i feel like research is missing a key point or action. why is it that, SSRI, Finasteride, and Accutane, all give the exact same persistent side effects? wouldn’t it be much easier for studies that compare all three of these drugs make research 1000x easier? there is obviously common factors in play between these drugs, something specifically is being affected. i believe studies that would focus on all three of these drugs, could come to a reasoning so much quicker. just my thoughts. let me know what you guys think
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We agree that it’s likely that once the mechanism is understood, we’ll be able to see the effect being triggered by a number of substances.
It is likely that - as has been repeatedly said, many, many times here, that PFS is PAS is PSSD, etc. And that is why we welcome patients who have used different substances.
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i understands that. i’m just saying that comparing the similarities between these drugs from a research perspective seems like it would be a much more efficient way of getting answers.
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Agreed completely. Also, we should look at what’s similar between all our DNA. What makes us so susceptible.
well there are plenty of people who get side effects from a single pill, then there are those who only get side effects after years, or when stopping of the drug. i don’t think it’s about our DNA specifically. i just think it’s about a switch flicking sort of thing. i have a weird theory of how it completely reverses the norm of a person. for example. before i developed this condition i was a very anxious person, and had intense OCD. after this started, my OCD and anxiety disappeared. however i do see a lot of people that develop heavy anxiety, or social anxiety when this occurs for them
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Fair enough and I’m one of those people technically. 3 pills for me. Interesting theory about reversing the norm. I’m extremely analytical/OCD myself, it’s a double edged sword, helps me with work at least. Was opposite for first several months, now back in overdrive. Same with sex. Have always been hypersexual, except the past six months or so, suddenly back to thinking about it incessantly.
that’s very interesting. earlier this summer my ocd, and anxiety came back in an alarming way. during this time my sex drive also came back to an extent. and i was more interested in things. my sleep was also better. it’s a very strange condition, i wish i could just be a normal person already!
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We have the same dream, my friend 
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do you struggle with emotional disconnect, and low drive for basically anything as well?
My drive has never left. I got depressed for a little bit, but that was quickly replaced with anger and adrenaline to find a solution. For the first several months, I had a terrible emotional disconnect. I felt like a bad actor. I knew the emotions to “fake”, but had nothing behind them. I knew to hug someone, but didn’t get that warmth or buzz. I knew to get upset and yell, but didn’t really feel angry. That’s slowly come back albeit not completely just yet, but I must say the scariest ones…were humor/wit and the enjoyment of things. If nothing else, that’s what preserves our sanity. Initially, I’d watch my favorite movie/show, listen to my favorite album and/or play my favorite game…I felt nothing. Well, not nothing, just dread and fear. Like when you knew you were about get caught doing something bad as a kid lol - hope that makes sense. Slowly but surely, that’s all come back. I’m cracking jokes again, delivering what I feel are witty remarks lol and best of all, just yesterday, I heard one of my favorite songs and got goosebumps. That’s the first time that’s happened (since things started). I’m still deteriorating physically, so it’s not all positive, but some how some way, I’ll turn that back on soon. Last but not least, as sex drive has come back, my desire to love and be loved (even in non-sexual ways) seems to have returned as well. Hope this helps.
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Another convalescent will be born!
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sorry to hear about the deterioration. but it does seem like the positives are outweighing the negatives for you. i hope you can make a completely recovery in the near future. sometimes i think my obsession with fixing myself is causing me to not make any progress. i just don’t know at the same time. it’s so crazy to think that we’re in the year 2021 and people are still getting destroyed by these drugs. i actually talked to my doctor today that prescribed me accutane, and told me not to look up anything online about it. i told her that it ruined my life. she basically just discredited everything i said and didn’t believe me one bit. and just kept asking me to rate my depression. it’s so disheartening that i put my trust in a complete stranger. i wish that i was taught as a kid to not take pharmaceutical drugs rather than them telling me not to smoke weed
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Thanks buddy, you too
Hi!
The PFS Network team and the scientists we are in contact with are seeing the similarities. We have been saying for years that PFS, Post-SSRI, Post-Accutane etc. are likely the same problem. The stories from Post-Fin/SSRI/Accutane patients are largely interchangeable. We have collected hundreds of questionnaires from all group, which give remarkably similar data. And, obviously, there is a shared property between all three substances (as well as others, e.g. Saw Palmetto): anti-androgenic action.
@Axolotl has discussed the similarities in his literature review: https://www.propeciahelp.com/pfs-manifestation-of-a-post-androgen-deprivation-syndrome-following-exposure-to-substances-with-antiandrogenic-effects/
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i appreciate this reply. as someone who has been in the gaming world and video editing, i want to get involved in this forum. i was wondering if i could do something to create videos for your youtube channel with accutane people, like mitch is doing with pfs people. i think that we should maximize the video distribution to create some traction, i think there is a ton of accutane people that would be extremely attracted to this
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Thank you, my friend. I very much appreciate the support. I could not agree more with your sentiments. Every single one. 2021 and no cure or even the drug off the market, it’s insanity. Reading your story about your doctor breaks my heart. I went thru the same EXACT thing. Please tell her to go pound sand and find someone else. I love how they try to pin everything on depression and psychosomatic illness. I had my doctor tell me that maybe my penis was always that way. Doctors are not infallible and most, like with any profession, are not that particularly intelligent, remarkable or talented. Most can just quote journals, I prefer to speak to someone who writes them. I told my former dermatologist, who kept trying to ram their degree down my throat, that the Clinique counter called, they’ve accepted your application. Agreed, weed never killed anyone. I’m of the personal belief that street drugs should be legal. It’s our choice and our bodies. Pharma is where the evil is. You are actively lied to by sales reps, I mean doctors, and then gaslighted if anything goes wrong. Ugh!
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i’m sorry to hear you went through similarities. it’s just disrespectful the way we are treated. at the end of the day i wish they could at least own up to their mistakes and at least give me some sympathy. i always thought of doctors like they were the best thing ever. now i can’t stand them. i hate the fact that i listened to her and didn’t do my own research
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Right with you, brother. Normally, I’m always doubtful, almost paranoid, especially with doctors. I am kicking myself for not doing the research. Here’s what really sucks for me, I stupidly did not look up the Tretinoin Cream (which started all this), but that only caused the hair loss. I then did research Finasteride and thankfully avoided it, I ALSO researched Saw Palmetto, but honestly could not find anything bad until after those three pills…I found this website. I totally agree about these doctors not owning up to mistakes, worse yet, you and I know, they are still prescribing this crap and getting kickbacks.
IMHO, we need to start suing the individual doctors (or “health” stores/websites). That will scare the living shit out of them. If a drug gets pulled, they don’t lose their license and get away with it. Not if you sue directly…which I’m already prepping for…
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i wish suing were a possibility. i believe doctors are protected by some sort of law, if that wasn’t the case i dont think that doctors would exist tbh, they would all be out of a job for prescribing people these things without actually knowing how they work
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It’s difficult, but not impossible. My lawyer, who already works for me in another capacity, is (along with some colleagues) on it 
There is an entire field of medical malpractice. Third leading cause of death in the US.
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