Came off Finasteride Three Days Ago After Experiencing Erectile Dysfunction

[Dan1985]

I stopped taking finasteride three days ago after just over one month’s use, after I noticed my inability to get an erection. This was very sudden since I was able to do so just the night before.

Since stopping it’s been a solid 72 hours of a foggy mind, insomnia, anxiety, inability to get an erection, and no sex drive at all. My penis also feels far less sensitive than it used to.

I’m pretty much reeling right now. Not five days ago I had a sex drive and experienced no finasteride side effects at all. Now it feels like I’ve lost a whole side of myself overnight; I never appreciated just how substantial the sexual side of a person truly was. Currently if I see an attractive person in the street or Instagram etc, my mind is right on it, but there’s just no follow through with body. It’s like I’ve become asexual.

I’m currently having difficulty in comprehending what I’ve done to myself ( I honestly keep expecting to wake up and find it was all a nightmare), but also angry at the various online retailers (Hims etc) who hawk this stuff like it’s a quick fix whilst downplaying the very significant side-effects. Obviously i should have been more thorough in my research, but the fact you can obtain this stuff without a face-to-face consultancy is crazy.

Anyway, I just wanted to reach out to other people going through the same thing. I have to hope some of these symptoms are going to lessen as the days and weeks progress, and look forward to discussing this subject with others.

Dan

[Greek]

I am sorry to hear that Dan. I had a similar experience to you.

At this point we don’t really have a consensus on what the best thing to do is, but we think that having exposed this sensitivity you will have to avoid 5ar inhibiting substances probably forever. This can be food stuff like certain mushrooms or soy.

The drugs that bring people here are frequently Finasteride and other hairloss medications, anti acne treatments (isotrtinoin) and anti depressants.

It is worth considering that a reaction to one of those drugs may now be worse than it would have been before finasteride did a number on you.

Most people recover.

At this time, try to be kind to yourself and rest when you can, I would consider taking time off work if you can.

Please read this and report your symptoms.

New user? START HERE

Hello, If you are a new patient suffering from Post-Finasteride Syndrome, or an existing patient just finding us, this forum and our charity are here to help you. While we cannot provide you with a treatment or cure, our charity, PFS Network, is working with world-leading researchers to identify the mechanisms driving PFS, a necessary step in developing targeted therapeutic treatments. Please view and support our ongoing research initiatives here. Please know that some patients experience imp…

Part of the reason why both you and I are here is that historically very few people seem willing to report their symptoms. Had they done so, this problem may have been properly recognised (we believe the numbers are higher than reported and some symptoms are not recognised at all) and either you and I would have had a better grasp of the risk we were taking, and of the possible outcomes. More people are speaking up, and more and more doctors are recognising us, but we need to do more to turn the tide, firstly to stop others falling into this trap, but also to help us find out way out of it.

[Dan1985]

Hi Greek

Many thanks for your thorough reply; the content was very much appreciated.

I’m feeling a bit more calm now and am doing exactly as you say and taking time for myself.

To know that most people recover is a incredibly reassuring. Right now I’m simply attempting to keep the anxious thoughts at bay, as I assume they are as much of a chemical reaction to the finasteride as anything else, and no doubt exacerbates the insomnia.

Many thanks also for the mention of foods to avoid. I will take a look at lists that contain such ingredients and take note.

Right now, as much as I feel emotionally blunted, I am also craving someone to speak with. This forum is doing a good job for that today.

I will also be sure to fill in the survey at the three month mark to update you of my symptoms at that time.

I look forward to talking further across the forum.

[Greek]

As a general rule, anything that people say can help people keep their hair (including foods) is a no go. These are almost always things that are 5ar inhibitors (this is what finasteride does).

You’ll feel better if you tell a friend or family.

Lots of people feel ashamed because of either the vanity in taking a drug like this or because of not wanting to talk about the sexual symptoms.

That’s not what your friends or family will care about. They’ll want to help you through this terrible situation.

[silentpain89]

You have a good chance to recover, given that PFS is rare and i have seen many who do recover in the early phase (Mostly guys with no big crash)…Those with major crash, are less likely to recover (Only anecdotes and hundreds of hours spent to read every single story as evidence)