HELP! Horrible physical symtoms ( severe severe dry skin, aging, muscle loss)

Member Stories
#36

Hi, guys.

I come to you with news. I finally got results for my blood test. It is still pending confirmation of DHEA and DHT levels. But so far I have obtained something very interesting.

In view of this I would appreciate it if you could help me see what has happened in my body

Pre Finasteride Test:

TSH 1.02
FREE T4 1.09
Testosterone 7.04

Post Finasteride test:

FSH 4.04 mUI/ml (1.5 - 12.4)
LH 5.88 mUI/ml (1.7 - 8.6)
17-Beta estradiol 51.60 pg/ml (11.3 - 43.2) ***
Progesterone 0.35 ng/ml (0.05 - 0.149)
Prolactin 9.69 ng/ml (4.04 - 15.2)
Intact Parathormone 46.60 pg/ml (15 - 65)
Testosterone 8.08 ng/ml (2.49 - 8.36)
Free Testosterone 130.10 pg/ml (54.7 - 190.63)
Delta-4 Androstendiona 2.23 ng/ml (0.6 - 3.1)
ACTH 22.40 pg/ml (7.2 - 63.3)
cortisol 14.00 ug/dL (4.82 - 19)
25-HIDROXI VITAMINE D 15 ng/mL ( >30)

HDL Cholesterol 50 mg/dl ( >55)
Hydroxyprogesterone 17-alpha
IGF-I (Somatomedin C) 162.00 ng/ml (109 - 257)
Insulin 5.62 µI/ml (2.6 - 24.9)
Serum SHBG (Sex hormone 50.30 nmol/l (18.3 - 54.1)
binding globulin)

Thyroid Profile

Anti Microsomal TPO <9 IU/ml (Inf. 34) Negative
TSH 0.87 µUI/ml (0.4 - 4.5)
Free T4 1.16 (0.7 -1.9)
Anti Thyroglobulin (TG) 10.90 IU/ml (Inf. 115) Negative

High levels of progesterone (x3), estradiol, low vitamin D and HDL and testosterone slightly higher than before starting finasteride

What do you think? Are they typical of pfs?

#37

After seeing my blood tests my IGF1 values seem normal. I really don’t know what steps to take from now on.

I would like to at least regain the elasticity of the skin and the loss of subcutaneous fat in the face. I have especially dry and wrinkled skin on my hands and feet since I left finasteride.

Do you recommend it in my case too? I’m having a very bad time and lately I’m only thinking of killing myself.

#38

I got news for you guys.

I was with an endocrinologist yesterday who specializes in PFS. He recommended me to start with a treatment to be able to revert the symptoms, however I don’t trust it completely and reading experiences of the forum I don’t know if this will be a good treatment. The treatment would consist of testosterone injections every 21 days (but I don’t think that’s reliable knowing that I have high testosterone)

The regime would be:

  • Testosterone injections 250mg every 21 days (5 in total)
  • injections of follicle-stimulating gonadotrophin (FSH) and luteostimulating gonadotrophin every 21 days (HMG LEPORI)

Tamoxifen 20mg daily
cialis 5mg daily
bupropion 150mg

I’m actually quite doubtful about the treatment. I think it’s been a short time since I left treatment and I don’t know if this could make things worse. I told the doctor several times that I didn’t understand about injecting testosterone with high levels…

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#39

Your test is already near the upper range. What is the point of getting the test shot?

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#40

I don’t understand it very well either. He told me that the idea was to reverse the whole process “backwards”. I’m going to ask for a second opinion, since I see that it’s quite far from the stories I’ve read in the forum. In other words, it would be better to wait for the moment.

I got another blood test result today and of course it is also wrong … it gives me a very high value. The worst thing of all that in my case the endocrines do not know how to interpret it

Hydroxyprogesterone 17-alpha: 2.61 (0.05-1.6)

#41

Dr. Erwin Goldstein could always give you a second opinion. I am skeptical of these doctors that pretend to know so much about PSSD, PFS, PAS. If it were that easy then this forum would have found out the solution long ago.

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#42

Would you be comfortable sharing the name of the doctor? There currently aren’t really clinical PFS specialists insofar as researchers with the greatest insights into the condition all say much the same thing: we don’t know definitively why it’s happening and more research is required. I doubt any doctor cognizant of the existing literature on the condition would be positing treatments to reverse the symptoms (I believe doctors like Goldstein acknowledge that they’re just trying traditional endocrine therapies in the hope something sticks). You are right to be highly sceptical of the “treatment” he has proposed. For more on why increasing your androgens exogenously might not be the best approach

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#43

I finally refused to do that kind of treatment. If you want to know about the doctor I can send you an MP, however from my impression I do not recommend it.

Recently, I told him about my doubts, and he proposed a different treatment: HCG every month and clomid with tamoxifen diary in order to restart HPTA. This approach sounds better.

On the other hand I comment that my case is evolving very badly. I have been suffering for a few weeks with very strong pain in the penis, un flaccid state feels hard and I feel also the muscles in the pelvic area are very soft. The skin symptoms have not improved and I still have very dry skin (I don’t think this symptom will ever get better).

I have repeated the tests a few days ago and I have been surprised: testosterone and estradiol is still higher than in the last tests.
Testosterone 9 (2.49 - 8.36) previous was 8
estradiol 65 (<40) previous 51
The only thing that has improved is the progesterone which is already within the range.

If you want I can share my last complete analysis. My theory is that my body is still functioning as if the finasteride were still in my body. I believe there is a clear relationship between Blood test and my worsening.

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#44

It’s much more likely that your AR and ER are silenced, so even with exogen TRT, you can’t see improvements.
In my situation, TRT worsened my situation.

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#45

Did you check your Test level pre-TRT ? i think people with a test level in the 600s range shouldn’t use TRT

#46

Yes, my pre-finasteride testosterone levels were lower (7). I find it very curious that when I stopped the medication and repeated it a month, they were at 8 and now three months later at 9.

I suppose in my case it would make sense to try clomid or some aromatase inhibitor with HCG. I’ve seen several such recoveries. However, I think that might further decompensate testosterone.

I don’t know what protocol to follow, maybe one option would be to go natural and use a DIM supplement.

#47

Clomid will raise your estrogen throught raising your testosterone , it has the same mechanism as hcg or TRT and dim is a 5ar inhibitor , it’ll crush your dht just like finasteride , if your E2 is in the normal range then i’d suggest you to use small dose of clomid in combination with hcg without using an AI inhibitor

#48

Please I need help. this is a fucking nightmare. Even more wrinkles are appearing on my hands and on the soles of my feet. Can someone recommend me what to do?

My strengths is starting to run out. In the last analyzes I have given me that rise in testosterone and estradiol above the normal range and I do not know if this is making my condition worse. I can no longer with dry skin, I do not stop aging for days.

#49

sad to hear this bro,

its disheartening to say but remember it could always be worse. by this i mean there are forum members that started up bad and ended up even worse after some kind of selftreatment…

give it 6 months minimum, then if your willing to risk it, try some regiment.

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#50

I’m sorry this is happening to you, I too have acquired wrinkles all over my face, it’s aged me substantially I find it very difficult to look in the mirror.

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#51

Takes time before 5ar enzimes comes back online again, despite short half life of finasteride. Dot touch anything and wait some months.
For how long have you been off propecia?

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#52

Symptom updates:

I have been getting worse and many of you have already warned me since I stopped finasteride. In the last few months the following have appeared:

  • Loss of fat in the pubis
  • Many changes in the tissues of the penis (it is out very rare) and a urologist has confirmed after an eco-doppler that I have peyronie. I have continuous pain (the worst symptom by far)
  • The skin all over my body has continued to degrade, it’s extremely dry and looks like an old man’s (more and more)
  • Pain in the joints of the hands and very severe muscle atrophy.
  • Loss of motivation and desire to continue living. I feel like an old person.

As far as I can see I am one of the most severe cases on the forum. I think I’m going to have to go the hormonal way.

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#53

Having experienced the same and suffered with it for so many years, I’ve only now found mild relief and improvement with hCG. I prefer that over testosterone, because TRT seems to be a lifelong commitment, and has its own side effects.

I have not a experienced anything negative during the 4 months I’ve been on hCG, and only wish I started it years ago.

Tread very carefully with hormones.

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#54

Have you done a bloodwork ?

#55

Hey,
You are not the only one. I experience the same issue now after stopping Fin 2.5 years ago

My skin is getting thinner and more wrinkly even compared to my parents which are now 60! (I am 34!). This is crazy

I tried different things which did not work yet:
-Hylauronic Acid creme made me crash
-Retinol creme made me crash

  • Botox injections help a little with the mimic wrinkles but not with the lost collagen wrinkles
  • Avoid sunburns at alle costs
  • Standard Sun Creme has Antiandrogen chemicals that made me crash too
  • Stay away from ablative Erbium Lasers, they made my wrinkles definitely worse, even if the Derm said “its impossible”

Argan and Coconut Oil moisture a little bit without crashing.
I may test pure Vitamin C Serum until I recover from my last crash

Wish you all a good recovery

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