How should I quit? I have been taking it for 10+ years and I am not even sure if I have side effects

General Discussion
#1

So how should I quit? I have been taking 1mg propecia for about 11-13 years. I am still taking it. I don’t really have any side-effects that you guys mention, but I am concerned about cognition, memory, and depression which has been an issue of late. In that decade plus time on propecia, my libido never dropped or my penis shrink during that time. Every once and a while I would quit taking it for a period of a few months.

Maybe about 5 years into it, I was thinking that I had memory problems and I took nootropics and they helped. I blamed the memory issues on excessive stress and cafeine. And later in 2008, I had an adverse reaction to Cipro. And that caused IBS, arthritis, tendonitis, headaches, mental cognitive problems, memory problems, depression, intense pain and eventually depression.

So, keeping sharp and mentally clear and emotionally happy outweighs the superficial “looking good.”

I have some additional info:

I am a late 30s strong masculine looking guy and I have been tested for hormones twice. One of my doctors was concerned. “You seem to be carrying a lot of weight in your chest. I think you need to think about Propecia side effects. Lets test your hormones”. I came back in range, perhaps a little high on estrogen and he wasn’t concerned. I still went off of it for 9 months while and I seemed to have gotten more top heavy as I did.

You guys are all experts now. I have some questions:

Do I get off fast or slow? I want to do it slowly over a 6 month period.
Are there any supplements that I could be taking to increase my mental capacity?
If I get off of propecia, and I suffered from mental issues as a result from being on it, how much improvement should I expect after a year of being off of it?
Should I take things to increase my testosterone as I get off? GABA? Dopamine?
Will my estrogen increase as I get off of it?
How is my story different because I have been on this for such a long time?
What sorts of post use side effects will I have after I get off of propecia?
Should I take pregnalone while weaning off propecia?

#2

The fact you are still on the drug and not even sure if you have side effects, along with multiple other issues in your past, does not help your case.

For those with persistent side effects and Post-Finasteride Syndrome (likely a small minority of the Finasteride userbase), this typically occurs post-drug within 2-3 weeks of quitting, when Testosterone drops to hypogonadal levels after DHT supposedly comes back online.

There is no perfect answer. Review this thread: viewtopic.php?f=32&t=4338

Realize that the longer you take Finasteride the longer you inhibit 5AR and all vital processes downstream from the enzyme such as DHT and neurosteroid metabolism.

These are documented side effects of both androgen deprivation therapy as well as Finasteride’s inhibition of 5AR-derived neurosteroids (particularly Allopregnanolone), as noted in multiple scientific papers.

In 2010, Merck added depression as an official side effect to the product label.

Gynecomastia is a listed side effect of the drug. The drug has been linked to causing increased estradiol levels in men because Testosterone cannot metabolize to DHT as you are blocking 5AR2 with Finasteride. It therefore aromatizes to Estradiol instead.

This leads to an shift in the androgen/estrogen ratio to be in favor of estrogen. Weight gain, gynecomastia, feminine fat deposits etc can result. It is a feminizing drug and transexuals often add it to their regimens.

Unknown but review Natural Supplements section and Neurotransmitters section.

Nobody can predict the future. However, the longer you are off the drug the more time for your body to heal from its effects.

Unlikely, if anything it should go down after you stop because Testosterone should be converting to DHT once again.

Not sure of the point of this question. If you are currently suffering from cognitive dysfunction from the medication, get off. Doesn’t matter if one gets these issues within weeks, months or years, it’s a bad sign.

Most likely you will not have persistent issues as those with such problems are in the minority. If however you find things do not improve or continue to get worse within months of quitting, then you should re-evaluate your situation.

Pregnenolone? Consult with a doctor. Personally, I would not introduce any extra variables/hormones into your situation and just let your body adjust to coming off the drug. Get bloodwork before quitting and after to track what is going on.

#3

I thought I had cognitive dysfunction from another medication. But, maybe it was this one all along.

Ok, I know just the doctor to call who will get me the right blood work. What should I have my blood work tested for? I want to call him tomorrow. Then I can proceed to drop the propecia.

Also, in the past, I was tested for neurotransmitters by an alternative doctor. When I got the test results back it showed I was low in almost everything. Also, my cortisol was low in the morning and then was really high at night. Does this match what everyone else is getting that tests for it?

#4

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=92

There’s a recommended shortlist in there as well.

#5

It would be useful to the community, and if you can afford it, to test before quiting, one month after quiting, and 6 months after quiting, all of the following:

1.) 24 hour urinary steroid profile, Rhein Labs (requires doctors order)

2.) Testosterone, Dihyrdotestosterone, LH, FSH, and 3 alpha androstanediol glucuronide, SHBG, and androstanediol.

In this fashion, if you do develop additional side effects beyond the gynocomastia and cognitive issues, you will have a detailed test record of how your body reacted to coming off the drug. If you want to get fancy, add neurotransmitter testing before, after, and well after finasteride.

On edit, there is a sticky under Hormone Testing that talks about measuring androgen receptors using a provoking agent (danazol?) along with SHBG. That one would be great to do before and then at some time months afterward. Not sure what labs do it though.

#6

I would attribute what you have to sides from propecia, you just don’t realize it yet because you didn’t know what to look for. This is the problem with Merck’s inadequate labeling. Prior to ED and no libido can come cognitive problems and body swelling.

Please follow Kazman’s advice and get tested before stopping, 1 month off, and 6 months off. If you don’t and you develop persistent sides, which I’m betting you will given the cognitive problems, you will really regret not having the tests to judge future treatment options.

When you quit make sure you’re getting enough rest, eating a healthy PALEO diet, and getting moderate, low-impact exercise. Go for walks, do some light weight training, just don’t overtrain even if it feels good. Keep the workouts to 30 min or less. Just go for walks or light jogs early and late.

#7

Luckily, you are early with quitting this drug.

Yeah, this undoubtly sounds bit like what propecia can cause, however it’s far from the worse situations. Do follow other people’s advices in this topic but just remember that you won’t prolong your quitting out of treshold or inability to arreange the tests.
There are possibly many ways to try to heal your current cognitive state. As far as i know/have been in this place, most of recoveries were related to cognitive ones.

#8

very good observation. This is exactly how I went through.