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Where are you from (country)?
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How did you find this forum (Google search – if so, what search terms? Via link from a forum or website – if so, what page? Other?)
A Men’s Health article in 2012 directed me here. -
What is your current age, height, weight?
31, 6’2", 175 lbs -
Do you exercise regularly? If so, what type of exercise?
I have been very active since age 16. Currently I lift weights 3-4 times a week and run 3 miles 1-2 times per week. -
What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
I’m not on a special diet, though I don’t eat much meat other than chicken. -
Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
Hair loss -
For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
5 years -
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?
22 y/o - September 2007 -
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
27 y/o - April 2012 -
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold turkey -
What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
All of the above, but mostly generic Proscar 5 mg cut into 1/4 tablets. -
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1.25 mg/day -
How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
Sexual side effects within days -
What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
Put an X beside all that apply:
Sexual
[ ] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[ ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[ ] Loss of Morning Erections
[ ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[ ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[ ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[ ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[x ] Joint Pain
[ x] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[ ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ ] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ ] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[ ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[ x] Other (please explain)
Pathologically dry skin in previously sebum-rich areas of my face and forehead.
Thinned skin, particularly of the face.
Dry eyes.
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What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
Metrogel and Finacea (for apparent seborrheic dermatitis) -
If you have pre or post-Finasteride bloodtests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (pls post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
Unfortunately I do not have baseline numbers for comparison. -
Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
See below. -
Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.
In September 2007, I grew tired of spending money on the frequent haircuts that ROTC required, so shaved my head with a “0” guard. I noticed, much to my fear, that the hairs in my temporal region were very fine, thin, and lighter in color than those on the rest of my head. Recognizing this as the first sign of male pattern baldness, and being a vain college kid with a bald father, I instantly went to a doctor to inquire about Propecia. I was counseled only on sexual side effects, and that they would resolve upon discontinuation.
Within a few days of using the drug, I noticed that my libido had decreased. No more morning erections, no more spontaneous erections. I would think about sex, but the physiological response wasn’t what it was prior to the drug. However, I still was able to perform with my girlfriend at the time, so I decided it was a small sacrifice to make to maintain a full head of hair.
Over the next several years, the sexual side effects progressed slowly to the point where I would have anxiety about having sexual encounters. There were several distinct instances where I couldn’t get an erection despite being mentally aroused. This fact notwithstanding, I continued to take the drug because I was in pharmacy school and was educated that these effects would resolve upon discontinuation. I also loved having a full head of hair, I loved the compliments and attention from women that I received for having it, and I wanted to keep my sexual appeal in full swing while I was still young, in school, and surrounded by attractive females.
My impetus for looking more into finasteride was a series of nights in 2012 when I woke up drenched in sweat and burning hot. During the course of these corresponding days, I would also have periodic hot flashes, which I fearfully attributed to finasteride, understanding its mechanism of action as disrupting a normal hormonal pathway. My research led me to this forum, where I read the countless stories of people suffering the same adverse effects that I was - most of whom continued to suffer the effects after cessation of the drug.
In a panic, I stopped taking the drug cold turkey. Over the next week or so, I felt like a new man. I was lively, energetic, witty, and EXTREMELY horny. This acute state of well-being is what I imagine a man on anabolic steroids feeling, and since my body was trying to compensate for all the DHT that had been suppressed for so long, it makes sense that I would feel that way.
Thankfully, I never had a true hypothalamic-pituitary-hypogonadal “crash” that many of the forum regulars describe. My general energy levels and sexual interest have since normalized to where I feel significantly better than I did on finasteride, but not as good as I did in the week following cessation of the drug. Again, this all makes sense theoretically. The sexual side effects, which (from the list above) were comprehensive and abundant, have mostly resolved. I say “mostly” because my overall libido is less than it was when I started the drug, but I am also 30 years of age now as opposed to 22.
Unfortunately, the majority of side effects that I had from finasteride I did not attribute to the drug until I happened upon this forum in 2012. This is because these side effects were (are) unmentioned in any of the clinical trials, hence also unmentioned in the patient handouts.
First, I developed pathologically dry/red skin in areas that were oily prior to the drug - on my nose and forehead, on my scalp, beneath my eyebrows (of which the latter 1/3 has thinned out considerably), and on my cheeks right below my eyes. It was, and continues to be, so chalk-dry that if I rub my finger across the surface once at any point in the day, a snowfall of little white flakes will fall. My dermatologist labeled it seborrheic dermatitis, which it may be, but I attribute its development to the use of finasteride because of similar reports on this forum. This side effect has not resolved upon discontinuation of the drug.
Second, my skin has thinned out across the entirety of my body. I know this both from the physical appearance in my face, and also because I am an amateur kickboxer. It used to be that I could get hit and not have so much as a bruise. Now, because of the loss of subcutaneous fat, there is nothing to pad my face and lower legs from punches and kicks, so I cut/bleed very easily. My sparring partners constantly tease me about how easily I cut. Also, due to the dry skin and loss of subcutaneous fat below my eyes, I have dark circles under my eyes. These side effects have not resolved upon discontinuation of the drug.
Third, dry eyes. My eyes are often red and bloodshot, and the development of new and prominent vasculature around my eyes is a physical manifestation of the dry eyes that I have suffered over the past few years. My opthalmologist pointed out that vision loss is quite possible if this vasculature continues to progress. This has not resolved upon discontinuation of the drug.
Fourth, joint pain and “pins and needles” sensation on the medial aspect of my forearms. I have developed lower back pain, shoulder pain, and nerve damage in my elbows. For the sake of objectivity, I will also state that I am a very active person, so some wear and tear is expected. Nevertheless, the fact that many other finasteride users report this side effect suggests that it is relevant that I mention it. These side effects have not resolved upon drug discontinuation.
Fifth, a “puffy” face. Despite the loss of subcutaneous fat in my face, I developed a sort of chubby appearance similar to the “moon face” often attributed to Addison’s disease. Due to the disruption of the natural hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis from finasteride, this side effect makes theoretical sense, but denial made me ignore it. This side effect DID RESOLVE upon discontinuation of the drug, but I want to include it for the sake of being complete.
Sixth, the mental side effects. You could choose literally any of the side effects listed in the “mental side effects” column above, and I had them. Horrible difficulty concentrating, slurred speech, panic attacks (especially upon waking at night), “brain fog,” depression, etc. There were times I thought I was just tired, but as it progressed I was convinced that I had the early symptomatic manifestations of schizophrenia. I was emotionally unstable and unable to maintain healthy romantic relationships. I had a general lack of zeal/blunted affect toward anything and anyone. I developed an uncharacteristic social anxiety, because the brain fog was so bad that it made me feel as though I came across as an imbecile or severely autistic (please don’t interpret as me intending to offend or be insensitive toward autistic people) whenever I carried on a conversation with someone. Thankfully, these DID RESOLVE upon discontinuation of finasteride, and I owe it to this forum that I was even able to attribute these side effects to the drug.
I would like to stress that I am a cum laude doctorate of pharmacy graduate from a very acclaimed, high-ranking school, and I can confirm that most of the side effects that I experienced were not taught in school. One of the things that I learned from my finasteride experience is how quick health care providers are to dismiss patient-reported side effects if they are not explicitly listed as common in the drug’s package insert. This goes for ANY drug. Finasteride can and has ruined many people’s lives, and as a pharmacist I feel a sense of duty to publicly confirm that this drug is potentially VERY dangerous. I understand first-hand the psychological trauma that a young man undergoes when he discovers that he is losing his hair, but the risks seldom outweigh the benefits for an otherwise healthy male. My experience with finasteride also taught me my most important lesson as a community health care provider - LISTEN TO YOUR PATIENTS.
Feel free to ask me any questions.