I started taking propecia, September of 2009. I only took 12 pills of it. I took it for about 3 weeks on and off. I had bad allergic reactions. Face swelling, erectile dysfunction, low libido…I was devasted for about 6 months after. Things seemed to get better… But sometimes I fall back into my low libido and erectile problems. I tried everything. Cleansing my body by detoxifying it. I even went to the doctor and the doc Said I was fine. My testosterone levels were normal. It has been a year and I feel sometimes that I have a low libido and cannot get a good erection. And I only took 12 freaking pills. Are these permanent side effects. I hate that my life is like this right now. I am only 33 years old I used to be so sex crazed now I’m not really in the mood these days. Am I screwed for life?
Length of time on the drug seems to make little difference. Some get side effects right away, others only after years, or only shortly after quitting.
This is common. Most docs do not recognize the drug can cause lasting problems that do not resolve 100% after discontinuation, so they choose to blame psychological issues instead.
Do you have copies of your bloodwork? What was your Testosterone result (with ranges)? Again, most docs will tell you your Testosterone is “normal” if it’s within the range (ie 200-800), even when it’s at the bottom of the range which is not healthy.
If you aren’t sure, it could be due to other factors. Most guys notice a marked difference compared to how they were before the drug, it was like night and day (alwayshorny, able to get hard instantly, maintain erection without issue, constant spontaneous erections throughout day, morning erections upon waking, strong nocturnal erections, no penile/scrotal shrinkage or numbness etc). If most of these symptoms are affecting you and do not change since the drug, then it’s likely it is not psychological.
Nobody can answer that except you. However, if you are suffering from lasting problems from the drug, which cannot be attributed to psychological issues or anything else, then it very likely points to the drug as the culprit.
If you are certain your issues are from Finasteride, I would advise you to participate in the following clinical study: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=3497
Most people tend to improve with time, however each of our body’s ability to recover is unique to them. If you find you are not improving over time, you might consider seeking out treatment from the various doctors who recognize that Finasteride can cause these types of issues.
Stay positive and healthy, and keep a good outlook.
All good advice there. You’re fairly close to Dr. Crisler. Maybe consider giving him a call. He clamis to help 40% or so of patients. I believe he may do phone consults as well. But, there is no “cure” per se at the moment.
gl