Brazilian 4 yrs story after quitting

Member Stories
#1

  1. Where are you from (country)?
    Brazil

  2. 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 Search

  3. What is your current age, height, weight?
    22, 184 cm, 75 kg

  4. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
    Yes, i used to do wightlifting but due to my joint pain, i stopped. Now i surf and run occasionally.

  5. What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
    Healthy/meat eater

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

  7. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
    1 yr 2 months

  8. How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?
    17 (thats bad), around June 2010

  9. How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
    I was 18, around August 2011

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

  11. What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
    Propecia

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

  13. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
    After 5 months

  14. 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
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] 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
[ ] Confusion
[x] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] 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
[ ] Testicular Pain
[x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[x] Muscle Wastage
[x] Muscle Weakness
[x] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[xx] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[x] Lowered body temperature

[ ] Other (please explain)

  1. What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
    I take antidepressive and anticonvulsion medication

  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)? I have some bloodtests, i will post later.

  3. Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
    The thing that gives me more anger is being exhausted. Sometimes i feel out of my body (its the better way to describe this feel), like extremely tired and lack of sensation in my legs.

  4. Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
    I will tell late, i promise. Kind of busy right now.

#2

i am putting my bloodtests, sorry if i dont translate them correctely

BEFORE PROPECIA

05/05/2009

TSH… 2,81 (0,35 - 4,94)
T4 … 1,02 (0,62 - 1,50)

13/07/2009

TRIGLYCERIDES … 61 (NORMAL <150)
HDL - COLESTEROL … 43 (>40)
LDL - COLESTEROL … 87 (<100)

15/06/2010

TSH… 4,39 (0,35 - 4,94)
T4 … 7,69 (4,96 - 12,20)
TESTOSTERONE … 11,42 (1,95 - 11,38)
FREE TESTOSTERONE … 20,6 (6,1 - 29,7)

AFTER TAKING PROPECIA

02/02/2011

HDL - COLESTEROL … 41 (>40)
LDL - COLESTEROL … 78 (<100)
TRIGLYCERIDES … 73 (<150)
ALDOLASE … 1,3 (<7,6)

25/07/2011
HDL - COLESTEROL … 42 (>40)
LDL - COLESTEROL … 72 (<100)
TRIGLYCERIDES … 102 (<150)

22/06/2012

TESTOSTERONE … 6,08 (2,8-8,0)
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULINE (SHBG) … 33,20 (14,5 - 48,4)
FREE TESTOSTERONE … 14,80 (4,58 - 18,33)
3-ALPHA-ANDROSTANEDIOL-CLUCURONIDE … 8,6 (3,4 - 22)

31/05/2012

ALBUMIN … 4,86 … (3,5 - 4,7)

14/06/2012

SHBG … 29,6 (13 - 71)
FREE TESTOSTERONE … 13,82 (4,58 - 18,33)
ALBUMIN … 4,3 (3,5 - 5,5)
LH … 1,86 (0,8 - 7,6)
T4 … 1,37 (0,5 - 2,2)
PROLACTIN … 7,48 (2,5 - 17,0)
TSH … 2,2 (0,4 - 4,0)
FSH … 4,34 (0,7 - 11,0)

26/09/2012

HDL - COLESTEROL … 40 (>40)
LDL - COLESTEROL … 96 (<100)
TRIGLYCERIDES … 82 (<150)
ALBUMIN … 4,4 (3,97 - 4,94)
TSH … 3,40 (0,27 - 4,2)

04/07/2014

TRIGLYCERIDES … 104 (<150)
TSH … 4,27 (0,27 - 4,2)
T4 … 1,5 (1,0 - 1,6)
CORTISOL … 18,1 (5 - 25)
HDL - COLESTEROL … 36 (<40 = LOW ; >60 = GOOD)
LDL - COLESTEROL … 72 (<100)
ALDOLASE … 4,3 (<7,6)
TSH … 4,27 (0,27 - 4,20)
T4 … 1,5 (1,0 - 1,6)
ZINC … 81,6 (70 - 120)
T3 … 3,85 (1,8 - 4,2)
ALBUMIN … 4,6 (3,97 - 4,94)
TSH … 3,22 (0,27 - 4,2)
FSH … 3,8 (1,5 - 12,4)
LH … 3,8 (1,7 - 8,6)
TESTOSTERONE … 6,43 (2,8 - 8,0)

21/10/2014

HDL - COLESTEROL … 40 (LOW = <40) ; GOOD = >60)
LDL - COLESTEROL … 83 (<100)

I have other bloodtests… all kinds. I literally scanned all my body. Could not find any potential deficiency or illness. There i’m putting only the results i consider important to the post.

#3

So i will describe my fight against the side effects.

First of all, the main side effect that i find more troubling is fatigue. During this 4 years, i’ve always had fatigue. It became stronger 1 year after i stopped taking propecia.
I quit the treatment for hairloss months after i realized it was something wrong with me. I had a girlfriend and my sexual relations with her didnt last much plus my erections were disapointing. I was depressed like hell and considered for many times suiciding. After i broke up with her, i decided to search for help. I went to many doctors, specialists of all kind. One after the other, they were telling me that my mind was messed. I knew that was something organic, i felt extremely tired, like-flu simptoms everytime.

I crashed like many others here. After i stopped taking propecia (2011), the following 4 or 5 days i felt like me again. I had great workouts, my mind was clear and i felt great, full of energy. The 6th day i began to feel like i was ill. Feeling like i had fever, i checked my temperature and it was normal, but my legs were unstable and strenghtless. After a month, i thought definetely something was wrong. I didnt have decent erections, was tired all day and had difficulties on studying (I’ve always been a smart guy). I had surgery to take out my tonsils (oct 2013), but continued fatigued. On that year, i quit my job because of the fatigue, it was impossible to work because i had to go up and down by ladder and supervise some services . I started to search a job where i could stay in front of a computer, and i found, so it’s not a problem anymore (feb 2014). Nowadays, i still have fatigue, but there are days every month that i feel really good, i feel like i’m cured. Unfortunatelly i always feel like shit again. This usually happens 3 days in a month.

I read this site, but had never visited the forum. So i decided to treat my mental state and in coincidend at that time a doctor told me i had fibromyalgia (because of my joint pain). Now i’m taking 2 medications : 1 for depression, called PRISTIQ and the other for neuropatical pain called LYRICA. Never had any other medication and i’m not planning to do this. I had enough chemistry messed in my organism.

I will post my side effects and the progression of them (considering 100% = cured)

Sexual
[x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive (50%)
[x] Erectile Dysfunction (30%)
[x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections (30%)
[x] Watery Ejaculate (50%)
[x] Reduced Ejaculate (60%)
Mental
[x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat (30%)
[x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating (30%)
[x] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness (30%)
[x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency (50%)
[x] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks (70%)
[x] Severe Depression / Melancholy (80%)
[x] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[x] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled) (10%)
[x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness (20%)
[x] Muscle Wastage (15%)
[x] Muscle Weakness (20%)
[x] Joint Pain (10%)
Misc
[xx] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion (20%)
[x] Lowered body temperature not measuring

#4

Hey, man! I’m Brazilian too. Have you tested progesterone? I would like to exchange some information with you about the doctors you visited and other things.

#5

Hi all.
Just giving a small feedback after 5 days into paleo diet…

I’m feeling completely out of energy (since day 2). I’ve been doing a strict diet with 30g daily of carbs (almost nothing)…
My legs are weak just like the worst days post-crash. Not a good feedback, huh?
I did a small search myself on the internet and found that maybe i’m not getting enough calories as i did before entering this caveman diet. Or it is my body not used to burn fat as his main source of energy.

Another thing that i have to tell is that my piss is dark yellow now. That must be lack of water or my kidneys are having trouble with too much protein.
Anyway, i will add some fresh fruits to my diet (at night) and see how i do the next days.
As well as drinking more water! Haha

#6

So… i’ve been on paleo diet for 11 days. I decided to combine carb nite + paleo diet and yesterday was my first carb nite (10-day diet eating 30g or less of carbs)
First 3-4 days were tough… After that, i became more stable and could develop my day-to-day activities. Days 8-9 were very good. The 10th day was ok. I ate lots of carbs from 6 pm to 10 pm.
Day 11th is today and it’s been good as well. When i say good, i refer to energy, since it’s my main symptom.

Also, and it’s important to say, i’m taking fish oil, zinc and a multivitamin.
I lost ± 3 kg, but i think it’s worth it.

I will continue to eat paleo but introducing some fruits. I plan to eat 30-60g carbs daily. Choosing by preference fruits with low GI.

Cheers!

#7

Here i am again!

One of my physicians thought that i had a beggining of diabetes due to my persistent fatigue.

He recommended some bloodtests and i bring the results:

19/06/2015

HB A1C - 5,3% (4,0 - 6,0)
GLICOSE - 67 MG/DL (75 - 99)
URIC ACID - 5,1 MG/DL (3,4 - 7,0)
TOTAL COLESTEROL - 152 MG/DL (<200)
HDL COLESTEROL - 43 MG/DL (>45)
LDL COLESTEROL - 88,4 MG/DL (<100)
TRIGLYCERIDS - 103 MG/DL (<150)
AMILASE - 47 U/L (28-100)
LIPASE - 21 U/L (<60)
T-4 - 7,15 UG/DL (5,1 - 14,1)
TSH - 2,03 MUI/L (0,27 - 4,2)

GLICEMIC CURVE - INDICATORS ARE NORMAL

my glicose is a little bit under the common range. I thought i read something about hypoglicemia here. The other thing is my HDL… first time under normal range… Is there any explication for this?

Cheers!

#8

Forgot to give a feedback about the diet.

I’m being more flexible, doing carbnites every 7-10 days (as cdnuts recommended).
I don’t know if it’s psychological but i’m feeling more energic. At the end of the day i usually feel tired, but the timing is changing. Before, i felt tired everyday after 2:00pm or 3:00pm until de end of the day.
i’m eating more fruits cause i was losing weight too fast into the paleo diet.

One thing that i’m doing as well is drinking 1 or 2 “expressos” during the day. Coffee certainly gives me more energy while keep my mind more clear. I love the sensation after 1 cup of it.
I’m not masturbating frequently. Trying to do it 2x per week (heard of testosterone peak after 7 days).

My overall situation (updated) is:

Sexual
[x] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive (60%)
[x] Erectile Dysfunction (30%)
[x] Loss of Spontaneous Erections (50%)
[x] Watery Ejaculate (60%)
[x] Reduced Ejaculate (70%)
Mental
[x] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat (60%)
[x] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating (50%)
[x] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness (40%)
[x] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency (60%)
[x] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks (90%)
[x] Severe Depression / Melancholy (80%)
[x] Suicidal Thoughts (100%)
Physical
[x] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled) (15%)
[x] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness (30%)
[x] Muscle Wastage (20%)
[x] Muscle Weakness (30%)
[x] Joint Pain (20%)
Misc
[xx] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion (30%)
[x] Lowered body temperature (i think my normal temperature at night is 36.5ºC …At 21:00 pm on 23/06/2015 i measured 36,2ºC)

#9

Back into the mud again.

It’s so disapointing to have a sequence of good days and then fall into this useless body again.
The past 4 days were good, not great, but good. But today, oh man… Made me remember in what situation i’m in.

Didnt read anything close, but i often feel dizzy and feel a strange sensation in my stomach. Can’t relate do any habit or food. I feel my blood leaving my arms and legs. Generally the fatigue is present.

I was diagnosed with the vasovagal syndrome 2 years ago (never had it before fin) and my cardiologist says that what i described above is the beggining of a vasovagal crisis…

To discard any gastric ill, i went to a gastroenterologist who asked me to do a endoscopy as well as testing my gut bacteria. I agreed and remembered chi’s story (fatigue due to bad bacteria in the gut).

When i get the results i come by to tell you and update the post.

Does anyone have a similar situation to mine?

#10

Today i decided to give up on paleo diet. I concluded, based on a diary, that the effect was null. Had no improvement nor decrease on my overall condition. Had ups and downs like i had just months ago.

The decision of giving up on paleo diet is because i’m getting too thin and the lack of energy is not improving, but i’ll continue eating healthy, as i have done my entire life.

Again, it would be easier for me to live this syndrome if i had more energy. The sexual side effects are a lot better, but this fatigue is killing me!

Anyway, hoping for the best!

#11

Hey Brazil,

How bad were your mental sides when you first crashed? I’ve seen you’ve made some recovery on that front. I still have debilitating brain fog/loss of personality/emotional blunting one month off the drug. Any advice for me?

Best of luck.

#12

First two years for me were bad… I had brain fog, severe depression and anxiety. Those symptoms did improved on the past year. However, emotional bluntness is still present. No big tip for you, time will heal, but its slow. If you feel depressed, dont hesitate to take meds, they were the reason i didnt suicide. But, when you feel confident enough to take them out of your routine, do it. You will heal faster without strange substances in your body.

Try to think that all of this is just a period you’re going through. It will go away, as you can see many on this forum got completely cured.

If i did not have fatigue i would workout hard… Feels good and rockets your testosterone high sky
Eat healthy, rest everytime you can.

And, above all, take it easy!

1 Like
#13

Thanks for the tips, and good luck to you. It seems you’re definitely on the road to recovery, and that’s good to see for an early-off guy like myself.

#14

Here i am again.

Last 2 months were normal. I have, according to my diary, 4 types of days:

1 - great days 6,7%
2 - regular days 43,0 %
3 - bad days 33,0%
4 - awful days 17,3%

Comparing to post-crash it’s huge improvement, but comparing to last year, there is no noticeable news…
On my scale i tend to judge more a) energy b) joint pain c) mental clearness d) sexual sides, by this order.

Energy continues to be my main issue and influences the other aspects.

#15

Just to give an update:

No changes, still the same.

I noticed that when i do some kind of exercise i feel better for the following 2-3 days. But it’s really hard to get it started, since i have major fatigue and joint pain (when i do exercises, i have to bear up the pain). That’s all.

#16

So, this month i complete 5 years off.

I’m stable, still struggling with the persistent fatigue. Those studies are taking years… Are they finding something? Are they giving up?

#17

Wow… Fatigue and joint pain are killing me…
Im redoing bloodtests, but they are coming normal once again.
No doctors can explain this. I went to all specialists, no one could find anything :frowning:
Feeling depressed and hopeless

#18

Can you describe your fatigue? What time of the day? Is it with weakness in your body?

I am also suffering from fatigue but it’s not so bad anymore and i am making progress. At the moment i am doing T3, progesterone, canxida and paleo.

#19

Hi Jorden.

Fatigue is present the whole day with a peak when i wake up and at about 4:00 pm until i go to bed. It’s very debilitating and it worsens my pain in the joints.
I tried paleo and sorghum, but i refuse to use hormones to treat this as i know that hormones are fucking me.

#20

taking hormones to try and fix things can make your pfs much worse,same thing happened to me when trying progesterone cream,some sides got worse and I got some new ones aswell…