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Where are you from (country)? USA
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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
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What is your current age, height, weight? 43 YEARS OLD, 6’0", 180 LBS.
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Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise? YES. WEIGHT TRAINING (5xDAYS A WEEK); MARTIAL ARTS
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What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)? VEGAN NUTRITARIAN
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Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)? HAIR LOSS (I took finasteride, proscar and then dutasteride (Avodart). Avodart finally “did me in” and caused me to quit these drugs after learning that I was suffering from PFS.)
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For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)? FOUR YEARS
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How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride? 2008 (I WAS IN MY 30’S WHEN I STARTED.)
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How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? I QUIT ONE AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
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How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? COLD TURKEY
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What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic? PROPECIA, PROSCAR AND THEN AVODART.
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What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? STANDARD DOSAGE (CUT PROSCAR INTO 5 EQUAL TABLETS).
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How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects? ONE YEAR
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What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation? ED, BRAIN FOG, MEMORY LOSS (OTHERS NOTICE IT); PENILE SHRINKAGE (!); COMPLETE LOSS OF LIBIDO, ETC. [THE USUAL SYMPTOMS…]
Put an X beside all that apply:
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
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
X Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
X Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
X Confusion
X Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
X Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
X Slurring of Speech
X Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
X Extreme Anxiety
X Severe Depression / Melancholy
X Suicidal Thoughts (MILD, BUT WONDER IF LIFE IS WORTH IT IF I CAN’T FIX THIS.)
Physical
X Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
X Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
X Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease - I HAVE SEVERE NEUROPATHY; MY PENIS FEELS DISCONNECTED FROM MY BODY.
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
X Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[ ] Other (please explain)
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What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug? I RECENTLY VISITED DR. GOLDSTEIN AT THE SAN DIEGO SEXUAL MEDICINE INSTITUATE. HE AND HIS STAFF SPENT OVER 4 HOURS WITH ME ON MY FIRST VISIT AND HE EDUCATED ME ON WHAT I WAS SUFFERING. I REMEMBER SITTING IN HIS OFFICE AND SURPRISED MYSELF WHEN I BURST INTO TEARS AFTER LEARNING HOW AVODART/DUTASTERIDE/FINASTERIDE INVOLUTES THE PROSTATE (INVOLUTES MEANS THAT IT FOLDS IN ON ITSELF BASICALLY). IT ACTUALLY KILLS THE CELLS (HENCE, THE “PERSISTENT” PART OF PFS).
HE AND THE NURSES LET ME CRY, BUT THEN WE TALKED THROUGH THAT–I’M ALIVE AND THERE ARE OPTIONS. SO, I AM HOPEFUL AFTER MY VISIT WITH HIM.
HE STARTED ME ON CLOMIPHENE CITRATE (25 MG. EVERY MONDAY, WED. AND FRIDAY); A VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION; AND A DRUG TO HELP BOOST MY THYROID HORMONE. HE MAY PUT ME ON A DRUG TO KEEP MY ESTROGEN LEVELS LOW, BUT HE DID NOT DO THAT YET. HE IS WAITING TO SEE WHAT MY BLOOD WORK COMES BACK WITH. -
If you have pre or post-Finasteride bloodtests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (pls post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
I WILL HAVE TO POST MY BLOOD TESTS AND LINK THEM [I’M SORRY, BUT I DON’T HAVE READY ACCESS TO THEM NOW.] -
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
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Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
I JOINED THIS FORUM AFTER READING A LOT OF THE THREADS. MY STORY APPEARS TO BE EXACTLY* THE SAME AS THE USER NAMED “LEGENDARY” WHO IS IN SOUTH AFRICA. BUT I AM HOPING THAT I HAVE A SIMILAR OUTCOME AS HE DOES (THAT IS, HE SAW SOME IMPROVEMENT IN HIS CONDITION/SYMPTOMS.)