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)? Ireland
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? 26 11 stone 5 ft 11
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)? Accutane
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? 60mg 5 months then 20 mg 6 months
What condition was being treated with the drug? Scalp folliculitis
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
over a year
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start the drug? 17 22 and 23
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? 23
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? cold turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects? 3 months
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation? sexual ones
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
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections
[x ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[x ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[x ] Inability or Difficulty to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[ x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[x ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfulness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[x ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ x] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[ ] 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
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[x ] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[x ] 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? tests getting more done tomorrow
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 have been on Accutane 3 times. Once when I was 17 and I had dry lips that was it. When I was 23 I got scalp acne EVERYWHERE and tried everything for it. It didn’t clear so I went on Accutane low dose that didn’t work so I went on a high dose. The reason I went on it was because I did when I was 17 and had little side effects and it worked for a number of years. Fast forward to 2018 the scalp acne came back after both courses when I was 23 and the side effects are still lasting. I am 26 now so maybe off it for a year and a half and I have zero not little zero libido, ED no connection with my penis and numb down there. I also have issues with how I think its hard to explain no emotion even and my sexual health is ruined. I do hope that it will come back that’s the only hope I have I’ve been with my GF for 9 years so I was able to talk to her about this and we are now both doing everything to get this fixed as she has seen the way it is effecting me. Does anyone have any stories or anything about it returning as a year and a half later I have zero and think this is it for the rest of my life. I am a shell of the person I was 3 years ago and would do anything to go back to my old self. To add to this three weeks ago everything went back to normal for a number of days and I was so happy but after it went back to not being there. I had just came of tablets for my skin and don’t know if maybe this done something to my body or maybe this is a sign of recovery. I don’t take drug smoke or drink so hopefully my body can heal itself but its not looking like its going to. Thanks
As of now the last two days everything works I was able to have sex a number of times in the last two days. The numbness is still there sometimes I have to tense to make sure its still working I hope this is it I have came off a tablet dapsone and maybe this was not helping with my side effects or maybe this is my body after almost two years going back to normal. Im going to stay off these forums for a while to see and take a break but I will let everyone know in a few weeks if I am still ok.