28 years old, 5’10, 195 lbs
Okay, I first started taking duasteride around 2.5 years ago. Sides were minimal at first only thing I can remember was a weird feeling like warm water in the back of my head. I also had very weird dreams remarkably unusual that coincided with the strange feeling in the back of my head. This was short term. I was on duasteride for about 1.5 years and it was working fine. I decided that I wasn’t sure what the long term effects would be with the more “powerful” DHT blocker and decided to go with Finasteride. I transitioned to finasteride with no sides for about 1 year then was off it for a couple months (no reason just didn’t take’em). After a couple months I started taking finasteride again. That is when everything changed.
About a week later after starting back on Finasteride the mental fog started, this was around 12/07. The symptoms include mild dizziness, confusion, vision problems (mild), difficulty concentrating or articulating, and fatigue. After a few weeks of dealing with this pretty much every day, I went to my general physician for a check up. Everything checked out ok and blood tested fine. I had a non specific blood test done for liver functions, blood sugar etc. The symptoms continued then I started getting more severe fatigue and the heart problems started.
The mental fog was one thing; mental fog with heart issues is too much to deal with. I’d describe the heart problems as palpitations and fatiguing easily, shortness of breath and pain behind/around the sternum. I was working out 3 to 4 days a week cardio and weights up until December and I am in good shape so this was cause for concern. I would also feel sick after playing a few games basketball and would have to rest. This prompted my second trip to the Dr. Once again, same check up, heart fine same blood test everything positive, resting heart rate around 78. However, he decided that I should see a heart specialist to be safe and it was scheduled for April 10th. Being the genius that I am I decided to test what would happen if I took finasteride again just one day to note the effects….I felt great. As if everything was back to normal. I mean completely back to normal. This caused me to cancel my appointment with the heart specialist (stupid move) and I continued taking it for the past week.
The past few days while still on finasteride the symptoms continued again. I took .25mg yesterday and the same 1 day before. I had taken my last full 1mg pill Saturday, essentially trying to gradually stop taking it. Today I think I have decided to stop taking it entirely and I am rescheduling the appointment with the specialist.
It is comforting to know that others share the same symptoms with the mental fog, but has anyone else had these similar heart issues? My family has a history of heart murmurs but no history of heart disease. My mother’s heart murmur started bothering her when she was 19 years old and really only causes problems on occasion.
Any input would be great, btw I regret some of my recklessness, starting dutas first, starting fin again etc.
I am currently at work and felt up to posting this today, other days bleh!