Gentlemen, I wish to make an observation and pass along an anecdote that may be of use.
It has taken me six months to realize that 1.) I was having serious side effects and 2.) what they were from. I have used finasteride in the past, but quit after serious anxiety (allopregnanolone deprivation in all likelihood). Thankfully this wasn’t lasting. I also take Prozac and, after ditching fin, I religiously used Nizoral shampoo. Might as well throw something at the problem, right? But it has been a slow slope down. Depression slowly seeping back in, absolute lack of sexual interest and arousal, lack of motivation to do anything. Three months ago I quit Prozac to try and counter the SSRI sexual sides. Things got even worse.
Studies show that Nizoral is safe for topical use and does not enter the bloodstream. I posted this myself at HairlossTalk while looking for answers:
This study is flawed. It is the only one of its kind and it was conducted and released by the manufacturer. Four weeks ago I stopped using their product after having used 2% daily for nine months. My sex drive is returning slowly, even with the reintroduction of Prozac. In the fin studies they asked participants if they woke up with erections–ostensibly to check physiological vs. psychological side effects. I have them for the first time in almost a year.
This site is dedicated to serious, lasting side effects. Johnson & Johnson/McNeil claim this is a safe product that isn’t absorbed (which is insane as it is most often proscribed as a cream!!). Ketoconazole is a testosterone lowering substance that has in past been prescribed orally to prevent post-operative erections after penile surgery. My experience is that they are wrong and, at best, willfully misrepresenting the truth. Everyone here used Finasteride to fight hair loss. It stands to reason many may still use Nizoral because it is supposed to be safe. Be warned and be cautious. This needs to be studied. Best of luck to you all.