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Where are you from (country)?
A: UK -
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?)
A: Internet. Google search: finasteride. -
What is your current age, height, weight?
A: I’m currently 35, 5ft 10inches and 10 stones 7llb -
Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
A: I walk a lot and I’m trying to go to the gym 3 times a week, but I do not always achieve this. -
What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
A: Meat eater. I’ve tried to eat more healthy since PFS. -
Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
A: Hair loss. -
For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
A: Less than a month. -
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?
A: I was 32 when I started taking finasteride. July 2015 -
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
A: I was 32 when I stopped taking it. July ,2015 -
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
A: Tapered for a few days, but then cold turkey -
What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
A: Propecia -
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
A: 1mg every day, but only for a few days then 0.5mg and 0.25mg, but I took for less than a month in total. -
How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
A: I felt pain in my balls after first tablet. I just new something was wrong, ignored it for as long as I can. I really started to notice in August 2015. -
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
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[X] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[X] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[X] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[X] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[X] 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)
[ ] 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
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
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What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
A: Eat healthy and I’ve reduced alcohol (had too as taking a non ssri anti depressant). Weightlifting. Pomegranate juice. Siladenfil and Taladenfil. Vitamin D, Zinc. -
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)?
A: I had some blood tests taken, but I never took before pfs, and so it is hard to compare.
Hi Everyone, I’ve been lurking around for a while and I’ve mainly been on the solve pfs site. I wanted to add my story so I could join Propecia help fully.
I’m 35 years old from the UK and I started taking Propecia very briefly in July 2015. I noticed ball ache straight away and it started to freak me out, but I persisted for a few days and cut the tablets in half. I sort of knew something wasn’t right for months, but just ignored it and thought everything would be ok in a few months. I realised this wasn’t going away and freaked out in April 2016.(I’d never felt as low as that before). My sides are pretty much sexual, difficulty getting and maintaining an erection, low libido. Reduced ejaculate volume and force etc. I think my dick has got thinner, but it may be in my head. I’ve had some slight emotional blunting and cognitive confusion, but this has mostly improved. I have been depressed but this is because of the sexual issues.
I had my first lab tests in March 2017 as per below, they noticed my Luteinising Hormone levels was high at 10.78 and I think my Testosterone is low at 14.9 nmol or 433 ng/dl:
D.H.E.A. SULPHATE 12.890 umol/L 0.44 - 13.40
FOLLICLE STIM. HORMONE 7.32 IU/L 1.50 - 12.40
LUTEINISING HORMONE *10.78 IU/L 1.70 - 8.60
TESTOSTERONE 14.9 nmol/L 7.60 - 31.40 (433 ng/dl ) US measurement or 4.33 ng/ml
FREE-TESTOSTERONE(CALCULATED) 0.327 nmol/L 0.30 - 1.00
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOB 28.48 nmol/L 16.00 - 55.00
FREE ANDROGEN INDEX 52.32 Ratio 24.00 - 104.00
17-BETA OESTRADIOL 80.3 pmol/L 0.00 - 191.99
I had a bit of a mental breakdown in April 2017, feeling suicidal etc. I told some family had some time away from work and took a non ssri anti depressant, and since then I have been much improved mentally and trying to make the most out of life. Over the last year I have had some good improvements in my sexual symptoms that I hope will continue. I also recently started a no fap cycle, (No porn or masturbation and despite some flat lining it has increased sensitivity/erections and libido.) I will continue with this. I’m hoping for a natural recovery. I fully support the foundations research efforts, but think its important to experiment with things that help improve symptoms in the meantime whilst we wait for more knowledge and possible treatments.