Hi, I began taking Propecia about 4 years ago and for a while had no problem ejaculating, and only noticed minimal changes in my sex drive. A little less than a year ago I began to notice I had a slightly lower volume of ejaculate, and it was a bit more watery. Shortly after, I found as I reached climax, I would orgasm but the contractions would sort of come to a halt about 3/4 way through orgasm and very little if any semen if any would be released. At first I thought of the commonly mentioned side effect of decreased ejaculate volume, but there was clearly ejaculate still in there that didn’t make it all the way out, as when I squeezed hard around the base of the shaft and worked slowly up like a tube of toothpaste and bent it downward it would release a fairly decent and solid white amount of ejaculate. I am wondering what could be inhibiting ejaculation or keeping the contractions from forcing the sperm out? It feels much more physical than mental, as I am able to get horny and into it all the way up until ejaculation and am even able to get most of an orgasm.
Are you still on Finasteride? If so I would advise you to discontinue the drug if you are having such problems.
Your prostate plays a huge role in maintaining penile tissue health and providing the fluids that make up ejaculate. Check the links at top of Sex Drive & Erectile Dysfunction subforum for info about what happens to guys’ penile tissues/erection function and ejaculate force, after they have had their prostates removed due to prostate cancer (prostatectomy).
Finasteride chemically castrates and involutes (loss of function)/atrophies the prostate via a process known as apoptosis (cell death), by inhibiting the 5AR2 enzyme (found predominantly in the prostate, but also genital tissues, seminal vesicles, liver and of course, hair) and thus, DHT.
The prostate needs DHT for proper function, and by inhibiting DHT with Finasteride, many men taking the drug experience reduced ejaculate volume, force and urinary incontinence as a result.
More info on these processes:
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1402
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=201
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=586
Also suggest you read FAQ at top of this site and the Finasteride Studies section so you can better understand what you are doing to yourself with this drug.
Thanks. Have you ever heard of anything specifically like I described? I am also taking the antidepressants Zoloft and Anfranil. I take straterra for ADD. I know the antidepressants are known to have similar sexual side effects to Propecia, is there a chance that these could be causing my problem? I would prefer to stop taking these antidpressants as I have been planning on trying to get off of them and the propecia has been fairly helpful I think in preventing hair loss so I am hesitant to stop taking it as I am still able to get a full erection and for the most part orgasm.
Yes, I experienced something similar myself. Would ejaculate and semen would simply ooze out, if at all.
Others have experienced painful ejaculation issues: propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1318
Yes, many anti depressants can cause sexual side effects of their own, some of which may not resolve after quitting for some men… similar to the problems ex-Finasteride users have.
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1457
Possibly but I’d more than bet Finasteride is the issue since it DIRECTLY targets and destroys the prostate, and the side effects you mention are listed by Merck themselves.
Just FYI – Finasteride has been linked with inducing depressive symptoms in some men.
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38
Hopefully you aren’t taking antidepressants to combat potentially Finasteride-induced depression.
Well if you are hesitant to stop taking it then all of what I have said above is of no use to you. Unless you stop, you’ll never know if things will improve or not.
If I were you I’d drop all medications, and choose a safer way to maintain your hair (visit hairloss sites for discussion… Rogaine, Nizoral, Revivogen are options).
Good luck with whatever you decide.
I think I have figured out my problem. I just started looking into peyronies disease and realized that the spongy tube encasing the urethra on the underside of my penis : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_spongiosum_penis protrudes slightly forming a bit of a curve (although it always has to a degree but I’ve read this is normal) and seems to be blocking the emission of semen during ejaculation. The very slight curve throbs and and the corpus spongiosum protrudes when I am about to ejaculate and everything stays in as a result. If I squeeze at the bottom of my penis during this process and gradually move it up applying pressure to the underside semen comes out as if it is trapped in there and only some of it comes out when forced. Is peyronies disease capable of producing such a problem, or is there something else that causes this?
I don’t know if Peyronie’s can cause that but some Finasteride users have reported Peyronie’s Disease and fibrotic tissue changes after taking the drug.
The following may provide insights into why:
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewt … =7376#7376
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=59
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=993
It seems to me you are simply self-diagnosing yourself at this stage… you should make an appointment with a Urologist if you are concerned, and get a doppler ultrasound done to check for veinous leakage, fibrosis, and bloodflow issues.
Also, visit peyroniesforum.net for more info on Peyronie’s if you want to learn more.
Cheers.
I am self-diagnosing, because I went to a urologist and he basically just gave me a routine bullshit checkup and didn’t really answer or give credibility to any of my questions and concerns. I honestly felt completely unsatisfied leaving there, like he didn’t have a solid understanding of my situation. I have never been so frustrated leaving a doctor, especially a specialist - there are only so many parts to the penis, it should not have been that difficult for him to understand exactly what I was describing, after practicing for 30 years. I was pissed, because it is hard to go back and get a second shot at re-explaining my problem from scratch, he thinks he already understands it when he doesn’t. He simply wrote it off as lower volume of ejaculate, when there clearly was still fluid in the urethra that wasn’t getting out. I don’t know what to do, I almost feel like there is no one I can talk to. Can those tests you described determine if I have tissue disruption or plaque or any kind of excess tissue causing blockage or symptom of peyronies?
Well, then I would read the various studies on this forum, print them out and bring them with you to prove your case if need be… or consider seeing a Peyronie’s Specialist, as listed here:
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746
peyroniesassociation.org/x.p … ian_Finder
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=997
If you are dealing with issues from this drug (and you won’t know until you actually QUIT if your problems are from the drug, or the antidepressants… hence why I would recommend you take a break from all medications and see if things improve), you will find it VERY difficult to prove your case with ignorant doctors UNLESS you backup your claims with printed research, with highlighted passages to prove your points.
But what would that do once you “proved” your case? Why would you have to prove yourself to someone you are paying to treat you - shouldn’t they be able to examine to the fullest extent to deduce what the problem is? And if you do bring in proof, then what can they do?
You just told me the guy didn’t address your concerns. With research to back you up, you’d have a case for him to investigate further as to WHY you believe the things you do.
As you have just mentioned, NO, often they don’t. Docs only seem to treat what they know, they are not very good with “unknowns”.
When it comes to Post-Finasteride issues, many docs/endos/uros are in the dark about the true and multifactorial mechanisms of action this drug has, and the damage it can wreak on the body across numerous areas (hormonal, hepatic, neurological, physical). Hence the Finasteride Studies section of this site, showing what it can potentially affect.
Take you seriously and investigate further on your behalf, as just mentioned.
And believe that what you are telling them is not “in your head”, as you will likely be told by uninformed medical professionals that have not investigated the potential damage this medication can cause.
Anyway, I think I’ve said enough here, if you are content to take Finasteride despite all the research on this forum and the problems you are experiencing, I don’t know what else to tell you. Unless you quit, this site will be of little value to you since you will probably continue to have the same issues until you do.
Ok, one more thing - what tests can determine if I have tissue disruption or plaque or any kind of excess tissue causing blockage or symptom of peyronies?
mayoclinic.com/health/peyron … -diagnosis
If you tire of wasting time with Uro’s and you are convinced you have Peyronie’s, go see one of the specialists I linked to you in the previous posts above.
i hv been under 2% minoxidil for about 2 months with sexual sideeffects for about a month…i feel that i have a poor ejaculation…Its been six months since i stopped using it…but still i didn recover…i need to know how long it will take further for complete recovery?