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)? Brazil
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? 35, 1,80m, 86kgs
What specific drug did you use (finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto, isotretinoin/Accutane, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, leuprorelin, etc…)? Accutane (17 years old) / Finasteride (22 years old)
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? Accutane (20mg/day for 8 months); Finasteride (1mg/day for 11 months)
What condition was being treated with the drug?
Acne and then Alopecia
For how long did you take the drug (weeks/months/years)?
Accutane (8 months) / Finasteride (11 months)
Date when you started the drug? I don’t remember exactly
Date when you quit the drug?
I don’t remember exactly
Age when you quit?
Accutane (18 years old) / Finasteride (22 years old)
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turkey
How long into your usage did you notice the onset of side effects?
Accutane (I never realized) / Finasteride (already during use)
What side effects did you experience that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
All of them
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
[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
[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
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[X] 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”
[X] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[X] Tinnitus (ringing or high pitched sound in ears)
[X] Hearing loss
[X] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[X] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (teeth breaking and coming out of the gums (I’ve already lost 3 teeth)
What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
I tried different supplements and medications. Ironically, the only thing that saved me was antidepressants. Today, I use devenlafaxine 50mg and occasionally Clonazepam 0.5mg.
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)?
My blood tests including Testo, Free Testo, DHT, 3aDiol, Cortisol and all others are perfectly normal. In fact, my test is 900ng/dl.
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience?
I’ve been living in true hell for 13 years, because my body can’t handle the slightest amount of stress, my emotions are completely messed up, my insomnia is only weakening me because of the medication and the depression I feel makes me think about suicide 24/7.
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
When I was 16 years old, I started developing severe acne, but only on my face. After trying all topical treatments, I was prescribed Accutane (20-40mg) for 8 months. My skin finally cleared up, and it felt like a dream come true, as I noticed absolutely no side effects at the time. However, looking back now, I realize that my anxiety noticeably worsened after this treatment.
At the age of 21, I noticed that my frontal hairline was receding rapidly. Since I had successfully undergone Accutane treatment before, I promptly consulted a dermatologist who prescribed me Finasteride 1mg without any warnings. He even added that I would have to use it for the rest of my life and that the medication could also help prevent prostate cancer in the future.
Within the first few weeks, I noticed a significant decline in my libido. At first, I actually liked it because I often had a dysfunctional level of sexual desire, thinking about sex practically all day. One day, I tried to masturbate and realized it was difficult to achieve an erection. I immediately associated this with the medication and started researching more about it online. I came across a Brazilian blog that explained, in a very partial and superficial way, the potential harms of the drug. I became very scared and immediately threw the medication away.
Soon after, I noticed other symptoms appearing, but I never precisely linked them to Finasteride until I found this forum just last year (2024). I now suffer from severe digestive issues, anxiety, and depression so intense that I come close to a psychotic state if I’m not medicated, along with many other symptoms well-known here, such as chronic fatigue. When I have sex or exercise, I almost completely stop functioning for the next 3-7 days.