Can fin be cause to these symptoms? :o

General Discussion
#1

Sorry about making another topic right after just writing one, but I think this is better to be in it’s own topic.

I’ve found some pretty weird and nasty symptoms in last year, like getting short of breath sometimes, specially when excercising at the gym or having a walk outside etc.

Also, this very uncomfortable feeling like someone is choking me, like there is some swelling inside my throath, at the lower end somewhere near the thyroid gland. Sometimes it makes me almost panic, like I’m gonna choke but actually I’m not, it’s just feels like that - sometimes my tongue and upper throat also feels “numbed” and swollen.

Dr. has looked at my thyroid gland and says it doesn’t actually look swollen. Few years ago they checked it with ultrasound also as I had kind of this same feeling back then, before I was even heard about propecia…

Now I’m wondering, have anyone else met these symptoms in long-term using of Propecia, breathing symptoms and choking feeling?

I’ve now been 1 week off the Propecia but at least yet these feelings are not gone away, hopefully they will be.

#2

Yes, others have experienced that feeling. Do a search on the forum for keywords related to it.

#3

I am female and looking through this forum for someone else but thought I would respond to this b/c you said you had this even before you tried propecia, so I though I would tell you that I actually suffer from that symptom and the reason my doctor found for it was severe acid reflux. i don’t even feel heart burn that often but I have the choking feeling or the feeling that my throat is completely closed up, mostly like someone has their hand around my neck and they are squeezing, and it gets worse when i am laying down. It started after I somehow got a hiatal hernia at the top of my stomach I guess. You can find out if that is your problem with a CT scan of your abdomen I believe. I still have it but medicine for acid reflux has helped. It took awhile to figure out the problem. Hopefully this helps some of you. i don’t know if propecia causes digestive problems but that could be why. good luck.

#4

Hi, i was wondering if you still were having these issues? lately my husband is having a hard time getting a deep breath and that choking feeling also. Just the latest in the hell symptoms he has gone through the last 3 yrs.

#5

Is he still on the drug? If yes, he should get off and his issues should start to resolve.

I personally experienced sleep apnea and would often wake up gasping for breath, full of panic and anxiety-like feelings, towards the end of my 11 months of usage. Felt like a clamp around my throat. Makes sense since:

  • drug increases Testosterone, elevated Testosterone can lead to sleep apnea
  • drug blocks THDOC, an anti-stress/anti-anxiety neurosteroid (causing panic attacks, anxiety etc)
  • drug increases estrogen in men, causing feminizing body changes/emotional changes
#6

oh hi, i didn’t know this post was here till now. he has been off fin for about 2 yrs and things just have gotten worse lately. He saw Dr goldstien who is having him take arimidex and clomid. he thinks it helps with some things but lately other things have gotten worse. the stomach bloating/can’t breathe/heart racing attacks have been so violent lately I had to call 911 tonight. He was feeling vibrating through his body. these come on so sudden, mostly at night. The last 2 weeks have been better then bam, a bad one. this time it wasn’t passing as fast as usual and it was just awful to see him suffering, I get SO ANGRY!!! And of course it’s the same old crap, heart is fine blah blah. he has gurgling and burping etc. he has NEVER had any stomach issues before all this. I am just watching this perfectly healthy and strong man turn into a diff person mentally and physically and it breaks my heart!! He can’t go to the gym anymore and he went 5 times a week for 25 yrs straight! Sorry I’m rambling now. We emailed Dr Goldstien the other day and he just emailed back yesterday basically saying sorry Todd, a lot of studies are being done so soon we should know more. and that he didn’t know any other dr’s in the portland, Or area that is even familiar with all this. so not much help there. it costs us $80 for one phone call to him, not to mention sending him blood tests etc. I wish there was someone local! Any info would help, thank you!

#7

Nicole,

It sounds as though you’re describing heart palpatations. I also had this symptom as well. Thyroid problems can cause heart papatations. There are several men on this forum with thyroid problems, caused by propecia use including myself. It’s only one part of the problem and we don’t know why yet. For starters you should have him take his temperature several times per day. His body temperature should be 98.6 or higher.

Also regarding the stomach problems, does he have any pains associated with the bloating? I got a stomach ulcer from taking propecia. THere is simple test your GP can do to check for the bacteria that can cause a stomach ulcer. It is well proven that many medications can cause this. Stomach ulcers can also be serious, but can be dealt with and they can treat it, to rid him of any bacteria. I no longer have any stomach problems.

good luck,

#8

Thank you sooo much for your imput, I will definitely suggest these things. He said his thyroid was tested and was within range but that was several months back and as you know things can come on and change all the time. They did a colonoscopy last week and I was almost sure they would find SOMETHING wrong as he is having such weird digestion issues that he never had before. Even his stools are different, like little pellets, and with the bloating and pain associated with it I thought for sure they would find something but no. It is so amazing and sad that finasteride can cause these problems too!!! We know it’s all from that now. But I am going to have him as for the bacteria test and hopefully get him on a proton pump inhibitor or something. Thank you again for your time! -Nicole

#9

Goodluck Nicole,

I wouldn’t take any one doctors word for any dianosis. Ask a lot of questions and be prepared with notes and printed papers when you go to see them. If your doctor gets offended when you come in with notes and data, then find another doctor. You should be able to have an intelligent conversation with your doctor without them being offended.

What does in the range mean? Is he 11 on a range of 10-40? or is he 25 on a range of 10 to 40? Many of these doctor’s are like robots. They stick to their schoolings without using common sense. If he is at the bottom of the range it’s not normal. I have no idea if your husband has a thyroid problem, but I had to see 7 doctors to figure out that was one of my many problems caused by propecia.

The stomach problem definitely sounds like an ulcer. I had all of the symptoms you described. Have him go a doctor soon for this one. A GP can handle this one. I took Prevpac for 2 weeks and it killed off the pylori bacteria.

Have your GP run a test for pylori bacteria. They will know soon wether he has it and he can fight if off with Prevpac or a similar product. Do it soon thought. That problem won’t go away on it’s own and if left untreated for years can cause cancer.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2567&hilit=stomach+ulcer+ulcer

Here is a link I posted a while back. Even Merck has info on their website stating that prescription drugs can cause a stomach ulcer.

good luck

#10

This is exactly how I’ve been feeling for the last few weeks. In the beginning, the ‘tightening’ feeling came in the late afternoon (accompanied by anxiety), but now it’s there pretty much all day (with less anxiety).

Does anyone know what’s going on here? This is so confusing…