I believe I have crashed a bit.

Member Stories
#1

Ok, Hello to everyone and my apologies to everyone struggling with this. I am a worry wart by nature and am terrified to come read the stories here. But I believe I need some direction and advice from any of you. I innocently took finasteride from June to mid august 2014. For a little over 2 months. Suddenly in the second month, it was difficult for me to get erect while masturbating. I went and checked out the sides and freaked especially when I saw these sides could be permanent. So I immediately through out the rest of the pack and hoped to avoid any crash. After a week or so off I started feeling better sexually like most do. I was good through september but then last week I went out for some beers for 2 nights out of the weekend and smoked a number of cigarettes. I also masturbated twice on sunday then went out with a girl and got semi hard with her. The next day I felt as though I had crashed. This past monday. My penis and balls just became weird again, shriveled, numbish also some ball pain. I am able to still get relatively erect to fully erect but it takes some effort. Now today I am feeling hot flashes and some muscle twitching. So I believe I am in some sort of crash state. I am a pretty fit 29 yo guy and I am not going to give in this crap very easily. So I have a few questions.

Does my relatively short time period on the drug mean that I will hopefully have shorter period of sides??

I have been drinking about 2 gallons of water a day and eat quite healthily, I also work a physical job and work out routinely. Are there any good cleanses and regimens to try and shorter the length of my sides?

Is it better to not masturbate?

Is it dangerous to take any hormonal aids to raise my t levels??

Thanks for reading guys, let’s beat this.

Time and getting "Better"
#2

See my initial post and then updates here. It’s important to see that not everyone gets PFS badly even after a crash. Stay positive, stay off the forums, and maybe try some of the things I mention in the thread.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9724

#3

Hey guys, I used to be on these forums 5 years ago but quit coming on bc they were only increasing my anxiety about my PFS… Going to give a short update and hopefully send some hope your way.

I used finasteride for 2-3 months when I was 29. Got the side effects then started looking to see if anyone else had similar issues. Sure enough stumbled upon all of the horror stories and was terrified to learn that side effects might be permanent. At that point I had all of the issues you guys complain of. I didnt sleep for 3 whole days, penis wouldn’t get fully hard. muscle twitches. This was the crash. Started sleeping again. Sexual side effects persisted and some muscle twitches. At that point I was in awesome physical health. running 6 minute miles, low bp. All that.

In the 4-5 years since I have gained 40 pounds bp is now high, 140’s (I note this bc I told my doc about my PFS and she said it may be a heart problem) But my bp is now higher and penis works better?? I have an understanding gf. Sometimes the sex works well sometimes not. I do wonder if my use of porn is causing me trouble here however too? Im very visually stimulated.

The biggest thing I want to say is I DO seem to be improving over time. Recently I have had some intense orgasms.I do think there is hope and you need to think about whether focusing so much on this is doing you more harm than good mentally? I suggest getting off of these sites for a short time. Go be ambitious, pick up a hobby. Anything to get your mind off of it. If the side effects are there then they are going to be there regardless. But this is absolutely not the end of your life and time CAN help you. I also want to say these forums are great and they are needed, I’m not trying to bash anyone helping each other. But I felt my anxiety decrease just by playing ignorant and carrying on like nothing happened. It was a conversation I had with myself. Good luck to all of you and don’t you dare let this define you too greatly. Theres plenty to look forward to each day you’re alive.

#4

Hi @Eaghead1, firstly, it’s great to hear you’re improved from your persistent effects. It’s great to hear many of your symptoms were psychosomatic. Please keep in mind that talking about PFS patients as “horror stories” is not something we are prepared to host here. Other patients are human beings and many have not been as lucky as you. We encourage a supportive environment for all patients no matter their condition and it is not productive or kind to discuss people this way, many who are suffering in a way you have not experienced. I recall your original post and what you described then and now is very far from “all” the issues experienced across patients. Sadly the consequences and symptoms of PFS are enormously variable and can be profound, and not everyone is lucky enough to be in your condition or improve with time.

Everyone here is doing their best and some in extremely severe conditions go out of their way to provide support and kindness to those far better off.

Best

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#5

understood. I honestly just recently got thinking about the guys on here and wanted to come back on to offer hope to them. Because it took 5 years and I am not all better but I am much improved. I kind of just rushed my post. If anyone wants to throw any q’s my way go ahead. Things that seem to help me. Sun light, exercise and keeping my mind off of it.

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