Another Person with Brain Fog

Symptoms Neurological
#1

I just wanted to chime in that I also have been experiencing severe brain fog because of finasteride use. I began taking 1.25 mg/day about a year ago without any problems. My supply finally ran out, and I delayed ordering more for about 3 weeks. When I finally decided to order more and began taking it, I began experiencing the brain fog almost right away. Stupidly, I continued use figuring that it was caused by physical/mental fatigue from working and working out too much. Eventually it got so bad, that I couldn’t even read the text on my computer screen. I would just sit there staring at words without being able to comprehend any meaning (I am not dyslexic). It was awful. I just felt like getting in bed and sleeping for about 24 hours straight. I think someone else described it as seeing the world through some sort of filter, and this description fits perfectly.

I then proceeded to take a few days off of work, as well as a few days off from working out. This didn’t help. Finally I found out about this website after doing a search for brain fatigue/fog on hairlosshelp.com.

I have since quit taking finasteride (about 3 months ago), but my normal brain function has been very slow to return. I have my good days and bad days, though. Jogging seems to help a little, but even as I type this post, it’s like I’m just doing it on “automatic” I’m having a really hard time focusing. I guess I should feel lucky that my sexual function didn’t take that much of a hit. Eventually, I will try various herbs, vitamins, etc. to treat this, but I’m really trying to see if it will go away on it’s own.

I don’t have any questions, I just wanted to add my experience. I will post again when I’m back to normal with full details of how/when it happened.

#2

Welcome to the board and thanks for the post.

I just want to let you know (as you can read for yourself in the Members Stories section) that I also experienced brain fog.

For me, it took about 14-15 months to finally clear up to the point where I am now (at 20 months off) much better in the mental department - can concentrate, don’t feel so mentally slow, no anxiety/panic attacks, no stumbling over words, not disassociated from myself/reality… the filter is lifting and I am slowly improving memory recall as well (though still not what I was pre-Finasteride). In this case it seems to be time is the healer.

So my advice to you is: don’t worry, eat healthy, get pleny of rest, don’t stress yourself, take a good multivitamin, exercise lightly and don’t panic. Luckily the mental side effects seem to dissipate for many, it’s the physical/hormonal/sexual side effects which seem to be much more problematic in the longterm.

You may also want to consider getting bloodtests as outlined in the Bloodtests section just to see what is going on, for future evaluation/comparison should things not get any better.

PS: thanks for the plug about hairlosshelp.com, most of the guys on hairloss sites (particularly hairlosstalk.com) scoff, put down and insult this site and men like us that get these side effects, branding us liars and loonies. I’m glad you were able to find this site through your research.

#3

Thanks for the advice, Mew. I appreciate it.

I’m not sure why some folks think that brain fog is a myth. I think there have been enough complaints by finasteride users (with similar stories) to indicate the validity of this problem.

#4

Indeed, and I’m sure the fact Finasteride interferes with far more than just DHT conversion (ie, other 5-AR reduced metabolites and neurosteroids – THDOC, Allopregnenolone, GABAA, dihydroprogesterone, reduction of NOS – which play roles in the brain obviously) also has something to do with it – as you can read in the Finasteride Studies section.

#5

YES!!

This is precisely what I’m experiencing since I started Propecia 7 weeks ago. My usually eloquent, silver tongued dry humor has become a stumbling wreck where I actualy think about what I’m saying (which I never did before obviously).

But 14-15 months?? Man…that would mean this September or October for me…wow.

#6

If finasteride reduces Nitric Oxide Sythases, what about supplemeting with Nitric Oxide (arginine alpha ketal-glutamate)?

#7

Nobody has absolute definite answers. Try out some L-Arginine and see if it works for you.

#8

Get pharmaceutical grade stuff here www.jomarlabs.com

#9

I get the same too, I’m like searching for words and stuttering and it’s very embarrassing sometimes. I’ve always been a quick talker but not so much anymore, because I’m afraid I will lose words if I try to talk quickly.

#10

I can say the same of myself.

Brain fog to me is the biggest negative effect left over from taking fin. I wouldn’t mind a drop in libido or other physical/hormonal problems as much as I would being able to think clearly. After all, the solutions to all those other problems might be found with clear mental reasoning.

I want my mind back.

#11

I had pretty good luck with Vitamin E 200 iu/day for brain fog.