After 7 days of stopping Saw Palmetto my side effects get worse. PFS from Saw Palmetto?

Member Stories
#1

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)? Germany

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? 47, 183, 79kg

What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)?
Saw Palmetto

What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? 280mg/day for 7 days (on one day i took mistakingly 560mg of it)

What condition was being treated with the drug? hair loss

For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)? 7 days

Date when you started the drug? 13.05.2023

Date when you quit the drug? 20.05.2023

Age when you quit? 47

How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? Cold turkey

How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects? After 7 days

What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Low Libido, Errection problems

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
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] 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
[ x] Testicular Pain (only very little bit)
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] 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
[ 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

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)? I don’t have a test yet

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.

Self-reporting template - ONLY USE FOR FUTURE POSTS TO REPORT ANY TRIALS OF TREATMENTS, NOT YOUR INITIAL MEMBER STORY

Hi,
I am 47y old. This month I was taking Saw Palmetto 280mg for 1 week (on one day I mistakenly took 560mg of it). I also used to take a Vitamin/biotin/Zinc supplement with it. And 2 Maca pills.

On day 7, I started to realize a loss in libido and I stopped the same day. I could get still errections but I realized my libido was just around 50% at that time.

I don’t know it it matters but in the week i took SP I had a eye problem (inflammation) therefore I went to the doctor who described me “Cortison” Eye-Drops.

I was shocked about my sexual dysfunction but I thought, don’t panic, let’s see the next days. 2 days later I had the feeling my libido was coming back! …and I was happy as hell. My errections were still good.

Today, (after 6 days of stopping taking Saw Palmetto), my libido got worse and I can not get any errection anymore. I also slept not so good last night (woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep anymore). My mood is ok. No depression or Brain fog. I can still concentrate very good. No headache. I had just a little panic attack this morning because I am woried.

I thought i was recovering some days ago, but now it seems it getting worse on the 6th day of quitting. Today my Penile was also a little bit cold and little, which was not the case in the last few days.

I am very worried now. I had the feeling I would recover. Now I am thinking it’s getting worse.

Do you think it’s a bad sign that it’s getting worse after six days of stopping?

Or is there a chance it could get worse a little bit more… and then start recovering?

Or, do you think I will be getting slowly only more worse now?

Thanks so much for a reply.

  1. Name of the therapy/substance:
    • Dosage:
    • How often you took it:
  2. Status
    • Still using [ ]
    • Stopped with no lasting change to initial symptoms [ ]
    • Stopped with persistent change to symptoms [ ]
  3. Duration of use: Days [ ] Months [ ] Years [ ]
  4. Response when you started:
    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ ]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]
  5. Current response (if you’re still using the therapy/substance) OR Response in the time before you stopped the treatment
    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ ]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]
  6. Lasting changes to initial symptoms after cessation (if you have stopped for more than 3 weeks)
    • Greatly improved [ ]
    • Slightly improved [ ]
    • Stayed the same [ ]
    • Slightly worsened [ ]
    • Greatly worsened [ ]
#2

Yes saw palmetto can cause PFS as it is 5ar blocker. Unfortunately the panic attack you experienced is probably from sp too as is the eye problem. 5ar blockers are just nasty substances.

For now just try to relax, you can still recover in various timeframes. Watch out with zinc as it can block 5ar too. Unfortunately blocking 5ar is not a good idea contrary to what anybody might say. If you were using maca to counteract effects of SP then I am sorry to say but that would probably be futile.

#3

Six days is not nearly enough time to draw conclusions about persistence of effects after discontinuing a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor like saw palmetto. Most people find their symptoms improve within 3 months, with some fluctuation possible within that time.

#4

How are you doing today? : )

#5

Thanks!

Today, 10 days after stoppping SP, I feel not worse. I feel a little bit better than 6 days after I stopped I think.

I have still no depression, no brain fog, no mood changes (only feel worried sometimes), my emotions are like always I think (I still enjoy listening to music etc.). And I am focused too. My sleep is good. My eye is getting better (I got described “Cortisone”-eye-drops from the doc, and the inflammation in the eye is getting smaller)

Libido and penile function (which is my main problem) are not worse too. Even maybe a very little better… But it’s hard to say, it could be subjective. It’s both still diminished for sure… I also got some slight pain or “pull” in my testicles after I stopped (It feels like it’s something going on there), but this “pain” is maybe getting better I think (The pain is not so often anymore). So I have a little bit penile shrinkage too I think, but I hope/believe this will be reversible if I will be recovered.

I will just be patient and try not to stress myself the next 3 months. I hope/believe I will recover fully and go to the gym as always (weight lifting) + whey protein, go into sun and eat healthy (maybe a little bit more good quality meat).

Thank you again for your support. I know, there are people who have really more problems than me and I hope everybody will recover and will see some positive progress in their issues.

I can keep you updated

#6

PS: I wanna do a blood test at my doctor. Can maybe somebody tell me which things or values I should have checked?

#7

There is no blood test for post 5-alpha reductase inhibitor syndromes. You might, however, describe your symptoms to a doctor in order to rule out other potential causes. Better to have a common and treatable condition like hypogonadism or diabetes than a rare and untreatable one like PFS.

#8

updates? feeling better?

#9

Although I had only mental side effects and I took finasteride, they continued to get worse with 8 days after stopping being the worse day in my entire life by far. From there I’ve recovered with noticeable improvement every 3 weeks or so. It’s a long game and it’s entirely possible that symptoms can get worse initially after stopping. Major improvement within 90 days is likely for most so hang in there. It should get better.

#10

Ok, I can give you an update…
Today is 2 months and 6 days since i stopped taking Saw Palmetto.

I had only sexual sides (low libido and problems with getting erections) from Saw Palmetto (and an inflammation in my right eye, which is cured completely after some weeks.)

As a reminder I tell you my “journey” since I stopped:

  • After 2 days stopping it got better (libido came back)
  • then after 6 days of getting better it got worse (libido got worse, ED got worse)

After this time I stopped looking at this forum, went to the gym like always and took protein-powder like always (contains Amino-acids) and tried to think positive and just hoped and believed that I will recover fully.

I got better. I had libido again (maybe 80% as before Saw Palmetto) and I had no problems to get erections. Had some morning wood too. I thought I am totally fine and my libido will come back 100%. I was happy.

Today, 2 months later where I improved a lot, to the point that I thought I am over it, I think my libido felt again (maybe around 60% as before) but I have no erection problems and sometimes morning wood too. The only thing is now, I think my Ejaculate volume is reduced after I improved so well the last 2 months.

So I had ups and downs since stopping, right now. It’s down, but I still hope that I can recover 100% after that little downfall and it will get better to 100% for the long run. I hope that it will get even more better after every little downfall again.

I read in the forum that it take at least 3 months for the body to balance again. So I have around 1 more month and I hope i recover 100%. But I have to say that I am worried that my libido is damaged permanently.

So if I recover soon I think I don’t have the serious PFS.

#11

I have to add that I sometimes think I have a little bit penile shrinkage (narrow) since stopping SP. And I think it feels more rubbery when it’s in the flaccid state. But if it gets hard I think it’s alll good and no shrinkage.

I have no problem with that if it’s shrinked a little bit.
I just want my libido fully back!

I also want to add that my hair loss is going on, so there is still DHT-converting going on, right?

I thought if maybe my testosteron level is lowered. Is it possible that the Saw Palmetto-Thing lowered my testo? Because I feel really a little bit tired.

I didn’t have a blood-test for now, but I heard that there is no standard or norm value for testo, so one man can have a lower testo and is fine because he had always a low testo. So it’s useless if you don’t know which testo you had when you were healthy.

I am thankful for every comment you have with my case.