Long time lurker, first time poster. So I have used propecia for the first time back in 2003 when I was 23years old because of insecured I was about my thinning hair. I still recall when I first noticed how my sex drive has plummeted when making out with gf without even realizing the root cause.
I never really understood what was really happening with me and I kept using propecia on and off for years. I do remember, however, that my libido has always partially returned when I quit the drug but this did not happen the last time I discontinued the drug back in 2007.
After seeing several endos and had countless bloodwork done they all concluded that nothing was wrong with me and that its all in my head. I just didn’t know how to argue with them since my total t, e2, prolactin, were all within lab ranges. This was when I decided to self medicate, I was so depressed and lonely and no one ever could understand the suffering I was going through.
Fast forward, I started weight lifting in 2008 in an attempt to raise my t levels and eventually decided to try weekly testosterone injections. If my memory serves me correct, it was sustanon 250 which consisted of 4 esters that would last for a month. I coupled that with 0.5mg arimdix ED and 50mg proviron and boom my sex drive went through the roof. It never felt better!!! morning wood also came back full fledge!!
Its like my body has only responded to supraphysiological testosterone levels along with an AI and proviron. Could this possibly be due to androgen resistance induced by finesteride? IDK for sure.
My testosterone cycle lasted for 16 weeks despite my feeling of never wanting to go off lest of PFS terrible sides reoccurring. Yes I crashed badly afterwards and decided to run a post cycle therapy.
Another aggressive approach that I attempted was the introduction of HGH (2 IU per day) in addition to addition to 25-50mg proviron. Again my sex drive has returned!!
Please be advised that I’m in noway advocating the use of testosterone or any other drugs for that matter. Its just that I’m trying to figure out why my body is only responding to very high levels of testosterone/DHT whereas I was totally fine before I have used propecia for first time?
This also proves that androgen receptors have not been damaged as some have argued but it could be that my body is not converting enough t to dht. Because in both times I used T injections/Proviron and HGH injections/Proviron (notice proviron was common) my hairloss has accelerated and my libido was sky high!
Hence, there must be some sort of a way to upregulate 5AR to optimize t to dht conversion and/or increase androgens sensitivity if that ever possible.
Now, it has been several years since I discontinued propecia but yet my libido has not fully returned.