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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?) stumbled across it researching
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What is your current age, height, weight? 5’9" 170lbs
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Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise? Not at all, used to exercise frequently
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What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)? Try to eat healthy, no sweets, low gluten, veggies and fruit every day
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Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)? Hair loss
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For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)? 6 years
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How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride? 32 years old, Sept. 2004
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How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit? 38 years old, Sept. 2010
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How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)? Tapered off
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What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic? Propecia
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What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)? 1mg/day
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How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects? several months in
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What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Put an X beside all that apply:
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 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 / Panic Attacks
[x] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[x] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[x] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[x] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[x] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[x] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[x] Muscle Wastage
[x] Muscle Weakness
[x] Joint Pain
[x] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[x] Prostate pain
[x] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[x] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[x] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[x] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[x] Frequent urination
[x] Lowered body temperature
[x] Other (please explain) neuropathy and numbness throughout entire body
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What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug? Nothing that has improved the overall condition.
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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 do not have pre-Finasteride test results.
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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 started taking the poison in 2004. Within months I noticed my libido, which was always high, began fluctuating quite a bit. One week noticing lower libido, next week noticing abnormally very high libido. Didnt think much about the sides as they were mild. Also noticed watery ejaculate and morning erections gone. Somewhere in 2005 -2006 is were the real trouble started. Started suffering anxiety and dizziness. Saw numerous docs and got the “all in your head” thing. I had no idea that the propecia poison could be the problem. By 2007 I got raging prostatitis symptoms which lead to progressive genital numbness. Next came all of the mental sides that have progressively worsened. I finally stopped taking the poison in 2010 after finding this forum and putting the peices together. I have probably seen close to 30 doctors now with no help. A couple have at least acknowledged that propecia very well may have put me in the state I am in but otherwise got no help from docs. At this stage I have all the symptoms that could be characterised as progressive Multiple Sclerosis (went through all ther MRI’s etc and docs say no MS). At this point very much at the end of my rope, barely hanging on to a job. Life completely ruined, thanks Merck. Did have some curious response to progesterone cream which I will post in that section. I swore off doctors awhile back but after the response to progesterone cream I am interested in seeing an Endo, have not seen one yet. Anyone here from Atlanta or know a good Endo/Doc to see in Atlanta? Feel free to PM me. I think this is my last chance…