Devastated!

  1. Where are you from (country)? Australia

  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

  3. What is your current age, height, weight?
    28, 6ft 1, 95kg

  4. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
    Was exercising at the gym 3 days a week before this

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

  6. Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
    My hair started thinning at the front. One day I was at the doctors about something else and asked him if there is anything I can do for my hair. He told me to take finasteride. I asked him about side effects and he said none. Usually I research everything on the internet first but because he said there is no sides I thought I would take it one day and see how I go. Felt fine and continued taking it.

  7. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
    11 days

  8. How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?
    28, 16th August 2012

  9. How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
    28, 27th August 2012

  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?
    Generic

  12. What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
    Cut the table in quarters. One quater per day.

  13. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
    11th day

  14. What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
    It all started about 2hrs after taking it on the 11th day. Did a bit of exercise than about 10mins later couldn’t stop shaking. Had extreme anxiety/Panic attacks. Didn’t really sleep for 3 days straight after that. Everytime I managed to get to sleep I would wake up within an hour still with extreme anxiety and panic attacks

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
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[X] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[X] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[X] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[X] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[XXXX] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[XXXX] Depression / Melancholy
[XXXX] Sleep Problems. I wake up every 4 hrs on the dot no matter what time I end up getting to sleep.

Physical
[ ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[X] Testicular Pain
[X] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[X] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[X] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[X] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

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

[X] Other (please explain)
Pain at the top of my neck where it connects to the head
Found a white hair on my balls. Never had this before.
Can’t sleep more than 4hrs even though my body is exhausted.
Can’t eat much
A sort of paranoia and the worst depressive thoughts I have ever had in my life. Can’t remember ever really being depressed before this.
Dry mouth and lips

  1. What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
    No treatments. Trying to wait it out but it really feels like it’s not gonna get better.

  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)?
    No. I wasn’t told of any dangers or anything. This is the first time I have not researched something before taking it. Stupidly I trusted the doctor.

  3. Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?

  4. Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
    My hair isn’t really bad at all. I just noticed it thinning a tiny bit. I know my dad lost quite a bit on the temples so I thought I would try and treat it before it started going.

I had no side effects for the first 10 days. Then it hit on the 11th. 3 days of extreme insomnia, paranoia and anxiety/panic attacks/Shallow breaths. They are all still there except the panic attacks lessened from extreme to mild. Depression has taken over in a big way though. Haven’t been able to work or anything. I have had a great life up until this last week. Great family, Beautiful wife. Good job. Lots of opportunities. If I had even checked the internet for 2minutes before taking the pills I would never have taken them. Was going to look it up but I had to go to an appointment so I took it and thought I would just stop if I have any side effect. I never take any medication. Coming on this forum is depressing me even more if this is what I am going to have to live with for the rest of my life. If it is I would tell my wife to leave me as this is no life. The mental effects are sooo bad. I could actually live with the sexual effects right now as bad as that sounds.

I would like to ask. How long before finasteride is meant to be out of your system completely?

Also I want to take something to sleep but am scared I might ruin myself with no hope of all at coming back.
Would anyone recommend taking Valerian tablets?

Sorry friend you. we must have faith. that one day we will cure this curse.

Your crash sounds very intense. I went through a very intense crash myself and it took about a year just for some of the mental side effects to START lessening. This is going to be a tough time for you no sugar coating it. You will have extreme anxiety and depression for a while … Maybe. But these side effects do eventually lessen. Until they do I urge you to muster all the strength you humanly can to fight the mental side effects to hold on to the life you have, your family, friends and job. Start seeing a therapist perhaps, and talk to fellow sufferers via skype and or oovoo. I’m always willing to talk when time permits, PM if you wish. Things will slowly start to get better at least in the mental department and we are on the verge of breakthroughs in this condition so try to stay strong even thou you have been weakened. Best wishes always.

ThisCantBeLife
take the advice of Broken_Pkr
you can try vitamin D3 2000 + 2000. It is miracle med for me, not the cure though.

Very very very good chance you’ll make a full recovery. Try and relax.

Take 5-HTP 100mg Dayli. for depression.
What are the benefits of Vit D for you.? spstriken

simply vit D saved my life, I would be dead. I had
sever nausea, muscle weakness, joint pain. loose teeth. But the worst was constant metalic taste, my bones were going weaker and weaker fast. after starting vit min D the difference is day and night.

Hey mate,

I’m also from Australia. I can link you some doctors info if you are interested.

Thanks for the support guys. I really appreciate it. Also thanks spstriken & deluxxxxxx for the supplement recomendations. I’m gonna buy some today.

The rollercoaster of emotions and not being able to sleep is crazy but I’m just trying to stay as strong as I can for my family.

Offers there.

That would be great.
Cheers

Try to get some lawsuits going in Australia if you can. That’d benefit us all.

In the sexual and mental?

yes. My volume increased from one / two drops to one teaspoon or one and half teaspoon… But remember this is just help, once I stop vitaminD I am sure will go to square one in 2 -3 days. But thanks God it has stopped me from getting worse.

I don’t know how I can provide hope to other guys sometimes when I am still struggling with this everyday myself. It effects everyone different suffering alone on the ass end of the country is worst part…

Hey BP, start a thread with your approximate location. Might be someone in the ass end you can go for a coffee with every once in a while or something.

Working on it seems to be a lack of Aussies interested

Your story sounds similar to mine bro, I empathize with you. I have a family also and it’s hard to keep that together when you’re dealing with this. I’m not the most educated person in this community, and that’s an understatement, but I am here at any time if you need to talk bro, just PM me.

Thanks man!