Approx. 10yr Fin Users Story

Member Stories
#21

Alright I am going to start by saying I am definitely in the Prostatitis camp from a standpoint that I believe the drug affects your prostate to the point that it becomes more susceptible to infection. And even though your Doc feels your prostate and it is a normal size or doesn’t feel enlarged, doesn’t mean you haven’t messed the guy up somehow and need to get it working normal again before some of your other propecia like symptoms will return again. And just like cigarettes mess up your lungs and lead to a whole host of different lung problems, I’d bet that propecia messes up your prostate leading to a whole host of prostate problems.

Erectile problems are probably 95% of the reason why most of us are even looking on this site and commenting in the first place, based on what I’ve seen possibly even higher. Hence, people with prostate problems often have trouble keeping or even getting an erection. But to not think that there might be a connection is foolish, so I am going to treat my problems as such until we know more and post how I am coming along.

Anyway, I haven’t responded in about a week and I was on the Cipro then Dioxycyline for 10 days, which seems to have helped with the perineum pain, but not clear it 100%. I still feel a burn if I sit too long so I won’t be satisfied until it’s gone. I also just started taking two 40mg tablets of Soy Isoflavones a day and will see if it helps. Regardless of what camp you are in, it becomes apparent that your estrogen levels may rise on finasteride so the Isoflavones can possibly help normalize it somewhat and is inexpensive. I will let you know if it helps. Erections were still good this week, no problems w/ sex, some days morning woods other nope, no spontaneous erections yet (which is what would make me feel alot better) and semen seems to be getting thicker. After 4 months off, I would think the fin is finally out of my system but I’m still not anywhere close to what I’d call normal.

#22

Yeah, and what I am thinking now, after Mew’s latest find on androgen deprivation to the prostate, and blood flow, that low testosterone causes this.
Testosterone affects blood flow, and normal prostate function. I have read it in numerous places.
I am thinking now, that I need to get on some HRT of some sort, get my T levels up higher, and then maybe prostate function can normalize, and the infection can then go away.
I swear, I have been doing a lot of reading on prostate issues, and then a lot of the studies that were found by people on this forum (Mew is credited for most of them)
Low T effects prostate in a bad way!

#23

Quite possibly, the testosterone is the biggest thing and that makes sense with regards to the action of the drug. The good thing though is that most of us still should be able to increase our testosterone production with time assuming we stay active, work out, and eat the right foods. I already seem to be feeling my strength levels increasing as each week goes by so I’m definitely feeling like my T levels are gaining assuming they were way down.

Are they telling you that you need HRT at the Tuscon place because before I would do something that drastic, I’d give my body some time to try and equilibrate itself on it’s own… It’s pretty good about getting things back to the way they were naturally.

Anyway, whatever you do good luck. I am sticking with your Isoflavones recommendation to balance the E, and will eat proteins and work out to hopefully increase the T. We’ll see what happens.

On other thing I have on my right testicle at the bottom which I wonder if anyone else has. Right on the tip and toward the back (Epididymis area) there is a lump that is somewhat painful. I don’t know if it is always there, but when it is it hurts a bit. Possiblities (cyst, epididymitis, prostatitis problem, vericocele) which is why I wonder if any of you fin guys had this same thing?

#24

Well, you don’t see body builders “give [their] body some time to try and equilibrate itself on it’s own…” After 8 months of slow slow recovery, I’m not sure it is the best thing to do. I think its probably more risky to wait years for this to “maybe” happen.

Also, read this… " …Some men will hold up and then will drop rapidly after some type of trauma or major stress in their life. Other men will do fine until they hit some type of threshold—sixty percent, fifty percent, or forty percent of what they were. They’re still not “hypogonadal”, but at some point they just don’t feel well. Whether it’s energy, drive, endurance, or interest in activities, they’re just not the same person that they were…" smart-publications.com/artic … -cohen.php

I think this is what has happened to us. Find this in that article, and read the article. I think that readjusting sooner, rather than later, is probably the safest thing to do… idk.

#25

All I am going to say is be careful trying to read your body too strictly. Like you said, factors such as stress, trauma, daily fluctuations will affect you T-Levels and going on a HRT has risks of it own. I know from my stand point, my strength levels continue to increase. Now I haven’t had a test done, so I don’t know if my T-levels are dangerously low, however I doubt it based on how I feel. I don’t understand the comparison between roid abusers unless you mean how they balance there hormones evenly. God I’d hate to assume we’ve done the same thing as strong roider’s however you might be right. Also are they recommending that at the clinic where you are at… Are you getting continual blood work tests done?

Again, the Isoflavone regiment will hopefully be positive for me, I am going to give that a try first. I also realize I am only 4 months into my recovery where you are closer to 9. But I feel better than I did the first 3 weeks and hopefully will continue to improve with diet, exercise, sex, and sleep. Any changes in how I feel I will note. My hair has changed thickness now after 4 months which sucks a little, but like most poeple on here the hair is almost meaningless to our overall health.

#26

Well, I haven’t posted anything exiting or new on this post in awhile about my months since quiting. it is just over 5 for me and I am better than I was a few months ago, however not where I want to be so I won’t be calling myself recovered. Why? because my prostate still doesn’t feel normal. So if you are like me, Boston, and those in the prostatitis camp after quitting then you’ll understand where I’m coming from. Some days I still have the perineum pain and the slight burn when I urinate. When, I am feeling the perineum pain it is more difficult for me to get an erection and my ejaculate volume seems lower so because of that, I’m not in the clear.

Now, I am by no means healthy to a tee, and haven’t been lifting 5 days a week like I should to help keep my T up, however I don’t feel like it is down. The fact that I get my morning woods, etc. several weeks after quitting led me to believe that it never got my T and other hormones that bad. What I am starting to believe now is that it overshadowed a possible bacterial or prostate problem such as prostatitis. Though it hasn’t been proven medically, some people find benefits from taking finasteride if they have Chronic Prostatitis, as such it would make me believe that it would be harder for those of us on the drug to discern whether or not we are affected. That is until a few months after we rid our body of the drug. Boston and I both had onset of perineum pain and roughly the same time.

I am doing a one month (28 day) bout of Cipro to see if it will help. I am a little skeptical that it will as the more chronic prostatitis will just come back once the antibiotic is stopped. Now, this is just one possible theory, the other is that it damages the prostate to the point that it susceptible to an infection. Both cases are good reasons to avoid taking the drug or at least be careful. If it turns out that I can’t rid myself of the pain, etc. who knows I might get back on the drug if it makes my symptoms disappear, however I feel like I’ll give it at least a year to two as that’s when most people seem to get back to normal.

#27

Hey man, good to hear from you.

I’ve been having some success lately with broccoli treatment. I just ran out, so I need to get more, but if you haven’t really tried it. It REALLY works!
If you can do a broccoli treatment RELIGIOUSLY, then you may feel better. It is supposed to clear up some cases.

Hang in there bro. You can get rid of it. It might just have to run its course. I no longer have the big pains anymore, just some intermittent.
Also staying away from sugars, i.e. Gatorade, shit like that, and coffee is very important so I dont have symptoms.
Good luck on the Cipro, and do broccoli treatment at the same time.

Peace

#28

Well, so far I’ve only had the one bout and it lasted like 2 days where the pain was fairly unbearable. Now, it just seems that I ache when I sit down mainly or the doc sticks his finger in my butt and presses on my prostate. Seriously though, I am going to stick with the Cipro and hope it helps. I’ll also look into the broccoli treatment as I am a fan of broccoli regardless and eating healthy is always a good thing.

My hair is definitely thinning out more now after 5 months. I’m by no means bald or spotting, but I never was before I started taking, however it isn’t as thick as it was while I was on the drug. Sucks, but if the choice is hair or health, I’ll take health.

#29

I am now 9 months off and although I feel a whole lot better I am not close to 100% cured:

1.) Perineum Pain - I still have a feeling of heaviness in the prostate area which although isn’t really painful, doesn’t feel comfortable. Especially when sitting. A night out at the clubs and drinking alcohol doesn’t help it at all either.

2.) Free Testosterone Level: My Free T is right on the low end of normal range which really stresses me out. at 6 months I was 367 and now at 9 months I am 355. So if there is any advise for me as to what can help increase that I’m all ears. I don’t know if any of you decreased with time, and who knows that slight a deviation could be based on the day I took the test, but I will have another reading after 12 months and see what that says. I don’t know what “normal” for me is either which makes this difficult. I just don’t get the low numbers cause I still feel strong, work out the gym, bench 225 for sets of 5-8 (my weight 175) Not great, but not what you’d think weak or low T like.

3.) Erection: I have been able to get and maintain an erection for some time now but it doesn’t feel the same. Something can be said mentally for this because I am always fearful that I will lose it, but I can go till I blow and usually can get it up again. I wake up most morning with an erection which is good, but doesn’t seem to last as long as they use to. I though Testosterone played a big part in this which surprises me because my Free T is so low.

4.) Testicle Pain - For some reason from time to time my right nut is painful on the bottom tip. Doesn’t happen as often as it use to, but it definitely doesn’t feel right. Also my scrotum sack seems loose most of the time.

Wish I had better news but for now, I am just happy I can have sex with my girl and still lift. If anyone has some thoughts on how to increase my T I’d appreciate it. Don’t want to go on any hormone therapy just yet.