Approx. 10yr Fin Users Story

Member Stories
#1

If You had perineum pain as I described, how long did it last?

  • A Day
  • A Few Days (2-5)
  • A Week
  • Months
  • It Comes And Goes

0 voters

Let me start by doing the Q/A so you can have record of my vitals, etc.

  1. How did you find this forum?
    Worried about what the drug might be doing to me.

  2. What is your current age, height, weight?
    31 yrs. old 5,9 inches tall 174lbs.

  3. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
    Quite regularly, however during my years on fin I did it more often some years then others.

  4. What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
    I eat a semi healthy diet, however I can eat sweets from time to time. Again fluctuates

  5. Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
    Thinning Hair

  6. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
    Approx. 10 years total, however I would go off at times for months.

  7. How old were you when you started Finasteride?
    21

  8. How old were you when you quit?
    31

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

  10. What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
    Initially Propecia, then a generic, then Proscar after I first started feeling testicle pain

  11. What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
    1mg approx. per day

  12. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
    8 years I would guess before I had testicular pain which was diagnosed a vericocele in my left testicle.

  13. What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
    While on the drug the only side effect I initially experience was the pain in the one testicle. Then a few months back during sex I just couldn’t get it up. I noticed then to that my semen was watery. It may have been earlier, but I never paid attention.

Put an X beside all that apply:

Sexual
[ x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[ x] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections (Have come back, yet not strong after 1 month)
[X ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections (This is tough to determine)
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ X] Watery Ejaculate
[X ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ?] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ X] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks (Only when I think I might never be cured which is rare)
[X ] Depression / Melancholy (Again only when I think I might never be cured which is rare)

Physical
[ X] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled) Only because I can’t get as hard currently
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[X ] Testicular Pain
[X ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ X] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

Misc
[ X] Prostate pain Burning in the perineum after 3 months
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ X] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems Dull ache lower intestines 3 months
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets” Opposite problem, stool sometimes seems slimy
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ X] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature

[X ] Other (please explain)
Painful urination
Difficulty with it feeling completed

  1. What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
    Nothing currently, however I have changed my diet currently as I believe the prostatitis angle could be present here. Also, I feel like epididymitis is another possibility tied into the overall fact that my body is crashing since removal of the drug from my system.

  2. 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)?
    Unfortunately I did not

  3. Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
    I am sure things will come up in my story

  4. Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.

[b]First off I am appreciative of this site as it allows for people to discuss and therefore provide more in site than most professionals could even provide these days.
I started taking Propecia years ago after I went to a dermatologist for thinning hair who told me about the drug. It was pretty new at the time and I was also using Rogaine 2% as I noticed that my hair was definitely thinner in the back. Needless to say the combination worked well, because I continued to use them for 10 more years before finally quitting cold turkey.
From the standpoint of time on the drug, I really can’t say that I had any problems until about 7-8 years after starting. Around that time I was getting pain in my testicle (right) and it was enough to get me to see a doctor. He basically told me that I had a vericocele which was very minor as well as what appeared to be slight swelling or a hydrocele. He basically didn’t think it was serious and I felt better because I was thinking testicular cancer, so I went back on the drug.

Well, a few months ago I was having intercourse with my girlfriend and I couldn’t keep it up. I basically was able to get the erection, but I just went limp midway through which freaked me out. I then tried to stimulate myself a few days later and had trouble. I knew this was a side effect of the drug, so I decided that it might be a good time to stop taking it as I wanted to be able to enjoy sex. Well, it only took about 4 weeks for me to get my penis back to the point where I could have intercourse and was able to stay hard for well over 30 min, but something still didn’t feel 100% right. I was hard, but not as hard as I use 2 be. And I couldn’t get right back at it like I use to. So I worried a little. Over the next two months I have been able to still get hard, but not as often or as hard as I like. Plus, there are some days when it is more difficult than others.
Fast forward 2 months after getting my erections back and bam, a new set of problems has crept up which made me start paying attention to what you all were saying. I have pain now sometimes in both testicles, a also usually in the space just above the top of where the shaft attaches and to the right and left (almost in the folds where your inner hips attach). Also I get some fierce pains in my perineum, almost like it is on fire as it burns somewhat. All this happened 3 months after quitting so I am guessing that my body is pretty much crashing right now. I still have most of my hair luckily however it has gotten somewhat thinner. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the Rogaine will help me maintain.
Right now, I am under the impression that I have some form of prostatitis which makes sense based on the symptoms. As soon as I get medical insurance. Waiting has been a bitch. I a going to try to get some basic tests to see for sure if there is bacteria present. I have however been tacking Doxycycline that I had left over from something else, but it has yet to be helping. Since it is 50mg it might not be strong enough. I will post my updates as something new and positive occurs. I really think I can recover, but just don’t like to think about my nuts hurting since I want to have at least one child, hopefully more. Good luck to all you guys and let me know what you recommend.
[/b] :smiley:

#2

Hey man, I pretty much have the same symptoms, and recovery progress as you describe.
At about three months I also started having severe perinium burning and prostatitis symptoms. It nearly ruined my life. Whenever I wasn’t out working in the trees (at work) I was home lying in bed worrying and online searching because the pain was so uncomfortable.
And it basically lasted a good 2.5 months or so. It really sucked!!
I still get some pains in my testicles now too, but it seems the symptoms fluctuate over time.
Which actually makes me feel positive I might add because it tells me that at least the disease is moving, and not that things are stuck!
ANyway, I get some occasional burns now in penis if and when I drink lots of coffee or a sweet drink or something, such as a gatorade, but nothing like before, and I also get the testicle pains sometimes, a little more lately then before, but still not more than fifty percent of the time. Also lately (last two weeks) some new different pain which is now in my lower abdomen has appeared, but basically all in all I have lots of symptom free time now which is encouraging and at least lets me know things are moving in the right direction.
I quit last Feb 14th. Got the perineum pain and major discomfort starting Mayish. In July I decided to DO something about it (I had been trying to leave for weeks) but I went on a three week hiking trip up The Appalachian Trail, and before that I had gone to a Naturopath who gave me a bunch of things to take (lots of Bromelain, Quercitin, “Prostaflow”, Flax lignans, zinc, and some other things…) so I took them all on the trip, and by about day ten things started getting better. I attribute it to all the natural remedies combined with the constant constant churning, the pounding for hours and hours a day while walking and trekking over the rough rough terrain.
Sometime mid August most pains were finally gone and I could actually experience some symptom free days.
Diarhea and frequent urination largely have slowly started going away since then as well. (I can finally sleep past six-seven in the morning now because I am not awaken with the severe urge to pee in the early am) Now I can sleep til about 8-nineish, but not much later because still I am awaken by having to pee. I am thinking now that Saw Palmeto will just help everything here for at least the time being until my prostate is back doing and acting right, so I will order it soon.
But urination symptoms have gotten much better. Sometimes things feel normal, but other times frequent urination, so this is why I definately think its a prostate thing.

Actually I am in Tucson now attending the “Prostatitis Center” if you wanna know the truth. I am trying anything and everything to just kick this thing completely, and soon, and for me, this, “The Prostatitis Center” makes a lot of sense. So I hope it works!

ps. I am also about to order a bunch of hormone balancing herbs from Emerson Ecologics just to start taking to hopefully help things to move back into the right direction a little quicker. I figure “what the hell”, I have nothing to lose. I will be using this list: geocities.com/bill3320/hormones.html

I will let you know how things go if you are curious too,
and please let me know about any progress, or theory, on your end as well.
Hey, and I’m 31 too :wink:

Take care,
B

#3

I am pleased to see Boston you should write a response to what I posted first because in all my readings of posts I tend to side with your responses 99% of the time. That isn’t to say that this is a debate we are all having on this post, but the more we throw stuff around the more we can start to formulate some sort of answer as to what is happening with our bodies.

It is also great for me to read about what you are doing or have done Boston because I, like you definitely feel that we’ve both in fact “infected” our Prostate. Now for some reason it took me 10 years to do it where it took you only 22 days (I think) but none the less, we are getting the exact same symptoms that come from acute prostatitis. (And surprisingly a whole slew of other diseases in the groin area which shows that the medical community can’t quite put their finger on exactly what is what) Legally speaking too it makes it hard for me to point the finger directly at this drug without more proof, because over 10 years I was bound to form this problem or the vericocele for that matter on my own as I have a good friend who never touched a hair product before in life and got prostatitis. He could be on this forum X’ing many of the same symptoms. But regardless, because the medical communities uncertainties and ambiguities I’m out to fight this thing as quickly and effectively as possible on my own, and with a little help from everyone’s input.

Thanks for giving me some of your specifics on the pains that relate to mine. Right now even as I sit here and type my perineum and right nut are killing me. It has been this way for 3 days, but because I’ve read about your guys experiences I’m not freaking out. I sort of want to run out and get some Cipro, but I am going to let the low dose of Doxycycline try to do it’s stuff. Also, I read what you put about walking after reading some other guys recovery. So I got out and ran a few miles last night. I can honestly say this although it didn’t completely rid me of all the pain, it helped out greatly. I want to put another poll up that finds out how many of us walk or run each day that are experiencing the pain and symptoms. Would be interesting to see if most of us have more sedentary lifestyles or not which could more easily predispose us to these problems. Now I have a good workout routine and have always been quite strong, but my cardio is lacking.

In terms of my diet, I am going to be switching to basically a lower calorie, zero sugar, and high water protocol. I am sure I will slip from time to time, but if I have bacteria or an infected prostate, I only believe that excess sugars would help with the growth. Likewise, if the infection is in my bladder or has spread there, the excess sugar would be passed out in my urine so the water will hopefully help dilute it as much as possible. Hell, if I can kick the pain and get down to 160 like when I was in my mid 20’s I’ll be happy.

I too get the lower abdominal pain that you described and it would seem to make sense if we’re feeling pain in our nuts. If you ever get hit there hard enough your stomach hurts as well. Also, the antibiotic I take runs that side effect.

I look forward to reading about your experience at the Prostatitis Center in Tuscon as I think you’ve already done one thing which I might try to get my girl to do for me which is a prostate message. There is a testimonial on one of the better prostatitis sites where a guy cured his prostate problems doing that and it seems likely beneficial. I probably won’t go the hormone route just yet as I don’t know where my imbalances are until I get some tests done. But keep me and others posted as I’m sure you will. Didn’t realize you were 31 (thought you were 24 or something from another post) but cool. You seem pretty positive that you’ll beat this as do I and definitely feel it is possible based on what others have said.

#4

Hey, right on! Thanks for the reply.

I thought i might post my most recent thoughts on all of this. As I was leaving the prostatitis center today, I ran into this other guy, so I stopped and talked with him after he got done his appointment. We talked for a while. But while I was waiting for him, I sat and read more and more of Dr. Shippen’s book titled “The Testosterone Syndrome”. I had brought the book with me to show Dr. Polacheck the section on prostate, and to ask if he had ever considered hormonal imbalances as a contributing factor for prostatitis.
I read the section on Testosterone and the heart, and how T corelates to blood flow, muscle tone, metabolism, and energy levels.
As this guy began to speak, he had been suffering from prostatitis for SIX years “Oh NO!”, he kept saying, ‘whatever slowed things down in there enough so that it became infected.’ something to that nature, and then again in the end he told me he came down with it when he was taking a sleep medication, and/or antidepressant back six years ago, he got some urine retention (typical side effect of the drug he was on)and again stated that it slowed things down enough that he got infected, it just got me thinking.
So if Shippen claims in his book that rubbing T cream on your penis can sometimes help erections, and T also boosts energy flow, and muscle growth, then there is a good chance that the opposite of this, a lowering of T, could definately cause the precariously placed prostate to become infected. ANd again, he has a whole section in his book about how T helps the prostate function efficiently, and keeps it healthy.

ANd so if in many of us our T levels were down for so long, then a case of prostatitis could very well have become possible.

Now I wish I had taken that ANDROGEL when my endo prescribed it to me a month and a half after all this started, because I hadn’t the urinary symptoms, pains, or prostatitis symptoms yet, however, now I am infected, and now it is hard to get rid of.

Basically, your penis, muscles, nerves, and tissues can all regenerate themselves over time once T levels come back into range, according to Shippen, but all of this takes time, and also hinges on the fact that Estrogen is not high either. It just sucks that I had to come down with prostatitis, otherwise I think I would be fine right about now!

B
…in Tucson

#5

Dude, when you get your doctor to do the blood tests, also ask him if he can prescribe you to either the patch, or pellet (testosterone replacement), because according to Shippen’s book, they do not cause Estrogen levels to rise much, and so the testosterone supplementation in low low doses such as this could very well be a good way to kick this thing quickly before it gets worse, or starts to get bad.
Anyway, I guess what I’m saying is I’d try to do some HRT as soon as possible, so things get better and not worse.
Good luck!

#6

Thanks for the additional info. I will hold of on TRT assuming my results end up being within range when I get them. I might opt for that, however I am a little hesitant about using any TRT regardless if Testosterone has the ability to increase on it’s own. I am still lifting quite a bit of weight and don’t feel weaker for example so I really don’t know if my Testosterone levels are off. I guess I have some bitch tits now covering my pecs, but I also have some gut now a days covering my abs. I have yet to really feel weaker though. Still putting up 225 for 5 reps which makes me smile :smiley:

#7

Well, bitch tits tells me your Estrogen may be high… Idk man, I know its perplexing, and I was hesitant about jumping on any sort of hormone or medicine either… just check all my posts, even just two months ago. But its been eight months for me, and I’ve just now started reading Dr. Shippen’s book, and its telling me a lot.
I suggest you pick up a copy of the book and read it. It gives a lot of insight into hormones, and men.
Good luck!

#8

Yea, that also tells me that my diet and exercise level might not be as high though either. Even when I am thin my chest stuck out quite a bit so using that doesn’t tell me all that much. I will know for sure when I and if I get some tests done. See my problem is I am waiting for Blue Cross to approve me for the last 3 weeks. There is a potential holdup which no one can seem to tell me about and the soonest I’ll be able to get it effective is Nov. 1st. So I will have to live with the pee pain and mid section uncomfort until then. Hopefully, I don’t have a serious bladder infection or something. Question Boston. Did you have a urine sample taken when you were experiencing the pain? If so what did they find? Now, I realize that an enlarged prostate will cause these symptoms without bacteria present which leads me to believe that after about 3 months my prostate grew (either too big) or normal only that caused it pressure because other stuff shifted to occupy the space in the smaller prostate over the years. So something like a Flowmax might be beneficial. I am seriously thinking of taking some Saw Paw right now and see if that will cause some relief along with Flax seed oil.

#9

Yes, I would definately try some Saw Palmetto. Its funny you say it, because I have decided to go out and get myself some today. Everywhere I’ve read says it is good for your prostate. Flax is always good too.
Yes, I had urine samples, a few, and no they never showed anything… But thats typical of prostatitis. It barely evr shows up, unless you’ve had it massaged a bit first.
Two other things, I have read that often symptoms of an enlarged prostate, or an enlarged prostate can be caused by infection, or prostatitis. It makes sense. ANd when the inflammation goes away, the prostate is back to its normal size. Whereas most cases of BPH in older men are due to an actual growing, multiplying of cells in the prostate, and not just a swelling up.
Also, keep in mind that a prostate infection should be looked at as an infectious disease that should be treated immediately, and/or urgently, as quickly as possible. The longer you have it, potentially the harder it gets to get rid of it.
I would definately get on the Saw Palmetto. I’ve heard get it in “fruit” or berry form, and not the extract becasue it is stronger than needed.
I read this in geocities.com/bill3320/hormones.html
which btw, I’m also going to buy some soy isoflavones today as well.
Good luck!
B

#10

Ok, well just to update what I had done today because the burning pee was driving me crazy along with the pain in the taint. I basically went to one of those rapid care places and had them do a urine sample on me as well as a swab, and the even more pleasant DRE. My ass was basically a virgin up until today so I walked away feeling violated after the rectal exam.

Like you nothing was found in the urine, which i expected but had to know for sure. I will get the results from the swab if there is an STD (Please no) in the next couple of days. Well, no news basically is good news. Also the results of the DRE seemed positive as it wasn’t enlarged or experiencing pain, but I realize I have shrunken my prostate with the fin. Anyway, those were the findings at this point and they gave me a quick 1000mg blast of Cipro followed by 100mg daily of Doxycicline for 10 days. Hopefully by the time this is finished I will have good medical coverage.

I am going to start with 1500mg of saw paw and go up from there. I obviously don’t want to go trough the same crap with fin, but I figure it might be a good way to give my body a little bit of the drug effect that it was so accustom to and craved. Also, noticed the the perineum pain starts almost immediately after I have been sitting. I was fine while I was up and walking around all day.

FYI: The best medical coverage out there right now for people in my age group 30’s in Blue Cross Direct Blue as it has a zero deductible, pays 90%, $100 prescription deductible the all $10.

#11

How much is the insurance? I need it too. I don’t have it anymore as my school insurance ran out at the end of August. ALso, I wonder if the state matters (probably does). Where do you live bro?

#12

Hey Boston, I don’t really have a link, but you can go to Highmark Direct Blue and get the info. I think. For our age 30-34 it is 136/month which although isn’t cheap is the best value going by far.

Update: Since the Cipro 1000mg I don’t have the burning in the perineum. Granted it’s only been a day, but it definitely cleaned that right up for me.

Still have pain in nuts, mainly only the right one which I was diagnosed with the vericocele so it could just be that. Also, pain still on tip of penis however, that swap hurt like a beast yesterday and is still a lingering effect I think. Need to get off my ass today though and run or walk.

#13

Where do you live?

Dude, this prostate massage is helping so far, but I will know more after the full two weeks. I just started on the antibiotics yesterday. However my prostate is definately feeling much bettter.
Anyway, I will make a post about my progress once I finish the full two week treatment. Tucson is beautiful too, so I’m glad I’m here.
Peace, glad you’re feeling better.
B

#14

I live in Pennsylvania which is home to Blue Cross so it may be different here. Glad to hear that it is nice out there.

As for the message, I totally believe that that can help if performed correctly. So it will be interested to hear how you are feeling. Now, is this the first time you ever started the Anti-biotics? See, If I had coverage, even if I didn’t and the pain kept up like it did, I would have found a way to get Cipro, even from Canada if I had to. I can honestly say now that Sunday here I don’t burn anymore when I pee, and my perineum pain is gone. Still a little nut pain and some left side abdominal pain, but it could be the fact that the anti’s have hurt my digestive system. Anyway, I will keep my fingers crossed that I keep feeling better and don’t get worse.

Only pain today was right nut (vericocele side) pain, and the left side lower back/abdomen pain. Also had a positive erection and climax with the girl this afternoon during halftime of my Browns spanking of Miami.

#15

I forget, now do you have ED and problems with erections and shit, or is it just mostly the prostatitis??

#16

Definitely, from the standpoint of ED is what made me say enough is enough when I couldn’t get a hard-on one night with my girlfriend. Since she is 21, 5’ 6 and 120 I shouldn’t have had a problem, so I knew I was finally showing a side effect of the drug (well it could also be prostatitis or some other problem in that area). However, unlike some who took a while to recover, I was almost normal a few weeks later. I just don’t feel I am the same pre-fin. But for me that was 11 years ago, and even if I wasn’t on the drug, after that long things are bound to change.

#17

Dude, I don’t know if you’ve read this link yet, but go to Walmart and buy some “soy isoflavones”. They cost $6. They are all natural and are supposed to be good for the prostate and prostatitis, as well as a natural “balancing” of hormones.

Anyway, I just started taking them today, and I have to say… I think they are really working man!! I’m telling you, you should try as well.
Btw, Google : soy isoflavones and prostate. and you will also read some positive posts.

Anyway, try it out with me man!! They’re cheap, and its harmless.

Peace man!

#18

Thanks Boston, I will definitely look into the Soy Isoflavones after looking at some web sites on them. Like you said it can’t hurt and may be a good way to prevent future problems.

Also, this is probably good for those trying to recover from finasteride who aren’t necessarily have the prostatitis like symptoms but have other issues. Here is a cut and paste of so info I found for other people to think about depending on there issues.

[b]"The chemical structure of isoflavones is very similar to that of our own estrogen. Because of this similarity in structure, they can interfere with the action of our own estrogen. isoflavonesDepending on the type of estrogen receptor on the cells, isoflavones may reduce or activate the activity of estrogen. Isoflavones can compete with estrogen for the same receptor sites thereby decreasing the health risks of excess estrogen. They can also increase the estrogen activity.

Protect against prostate problems - Isoflavones may be benificial for men’s health because they may protect against enlargement of the male prostate gland. Studies show isoflavones slowed prostate cancer growth and caused prostate cancer cells to die. Isoflavones act against cancer cells in a way similar to many common cancer-treating drugs."[/b]

#19

Please list your sources (links) for your quotes… and bold, italicize, or “quote” them to make it obvious they are not your own words… thanks!

#20

Yup, yup, and once you beginning reading more and more, everything you can, about the prostate, you will begin to realize that BPH, prostatitis, prostate cancer, and also a lot of our symptoms are all nearly the same. So whnever you get a pain, or urinary symptom, you’ll think… prostate!
Anyway, the isoflavones are worth a try. Its seeming to help me already, but obviously I will know more in a week.
Later!