[x] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[x ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[x ] Muscle Wastage
[x ] Muscle Weakness
[x ] Joint Pain
[x ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[x] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[x ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[x ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[x ] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[ ] Hearing loss
[ ] Increased hair loss
[x ] Frequent urination
[x ] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
Nothing, have tried to avoid all medication and supplementation other than an occasional Benadryl or Tylenol pm to sleep.
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)?
All of my hormonal stuff came back in normal range but Total T still felt lot for my age and activity level.
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience?
I have had lots of fluctuations since the crash. I even had a two month period from April-June where I largely felt like I was recovering and stopped taking daily notes about my situation. Then in June everything came back. This last week or two has gotten incredibly difficult mentally.
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
I had a severe crash in November 2024. A night with no sleep, hot flashes, shrinkage, frequent urination, extreme mental symptoms, etc. For the first 3 months I would have periodic crying episodes when it got overwhelming mentally. Those faded during that two month stretch from April - June 2024 but have returned in a big way. I am going through a very dark and difficult mental stretch that isn’t passing. Currently I can fall asleep after some time but now I’m waking up after 4-5 hours of sleep and my body feels like it is in extreme overdrive. This has obvious affects on my mental state as well. Feeling anxiety and depression currently. Hoping for some relief but this downward fluctuation is lasting longer and is more intense than any previous one.