Life ruined, but want to know if there are any steps to take

Member Stories
#1

  1. Where are you from (country)?

  2. 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?)

Google for finasteride side effects

  1. What is your current age, height, weight?

5’8", 155 lbs

  1. Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?

running, walking

  1. What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?

average diet. Some healthy, some fast food. Non-restrictive.

  1. Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?

Hair loss.

  1. For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?

4 days. I also took it twice in the past many years ago for 2 weeks each.

  1. How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?

27

  1. How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?

27

  1. How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?

Cold turkey

  1. What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?

Generic

  1. What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?

1.25 mg every day

  1. How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?

4th day

  1. 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
[X] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[X] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[X] Loss of Morning Erections
[X] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[X] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[ ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility

Mental
[X] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[ ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ ] Confusion
[ ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[ ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[ ] Slurring of Speech
[X] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[X] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[ ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ ] Suicidal Thoughts

Physical
[X] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ ] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[ ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[X] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[ ] Weight Gain
[ ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[ ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
[ ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes

Misc
[X] 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)

  1. What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?

None.

  1. 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)?

Haven’t had any.

  1. Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?

  2. Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.

I decided not to use finasteride 1 million times. When I was younger (6 and 7 years ago) and was concerned about my hair loss, in moments of weakness, I had used it on 2 occasions for 2 weeks each. Each time, I came to my senses once overcoming my anxiety and stopped taking it.

This time, I did the same thing. I thought that I was taking a negligible risk like you take when you decide to drive in a car. I thought the risk was less than that. And now, out of my own stupidity and vanity, I have ruined my life.

I first noticed side effects on the 4th day. I couldn’t get an erection, I had no libido, and I had some pains and spasming in my prostate region. I stopped taking the drug, feeling relieved that I wouldn’t need to feel bad about not taking it (and not doing anything about my hair loss) and everything was fine after a few days.

Fast forward to January 2 and all of the side effects returned. I can barely get a soft erection with lots of manual stimulation and my libido is close to 0. I also have pain in the prostate region that radiates outward somewhat. My penis is also a bit shrunken compared to normal and seems to have compromised blood flow.

Over the last 11 days since my crash, nothing has improved. I have spent time researching on this forum, but the outlook seems very bleak. Tomorrow I will go to the doctor to get some blood tests (I found the page with the recommended blood tests).

I have been off of the drug for 2 months total. I am just asking what steps I should take. I am still in shock and I can’t imagine living my life like this, but I don’t have a choice.

Have there been any cases of recovery in my situation? It seems like once you crash, your life is over. I read the recoveries section, but none of them seemed to have the typical PFS recovery and crash like many of us have.

#2

Arginine and or viagra ever day before bed time for blood flow.

#3

Your doctor is going to say that list of tests is excessive. Probably will refer you to a physiatrist. I have not seen many people get much benefit from these tests. After 3 blood tests I finally got diagnosed with low t but supplementing t has not helped much. For the most part your wasting your time on local gp’s.

#4

Has anything helped you?

#5

There are no remedies for PFS at the moment. Lots of treatments have been tried, including TRT, often worsening the situation.

Also no one can say, to what extend recoveries are possible. How finasteride caused PFS is at the moment totally unknown. The PFS foundation is trying to find answers, that as of yet, do not exist.

The best bet you have is time passing. If your body cant heal itself, you are fucked.

Meanwhile you should participate in ongoing studies and donate to the foundation.

Be careful to not falll for any recovery Messiah on this site, as his protocols will be uneffective or make you feel worse.

Anybody giving you advice is basically pulling the information out of his ass. For more information look at my thread entitled: Study participation. A call to arms.

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=10088

#6

this is not true. Tamoxifen has a very positive effect on disease progression. The problem here is the Tamox for some is not very compatible. It is not a disease, but it definitely helps …
If the side effects are acceptable, good, if not, it is advisable Z drugs for sleeping and of course an antidepressant …
Do not stress, do everything easier. No alcohol or some fuck, you’re going to slip off very quickly. Be patient and have trust …

#7

Can you explain the disease progression? Can Mew or someone comment on the necessity for arginine, etc. for preventing penile fibrosis? I am following cdnuts protocol and any medication seems to conflict with it besides testosterone boosters, etc.

I will try to be patient and have faith. I would be happy getting back to 50%, but I don’t know. I’ve never read a recovery from my position.

Right now I am having difficulty sleeping due to anxiety. I know it isn’t physiological because I have had a couple decent sleeps since my crash when I went to bed with less anxiety. I am also dreaming and I have read that some people don’t. I don’t want to take any sleep medications because I was taking dramamine before I crashed to try to realign my sleep schedule.

#8

Seriously look into meditation. … eliminates anxiety and depression dramatically. … mindfulness meditation. … stay on a extremely healthy protocol. … do everything healthy you can… it may cure you in time. … fuck negative people. … never give up! Enemas-Water fasting - Raw Diets- Paleo Diets- Nutritarian Diet- Daily exercise- Accepting your current self but trying to improve still - FIND A WAY NEVER GIVE UP

Healthy Mind Body And Spirit= Best protocol for any disease
Wish you well man. … I’m one of the few positive people on this site

If I could go back in time after pfs I would only read Cdnuts Chi or the recovery section in general
I my self am still struggling to adopt a healthy lifestyle

Remember Cancer HIV and Parkinson’s Disease have all been cured Miraculously in some people… so remember that history proves that anything is possible… NEVER FUCKING GIVE UP

#9

Some get better over time and some get worse over time. There is the symptom list, but no common symptom progression.

Why do you ask if arginine is needed with PFS? I have just told you that researchers are still trying to figure out what PFS is. There is no treatment. Get that in your head, as you will waste time and money if you consume the huge list of medications messiahs promote.

The only common element in recoveries is time passing. There is nothing more to say. Anyone who says he knows you need to swallow medicine XYZ to get better, is either deluded or lying.

Yes, a healthy lifestyle will be better than a unhealthy one. Thats common sense. However it wont recover you. Recovery has not been achieved via protocols (as if they had the protocol would work for everyone, as it would address the route cause). Recovery has been achieved by certain members, because of their individual makeup.

I am not saying to give up or to be negative. Anyone who says this is miscontruing my position. You can be proactive by participating in studies, by donating and by continuing to pursue the passions you had before PFS. Getting lost in the myriad of recovery protocols, is if anything a depressing picture of a medieval peasant, who is being totally controlled by this disease.

#10

I appreciate your input. I don’t consider arginine a treatment. I am just trying to prevent damage due to poor blood flow…

#11

Again your best bet are the natural self healing powers of your own body (to the extend they exist with this condition). Fucking this up with even more pills, is a very bad idea. Many people have to wait years not month, to see improvements (if at all).

Meanwhile, if you want to be proactive, support the ongoing studies and the foundation.

This is a rational response. You will however find countless homebrew Messiahs, who will tell you that you have to swallow XYZ pill or do XYZ protocol.

The facts are quite simple: Nobody understands PFS yet, thats why there is a foundation financing research. The only thing we know all recoveries have in common is time passing.

Everything else is conjecture.

Keep your spirits up and continue doing what you were doing before PFS, with the exception of study participation and donations.

#12

I crashed after quitting cold turkey. I had been on Proscar for about 5 years so my recovery was very slow going, but I’ve made significant progress in the 4 years since (most of which was in the last year and a half). It will probably take more time than you want it to but there is absolutely hope for recovery.

Take care of yourself (mentally and physically) and focus on helping your body recover, understanding that it will take some time. Experiment with yourself to see how the new you reacts to different things and focus on blood flow exercises like kegels.

It’s really scary but there are people who have been where you are and recovered. There is absolutely hope.

#13

Am I the only one who wants that idiot pvdl banned? I don’t understand how people can stand that self-satisfied stupidness.

#14

Keep eating your aspargus Living dead.

What a nut.

I am trying to be reasonable here.

Many people will jump on all sorts of dangerous protocols, and pump their bodies full of hormones, like estrogen blockers, worsening their situation. Its not a coincidence that the founder of this forum shut down the theories section. It was out of control, JQD was a full blown maniac recommending all sorts of crazy hormone combination with no scientific basis. He changed them so often, that even a bodybuilder thought it was insane and called him out on it.

But peasants like you, hate the picture I am painting: That it will take years of reasearch before we are closer to a real cure.

I will be reducing my posting frequency anyway, so just calm down. If you cant take it anymore, there is also solvepfs.com, where arm chair scientists are fully embraced.

#15

Please ceases to sully this board with any rants …
for many, this is an oasis, a kind soul salvation, please give these people the feeling of security …

honestly, I like pvdl, he is the combative spirit
that some need here. Definitely he is right so indiscriminately to swallow anything … and this some “recovery protocols” I do not know …
He is often expressed in too hard, the sound makes the music;-)
Please take distance away people advise to sit out there … sometimes you can not, i almost had … dutasteride erased my soul
(pax Imperia R.I.P little brother) :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

my brother, you know best how much power you have and if you can stand it without medication for …

Definitive have proven here, tamoxifen (try it with 10 mg). You MUST get some sleep, otherwise there is no improvement … get yourself zopiclone, or other Z drugs, no more than 7 days at the tee. FIND a doctor who believes you and talk to him about an antidepressant. Bupropion raises your dopamine level and triggers your fear …

what is this “protocol” what have you got ?? I do not want to attack, but everyone who he claims has an antidote, walk, way of life etc … talking nonsense …
he was lucky. No one knows in our universe … why this shit happens

Watch out that you get in no dependence , no alcohol, no drugs, no snake tails, no willie rhino, tiger eggs etc …
Tamox, something to sleep, something for the mood …
NOTHING ELSE …

I wish you all the best, believe it is all good again. Take your Time…

#16

Combative? Maybe in the sense of being combative for his self-glorification’s cause. What’s annoying is to read the same post from pvdl in every thread using always the same stupids words (home-brew, messiah and now peasant), presenting himself as a critical mind among dummies and telling to the new-comers there’s nothing they can do to get better, which is obviously a fucking lie from someone who wants all the attention and don’t care about people’s suffering or if they end up killing themselves.

#17

Right now I am having a very weird experience.

For the first 12 days after my crash, I could get erections (sometimes hard, sometimes soft) with manual stimulation + porn but I had zero libido.

Then, for the past 48 hours, I have been completely impotent, until now.

I suddenly felt a surge in my mind and felt like a man again. And I just managed to get an 80% erection with manual stimulation out of nowhere. And I actually have a small amount of libido. More than I have had in 2 weeks.

At least I know my body is still capable of functioning somewhat. I am praying.

#18

This is no oasis, Its hell on earth. What PLVD is saying is largely true. He just wants people to get serious about the studies. You guys keep taking fish oil to cure radiation exposure. LOL!

BTW: tamoxifen should be used unless there is a really good reason. What if he already has low T and E. He could fuck himself up more.

#19

pvdl’s post seems pretty reasonable to me. None of the protocols on here have been proven to work, all we have our a few supposed anecdotal recoveries and dozens of failed attempts to intimate them.

If you want to get better, start by changing your lifestyle. Start living healthy- really healthy. Workout, eat lots of fruits and veggies and healthy foods. See if you qualify to participate in the studies. Keep a positive attitude and challenge yourself physically and mentally. Once you meet those challenges, set new ones, and beat them.

Eventually we’ll figure this out. In the mean time, stay positive and healthy, and help with the research.

Good luck.

#20

hi mcibofh,
i think we are missing the point here…

tamoxifen stimulates the testes to produce more lh and fsh to what also can increase your testo worth up to 300% !!!
But that’s not the only what it really does: Tamoxifen engages your brain and reactivates the paralyzed receptors, your body begins to process dht again, this is supported by documentary evidence !!!
propecia and dutasteride not only inhibit 5 alpha reductase, otherwise man could so with a testo dose or masteron defeat the disease! as I said this shit occupied apparently quite all receptors, whether in brain or body and then runs nothing more … why this is so, why in some but testo etc help a bit and for some this will all worse, nobody knows …

with all the conjectures one thing is certain: Tamox really helps. the question is whether man can withstand even Tamox …
with all the respect for science and the hard work of the scientist, we do not impose the RIGHT people as they have to help themselves.

@ livingdead
Dont say that… you dont know him, you do not know what he’s going through just what makes the poison with his psyche …
he seems to be in a phase atypical depression … it seems to me almost manic …

pvdl
Please excuse me, I’m just worried about you, you’re too aggressive and present, please reflecting something more. let your people with a little more space …

your enemies are impatience, laziness, fear and SARCASM…