Hello Everyone,
I began using Rogaine 5% around Summer 2013. I was also using (not consistently) some shampoos & supplements like Nizoral and a very brief stint with Saw Palmetto.
A year into my Rogaine regimen, I was reading up on the Hair Loss forums about all the different drgus like Fin, Dut, RU58841, etc.
I always had a distant approach due to Finasteride due to hearing about side effects. However, as my hair loss continued, I began to become more desperate. I was reading that RU58841 didn’t react systematically (highly doubtful) and I liked the concept of taking things topically instead of in pill form.
I had a very brief stint with RU that killed my erection completely. I used it maybe no more than 10 times (hard to recall since this is now almost 5 years ago). After experiencing the sexual symptoms, I immideately dropped it. A week after quitting, my erections returned to normal.
This experience should have been a severe warning for me. However, I decided that since my side effects ceased, I could give these drugs another try, and the side effects would cease once again if I didn’t like what I was experiencing.
I decided to try a topical minoxidil (12.5%) solution with finasteride (a low 0.1%) and some azelaic acid & retinoic acid. I wasn’t very strict with the use of the topical, skipping applications here and there. I probably used it for a month on-and-off at most.
It was during this time that I experienced a loss in libido & started developing gyno. Even though my libido was lowered, I could still get erections and carry out sexual activities. However, I was bothered a lot by the onset of Gyno and I dropped the medicine.
I used some DIM supplement from Amazon in what I was thinking would “flush Estrogen out of my system”. During this time I was off the drug and experiencing gyno, I remember losing spontaneous erections. I felt like the DIM helped the gyno a little bit, but ultimately it was here to stay.
I cannot recall if I ever went back on to the Topical Min + Fin after this period, but I do see that I did order a 2nd batch of the solution with much lower Fin (0.025%). I cannot recall if I gave it a go, but if I did, surely it must have been only a few applications.
End of that year, I decided to quit ALL hair loss supplementations including Minoxidil and all shampoos. And I adopted a lifting regiment. In the time that followed, I recovered some of my libido but it was never 100%. I would say I was back to about 70% in terms of libido.
In addition to the Gyno, loss of libido, watery sperm, I had some other remnant side effects. These include wrinkles in my penis when it’s flaccid, a pressure in my prostate, discomfort in my urinary tract, and tingling of my testicles. The severity of these fluctuated from time to time.
In the following time, I was also noticing a continous and gradual decline in my exercise tolerance. I wasn’t able to spend as much time in the gym. I was needing longer breaks between exercises. I was no longer able to play soccer very well.
The sexual symptoms more or less remained the same throughout the years. I hadn’t noticed any particular improvement or worsening. When I would masturbate or engage in sex more than 2-3 times in the span on a day or two, I would notice a pretty big drop in my libido the following days. But after “recharging” for a couple of days, it would return back to the PFS baseline of 70%.
However, beginning of summer '18, the decrease in exercise tolerance was noticably increased. I could no longer play more than 10 minutes of soccer. My workout load was cut in almost half. And after a couple of demanding workout sessions, I suffered from severe tachycardia (increased heart rate). A few times I suffered from tachycardia with no activity, just sitting down after a meal, etc.
This begun my chapter of doctor visits. I did cardiac tests, lung tests, blood tests. All came back appearing normal. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis back in November, and had some minor flare-ups, but that has pretty much cleared up.
However, my exercise intolerance and fluctuating libido still continue. I still experience libido crashes after sexual activity, etc. And my exercise intolerance has gotten to the point where I get a racing heart after climbing a few set of stairs. I have given up on my weightlifting regimen due to this reason. Apart from the worrying inconvenience of having to live a very stationary life, I am also suffering the adverse side effects of not working out by missing out on the libido and sleep benefits.
I eat a fairly healthy diet and have abandoned all alcohol after the UC diagnosis. I don’t follow a specific diet such as Keto, Paleo. But I try to avoid fast foods, fried foods, excessive dairy, processed junk foods, etc. I also follow my caloric intake to make sure I am not overeating as it triggers my tachycardia along with reflux, severe bloating, and general discomfort.
I decided to join this forum after a fairly difficult month and an even more difficult week. I always had difficulty sticking to a good sleep schedule, but since last summer it has become much worse. I often go to bed, and right after dosing off I often wake up from sleep in a state of panic with my heart racing. There have been days where it’s difficult to get quality sleep for more than 4-5 hours and obviusly this is affecting my general lifestlye as well ass my libido.
In addition, Over the past month, I feel like I have developed a very strong anxiety. I feel like this year-long chapter of tachycardia along with the years of sexual side effects is finally catching up to me. I often find myself wound up or worrying about my heart/health at elevated levels for multiple hours. The fact that I also experience chest pains definitely does not help either. It’s like I’m in a terrible cycle of palpitations-insomnia-anxiety.
Last week, I had 2 days of sleep deprivation. And Wednesday, I felt a massive crash. My penis feels like it did when I was on Finasteride. I have had a couple of spontaneous erections over the past few days, but I have yet to wake up with any morning erections. My sleep has also been terrible. I slept about 4 hours yesterday, and 5 hours today. I have trouble falling asleep, and have been waking up super early.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I know PFS is basically untreatable. But I hope to return to at least a decent level of exercise tolerance, sexual energy, along with less anxiety and insomnia.
I have been seeing doctors for almost a year now and it feels like a big waste of time. The conversation always ends up as “anxiety” and “all in my head”. I have been prescribed Lexapro, but hearing about the side effects makes me think that I don’t need any additional problems thrown into my mix.
I am seeking a therapist soon, and want some hormonal panels done as well. But, I don’t really know where to start. Especially, the fact that this sexual crash has lasted much longer than usual, and that it’s accompanied by the insomnia is incredibly worrying for me. Usually, I would return to morning erections at most in a day or 2.
Any help and comments are appreciated. Thank you guys.
