How did people quit?

General Discussion
#3

Personally, I and some others quit cold turkey, but there are others who weened off and still had problems… most likely due to the flat dosage response of the drug, as noted in the “Study of the FDA Files on Propecia” in teh Finasteride Studies section… ie, anything above 0.02mg inhibits pretty much the same amount of DHT, and you can’t really get anything less than 0.125mg (Propecia cut into 8ths).

But the only way to know for sure how people quit is to take a poll. So I’ve created one and added it to this post.

#4

Thats a good idea , thanks for that Mew

#5

I took a half of the 5mg of proscar every night for years. (that doctor has been dismissed for malpractice involving a surgery a couple of years ago).
I have quit cold turkey for 4 days now…I will see another doctor on Monday and have him check my prostate and I am returning the poison as well. i
will update as I go as I am probably the worst case senario on this form.
I started propecia in 1998 and was introduced to proscar probably 2 or 3 years later…yes I am praying.

#6

Has anyone actually weened off and found themselves in bigger trouble? There doesn’t seem to be anyone. If there’s one thing we now for certain it’s that how you quit determines what happens next.

#7

This is the thing that I was looking for today. I’m wondering if you still have the same view of this, Mew.

#8

i quit cold turkey but have been wondering also if weening off over months is a better option…

#9

Wish I had tapered the dose it would likely have saved my dick and not gotten me hypogonadism. :cry: Look through the stories everyone has done this! You read about the effects of just stopping anti-depressants but they’re nothing compared to this…
Guys on hair loss forums ween off and have no problems. I don’t buy the ‘flat standard dosage’ argument because in practice many users seem to reduce dosage and report less side effects.

#10

in retrospect, I tend to believe it would have been better to gradually reduce consumption. Nonetheless, I am curious where you have seen accounts from people who weened off FIN and exp. less side effects. this site or others?

#11

Other hair loss forums, where some also advise others to do so.
There is a user ‘Chris11’ on here who weened off and got the worst sexual sides but he did say things ‘got a bit worse’ after he stopped which doesn’t suggest the big crash many of us get.

#12

I have been taking Propecia during 10 days and quit cold turkey because of severe side effects from day 9 on. Now I read all the stuff about weening off the drug. Is it advisable to ween off even after taking the drug only 10 days? I’m on my 3rd day off and considering taking maybe half a pill or something to avoid the infamous crash…Should I try that?

#13

^Yes.

#14

Hi guys,

I’m a 27 year old guy who started on 1.25mg Finasteride just 3 days ago. I noticed erectile dysfunction after just 1 day, and after discovering all this permanent side effect stuff online, I’ve decided to quit Finasteride.

I note that the general feeling here seems to be that weening off the drug is the safer thing to do, but I’ve only been taking it for 3 days. Can anyone recommend a ‘weening profile’ for me? How quickly should I reduce the dose? How about half a dose every second day for 4 or 6 days, then a quarter, then none? Or should I just go cold turkey and hope that my body will return to normal after the brief DHT inhibition trauma?

Any research/experience-based advice will be hugely appreciated.

Thanks and best wishes.

#15

3 days, I’d just stop. But that’s just me.

#16

3 days is too short to worry about weening off. Just don’t take anymore and hope the effects are temporary…

#17

Can someone recommend a process for weening off? I came across this forum today and was ready to quit cold turkey starting tomororw, but I’m wondering what exact process you guys recommend for weening? Not sure how gradually I should ween off.
Right now I’m taking 1/4 proscar (1.25 mg) daily.

Is the following a reasonable plan for cutting it down?

  1. Reduce to 1/4 pill every other day for 1 week.
  2. Then, reduce to 1/8 pill every other day for 1 week.
  3. Then, reduce to 1/8 pill every 4 days for 2 weeks.
  4. Then, reduce to 1/8 pill once a week for 2 weeks.
#18

Review FAQ, section 5: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=7

This post provides additional info: viewtopic.php?f=32&t=4338

Considering Finasteride inhibition kinetics (7-10 days DHT surpression after single dose), it would appear spacing out dosages makes the most sense if you plan to ween.

#19

I quit cold turkey - months ago - but I am still suffering the effects - this is my first post to this board and now I want to learn as much as I can - see what can be done to fix the problems caused - which are also causing me relationship problems as well - and then see what is being done to pursue the scumbags who produce this drug - whether it be by class action or whatever else…

I used the drug for 9 months - for hair loss - a quarter of a tablet a day for approximately 9 months - and then went off it cold turkey as soon as I discovered that it had caused me problems - the funny thing is that it was because the vascular surgeon I went to indicated to me that the Proscar I was taking had probably caused my thrombophlebitis - and it was only when I went online to do further research on this I also realized that this drug had caused me other problems along the lines of those discussed here…

One thing for sure - at 100 dollars Australian a packet I got a lot for my money :frowning:

#20

cold turkey. I don’t think tapering would have made a huge difference. When I finally realized I could not get an erection, my body was too far gone.

#21

Yeah, me either. Stopped using fin five months ago, suddenly. I didn’t have a “crash” like most here are telling. I’m doing fine in regards to sexual activity.

#22

I posted a bio of my situation but it has not yet been approved by the mods. I am 22. Basically, I quit cold turkey after being on Propecia/Fin for 4 years because I wasnt getting random errections or morning wood. I felt fine (everything was back to normal) week 1, 2 and 3 but yesterday I believe that I had the “crash” that people have spoken of. I have lost all libido, random/night errections, very fatigued and sweaty. Any errection that I can get is weak and the semen is wattery. My testicles ache and top of my head is burning. My question to the members of propeciahelp that quit cold turkey. Would you go back on with the intention of weening off over a couple of months if you had the chance or am I already screwed because of the crash? Any help or insight you can give me would be wonderful.

Thank you.