I began taking propecia just over a year ago. I took it for 15 days before I started to notice a lack of libido and ED. It has been over a year now and I’m still suffering from a complete lack of sex drive. The confusing part is that all my test results have come back normal (everytime). In fact my latest T level was 767. What the hell is wrong?
If we knew the answer none of us would be here, unfortunately… hence the Studies section of this website and to see what else Fin may have impacted, and Theories section to guess at how this caused problems for us. I suggest you do some reading… all of us are in the same boat.
Have you checked your Free and Bioavailable Testosterone levels? Prolactin? SHBG? Estradiol? TSH?
yes, but is everyone also experiencing these symptoms AND have normal T levels?
What Mew is saying is read on. You can click on anyone’s name on this site, and go to their profile, and then access any of their old posts, and read and read and read and read.
Libido can be controlled/affected by many things, but usually I think it is the Testosterone/Estrogen ratio.
I think this has been discussed many times before on this forum as well, so read-up kid.
I understand…I was simply wondering if that was the common thread (that being, no libido + normal test results; particularly T levels) as opposed to having symptoms with low T levels. Which is the common situation for the majority of the people on this site?
There are some guys with high levels of T that still have issues. There is a guy on TRT who still has issues. Thus, it would appear this is not just about Testosterone itself for some.
That said, it seems the drug affects everyone differently and can leave various hormones/ratios all over the map.
With respect to “normal” T levels, has anyone with that still experienced muscle wastage? This is one of my main side-effects and my doctor said my testosterone was “normal”.
Yes, awor, who is on TRT, has experienced muscle wasteage and there are others who have mentioned it. Do a search for “wastage” and you’ll pull up some results, albeit most will be the Members symptoms checklist.
BTW, I too have experienced significant loss of muscle mass over the past 2 years, but I’m unsure if it’s due to changes to my lifestyle since moving into the city (walk everywhere, no lifting weights, eat healthy 3x a day – less calories, less fat, less carbs).
Not sure if that answer my question with all due respect. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse and I will be sure to do the research and read postings on this sight
but,
Do the majority (most if not all) who are experiencing loss of libido have low test results (particularly T Levels)? OR like myself do they experiencing loss of libido and have test results that are consistently normal?
To answer that question would require someone to define what “normal” T level is, go through every hormone profile, compile the results, and then apply this criteria to the data. Nobody has done that so far. If you would like to do so, by all means.
But off the top of my head, it would seem the majority do have issues with lowish Testosterone and correlation with their symptoms/crash when they come off the drug. From there, over time (ie months/years) T levels may rise somewhat, or in certain cases, to high levels – yet problems still persist for these men.
Thus, it would appear there are other hormonal imbalances or issues (theories such as post-Fin defective 5AR deficiency/AR mutation, Androgen Insensitivity syndrome thanks to Fin, screwed up liver metabolism of 5AR-II, inhibition in pituitary/hypothalamus of 5AR-II activity, decrease in Nitric Oxide Synthase production in necessary tissues, neurosteroid changes, etc) that have yet to be accounted for.
This is old news, but anxiety and depression can lead to ED and low libido. I think that if you have no physical changes, have normal hormone levels and and get morning wood, you are probably alright.
Believe me I’d love to agree with you Onni, but it’s been over a year now. I’m all but sure that there is something wrong. I obviously just don’t know what it is. Everything appears to be normal expect my drive (mental and physical lust). I’m sure anxiety and depression doesn’t help, but I would think my ‘appetite’ would have been back by now or at least show occaisionally signs of improvement. 
Sorry for interruption, it is a little off topic, but I have to ask…
Washington - you write that you dont have mental and physical lust. So why is this feeling so horrible? I know my question sounds stupid but…
For example I don’t feel any attraction to other guys (I’m 100% heterosexual) but it doesn’t worry me, that I don’t want to have sex with other guys and I don’t feel that I’m losing something in my life.
I always imagined that when you have no mental drive to something, you are not so worried about not having this, but someone who is bisexual, probably would say that I do so.
In my case, I all the time have sex in my mind, I keep looking behind beatiful girls etc. etc. but I don’t have physical response (no erection). But in my mind I have so strong feeling that I want sex… It makes me crazy all the time and I pray not to freak out because of that.
Well, this is it…i’m not sure I can take it anymore. It’s now been 14 months! I’ve tried just about everything…herbal supplements, vitamins, therapy, blood tests, drugs (legal and illegal). Unfortunately, I’m still in the same fucking place.
I honestly believe that living like this is equaliant to torture. And the fact that I have little to no reason to believe anything will change, if it hasn’t all ready done so, is quite frustrating.
Anyone got any last great ideas??? This experience has pretty much ruined my life and caused me to lose any faith I did have god. Guess I just need a miracle like everyone else on this site.
Would you say your brain functions normally like it did before taking finasteride? I’m thinking that when this drug starts to inhibit neurosteroids and GABA, it can leave our brains completely skewed, thereby effecting our drives and sexual function.
It comes down to doctors looking at those of us who’ve been off the drug for a long time dismissing our claims, when it may just be our bodies not restoring its state after the trauma of Propecia for whatever reason. There are a number of areas to explore… keep in good spirits and try to not think about it so much, we’ll figure this out. It’s not just us.
Washginton,
I know EXACTLY how you feel. I’ve been off propecia for 11 months now, and my libido is non existent.
I can get normal erections and ejaculate, but my libido is just gone. Its just unreal. Ive always been incredibly horny, and my blood results are perfectly normal. But I KNOW that my libido is gone, and its not in my head. Sure, I might get anxious about everyday things, but thats not enough to destroy my sex drive like this.
One thing my doctor said is that maybe my DHT (although it falls in the “normal” range) is lagging on returning to its original levels, and maybe that it acts at the brain to create sex drive.
But its destroying my life. One week I try to accept it and think positive that things will come back to normal, but the next week Im getting all self-conscious and depressed about it. It just DOESN’T make sense that my hormones are all perfectly normal, but my sex drive just disappears like this. Sometimes I wonder if its truly in my head, but its just not. This started happening to me during one of the most relaxing times of my life. Just unbelievable.
The worst part is, I was better off 6 months ago then I am now. You would think it would slowly improve, but its only gotten worse (for me).
PLEASE let me know if you ever improve. Please don’t forget about these forums once you feel better, and update us. I’ll do the same.
Have you guys tried messing about with dopamine levels? You could do it directly with mucuna pruriens, or get an agonist like cabergoline.
Not sure I want to mess with neurotransmitters like dopamine. Just too extreme for me. I feel like that might be dangerous unless a physician recommends it.
you just seem ‘worried’ and afraid.
Try something to snap out of it kid!
Nothing can stop the power of the dick… just keep telling yourself this.
You will get past this