Domino's story

Member Stories
#1

  1. How did you find this forum?
    I literally typed “propecia help” into google hoping to find some sort of a cure or successful treatment for my symptoms.

  2. What is your current age, height, weight?
    22, 6’2", 165 lbs

  3. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
    No, not regularly.

  4. What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
    I’m a meat eater…I love (lean) beef but especially lately I’ve been trying to incorporate other meats (fish, poultry sparingly) just so my body gets a healthier source of protein/zinc.

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

  6. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
    About two months.

  7. How old were you when you started Finasteride?

  1. How old were you when you quit?

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

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

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

  4. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
    Right near the end. I fought the side effects for about four days before I decided to stop taking the pill.

  5. 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
[X] Loss of Morning Erections
[X] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[X] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[X] Watery Ejaculate
[X] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[X] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[X] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[X] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[X] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[X] Depression / Melancholy

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

Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[X] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] 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?
    50 mg of Zinc daily for a while there…wasn’t consistent with it but I doubt it did much (if anything) to help.

  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)?
    My Testosterone is supposedly in the “normal range” but I’ve read countless places that making decisions based on “normal ranges” is an outdated practice.

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

  4. Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
    Well, I started the drug because I felt like I had no control over my hair loss and that using Propecia would finally give me some of that control back. Having the belief that that the potential side effects would disappear if encountered, I had no real hesitation in taking it. About two months in my system started acting differently. I lost some of my libido, wasn’t getting spontaneous erections, and there was pain in my testicles like they were being squeezed. When this persisted for four straight days I realized the drug wasn’t for me. I stopped immediately hoping for a quicker bounceback. I never got that bounceback. Ever since, and this is going on 11 months now, I haven’t had a single spontaneous erection, my testicles have nearly halved in size, I have literally no libido unless I make physical contact with a girl I like, cause then I’m good, and I’m honestly feeling tired after less work than I used to be capable of (I imagine that’s the greatly diminished Testosterone level…which I can’t prove, but know has to be the case). I went to a urologist about a month ago who seemed to think that it was “all in my head” and when I asked him about HcG to at least bring back the size of my testicles he said he wouldn’t prescribe it for cosmetic purposes. Yet he stood behind a drug that can do permanent damage to a man’s sexual function that is marketed for its cosmetic benefit. At this point I’m really just looking for any and all help to get my libido back on track and to get my boys back in shape. I truly appreciate the time taken to read this and any effort put forth in helping/advising. The mere existence of this site has given me hope that there is a cure or a treatment looming somewhere in the horizon. Thanks everybody.

#2

offer your urologist to take this meds. Tell him that you will pay, he just need to sallow this pill for 2 months.

#3

join the small ball club - are you going for bloodwork?

#4

Haha I would give him the rest of my prescription if he’d take it.

And I received bloodwork when I was there. I was under the impression that my results would come in the mail as they did before when I went for a physical several months ago but so far I haven’t received anything except their bill. When I was there he told me that my testosterone was around 600 (I’m not sure the unit measure). He said the high end of a normal range was around 800 which sounded pretty low to me because I’ve read elsewhere that 900-1100 is a good (healthy, albeit high) level of testosterone to have. I’m positive my testosterone must’ve been considerably closer to that measure seeing as though I Never had a problem just looking at an attractive girl and being ready for action. Now I need physical contact which bothers me. Another thing that surprised me is that he said my LH was 21 and optimal was like 25…he said this was the free testosterone which is what manifests itself in the (size of the) testicles…yet, mine have dropped considerably in size. He, and the physician giving me my physical from a few months ago, both said they are “anatomically normal” but the size difference is bothering me considerably. Is HcG the best first route to try? I have a Blakoe Ring that I’ve tried on and off but have been on for about a week straight now. Is that going to help my case or is it something I shouldn’t put much thought/effort it? And should I go to the office to pick up my bloodwork? Seriously, thank you guys so much for responding. I look forward to hearing more of your responses.

#5

Okay so I bought some Tribulus the other day and just received it in the mail. I’ve read that it’s a healthy testosterone booster so I’m going to run a cycle of it for two months and see if it gives me any benefit. I will post my results at the end of the two months and if any noticeable changes occur before then, I’ll make note of it. If this doesn’t work I’m going to see a urologist sometime at the start of the new year because I’ll be off insurance in about a month just for this semester. At that point I’ll have my blood tested again and if my situation hasn’t improved I will seek the use of HcG to kickstart my test. One improvement I’ve noticed since starting out a MWF work-out regimen that involves curling and crunches is that I’ve gained back some of my lean muscle in my biceps and forearms (where I noticed an unusual loss in toning) so it took a few weeks to a month of curling with a weekly biking trip of about 7-8 miles (I’m working up to going biking two or three times a week) eating leaner (low-fat beef, imitation crab, a little poultry) to regain what I wouldn’t normally have to had to worry about losing before fin. So I may have put my muscle wastage in check!

So, I may not be taking enough Tribulus terrestri to actually see the benefit but I figure the amount I’m taking is affordable and at least a step in the right direction since it’s natural. Here’s my plan:

(Physical)
Working out M-W-F with curls and crunches, varying weights
Biking approximately 15 miles weekly

(Diet)
2 capsules of 750mg Tribulus extract each day for two days and 1 capsule of 750mg Tribulus extract every third day.

I’ve read that 3 capsules/tablets of 1,000mg Tribulus terrestris is an appropriate amount to consume daily but I’m not exactly sure of this and I’d rather realize that not enough is in play in my system so that I can bump the dosage if need be. I’ll keep everyone posted.

#6

Okay, my update. The first night of my Tribulus cycle, I had incredibly vivid sexual dreams, which was awesome. I even woke up to morning wood for the first time in months. For the next few days, my libido seemed a lot closer to what it used to be. Unfortunately that only lasted for a few days. A couple other 2-3 day periods of good libido occurred during my cycle but for the most part, everything was the same. I stopped the exercise about a couple weeks in and working out a few weeks after that due to not having any time from having both school and work keeping me busy. My muscle wastage has only gotten worse but I feel confident that it has slowed to a stop. I should be back on insurance in January and once that occurs I can seek out a urologist who’ll actually listen and prescribe me some HcG and any estrogen blockers (nolva/clomid/tamoxifen, I believe) necessary to keep my testosterone to estrogen ratio in check.

It’s been a little over a year now since I’ve discontinued use so I’ve waited enough time to “let things get back to normal” on their own. My next intervention will hopefully provide me some assistance. I’ll be sure to be back to update anything notable.

#7

Domino,

Keep us posted on your progress.

I have alot of the same symptoms, so I finally went back to my doctor to investigate the problem further. I am measuring bioavailable testosterone, cortisol and TSH/Free T4.

I am almost certain that my testosterone levels are pretty depleted as my inhibility to build muscles is terrible. I am 6’2" and a pretty fit guy, yet my arms/legs and chest have no muscle definition at all. I regularly run about 10 miles a week (3 miles every second day) and hit the gym doing fairly heavy lifting 2 times per week, yet I can’t grow muscle nor can I lose the fat around my gut/waist.

The other typical stuff like loss of morning erections and smaller balls/penis also has occurred. The other weird thing, that I finally caught on to was the lack of chest/shoulder hair I now have. Previous to going on fin, I had a sweater on my chest and my shoulders/upper back would always get thick course hair, now the chest has thinned out and the upper back/shoulder hair is gone.

Anyways, keep us posted and hopefully something works out for you.

Gino

#8

Thanks for your response Gino. I actually received word that I should be back on insurance relatively soon (like within the next week or so, pending paperwork being filed) so that will be a breath of fresh air. And as soon as that happens I’ll be setting up an appointment with a urologist to get my prescription for HcG (the treatment for which I have high hopes)! Then, after I cycle HcG and any estrogen blocker necessary, I will post again.

What’s fortunate and unfortunate about my situation is that the hair on my scalp is still receding and thinning (great because that means my DHT should be functioning like normal, but bad because I’m in the state I am in addition to having my hairloss continue). I haven’t experienced any loss in chest hair (in fact, I think it’s been growing in more steadily since the last year or so) but I feel like my pubic hair has thinned out a little bit. Though, I honestly might attribute that to my paranoia since now I’m observing things far more closely than before.

I wish you well in your pursuit of getting back to (or as close as humanly possible to) the you pre-fin and look forward to hearing your updates as well. Good luck Gino.

#9

Hi Domino,

I think we have a very similar situation. I took 2 months, a little later than you. I seem to have all the same (very similar) sides and my hair loss has returned to it’s normal rate, plus i make the same observations you do about body hair. I do not seem to have lost any, but maybe slightly thinner in the pubic region, especially at the sides, it’s more whispy, but does grow. Anyway, just thought i’d drop you a note… maybe these are good signs? How’s your beard growth? I think mine is pretty much normal now, but took 9 months. How optimistic are you about fully recovering? Does it seem like a possibility?

Cheers
Chi

#10

Hey Chi,

My beard growth has been very slow and doesn’t cover much of my face other than my chin, and a couple small patches along the side of my face were sideburns should be. I’m not too concerned about this because my facial hair has always been slow to grow and if anything covered less of my face than is being covered now. I’ve also started shaving my face more thoroughly, so I believe that might be more of the reason that it appears it’s coming in fuller versus having more coverage.

Regarding recovery, I’m very optimistic. But that’s partially because I have to be to get by and mostly because I figure I have a good theory as to what would solve my situation in particular. I figure if I can get my HPTA back up and running, seeing as though it is most definitely down, I can then fix all (or at least several) of the issues caused by my body not producing enough testosterone to sustain itself.

I just talked to my dad’s insurance company though and it appears there may be another cog in my recovery…all I have to do is get my place of business on board with a very small request and I’ll be a-okay to be on insurance again which will land me in a urologist’s office with all my data, statistics, and my plan of getting me back to normal. So once I get that little insurance dilemma worked out, then I’ll feel much more at ease.

So, all in all, I’m confident I know how to fix my specific situation, and if I do, I will post my results so that I can help others, most especially like yourself, or Gino, who have told me they have similar situations occurring. Because all of us are in this together. And because we’ll get out of this with whichever therapy/medicine required.

Keep the hope alive Chi. We’re well on our way to recovery!

#11

So, I’m back, a little over a month later and I’ve gotten back onto a cycle of Trib and it seems to be having a pretty decent effect, although it’s early and the effects could easily wear off. All my symptoms have fluctuated from bad to worse back to tolerable (right now) but I will not bend on getting myself on a hcg and estrogen blocker regimend just to get back on track with most (if not all) of my health systems. It’s affecting me at work and school, as I’m having difficulty remembering to do small tasks and not being able to remember certain words/things. My short term memory has also taken a hit as I’m having difficulty remembering facts I’m learning in recent conversations I’ve been having. Not only does it seem rude, as if I’m not taking the time to learn what’s being said to me but it’s incredibly frustrating when I’m trying to show that I do care about what the person I’m speaking to is saying and I’m somewhat failing.

The good news: I’m back on health insurance! I’ve already decided on a urologist I would like to go see so I will call and set up an appointment as soon as possible. I will provide him with all the information I need to prove my case that PFS is a real and ever-present affliction and I will obtain my script for hcg and arimidex so that I can get my system pumping the correct amount of testosterone. I theorize that once my body pumps enough testosterone naturally: my memory will come back, my muscles will stop their wasting, I’ll be able to put on weight (muscle, not fat), my boys will come back to size, I should get fatigued less often and less easily, my muscles should ache less and less often, I’m hopeful I’ll regain some some sensitivity, aaaaaaand my immune system should be better so that I won’t keep coming down with colds all the time, which is incredibly annoying since I almost never used to get sick.

At the very least I should have my boys back to normal, my mind working more efficiently, and my libido back on track (I’m thinking with the higher–more natural–level of testosterone, that this should be anticipated).

Any hints, tips, strategies, ideas, or feedback would be greatly appreciated. As always, thanks guys.

#12

Okay, just throwing in my own experience/update. I went to the urologist this past Tuesday and he seemed relatively open to the possibility that Propecia could have adversely affected me in the ways I was describing (e.g. muscle loss, difficulty recalling certain words/memories, shrinkage of testicles, fatigue, etc.) but he seemed more of the opinion that it wasn’t very likely because he’s run Propecia about “30,000” times and hasn’t had the same adverse symptoms reported to him before.

He decided to postpone my labs because the Trib in my system would have the possibility of artificially raising my testosterone levels and scheduled me for an A.M. draw even though I figured going for a P.M. draw would help me prove my case (I know, that’s probably immoral and maybe a bit misguided, but when I had pretty low results the last time a high 600 ng/ml–for testosterone–when I’m sure I’m supposed to be near 1,000 ng/ml, I didn’t receive any help from my last urologist so I figure any extra convincing can only help). I liked that he chose to do it this way though because it shows he’s interested in getting the real, most accurate results possible to see what we’re working with.

I’m tired of hearing that my testicles aren’t “small” though. Every doctor I’ve gone to has said they aren’t but I know what I was working with and masturbating is almost not pleasurable because I have nothing (in comparison) to cup like I used to. In fact, if I didn’t touch my boys at all when I masturbated, I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere. If this urologist doesn’t allow me to at least test my theory of utilizing HcG and an estrogen blocker, I will go about doing it on my own. I will buy HcG online…yeah, I’m sure that’s dangerous or not entirely thought out but at this point I don’t care.

I haven’t gotten any better, only considerably worse. And I have a strong feeling the HcG will fix my testicle size which (I theorize) will likely cause my body to produce that little bit more testosterone I need to get most/all of my systems back in check.

I will get my labs drawn at 9 A.M. on the 20th (of January) and will post my results as soon as I get them. I’ve already taken in the recommended short list of values to have drawn and most of them were approved so aside from Free T3, Free T4, and Reverse T3, I believe I’ll have all the other essential ones drawn…though I’ve heard Reverse T3 is vital, unless I hear I have to get it before I go, I’ll be content with the other values drawn. My follow-up appointment will happen on the 31st (of January) so I’ll have more updates by then. But knkow that even if he doesn’t prescribe me HcG, I will get it.

I theorize 250 iu every other day will be a good starting point, as I know more than 500 desensitizes the testicles. Okay, scaredtodeath, there’s my input. Sorry for the delay.

#13

THanks Domino - it will be great to chart see your progress. HCG has worked for some -not all.

My doc would not try that (at least yet). He is going low dose Clomid route - perhaps with a estrogen blocker depending. Clomid should increase size during treatment -not so sure after…

#14

I’ve heard mixed reviews on Clomid and, aside from the input of some members of this site, only positive reviews for HcG. Either way, I hope Clomid and an estrogen blocker (if utilized) work well for you and look forward to hearing your progress. If HcG and an estrogen blocker do not work for me I believe Clomid would be my next option. I’m confident HcG will work for me as I can trace all my side effects to effects of low testosterone. Since my testicles have decreased in size, my testosterone has dropped. If I can restore the size of my testicles (as I’m hopeful HcG and an estrogen blocker will do), then I can theoretically restore the amount of testosterone they should be pumping out.

I’ve also noticed that some people are fighting one another when we should be banding together. We, for the large part are the only ones who can relate to one another. And I get it, this is a stressful stituation we’re all in but the only way we will get through it is by staying positive and offering our own take on everything we’re trying to overcome.

Sorry if that sounds preachy or whatever but seriously, we’ve gotta stick together to get through this. Thanks for all your guys’ input though; it’s been incredibly helpful thus far.

#15

Okay, after doing some research for the past hour or so, I’m more confused about a proper treatment for my situation. I was sure HcG would be the cure but I just read that having too high of LH levels would be just as bad as having too low of them. I believe my LH was on the upper end of the “normal” range which would make me think it wasn’t all that low. Now, I wasn’t really ever of the opinion that it was too low, just that it wasn’t able to function properly because of some other problem. I feel that my testosterone is too low, to be sure, but not my LH.

My dilemma: is using HcG to restore testicle size when LH is within the upper tier of a healthy range a bad idea? I know that HcG mimics LH, which is why I figured a little extra LH will get me over the hump and bring back the size of my testicles but I don’t know if having too much LH–even for a short period of time–will do more harm than good.

My question: Is therapy with HcG only beneficial to guys who have low LH, or can its short-term use benefit guys who have a normal LH but shrunken testicles?

Obviously I don’t want to be pumping something into my system if I shouldn’t but I was really sure that from all the positive reviews and the basic mechanics of HcG that I found a possible cure for me. Any feedback would be hugely appreciated. Thanks.

#16

funny how you said…you have more hair coverage…on your face now
I;ve never had a mustache…i got one right after my first crash…interesting…interesting…

#17

It’s odd that there is more coverage on my face because it would make me think that my testosterone is functioning at a normal level…and maybe it is. I’ve been too set on jumping on the idea that my testosterone is low but maybe my estrogen and e2 are particularly high. If that’s the case then lowering them would almost have to raise my testosterone (at least on account of the excess estrogen) which could be the reason for my symptoms. It’s definitely another way to think about this. Thanks for helping me come to this idea, braziliandude.

#18

I was wondering…and I know this may be an obvious train of thought for myself but, when I was set on saving my hair, I started using/taking Rogaine, Ketoconazole, Saw Palmetto, Zinc, and Propecia (obviously). About two months after I started the Saw Palmetto, Zinc, a multivitamin, and Propecia regimen, I noticed the sides and stopped a few days later. I quit cold turkey on four medications going into my body. Is it possible that I caused a more significant crash by having so many influences on my body ripped away all at once? I’m aware the answer is more than likely yes but it makes me curious as to whether or not if I tried the Zinc and the multivitamin again (with a proper workout) that I could at least gain back part of what I theoretically lost when I dropped them all at the same time.

I’ve done so much research today, it’s ridiculous. And it’s irritating that only the past week or so I haven’t been able to fall asleep before 2 a.m. And I’ll prolly crash by 3 “tonight”. But I’m pretty sure that’s not PFS related so much as it’s related to the fact that I kind of messed up my sleep schedule.

Okay, done rambling.

Two and a half weeks 'til I get my blood drawn…looking forward to narrowing down the suspects at work!

#19

Hi Domino,

Sorry to hear your story.

I took finasteride for 2 months. Initially had mainly a loss if libido. Nothing much else. That was 4 years ago. I have been though all the stuff you are mentioning. In my opinion and looking at other people on this forum. It is unlikely.

You are best not screwing round with yourself till you have comprehensive tests. Once you have these tests you will probably have a better idea of where you are at. You need some good blood tests with 3-andiol-g, cortisol salivary cortisol and a full urinary profile. You are lucky that you are in America for this. I think meridian valley labs do pretty much all of this. Also take your temp throgh-out the day and let post your temp.

Do you have a copy of your blood tests?

I do not know of anyone here who has had a sustained recovery from increasing their testosterone.

Your body should be capable of feeling normal under the right situation.

But we really need to try to find patterns here, this can be partially done though testing. Get a full blood count too and glucose tolerance test and a sperm test if you can now that you have not been taking any hormones.

#20

Thanks for the response vincent. I know I’ve been pretty adamant about trying some medication regardless of what my doctor or the labs might tell me but I’m no longer of that opinion. You’re right in that I shouldn’t mess around with anything until I get comprehensive tests and that’s exactly how I’m going to handle this now.

The last time I received labs was an afternoon in August and they were pretty limited. I believe it showed my LH to be on the higher end (which kills me because my testicles are NOT working like they used to) and my testosterone was in the higher end of the range but it wasn’t particularly high for my age. Regardless, I know that an A.M. draw is more accurate and that’s what I’ll be getting two weeks from today.

I will go about trying to get the other things you mentioned just so I can get a fuller profile for myself. Thank you for your personal feedback and experiences.