Another point I’m curious about, among the guys who are having long-lasting sexual dysfunction after discontinuing finasteride, what is happening with your hair loss after you stop the drug? It seems to me that if your hair loss resumes after discontinuing finasteride, that would suggest you are making DHT and it is able to have some effect, whereas if your hair loss does not resume, maybe your DHT really is still “turned off” (whether at the level of synthesis, bioavailability, or receptor availability). In other words, seems like hair loss would be an indicator of DHT activity.
By the way, here’s my story: I tried finasteride (1 mg once a day) for hair loss, and by the second or third day, I was barely able to achieve erection, even with masturbation (sorry if that’s too much information). This was a big change for me. It was very sudden onset and quite dramatic. I continued taking it for a couple more days, just to see if the side effects would go away, but they did not. I guess I used finasteride for maybe a total of 5 days or so. It’s been about a week since I stopped taking it, and this morning was the first time I’ve actually woken up with a semi-decent erection since the problem first started. As recent as yesterday, I was still barely able to achieve erection. I’m really hoping that the effects are only going to be temporary since I only took it for a brief time. It’s really freaking me out in the meantime (and I guess the anxiety doesn’t help my “tumescence problem”). I’ve even ordered Levitra to see if that will help. I’m a medical student and a former neuroscience researcher, so I have a rudimentary understanding of the endocrinology/physiology involved (but I know sometimes a little knowledge is worse than no knowledge!). Anyway, hopefully somebody will address this issue with real clinical research…I’m shocked there’s not a more robust advocacy!
