Don't know what's going on with me :S

Member Stories
#1

Hi guys,
Im a 23 year old male…
I came across this board while trying to figure out what’s going on with me…

I took proscar for about 6-10 months(cant remeber) and stopped when I realized it was affecting my erections… making them softer and about an inch shorter…

Anyway when I first started taking propecia it made my penis very numb… to the point where I could barely feel it… as the 6-10 months passed I got a girlfriend and found myself avoiding having sex with her because I was scared i wouldn’t be able to perform… It was horrible because I didn’t know what to do… on one hand I could keep my hair but no sex… and on the other I could lose my hair and have sex… I was worried about how my Gf would react to me if I was balding…

I decided to quit the drug… my erections have come back (sadly they are not the same though)… its been about 2 months off of propecia.

My erections are a lot weaker… my penis size has returned to normal… but my erections are softer then they used to be and don’t last as long…for example: before i started taking propecia my erections, after orgasm, would stay for like 2 minutes before subsiding… now they go completely back to normal in like 10 seconds… it is also very very hard for me to get horny and in the mood for sex… just today me and my girlfriend were having sex and it was great… but then all of a sudden i lost my erection because my mind wandered for 2 seconds…

It’ is sometimes hard for me to stay focused on the sex we are having… and i have gone limp on her a few times because of it… i never had this problem before propecia…

I also know this is not performance anxiety… i am entirely comfortable around my partner…

im currently taking ginseng and ginkgo biloba in hopes of getting rid of these side effects…
has anyone had any success wih any other supplements ex horny goatweed, tribulus etc…

Im scared to death im only 23, bald, and experiencing ED symptoms… any help at all at this point would be amazing…

Update on my symptoms

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

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

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

#2

Just shave your head. Trust me, no one that matters will care about that. Nor should you.

Contact a PFS doc and get the bloodwork done that he recommends.

I think all of us have tried the supps. In general they are not effective. Your body doesnt respond to androgens like it used to due to Fin. Dont pile up on the stims, they will just amp up your anxiety.

Its only been 2 months so you have a good chance to recover. Take very good care of yourself. No drinking or drugs, organic diet of fruits and veges, exercise with light weights, and dont masturbate too much.

Its a very good sign your penis has returned to normal. You could guess that would mean your penile tissue is now responding to DHT. Alot of us have smaller fiberous penis and mushy smaller testicles due to Fin…

Also, please consider participating in Dr. Irwigs study found on the homepage.

#3

Thanks, I think i’m going to go to my family doctor now… also when i was on propecia i got viagra prescribed to me. It helped me have sex a few times when i was still taking propecia…

#4

Your family doc more than likely will be of no help here especially if he’s the one who perscribed Fin for you in the 1st place. You need to seek out someone who recognizes PFS. Talking to a regular GP about this is basically pointless and will probably cause you more stress and cost than anything else.

When this 1st happened to me I went to my family doc. He actually excused himself from the room to go check Merck’s website. He comes back and says, “No, your penis cant shrink from Finasteride. I checked the website and its not listed as a side effect.”

#5

You’re right boston,
My family doctor didn’t believe me that propecia caused the symptoms, he said they will go away with time… It’s already been 2 months!
He gave me a blood test for testosterone, glucose and some other stuff and prescribed me some cealis( that viagra stuff).
I went to the hospital and got them done today so ill see the results soon I guess…

#6

Also what’s a PFS doctor? I googled it and nothing seemed to fit…

#7

Dr Shippen - MD, author of The Testosterone Syndrome, Pennsylvania
Dr Goldstein - Urologist, California
Dr Crisler - www.allthingsmale.com, Michigan
Dr Alan Jacobs - Neuroendocrinologist, NYC

#8

PFS = Post Finasteride Syndrome.

I’m not sure if you are east or west coast canada. I’d personally recommend either Dr. Jacobs in NY or Dr. Mariano in California found in the doctors section of this site. But, thats your choice. I’m a patient of Dr. Jacobs and I know he treats alot of patients remotely but does require an initial in person visit last I knew. Both are good doctors at the top of their fields. Keep in mind there are no real “cures” at the moment and treatments vary greatly in the degree and duration of their success.

Should add cialis really wont be that effective in my experience. Our issue is androgen insensitivity, not blood flow.

Also sorry to add those tests are a waste. You want to test FREE , not total, testosterone among many other thing. See the section on this forum for labs. A PFS doc will provide you with the appropriate tests.

Again, your only a couple months out so no real reason to panic at this point. Be sure you never touch Fin again.

gl

#9

If you are in Toronto, there’s a doctor at Mt. Sinai Hospital who has seen many sufferers. Treatment-wise I’m not sure what he offers, although I have heard he provides Testosterone Replacement if there is a need. Not sure if he is open to trying clomiphene citrate, tamoxifen or hCG to boost your own T production beforehand (hopefully would be).

#10

Looks like I have a new vocabulary to learn lol,
Thank you guys for being so helpful!
I’ll keep you updated on what I decide to do.

I’m west coast Canada in B.C.

Also like to add that celasis(spelling) helped me get reallly horny and perform 3 times in one night and once the next morning while i was taking propecia still (a few days before i quit). One of my biggest problems is getting the erection in the first place… once it’s there its just a matter of focusing enough not to lose it.

#11

any doctors in uk?

#12

Not to aruge but Cialis has no effect on your libido whatsoever. It doesnt work that way. Most of us had some libido while on Propecia, it was afterward that it disappeared.

#13

wait so… after you stopped propecia is when the libido starts to drop?..
do the symptoms get worse? it feels like i’m starting to get worse( could be in my head)… i was able to have sex tonight… but it was a lot more difficult…

#14

Yes, I had some side effects while on propecia. Then, sexually decimated 6 weeks after stopping.

#15

X2

#16

goddammit, now i’m panicking,
going to the doctors to get celisais to try it out…
its been about 9 or 10 weeks off propecia for me now…
was it a gradual decline for you boston or did it hit you hard?
am i in the safe zone for no more new side effects at 10 weeks? what are your guys’ experience :S

#17

Heyder, please participate in Dr. Irwig’s study if you can:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3497

#18

Im about 9 weeks of propecia… I want to know the best thing I can do at this time… Is there a certain thing i can take, or therapy etc…

What would you guys suggest be the best course of action at this point since im still pretty newly off it.
All my side effects are sexual. loss of libido… ED.

#19

Get plenty of rest, try not to stress (not easy, we understand), DO NOT MASTURBATE TOO MUCH -this is what caused me to crash. Also, no drinking or illegal drugs -some other members report this made them worse. Try to get some light excercise, eat clean and organic fruits and veges, etc. Consider getting your bloodwork done and start researching PFS docs just in case.

#20

Heyder,

I would suggest either filling in the profile sheet detailing how long you took the medicine and other particulars or trying to be a little more detailed with what you are experiencing. I’m not sure how many of the member stories you read, but there are a ton of sides caused from this drug, that you might not correlate to the medicine and yet still experiencing. Such as eye sensativity to light and wind.

I would suggest getting a complete hormone profile from a doctor as soon as possible. Be as thorough as possible with what you include. There are two lists that can be found on the main page listing possible hormones to test. At least once you have this, then we have an idea which hormones you should be looking at.